IndianMaze

I had a very fruitful meeting for a possible new client. The project was interesting and there was keen interest by the potential client to use the services on offer. Sounds good, said my colleague. We should send a proposal for the engagement. I wasn't so sure. Project is interesting, fee may be decent as well but do I feel comfortable working with the client? A categorical NO emerged from within me. The interaction with client was emotionally challenging. I would have had to deal with am emotional conflict on the assignment with the client. I found it difficult to accept his style of operation. This was not a knee jerk reaction but thought through analysis. Professionally, it is the task that I commit to and should do the same. Personally I do not want to work with the individual. What do I do? I have declined the assignment but the question still remains. Is it fair? Is it just? Would a doctor take a decision to cure a patient based on liking? Should an advocate dec...

The room was full of very bright, intelligent and aware youngsters in a higher education institute in India. They all had qualified to be there after a hard fought competition with a success rate of under 5%. I was privileged to be amongst the future of India and was truly impressed with their sharp minds and questions posed to me recently when I delivered a guest lecture. Towards the end of the session, I had to make a point of my own to get them to the next level of action. So a series of 3 questions: Q1.                      How many of you want to top the class? Response :          100% Q2                       How many of you know what to do to top the class? Response             Almost 60% (balance 50% definitely need guidance) Q3                     ...

Snake charmers? Elephants for transport? Beggars everywhere? Software programmers at the entry point of airport? A lot is in our imagination based on what and where we read about India. This has been my favourite question to every foreigner when they come to India (especially the first timers). In 7 out of 10 answers I get a response that invariable means TOO MANY HUMANS I have had comments like - I never knew that so many people can work at an airport - I have never seen so many heads together - humans, humans and humans all around In 2 out of 10 I have a response that invariably means - You guys are too good at English speaking What is your first hit on hitting India?

Susan was on the verge of crying on the phone call. She is a young professional at one of the largest corporations in the country. Susan has had sterling credentials. A university ranker and skilled at things beyond her curriculum. She enjoys life and believes in burning the candle at both ends. Work hard, party harder. She is ambitious as well. She has been rated very well in her office and many people, far senior to her, come to her for advise on casual basis. She manages the communication of her boss and ghost writes for him. She was confident that with her performance she would get a double promotion from level 10 to 8. She had been handed over a letter wherein she has been rewarded with a special mention by her VP and a bonus highest in her department and an assessment of outstanding and promoted to level 9. Still she is unhappy and on the verge of breakdown. Why? Because it is lower than her expectation of being promoted to level 8.

It was a social meeting with a doctor friend, Anil, to celebrate his 50th birthday. Amy, a home maker and a school mate of the doc, was suffering from disturbed digestive system as a chronic problem and has been to many a doctors. She spent a mini fortune in getting various tests conducted but somehow no accurate diagnosis could be made. Amy brought this issue with Anil who is an ENT specialist, but a doc is a doc. Anil asked her a few general questions. To cut the long story short it emerged that Amy was not drinking enough water. She used to take about 250ml a day as drinking water. Anil suggested her to gradually increase it to 2L per day.  A few months later, Amy brought a big cake for Anil to say thanks as she was feeling fine. Gets me thinking! Why do we ignore things that are free for us for our good. A few thoughts: - water. Does not cost (much), has no calories, has no awkward taste, easily available but do we take enough of it - air. Omnipresent, no cost, no calo...

I was leisurely reading the weekend edition of newspapers. It was interesting read on a subject that I normally would not spend time during the work day despite my interest or so I think. As I finished halfway through the article my phone rang and I picked it without giving it a thought. Turned out to be soliciting call for an insurance policy. I started reading again from where I left but took me a short while to go the precise point I left reading. Another paragraph later, it was an SMS alert to which I again attended to breaking my reading. I finished reading the article but thinking now that did I do justice to my interest? Did the article not deserve my uninterrupted attention. I may have accomplished the tasks of reading, responding to a phone call and going through the SMS on my phone but did I do justice to my interest and the article?

Priya (name changed) was suffering from an ear ache post her flight. She normally does not suffer from ear ache during air journeys. On reaching home, she mentioned this to her mother. They decided to pay a visit to a doctor as it was an unusual complaint. Then onwards an interesting story started. To cut a long story short, the emphasis was to go to the best doctor in the best hospital in the neighborhood. They finally went to an ENT surgeon in a very reputed (5 star variety) hospital and came back with a great satisfaction. Doctor prescribed an antibiotic ear drop and a pain killer if required. Hospital charges were Rs 300 (US$ 5) for registration and Rs 600 (US$ 10) for specialist consultation and Rs 25 for medicines (antibiotic and pain killer). After 3 times usage of antibiotic drops she was all right and did not need any pain killers. This raises a vital question in  my mind! Why do consumers look for a specialist doctor when a normal GP would do the job at perhaps m...