Chairman Emeritus Reconnect 43 – “Goal Setting”

My dear friends,

Having explored the purpose of your life, you will have to set your time bound goals. It is desirable to recheck once the purpose of your life. Strong lives are motivated by dynamic purposes” said Kenneth Hildebrand. Goal setting starts with dreaming, envisioning and fixing your mission. “Do not worry if you have built your castles in the air. They are where they should be. Now put the foundation under them” said Henry David Thorean. “He is in possession of his life, who is in possession of his story” said Carl Jung.

Purpose→Dreams→→SWOT→→ Vision & Values →→Mission & Objectives→→Goals/ Targets/ Milestones

“Dream, dream and dream. Dream transforms into thoughts. Thoughts result in actions. Small aim is a crime” said Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. “Think BIG, Think AHEAD and Think FAST” said Dhirubhai Ambani. Goal is a dream with Deadline & Direction.

Bi-focal Vision is necessary. You should see your life with a bifocal spectacle which facilitates you to have a clear long-range vision of the purpose and goal of life and to visualize with equal clarity the short-term action plans and milestones compatible to the roadmap of your life.

Do you write down 4 or 5 personal goals for the year on 1st January each year, or on your birth day? According to a Study at Harvard, only 3% of people have set goals and they achieve what 97% achieve put together. Discovering your Personal Mission Statement from ‘your fire within’ gives your life a defined purpose and direction and empowers you to lead your life instead of spending your life reacting! Family mission statement can in fact be displayed in your Drawing Room. It’s the fire within, the deep-burning “yes” that empowers us to say “no” confidently to the less important things in our lives. Priorities of mission objectives having been set, your goals have to be SMART, the abbreviation standing for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time bound.

Goals are cascaded throughout the organization you work for. Personal and organizational goals can be synchronized for resonance and unbelievable amplitudes of performance. For instance, if you wish to become world’s most renowned expert in IT and your Company is into IT products, there can be a perfect synchronization of the two enhancing each other’s brand value. The Magic of Organizational Physics is in the understanding of the intrinsic natural frequency of individuals and synergizing the same with the induced frequency of the organizational enthusiasm.

“Vision without action is merely a dream; action without vision just passes the time; vision with action attached with passion can change the world.” Passionate people have benchmarks of yesteryears. Nothing is impossible as “impossible” itself sounds “I-m-possible”. Strong will, determination and passion make impossible possible.

The entire process from dreaming to goal setting can be understood through an example. I wish to quote an organizational example of National Power Training Institute (NPTI) with my first-hand experience as CEO for 5-years.

 

Dreams

At NPTI we had spent first 3-months on the “Value-Vision” exercise. “NPTI in the new millennium” containing a 30- point dream tagged on phrases starting from each of the 30-letters of the institution’s name i.e. National Power Training Institute; was displayed at the entrance of each Unit including the Corporate Center. Every letter of the institute’s name was expanded in a phrase to capture the common dreams, values, vision, hopes, aspirations, ethos and commitments. They not only became the “dream in shape” for NPTI family but turned into “Mantras” with vibrations and resonance.

No	Starting Letter of the Mantra	Mantra
1	N	Nurturing Human Resources Development in Power Sector
2	A	Absolute Quality consciousness
3	T	Train and facilitate the growth of every power professional
4	I	Integrating Information Technology with Hi-Tech Training
5	O	Organizational Excellence
6	N	Nonpareil
7	A	Attitudinal Reorientation to Cultivate Values & Ethics
8	L	Leadership in interfacing technology with management
9	P	Proactive Client – Orientation
10	O	Orchestrate values with Business
11	W	Work to evolve as transnational organization of distinction
12	E	Energize people who energize the nation
13	R	Reverberating with Enthusiasm to tap human endowments
14	T	To emerge as Global Leaders in HRD of Power Sector
15	R	Rendering Cutting Edge Technologies
16	A	Attain Self-sustenance
17	I	Institutionalizing Best Practices
18	N	Nourishing boldness and benevolence
19	I	Inputs designed to improve outputs
20	N	Network to pool expertise
21	G	Galvanize Power Professionals

22	I	Innovation at its best
23	N	No end to learning
24	S	Sharing our knowledge – caring for your needs
25	T	Touch of perfection every where
26	I	Internalizing environmental concerns in power technologies
27	T	Together in pursuit of brilliance
28	U	Upgrading skills & knowledge continually
29	T	Temple of wisdom & motivation is our workplace
30	E	Enhance value additions

SWOT Analysis (Environmental Scanning)

SWOT Analysis (identifying Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) of individuals as well as organizations is extremely helpful in goal setting. While analyzing the above, constraints start appearing very clearly and action plan to overcome weakness and to defuse the threats emerges as described by Eliyahu M. Goldratt in his popular book “The Goal”. He outlines the Theory of Constraints (TOC) to save your plant/ industry/ organization. NPTI was on the verge of merger with some larger organization of Power Sector due to its insolvency.

