HOW HR GUYS CATEGORIZE EMPLOYEES

 ONE DAY, MUGHAL EMPEROR SHAH JAHAN, WANTED TO CHECK ON THE PROGRESS OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TAJ MAHAL.HE CHANGED INTO AN OLD MAN'S ATTIRE AND LEFT THE PALACE DISCREETLY.

 WHEN HE REACHED THE CONSTRUCTION SITE, HE SAW THAT THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF STONE CUTTERS WORKING ON HUGE BLOCKS OF MARBLE.

 HE WENT TO ONE STONE CUTTER AND ASKED HIM , "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?". THE STONE CUTTER REPLIED, "DONT YOU SEE I AM BUSY?GO AWAY, OLD MAN".

 SHAH JAHAN GOT IMPRESSED BY THE STONE CUTTER'S DETERMINATION AND URGENCY TOWARDS HIS WORK.

 HE THEN WENT TO ANOTHER STONE CUTTER AND ASKED HIM THE SAME QUESTION.THE SECOND STONE CUTTER REPLIED,"STONE CUTTING AND CARVING IS AN ART.I CAN EITHER DO MY JOB, OR ANSWER YOUR IDLE QUESTIONS".

 THE EMPEROR BECAME EVEN MORE IMPRESSED BY THIS ANSWER.

 HE THEN NOTICED THAT A FEW STONE CUTTERS WERE WORKING ON A SINGLE LARGE BLOCK OF MARBLE.HE WENT TOWARDS THEM AND ASKED THE SAME QUESTION TO ONE OF THE STONE CUTTERS.HE REPLIED,"WE ARE BUILDING THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MONUMENT IN THE WORLD.WE CANT BE ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS.WE ARE BUILDING THE TAJ MAHAL.GO AWAY".

SHAH JAHAN HAD MET THREE DIFFERENT KINDS OF PEOPLE THAT DAY.

1. THE FIRST STONE CUTTER REPRESENTS THE LARGE MASS OF PEOPLE WHO SET DAILY GOALS AND THEN MAKE EFFORTS TO FULFILL THEM.
2. THE SECOND STONE CUTTER REPRESENTS THE RELATIVELY RARE CLASS OF PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE AND PERFECTION IN THEIR PROFESSION.THESE PEOPLE ENJOY THEIR JOB.THEY CONSTANTLY INNOVATE IDEAS AND PERFORM FOR THEIR OWN SATISFACTION.THEY SET HIGH STANDARDS AND GIVE QUALITY THE HIGHEST PRIORITY.
3. THE THIRD STONE CUTTER REPRESENTS THE CATEGORY OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR A COMMON GOAL.THEY HAVE A SHARED VISION WHICH SERVES AS A MOTIVATION FOR THEIR OPERATIONS.AS THEY HAVE A BIGGER PICTURE IN MIND, THEIR STRATEGIES ARE REALISTIC AND STREAMLINED.THEY CHANNELISE THEIR EFFORTS AND THEIR COMBINED STRENGTH BECOMES GREATER THAN THE SUM OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL STRENGTHS.

 EVERY ORGANISATION REQUIRES THESE THREE TYPES OF EMPLOYEES.PLACING THE CORRECT KIND OF PERSON AT THE CORRECT HEIRARCHICAL POSITION IN AN ORGANISATION IS A PRIMARY PRE-REQUISITE FOR ALL OTHER OPERATIONS TO RUN SMOOTHLY.

 PEOPLE LIKE THE FIRST STONE CUTTER ARE RELATIVELY EASY TO FIND.FINDING PEOPLE LIKE THE SECOND AND THE THIRD STONECUTTER IS A TOUGHER TASK.

 AS PEOPLE BELONGING TO THE SECOND AND THE THIRD STONE CUTTER'S CATEGORY ARE RARE TO FIND, THEIR DEMAND IS ALWAYS HIGH.HENCE, A BIGGER CHALLENGE IS GETTING SUCH PEOPLE TO WORK FOR YOUR ORGANISATION.

 BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT CHALLENGE APART FROM FINDING THE THREE TYPES OF STONE CUTTERS, IS TO FIND SUCH PEOPLE WHO CAN IDENTIFY THE STRENGTHS OF THE EMPLOYEES SO THAT THEY CAN BE TRAINED TO WORK AND THINK LIKE THE SECOND AND THE THIRD STONE CUTTERS.

TRAINING THE EMPLOYEES EARLY IN THEIR CAREERS WILL RESULT IN AN INDIGENOUS TALENT SOURCE THAT WILL ENABLE SUSTAINED DEVELOPMENT OF THE ORGANISATION.

