Time is all we have !

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Note: This write-up is not to bring anyone down or hurt any particular nationality or people.

I was raised in an environment where our father used to reach everywhere (and most of time with all of us) much before time. So much so that many occasions there was not a single person in the wedding function where we reached at 8 PM (the time specified on the wedding invitation). While many others were irritated by this habit of my father but somehow it got into my genes and I started following it fully.

In last 10-12 years I had a chance to interact with more than 40 nationalities; including India. These include people from different walk of life:

• Ministers

• Actors

• Educationists – Teachers/ School Leaders

• Corporate Leaders – CXOs and across levels; business owners

• Service providers – a carpenter to the large companies including airlines, food companies, online shopping companies, telecom etc

• Hyped professionals – trainers, preachers, experts etc

Its amazingly and very shocking data to share how we Indians (in India or even outside India) – except for very few – understand & implement the Value of time. I read somewhere that as human – what you really have is time (that’s the only resource you truly have).

While dealing with most of the "hyped best" from the above list – no where I found that people valued your time or for that matter time at all. No commitment is honored w.r.t TIME. School leaders and teachers; CXOs; trainers/preachers who regularly talk to others about Time – were never on time and did not meet without delay (there were few exceptions whom you can count of fingers). Most of the children just follow what they observe and then grow with this quality and it goes on in a large nation like India. So we have to remind everyone for the timelines/ deadlines - its true for all level/strata/location of our people.

To share some examples (without naming or shaming people) – I was with a friend who is CXO of a large company and had a fixed meeting with someone. When the secretary came and informed that person has come on time and it’s the time for the “fixed meeting”. He told – “Let the person wait for some time – else he will feel we are jobless”. And he actually made the person wait for 1 hour. This was a shock to me. But soon I realized that the importance of time in India and for your designation is “ how much you make others wait”. You recognize and appreciate those employees who sit late in office. 

In past I have left two of my senior level jobs as I found the HR practices to be just in papers and Corporate Values were for employees (to pull them up) rather than being displayed by the top management.

This has become part and parcel of the life of Indians. The same people then preach about Time management and Work-life balance and so many big concepts - Never walk the talk. So neither we are productive nor we spend time with ourselves and family well. Everyone seems to be just busy and most of the time people "do not have any time for themselves - to think, contemplate and be at peace with themselves".

The experience in western nations and few asian nations have been very different – where almost all the people from all the walks of life are extremely cautious of their own time and your time. Truly Time is seen as Money and very dear to their life. I was fortunate to meet a Minister of Education in a country and when he offered tea to me - and I said ok - he took me to the pantry where he and me both made our own tea.

Someone recently asked me why I am always on-time or before time – with a smirk on his face. My answer is very simple – this is how I am and I feel really sad when in another country a comment is made “Indian Stretchable Time (IST)”. I respect time - first I do this for self – as I don’t like to wait myself – so I do not make others wait. This is also how I project my country with my actions or inactions to others :-)

I do not wish to claim that I am great or very unique – as there are so many others doing this. But I wish to highlight that time is really what you have and one day you will realize that you do not have that too. So better act now than be sorry! Soon you will find a lot of spare time for yourself.  I am never too busy – I keep remote of my-TIME in my hand (leveraging the time given by God to me). 

Please Respect TIME as your time is limited on earth!

Does God Exist?

This question has many perspectives and opinions by different people across globe. Let me not get into a debate or question views.

Just to share a small story of today (Sept 17, 2018) in Salzburg, Austria. I started my day with an early breakfast and ready for the meeting with a College in Salzburg. I reached the office in city center – just by walking from the Hotel and was told that the office for this meeting is around 15 kms away and I was given the address to reach there.

Although it was a little surprise, I started by using our famous google maps and got the answer that bus number 180 will take me there. Confidently I got a day-pass for the bus and boarded it and was told by driver that the day-pass is not valid as my destination is outskirts of Salzburg; so I had to buy another ticket.

After 30 minutes I reached the bus stop of my destination and then walked to the defined place in the map. To my surprise there was no college in that village (out of Salzburg). That was a big shock as time was running out and I had to finish meeting and reach back hotel in time.