A pocket size booklet on SWOT culminating into a 40-point strategic charter was published and slipped into the pockets of all NPTI staff. It was drawn under the following heads:

1. Multi-dimensional enlargement of Scope
2. Backward Integration of Power Training Experience with Academics
3. Turn-around on Self-sustenance
4. Esteem Building for the institution
5. In-house Capacity Building and Performance orientation

Vision with Values & Convictions

NPTI cherishes a vision of value addition to national and transnational power and energy sectors through Training & HRD, facilitating the growth of every professional, sharing our knowledge and caring for their needs. It endeavors to energize people who energize the nations. Vision is to emerge as global leaders in enhancing human and organizational excellence in Power and Energy Sectors by blending frontier Technologies with Management to facilitate HRD interventions that are instrumental in providing reliable, safe, economic and clean power.

We value our drive and commitment to provide top quality service to our clients. We constantly strive to motivate power professionals to tap their unique human endowments, consciousness, imagination and willpower. Together we make a difference. We believe that no job is small or big, the way in which you do, makes it small or big ! Every job is an important link of the organizational chain of activities. We value ‘understanding’ amongst colleagues and respect each other as team members of a human chain of our larger family i.e. the students, trainees, expert faculty, client organizations etc. We have an unyielding commitment to our targets. We mentally achieve them even before realizing them physically.

Training is a Religion for us. It is the Highest Multiplier of Productivity of individuals as-well-as Organizations. Training is an Investment, not Expenditure. Cost of Training is always less than the cost of non-training. “Power for All’ cannot be ensured without ‘Training for All’.

Mission & Objectives

Vision, values and beliefs should drive us on a mission mode. An empowering vision on the format of a 5-Year destination statement of “Do–or-Die” nature was injected in the DNA of the management team with 3-clear missions:

1. To achieve 100% self-sustenance
2. To become largest training organization in Asia Pacific- reaching a turnover level of 75,000 Trainee-Weeks (ultimate goal to become world’s largest reaching 100,000 Trainee-Weeks)
3. To occupy a unique position on the world map on sectorial specialization

An empowering vision is like setting a high voltage for pushing electricity ensuring flow of electrons in the desired direction. On a mission mode we stop not till the goals are achieved.

Goals/ Targets/ Milestones

1. To achieve performance parameters during 2000-01 highest ever achieved in any of the past 34 years of existence.
2. To beat the achieved benchmark of yesteryear, every year thereafter.
3. A performance jump of 25% in major parameters from the previous year, achieving “Excellent” rating in MoU each year.
4. Start Post Diploma in Thermal Power Plant Engg. In 2000-01 at New Delhi, Nagpur, Neyveli & Durgapur.
5. ISO 9001: 2000 Certification in 2001 by DNV, Norway (accredited by the RvA, The Netherlands).
6. Start B.Tech.(Power Engg.) in 2001-02 at New Delhi.
7. Start B.E.(Power Engg.) in 2001-02 at Nagpur, Maharashtra.
8. Launch “National Training Policy for the Power Sector” approved by Govt.of India by 2002.
9. Start B.E.(Power Engg.) in 2002-03 at Durgapur, West Bengal.
10. Start MBA (Power Management) in 2002-03, at Faridabad, Haryana.
11. ISO 14001:1996 in 2003 by DNV Certification B.V., accredited by the RvA, The Netherlands.
12. Start Post-Graduate Diploma in O&M of Transmission & Distribution in 2004-05 at Nagpur & Bangalore.
13. Deemed University Status by 2005 from UGC.

The above realistic goal setting exercise based on concrete concepts proved to be an historic driver of a paradigm shift in NPTI’s existence and made it a self-sustaining Power Training Institution-largest in the world expanding 4- units into 10 across the country (adding 2 at Guwahati & Nangal, taking over from CEA, PSTI & HLTC at Bangalore, activating CAMPS & Corporate Centre at Faridabad besides 4 existing Regional Units) in a term of just 5-years, achieving all the above mentioned goals. UGC approved in-principle, the Deemed University Status to CAMPS in April’ 2005. Though I have cited an example of an organization, same philosophy is true for personal goal setting.

I hope, the above clues will help you set your goals in life and achieve them.

Satyamev Jayate !!!

