In Cold Blood - Truman Capote

 Truman Capote's non fiction detailing the real life murders of the Clutter family in Kansas in 1959 - what started as a 300 word article became a book as Capote delved deep into the psyche of the two murderers Perry and Dick who kill the four members of the family for no reason almost. Though they go with an intent to rob, the only get 50 dollars, but the motive for the killing is completely senseless.

Capote writes in a fashion that slowly reveals the nature of the killers, takes you deep into their minds. Fantastic reading. He spent six years writing this book.

Thanks Vinod bhai.

The Word and the Bomb - Hanif Kureishi

 It is a collection of essays Hanif Kureishi wrote about Islam, Pakistan, the immigrant problem, radicalisation of Islam and other impressions. It's interesting to see how he sees Pakistan, the land where his father came from (his mother is British), the young men in the mosques and how his impressions led to the writing of his books - My Son the Fanatic and others. He also wrote for film.

 Thanks Abhinay.

Thought for the Day - Life in It's Purest Form

 Life in it's purest form is experienced when our walls are down. Our walls are down when our trust is high.

To Risk is to be out there - as you are!

This is pure goosebumps stuff.

To trust is to take a risk. To risk is not to be seen in a particular way - to be ok with being seen any way. And when we trust ourselves despite the dangers, the set norms, we are out there with our walls down. Exposed and vulnerable. We have risked what is not normal, not conventional.

We have lowered the walls. We have trusted despite the stakes going high.

Then, we experience life in its purest form.

Thought for the Day - The Link Between Judgement and Reaction

 Our judgement and our reaction are linked!

If there is no judgement, there is no reaction. Drop judgment and life is peaceful! 

Thought for the Day - Creative Energy is the Love We Have to Expend

 Creative energy, the energy we have to create stuff that helps create and not destroy, is basically made of the love we have in us to expend.

So you have love and you have to spend it, it comes out as creative energy. It helps create beautiful things. Unlike stuff you create when all you have inside you is not love - then you come with stuff that is not beautiful and leads to strife and ugliness.

Look then for the leader who has love inside him for all! He or she has creative energy to create beautiful things that spread peace, harmony and beauty.  

Sagar's Initiative - YouTube Videos of Canteen Fundas

 Sagar has been a die hard supporter and we have done much work together and travelled a fine journey since 2010 when I first met him on the Golconda High School sets. Then we played much cricket, saw movies, did workshops. He suggested the book idea for 'This way is easier dad' and handheld me through the proposal process and I am certain that without his help that lovely book would not have come out. e finally directed his first film 'Nootokka Jillala Andagadu' suffered a stroke, and still gets on with life in his own positive, irrepressible way.

Sagar has always been convinced about the content of my workshops and columns and after we discussed the idea of a YouTube channel he got down to it, set deadlines and pushed me through the process. We got Pallavi (who brought light and grace to the shoot), Shobha (who we call the producer), and today we had Abhinay to help. Overall we shot a few trial videos, put them out and got some feedback and shortened them after feedback. They are going to be conversational with Sagar asking me a question about some typical problem and me explaining the solution through some concept we shared. It is aimed to be about 5 minutes (we started at 8 or longer). 

Today we kind of shot some six videos and I was so happy to see that something like this is happening which can increase the reach and visibility of these powerful concepts - on being secure, growth mindset, learning approaches, how to gain expertise, goal setting etc. Again, without Sagar to prod me, nothing would have happened and I am so glad he not only pledged support but pushed me (and keeps pushing me through with deadlines.

Our purpose - that it reaches out to a few who may benefit from the concepts and not repeat the mistakes we made. Thank you Sagar! And Shobha, Pallavi and Abhinay!       

Canteen Fundas - The Measure of a Good Leader - Results not Intentions!

 How do we judge a leader - by outcomes and not promises and intentions!

https://www.edexlive.com/opinion/2021/dec/08/e-canteen-fundas-distinguish-true-blue-leader-someone-who-is-all-fluff-and-puff-26130.html

E-Canteen Fundas: How to distinguish between a true blue leader and someone who is all fluff and puff

To measure leadership, look at real and tangible outcomes achieved around you. Mere activity, promise or intention that does not produce results is not an achievement

Pick them right | (Pic: Edexlive)

‘I have to write an essay about good leadership,’ said Rahul. ‘But how do I identify a good leader?’