(THE SHAH JAHAN STORY IS ALSO MENTIONED IN INDIA UNBOUND BY GURCHARAN DAS,PAGE 122) 

WHERE DO I BELONG?

EVERY TIME YOU SHIFT TO A NEW PLACE OF STUDY/WORK OR LIVING, YOU FACE A SIMILAR SET OF QUESTIONS FROM THE NEW PEOPLE AROUND.A QUESTION WHICH I AM ASKED FREQUENTLY IS,"WHERE ARE YOU FROM?".
 NOW TO MOST OF YOU, THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION COMES NATURALLY.MANY OF YOU MAY EVEN ANSWER THIS QUESTION WITHOUT HAVING TO CONSCIOUSLY THINK ABOUT IT. I  ON THE OTHER HAND, JUST DONT KNOW HOW TO START !!

 MY FATHER,BEING AN OFFICER IN THE IAF, GETS TRANSFERRED FROM ONE AIR BASE TO ANOTHER EVERY 2-3 YEARS.
 I WAS BORN IN JAMMU;DID MY NURSERY FROM DALE SPRING SCHOOL,CHANDIGARH;CLASS 1,2 AND 3 FROM DELHI AREA PRIMARY SCHOOL,NOIDA AND DELHI CANTT;CLASSES 4,5 AND 6 FROM AIR FORCE SCHOOL, HASIMARA(WEST BENGAL);CLASSES 7 AND 8 FROM AIR FORCE SCHOOL, AGRA;CLASSES 9 AND 10 FROM KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA NO-2, SRINAGAR (J&K) AND CLASSES 11 AND 12 FROM THE AIR FORCE SCHOOL, SUBROTO PARK, DELHI.
 ALL THE ABOVE MENTIONED PLACES HAVE AIR FORCE BASES.THAT MEANS THAT I DID NOT ACTUALLY STAY IN THESE CITIES, BUT ACTUALLY IN WALLED MINI-CITIES, IN OR AROUND THESE PLACES.
 I WAS TOO SMALL TO REMEMBER MUCH ABOUT JAMMU AND CHANDIGARH.HASIMARA IS 17 KM FROM BHUTAN BORDER.I HAVE A LOT OF MEMORIES OF THE PLACE, BUT IT WASNT HOME.SRINAGAR CANTT WAS FORTIFIED.I REMEMBER VISITING THE CIVILLIAN PORTION OF THE CITY JUST AROUND 4-5 TIMES IN THE 2 YEARS WHEN I WAS THERE.
 UNTIL I DID MY ENGINEERING(4-YEAR COURSE), I HAD NEVER STAYED IN ONE PLACE FOR MORE THAN 3 YEARS.
 MY MOTHER'S FAMILY AND MY PATERNAL GRANDMOTHER BELONG TO NAHAN, A SMALL TOWN IN HIMACHAL PRADESH. I HAVE BEEN THERE JUST A COUPLE OF TIMES AS MOST OF MY MOTHER'S FAMILY HAS RELOCATED TO OTHER CITIES WHERE THEY WORK.
MY DAD'S FAMILY BELONGS TO A PLACE NEAR ALIGARH. ALTHOUGH WE OWN SUBSTANTIAL AREA OF LAND THERE, I HAVE NEVER VISITED THE PLACE.
MY DAD'S FATHER JOINED THE HIMACHAL PRADESH GOVERNMENT'S EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND HEADED HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN THE STATE. HE WAS ALSO THE PRINCIPAL OF A SCHOOL IN NAHAN.
  INSPITE OF OWNING LAND NEAR ALIGARH, AND WORKING IN HIMACHAL PRADESH THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER, UPON RETIRING HE DECIDED TO SHIFT HIS BASE TO AGRA.
  I VISITED MY GRANDPARENTS IN AGRA ONLY DURING THE SUMMER VACATIONS.THE SUMMERS ARE PRETTY HARSH THERE AND I WAS ALWAYS CONFINED TO OUR HOME THROUGHOUT THE VACATIONS.I WAS HAPPY THOUGH AS MY GRANDFATHER HAD PRESERVED A LOT OF BOOKS PREVIOUSLY OWNED BY HIS FATHER ( MY GREAT GRANDFATHER ).I LOVED GOING THROUGH THE OLD BOOKS AND IMAGINING THE TIMES WHEN MY GREAT GRANDFATHER MUST HAVE BOUGHT AND READ THEM,GOING THROUGH THE SAME PAGES AS I WAS NOW READING, SOME  50 YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH.
 AS I HAD SO MANY BOOKS TO READ,I DIDNT REALLY GO OUT MUCH. INSPITE OF MY ASSOCIATION WITH THE CITY THROUGHOUT MY LIFE,I CANT REALLY SAY THAT I BELONG THERE.
 MY DAD WAS POSTED IN DELHI WHEN I STARTED WITH MY ENGINEERING DEGREE.BY THE TIME I PASSED OUT FROM COLLEGE, HE HAD BEEN POSTED TWICE:BANGALORE AND NASHIK.I HAVE BEEN TO BOTH THE PLACES DURING THE SUMMER VACATIONS AFTER THE 1ST AND 3RD YEAR IN COLLEGE RESPECTIVELY.
 MY PARENTS HAVE DECIDED TO HAVE MORE FUN.THEY HAVE A PLACE IN GURGAON WHERE THEY INTEND TO LIVE AFTER DAD RETIRES.
 I HAVE DONE MY ENGINEERING FROM GREATER NOIDA.AND I AM GOING TO CONTINUE MY STUDIES FURTHUR.I AM HEADING FOR MY POST GRADUATION IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION FROM SYMBIOSIS INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES,PUNE.