Best wishes and Regards,

Dr. B.S.K.Naidu

BE(Hons), M.Tech., Ph.D., CBI-Scholar, D.Engg. (Calif.), FNAE, Hon.D.WRE (USA)
Chairman Emeritus, Great Lakes, Gurgaon, NCR, New Delhi, INDIA
Former Director General (NPTI & CPRI / REL), Ex. Director (REC) / Executive Director (IREDA)

No job is small or big, the way in which you do, makes it small or big (c)

Chairman Emeritus Reconnect 12 – Success Secrets

My dear young friends,

There are no underdeveloped countries in the world – only “under-managed” ones; according to Peter Drucker. India is still a developing country and it means that we are managing our country- our resources, our Industry, our organizations, our institutions inadequately. We are ill managing our societal responsibilities also. A nation is the summation of efforts of its people. Wherever we are working, we are a part of this nation. If we succeed, nation will succeed. Question is how to succeed? Here are some “Mantras” for success:

Mantra # 1 Never Stop Learning

“Learning is a process, not an event”. College education is all about “learning how to learn”. We have to go beyond the knowledge & information and graduate to wisdom. Once somebody asked Swami Chinmayananda “I have gone through Bhagavad Gita several times but nothing has happened” Swamiji replied “You have gone through Bhagavad Gita, but has Bhagavad Gita gone through you?”

Mantra # 2 Self-Application

Recall any dialogue of Amitabh Bachchan from any of his films. When he delivers a dialogue even at this age of 70, he not only applies himself, he plunges into it, he bets his entire existence and he exhausts himself completely. I remember, once he said “I have wept so many times on the death of my mother on screen, that when my real mother will expire, I am not sure whether any more tears will be left out. Such intense application !! And that is why he is actor of the millennium. So, success demands intense self-application.

Mantra # 3 No job is small

Never think you are doing a smaller job compared to others. No job is small. I asked a driver once who was thinking he was doing a small job “How many temples of “Arjuna” you have in your locality?” He said none. Then I asked him “how many temples of Krishna ?” He said plenty. Why? Arjuna was the greatest warrior of his time and Krishna was just his “chariot driver”, I asked. “No job is small or big, the way in which you do, makes it small or big”, was the obvious conclusion.

Mantra # 4 Goal Setting

Goal setting is extremely important for “admired success”. Ravana kidnapped Sita successfully and Jatayu failed miserably to protect her. Yet failure became nobler than success. Have a clear vision and goals of your life. Think BIG, Think AHEAD & Think FAST. Small aim is a crime, says Dr. Abdul Kalam. Live on ever-extending “fresh” goals. Once Rahul Bajaj rejected a candidate after interviewing him saying “You don’t seem to have 5 years of experience as claimed, but one year of experience repeated 5 times!

Mantra # 5 Passion

Passion is an “index” of life that determines the extent to which you are alive! It is “passion” that causes people to burn their mid-night oil, stay up late in nights and yet get up early. There is a big difference between people who just work and people who work passionately. And this difference is the difference between “success and failure”. Passion is the fire within to prove. Let us remember, there are no passionate things, there are only passionate people. If you think great players arrived India from 71 countries on 3rd Oct’2010 for Commonwealth Games, you may be true but truer is the fact that >6,000 bundles of passion rolled into Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium that day.

Mantra # 6 Focus

Passion without focus may not take us very high. “Apple is a 30 billion $ company, focusing on less than 30 products.

Mantra # 7Attitude

“Half of glass full rather than half of glass empty” may take you to sky heights. Attitude decides the Altitude. Progress is equal to the difference between “mind and mindset”, says Narayana Murthy.

Finer Insights of Success

The man who invented Match Box was very happy as he got striking success. Everyone wants striking success. But what is success? Let me share with you some finer insights. Please remember, Failure is not the opposite of success; it is an ingredient of success. The seeds of success flourish best in the well-turned soil of failure. Thomas Edison, the great American inventor who has 1093 US patents in his name, said “The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. After failing to invent a bulb 999 times, he said I learnt how a bulb cannot be made 999 ways. That became the soil for his 1000^th  attempt leading to success.

Reuben Gonzales, a great player, in the final game of Lawn Tennis for the world title at match point, played a super shot. The referee & the linesman confirmed that the shot was good and he was declared the winner. After a pause, while shaking hands with his opponent, he hesitated and said that the shot was faulty. He insisted for a repeat, lost the serve and lost the match! Everyone was stunned!