Suddenly I saw an old lady – must be 72-75 years and slowly walking towards me. I asked her about the college. She did not understand much and replied to me in German something which I did not understand. So I showed her the paper with the address and she again said something in German language (I could understand only 5 kms). So I was lost and we were talking – me in English and she in German and she told me to follow her and she will show me a buus stop. We walked and then she said something and walked towards a building and asked me to wait. I found it was an old-age home. She merged again after 2 minutes and asked me to come with her to the car. She started the car confidently and took me to the college, which was nearly 6-7 kms away and dropped me at the reception. We both spoke on the way (she in German and me in English- without much understanding) – she showed me a Porsche factory on the way and I thanked her when we reached the college. I also gave her the Thank You cards I carry.

Later, I though I could have taken her email, her photo etc. I don’t know if God exists – but am very sure there is some super-power who guides us and protects us and helps us through their messengers. And the old lady was probably the Messenger of God; who emerged out of nowhere. Probably, staying alone in the old-age home; she looks for people to talk to and communicate.

This looks a very simple story; but it throws so many good experiences and feelings in addition to belief in power of positive thinking and gratitude!

The Flawed Education System !

Let us divide this note into two segments: School Education and University/College Education. The thoughts are based on last few years data from my own observations, discussion with a large number of students, parents and educators across India schools (largely CBSE, State Boards and ICSE).

School Education

The fear of “being successful” has taken over the whole education process and system at almost all Indian Schools (there are few exceptions). “Being Successful” is defined as getting “good marks” and getting into “good” colleges and then “good jobs” and making good money.

So much so that a large number of schools start the dreadful testing and examinations from Grade 1 itself, wherein a child needs love and care to play & learn. The process is so rough and un-concerned with the children’s needs that it continues to focus on these exams and marks, in a way that most children either fall-in line or fall-out. Their confidence, self-esteem and self-worth is totally shaken.

This becomes so absurd and obnoxious in schools now-a-days in senior classes.

To take an example:

In Senior schools – there is substantial change in curriculum from Grade 8 to Grade 9. A school will start class 9 immediately in March with rushing through the subjects and then organizing a number of tests and exams (one after another), so as to finish everything by January/ Feb next year. Again they rush through starting the grade 10 with rapid fire speed to finish the syllabus and having so many exams till February next year (term, half yearly, 2^nd term, annual, first pre-board, second pre-board etc). The child is so exhausted by the time they take the Grade 10 board exams; that many brilliant students also show a sign of tiredness in actual exams.

This does not stop here. By the time they finish their board exams by first week of April; schools start the next session of grade 11 in second week of April and the same story of 9^th and 10^th is repeated in Grade 11 and 12.

The process of choosing subjects in Grade 11 is quite funny and dis-heartening. Schools will ask kids to choose between Science and Commerce (some may offer Humanities) – but with limited choices (both CBSE and ICSE board gives enough choices and any combination to students). However, this is totally ignored and many subjects are forced upon students to study and then get good marks – to be successful !!  There is no focus or discussion or intention to understand that each child is different and may need time to think and decide. One school I met, mentioned that they want students to choose subjects in which they want to make a career like MBA :-) (out of 8 subjects – choose any 5). World is so big with so many options and they just want to limit the children to their own selected 8 subjects only.

In this whole process parents are either helpless or agree with whatever schools are doing ; adding to the stress and pressure on children.

So many children will do science and then Engineering and after that realize that this is not what they wanted or liked at the first place. The whole process removes any creativity or thinking capacity of the children.

University/ College Education India

The university and college education is really out-dated with curriculum not updated for last 30 years in some of the best colleges. They teach subjects and topics which are redundant in the actual world. However, who will question them? As the education system itself classifies few people as Gods and not to be questioned and this is surmounted by the ratings given to these colleges. There are few universities and colleges who are trying to give innovative education now; however these are like few drops in a ocean.

So most students do not get admission of their choice and study subjects which they don’t like and then graduate, totally confused.

In Engineering colleges – the fear of getting talent started around 10 years back when companies started offering jobs to students after their pre-final year. (This was not so in 1980s and 1990s). So most of the students don’t study in the final year and then corporates get shock of their life when they land for jobs in the companies.

The emphasis on Vocational Skill building is still in nascent stages in India. Its ancient when compared to Europe, Korea, China and Singapore.

I wish the sense prevails in the so-called policy makers and decision makers and things change both at school and college level in India. Otherwise we are creating a generation of fearful humans who will lack self-worth and empathy over others and will always feel that “Life is a Race – where they have to win by pulling others down”.