IF I STARTED PIN-PRICKING THE PLACES THAT I HAVE LIVED IN ON A METAL MAP, IT WOULD HAVE BECOME A SHOWER BY NOW !

THIS WAS THE PROBLEM.

THIS IS THE WAY I DEAL WITH IT

I FOLLOW A PROTOCOL WHILE ANSWERING THIS QUESTION.
WHEN A GUY ASKS ME THIS QUESTION, I TEND TO FIGURE OUT IF HE'S THE KIND OF GUY WHOM I CAN BE PALS WITH. IF HE IS, AND IF WE HAVE THE TIME, THEN I TELL HIM THE WHOLE STORY PRONTO.
IF HE'S THE OTHER KIND, I SIMPLY ANSWER DELHI.
THE SAME GOES FOR GIRLS.THE INTERESTING ONES GET TO HEAR THE INTERESTING STORY STARTING WITH, "ITS A LONG STORY...LETS KILL SOME TIME!!".THE DULL ONES GET ,"LADAKH,DOES IT MATTER?"

Blast From The Past:Sqn Ldr Rai

 MY FATHER IS AN OFFICER IN  THE INDIAN AIR FORCE AND HE WAS POSTED AS SENIOR LOGISTICS OFFICER OF 1 WING AT SRINAGAR FROM 2002-04.
 I STUDIED IN KV-2 AND COMPLETED MY CLASSES IX AND X FROM THERE.
 SRINAGAR, BEING A VERY IMPORTANT FORWARD BASE, HAD A LARGE ARRAY OF SQUADRONS.EACH SQUADRON CONSISTED OF AROUND A DOZEN OFFICERS.
 AFTER THE PARLIAMENT ATTACK ON DEC 13 2001, THERE WAS A HEAVY BUILD UP OF TROOPS IN J&K.SQUADRONS FROM OTHER BASES JOINED IN.
 SOON THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS IN THE BASE DOUBLED.IN THE EVENINGS THERE WERE PILOTS, NAVIGATORS, DOCTORS, AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS AND FIGHTER CONTROLLERS IN THE BADMINTON COURTS, THE SQUASH COURTS, THE GYMNASIUM, THE TABLE TENNIS ROOMS AS WELL AS THE BILLIARDS ROOM.
 THAT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST EXCITING TIME OF MY LIFE.THESE WERE THE GUYS THAT I WANTED TO BE LIKE.THEY WERE ALL YOUNG 20-SOMETHINGS.THEY HAD SHORT HAIR BUT THEY LOOKED SMART.THEY ALL HAD BOMBER JACKETS, AVIATOR GLASSES, LEATHER BOOTS AND TIMEX INDIGLOS ON THEIR WRISTS.THIS WAS ALL PROVIDED BY THE LOGISTICS DEPT.
 I LOVED HANGING OUT WITH THESE GUYS.THEY SAW THAT I WAS AWED BY THEM SO THEY TOOK ME UNDER THEIR WING.THEY COACHED ME BADMINTON AND I ALSO PICKED UP SKILL-SHOTS IN BILLIARDS FROM THEM! AFTER THE SPORTS, I USSUALY RECIEVED  SODA-LEMONADES AS TREATS.
 THE RUNWAY AT THE SRINAGAR AIRPORT RUNS PARALLAL TO THE MAIN ROAD IN THE BASE.I USED TO CYCLE DOWN THE MAIN ROAD, WATCHING THE FIGHTERS TAKE OFF AND LAND.THEY USED TO PRACTICE BOMBING SESSIONS ON THE ATC AND USED TO FLY REAL LOW.THESE EXERCISES RAN FROM MORNING TO NIGHT.
 SOMETIMES WHEN I WAS PLAYING BADMINTON WITH THE GUYS, I WOULD SEE SOME PILOTS COMING BACK AFTER A SORTIE.THEY WOULD TALK ABOUT THE SORTIES WITH THE OTHER PILOTS.SOME WOULD SOON LEAVE SAYING THAT THEY HAD TO REPORT FOR NIGHT FLYING.