Officially confirmed world title in his pocket, why did he do this? Asked some. “It was the only thing to do in order to save my integrity”, was his answer. This world cup in my drawing room would have pinched me whole life that I won it through a faulty shot. It is better to deserve an honor and not have it; than to have it and not deserve it. Success or Failure with “Integrity & Dignity” is superior to “Success at any cost”

A few years ago, a race was organized for “physically challenged” children in our own country at Hyderabad. Race started, after running for a while, one of the children fell down hurting herself badly. She was bleeding. Looking at her, all the other children stopped, reversed and took her in their arms and walked together to the finishing line, of course getting a standing ovation of the entire crowd. Success or Failure “together with humanity” is superior to “Individual success at any cost”.

Success is always sweet but it has to be qualified and “true” success in life which is sweeter.

Satyamev Jayate !!!

Best wishes and Regards,

Dr. B.S.K.Naidu

M.Tech., Ph.D., CBI Scholar, D.Engg.(Calif), FNAE
Hon.D.WRE (ranked amongst 30-most eminent scientists in the world)
Chairman Emeritus, Great Lakes, Gurgaon, NCR, New Delhi, INDIA
Former Director General (NPTI & CPRI / REL), Ex-Director (REC)/ Executive Director (IREDA)

No job is small or big, the way in which you do, makes it small or big (c)

Chairman’s Reconnect 9 – ‘Passion’

5 March, 2013

My dear young friends,

I have been writing to you at times on paradigms of professional excellence. One extremely important paradigm happens to be the “passion” with which you do your professional job. Passion at work is passion for fight with your own self, for exceeding all limits, beating your own benchmarks of yesteryears, “creating new ones- the world has never seen before”, making impossible possible……..

Each human being is a winner by birth. A possible 700 million sperms dash from the man towards one stationary egg in the woman. And only the healthiest and fastest sperm makes it. So every human being is that winning sperm which was one up on 700 million. The very birth of a human being signifies that he/she is a born winner.

What is Passion ?

1.     It is intensifying “desire” graduating to “ambition” and post-graduating to “passion”

2.     It is like a “Battery”, without charge it is useless, when charged it can move giant machines

3.     Passion is an “index” of life that determines the extent to which you are alive!

4.     Every cigarette, they say, reduces your life span by an hour. That could indeed be true. But truer is the fact that an hour spent doing something unwillingly, has already subtracted an hour from your life.

5.     Life is not collection of days you manage to live through, but a “net” sum of “productive” days you have lived “passionately”.

6.     It is “passion” that causes people to burn their mid-night oil, stay up late in nights and yet get up early.

Jack Welch has of late shared his rich experience of GE through lectures and his books on “Winning”. He says “Boundary less people, excited by speed and inspired by stretch dreams, have an absolutely infinite capacity to improve everything”. I have personally seen this happening in NPTI & CPRI where Indians have done a similar miracle, becoming one of the largest “Power Training” & “Research & Testing” Organizations in the World. Secret was the “passion” of being at the top of the world.

There is a big difference between people who just work and people who work passionately. And this difference is the difference between “success and failure”. Passion is the “Fire within”. One British Professor told Dr.Kurrian once “What Mr. Kurrian, milk sold in India has more bacteria than that in the Sewage System of England”. Thanks to “White Revolution” of Dr.Kurrian, today India is the largest producer of milk, free of any bacteria.

When Mahatma Gandhi was thrown out of the train at Maritzburg Station in May 1893, with a valid First class ticket, a fire sparked in his mind “You have thrown me out of the train, I will throw you out of the countries wherever you have your immoral, invalid governance” The historic “Quit India” movement is a testimony of that fire-within that sparked off passion influencing 400 million Indians.

Abraham Lincoln is usually quoted for the “Ultimate Win”. Throughout life he was playing a losing game. He lost elections, he lost in business, he lost his kith and kin, he left politics & re-entered, At last at the age of 51, he was elected as President of USA. He is one of the most admired personalities in the world. His life teaches “Winning is nothing more than rising, each time you fall”. That needs tremendous passion.

If you think great players arrived India from 71 countries on 3rd Oct’10 for Commonwealth Games, you may be true but truer is the fact that >6,000 bundles of passion reached Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on the day. Let us remember, there are no passionate things, there are only passionate people.

“No job is small or big, it is the “passion” with which you do, makes it small or big”. Millions of people feel great to watch Cricket today! Do they watch Cricket or they watch passion for “Fight or Flight”, people fly, people dive forgetting that they are not playing in the swimming pool, they break their knees, they break their elbows, they break their wrists,…..they have to catch the ball at any cost….simply pop-corning, explosive vehemence!!!

Sachin failed in X^th Board (1988) due to his passion for Cricket, but he played and played and played till Maharashtra X^th Board Course Text Books brought his story on the First Page-First Chapter (2009). Any activity whether it is study, research, management or playing, if you attach Passion, it can bring great results…..!