‘Assess by popularity,’ said Rinku. ‘The leaders that come to mind immediately should be the good ones, right?’

‘Good question to think about,’ said Rakesh. ‘Are leaders who are more visible good? Visibility can come through promoting oneself, can come from making dramatic, populist and sensational statements. But being popular may not be the same thing as being a good or a great leader. We all remember Hitler and Stalin as well as we remember Gandhi or Mandela, right?’

‘That’s true,’ said Rinku. ‘So, what indicates good leadership?’

‘You tell me,’ smiled Rakesh. ‘Let’s try and figure this out.’

‘Someone charismatic and energetic,’ said Rahul. ‘Somehow full of action, ideas and who promises great futures. Someone decisive and firm. Someone who inspires and who I am proud of.’

‘That’s a start,’ said Rakesh. ‘And…’

‘I think a good leader is someone who addresses real issues of his team,’ said Rinku. ‘Someone who makes it a more harmonious place, grows and empowers the team, makes the team stronger and prepares it for better futures. Most importantly, everyone in the team grows and gets a fair, equal and just deal.’

‘That’s a lot of stuff,’ said Rahul. ‘But if I need one measure to judge a leader, what would that be?’

‘I feel that the one measure of a leader should not be the promises they make, but real achievements,’ said Rakesh. ‘We all joke about how our political leaders visit during election time with promises of employment, free stuff, removal of corruption, equal opportunity to all, and how they soon forget about their promises. The best measure is to compare their promises to real achievements. No excuses. No blame. Actual, simple delivery.’

‘But a good leader is also about action, no bhaiyya?’ said Rahul. ‘Every day I open the newspaper I see many schemes being advertised by various governments. Some of them sound like great schemes. Would that not count as an achievement?’

‘Not really,’ said Rakesh. ‘You must differentiate between activity and achievement. We have seen hundreds of schemes launched and thousands of foundation stones laid, with no real outcome. Do not judge leaders by the grandness of intentions. Look for clear, tangible outcomes that benefit the team in some small way at least. Like they say, the smallest deed is better than the grandest intention. Small outcomes are better than lots of pointless activity.’

‘How can we find out about real outcomes, bhaiyya?’ said Rinku. ‘They advertise only their schemes and activities. Not outcomes.’

‘True,’ laughed Rakesh. ‘When leaders promise free stuff and launch a populist scheme there is normally a lot of activity. What you must look for is impact. If they launch a clean city programme, your city must be clean. If they promise better education, schools should report better results. If they promise better health, people should have easy access to healthcare. It has to show. Sometimes populist schemes that fetch votes do more harm than good. A good leader will educate you on real achievement on progress while a lesser leader will obfuscate the real issue. In fact, talking of visibility and real achievement, a good leader need not even be visible as the results of their work show in people’s lives.’

‘That’s actually interesting,’ said Rahul. ‘That leaders can be invisible and still achieve good results.’

‘Yes, for them the hero is the team, not themselves,’ said Rakesh. ‘In his book Good to Great, Jim Collins explains the idea of Level 5 leaders, people who take their teams from good to great. That could help you assess leaders too. Level 5 leaders do not launch dramatic change-inducing programmes nor are they larger-than-life people, promoting themselves. They are humble, modest, mild-mannered, self-effacing and understated. They work diligently, carry everyone along, set up successors for their team’s success and produce sustained results. Their greatness shows in the outcome, in the improved conditions of the team as a whole, not in promoting themselves. Look for such leaders.’

‘I will not fall for mere visibility, grand intentions and promises anymore,’ said Rinku. ‘I’ll look for proof of real outcomes. Thanks, bhaiyya.’

Pro Tip: To measure leadership, look at real and tangible outcomes achieved around you. Mere activity, promise or intention that does not produce results is not an achievement.