 THEY WERE NOT SCARED AT ALL.IT WAS AS IF THEY LOVED FLYING AND WANTED TO LOG AS MANY HOURS AS THEY COULD AND IF THEY WERE LUCKY, GET TO SEE SOME ACTION TOO.
 I LOVED THE WAY THEY USED TO TALK TO EACH OTHER, ALWAYS MAKING FUN BUT NEVER BEING RUDE.I ALSO NOTICED THAT THEY WERE VERY COURTEOUS WITH THE WOMEN.
 I HAVE MET A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE AIR FORCE, WHOM I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER.
ONE SUCH PERSON WAS SQN LDR RAI.
 HE WAS NOT A FIGHTER PILOT.HE WAS NOT TRENDY.HE WAS ALSO NOT A TWENTY-SOMETHING.HE WAS MARRIED AND HAD TWO SONS.I USED TO CALL THE YOUNGER PILOTS BY THEIR NAMES FOLLOWED BY "BHAIYA".BUT I CALLED SQN LDR RAI "UNCLE".
 RAI UNCLE WAS FUN TO BE WITH.HE USED TO PLAY CRICKET WITH SCHOOLBOYS WHICH INCLUDED HIS SONS, ME AND A FEW OTHERS.HE HAD PLAYED CRICKET AT THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL AND HE ALSO COACHED US SOMETIMES.
 ONE DAY, HE ASKED US TO PLAY OTHER SPORTS AS WELL AND GOT US TO PLAY SOCCER.HE PLAYED TOO.HE WAS FUNNY.AS HE WAS BALDING AROUND THE CENTER OF HIS HEAD, HE CALLED HIMSELF ZENEDINE "ZIZOU" ZIDANE.
 HE WAS PRETTY TALL.I REMEMBER ASKING HIM HIS HEIGHT.HE SAID,"I AM 6'1.BUT I USED TO BE 6'2." I ASKED HIM HOW AND HE REPLIED,"I USED TO HAVE A LOT OF HAIR BACK THEN!!"
 ONE DAY AT A PARTY,HE TOLD ME THAT FOR A GUY TO FEEL HAPPY, HE NEEDS TO BE GOOD AT FIVE THINGS.IF HE IS GOOD AT THESE FIVE THINGS, HE WILL SAIL THROUGH A LOT OF PROBLEMS EASILY AND WILL BE HAILED AS THE HERO AT THE PLACE WHERE HE WORKS/STUDIES/LIVES.

I AM SHARING THESE POINTS WITH YOU.

1.  HE MUST BE GOOD AT STUDIES.A PERSON EARNS RESPECT BY HIS KNOWLEDGE.HE PLACED THIS CRITERIA AT NUMBER 1.
2. HE MUST BE GOOD AT LEAST AT ONE SPORT.THE MORE THE NUMBER OF SPORTS A PERSON IS GOOD AT,THE BETTER.
3. HE MUST BE  ABLE TO PLAY ATLEAST ONE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT, IF HE CANT SING.
4. HE MUST BE GOOD AT PUBLIC SPEAKING.ADDRESSING THE PUBLIC IS AN ART.ONE MUST LEARN IT.
5. HE MUST BE A GOOD FRIEND.HE SHOULD ALWAYS TRY TO HELP THE OTHERS IN ANY WAY HE CAN.

I TRY TO FOLLOW THESE POINTS.I AM PRETTY AVERAGE IN POINTS 1,2 AND 5.POINTS 3 AND 4 ELUDE ME SO FAR.BUT I AM WORKING ON THEM.

THANK YOU RAI UNCLE FOR CONSIDERING A 14 YEAR OLD GOOF DESERVING ENOUGH FOR YOUR COMPANY AT THAT PARTY!! 

WHAT HAPPENED:CHAMP SPORTS, NOIDA

TODAY,
I AND SACHIN WENT TO NOIDA TO BUY A HELMET FROM THE CSD.UNFORTUNATELY,THE CSD WAS CLOSED FOR STOCK CHECKING.
 SO WE DECIDED TO HEAD TO GREAT INDIA PLACE(GIP).
ON THE WAY, WE VISITED A SPORTS SHOP, CALLED "CHAMP SPORTS".I HAD JUST STARTED LEARNING SWIMMING AND WANTED SOME GEAR.THE SHOPKEEPER WAS AN ENTHUSIASTIC MIDDLE AGED MAN.I ASKED HIM FOR A SWIMMING CAP AND SWIMMING GOGGLES AND HE GAVE ME A NICE SET .
 I NOTICED THAT THE SHOP WAS NICELY STOCKED AND HAD A LOT OF STUFF THAT I WUD LOVE TO HAVE.BASEBALL BATS, MITTS, POKER CHIPS, SKATEBOARDS, DARTBOARDS AND THE LIST CAN GO ON!!
 HE ASKED ME IF I WAS INTERESTED IN BUYING ANY OF THE STUFF I WAS NOTICING.
I TOLD HIM,"JAB KAMAYENGE,TAB LE JAYENGE AAPSE."
HE UNDERSTOOD THAT I AM A STUDENT AND GAVE A HEARTY LAUGH.
HE SAID,"MAI SAMAJH RAHA HU,JAB KAMAYENGE,TAB KHAENGE!...STUDENT HO NA?"
I NODDED.
HE THEN ADDED,"KOI BAAT NAHI BETA, APNE SHAUK KO TIME DEVOTE KARTE REHNA.AUR FIR JAB KAMAAYENGE TAB 'AUR BHI ZAADA' KHAENGE !"

POEM:An Apology

I WANNA APOLOGISE FOR BEING SO DIFFICULT,
MY BEHAVIOUR CAN ALMOST BE TERMED VILLANOUS,
THERE MUST HAVE BEEN TIMES,
WHEN I'D ACTED MYSTERIOUS,
TIMES,WHEN YOU COULDN'T UNDERSTAND,
AND MUST'VE FELT CURIOUS,
I MIGHT HAVE MADE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE,
MAYBE EVEN SUSPICIOUS,
TIMES WHEN I WAS TACITURN,
WHILE YOU TRIED BEING LOQUACIOUS,
I AM AWARE,THERE WERE CONVERSATIONS,
WHERE I MUST HAVE SOUNDED FEROCIOUS,
YOU STILL GAVE ME A SMILE,
EVEN WHEN YOU KNEW,
THAT THE MATTER WAS SERIOUS!
EVEN GAVE ME A HUG,
WHEN YOU KNEW THAT I WAS FURIOUS,
I WANNA THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE,
AND MAKING OUR RELATIONSHIP SO PRECIOUS!
THANKS FOR BEING SO FABULOUS,
AND MAKING MY LIFE SO GLORIOUS~!!

POEM:The Teacher in the Class!!

I ASKED MY TEACHER,

IF I COULD GO OUT OF THE CLASS.

SHE SAID "NO",

AND ASKED ME TO PUT DOWN MY ASS!!

I SAID,"PLEASE LET ME GO, I WILL BE BACK REAL FAST".

SHE SAID, "FIRST,

I AM GOING TO GIVE YOU A TASK.

IF YOU ANSWER MY QUESTION,

I WILL LET YOU GO OUT OF THE CLASS."

I WANTED TO PEE REAL BAD,

AND MY BLADDER WAS ABOUT TO BLAST!

SO,I NODDED QUICKLY AND SAID,

"MA'AM,WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ASK?"

SHE LOOKED AT ME STERNLY,

AND ASKED,"HOW LONG DID WORLD WAR 2 LAST?"

I WONDERED FOR A MOMENT,

IF I HAD READ THAT IN THE PAST.

I ANSWERED, "SIX YEARS" ,

AND SHE LET ME GO AT LAST!!

I HURRIED DOWN THE CORRIDOR,

AND GOT TO THE LOO REAL FAST!

AND STARTED PEEING LIKE A WATERFALL,

AND GAVE A LOUD GASP!

NOW DONT YOU JUDGE MY POEM,

I DIDNT INTEND TO MAKE YOU LAUGH,

JUST WANTED TO KILL SOME TIME,

AND IN MY MISSION,

I THINK I HAVE PASSED!!