Satyamev Jayate !!!

Best wishes and Regards,

Dr. B.S.K.Naidu

M.Tech., Ph.D., CBI Scholar, D.Engg., FNAE, Hon.D.WRE

Chairman, Great Lakes IEMR, Gurgaon, NCR, Delhi
Co-Chairman, Advisory Council, Great Lakes-Bauer Global Energy Executive MBA program, University of Houston
Former Director General (NPTI & CPRI / REL)

No job is small or big, the way in which you do, makes it small or big (c)

Great Lakers Win Hearts at Akshayam, MDI, Gurgaon!

While the world sleeps, the Knight Riders rule the night. It all started with a mail for participation at Akshayam 2012, the sports cum cultural fest at MDI, Gurgaon and so, when most people were sleeping last night in their cozy blankets, there was this group of around 24 people all excited and pumped up to challenge the best management teams of India.

Basketball (2200 hrs):The day started with a very enthusiastic performance on the basketball field where Great Lakers had one of the close matches of the tournament till now. The only glitch being the captain Varun Anand from PGPM 1 year getting injured and dislocating his shoulder. He was rushed to the hospital then and there and has been advised bed rest for a few weeks now. Despite getting injured, his words were all to cheer up his team mates while leaving the field, that what SPORTMANSHIP is all about. Piyush from 1^st year energy batch stepped up to responsibility and despite landing on the other side, Great Lakers left the field with pride. The final score 49 – 38 in the favor of our opponents.

Badminton (2340 hrs): The focus then moved on to the Badminton courts but despite some valiant efforts in the court by  the captain, Rohit Parimal the team could not move past the pre quarter finals. The final score 3 – 0 to the opponents.

Table Tennis (0200 hrs): With the confidence a little shaky after two first round exits and one important member of the sports contingent getting injured, it was left upto captain Kiran Lingam(PGPM 1 year) to lift up the spirits of all with a win against a stronger Narsi Munji Team from Mumbai in table tennis. Kiran delivered what the doctor just ordered, a flurry of top spins to the right, whacking back hand shots and his impeccable services left the NMIMS team stunned as he toppled their Rank 1 player. Despite losing a close ladies singles match(2 sets to 1) and a valiant mixed doubles, the college bounced back with the duo of Kiran Lingam and Mohit Taneja(PGPM 1 year)  in men’s doubles. So it was all left upto Mohit Taneja to win the decider mens singles match. Mohit played the match with his trademark finesse and with his clinical serves and clean shots, left the opponents speechless. He won the match with 3 sets to nil, with the score in the final set being 11-0. The final score , Great Lakers play the quarter finals at 1700 hrs today.

Football: The positivity of the table tennis spread through to the football team and they won a challenging first round match with the score being 4-2 in penalty shoot outs. In quarters, they met the team from NMIMS, Mumbai in the quarter finals. The match started on an even note and both the quarters saw some good attacking moves set up by Mathew, Nitin (1 yr PGPME) for Rohit Parimal (PGPM 1 year) and some good strong defense by Jitendra Lakhwani, Mithun, Sudhanshu (PGPM 1 year). The score after the final whistle being nil all, the match entered the penalty shootouts. This time luck just happened to slip through out hands and a valiant effort saw the score line reading 4-2 in favour of NMIMS. The Man of the match(Based on the team feedback) being Mr. Rohit Singh (1 Year PGPM), the goal keeper.

And yes, not to forget the efforts of our special  cheer leading team , lead by Vivek Sankhyan(PGPM 1 year) and Karanjot (PGPME 1^st Year) and ably supported by all crew members. The heights of dedication and passion are shown by our football team members, when all of them chose to stay there for their next futsal match at 0700 hrs.

Great Lakes Win Hearts @ Akshayam, MDI

While the world slept, the Knight Riders ruled the night. It all started with a mail of participation at Akshayam 2012, the Sports cum Cultural fest at MDI, Gurgaon. When most people were sleeping last night in their cozy blankets, there was this group of around 24 people all excited and pumped up to challenge the best B-school teams of India.

The day started with a very enthusiastic performance on the basketball field where Great Lakers had one of the closest matches of the tournament till now. The only glitch being the captain Varun Anand from PGPM 1 year getting injured and dislocating his shoulder. He was rushed to the hospital then and there and has been advised bed rest for a few weeks now. Despite getting injured, his words were all to cheer up his teammates while leaving the field, that what SPORTSMANSHIP is all about. Piyush from 1st yr PGPME stepped up to responsibility and despite landing on the other side, Great Lakers left the field with pride. The final score 49 – 38 in the favor of our opponents.

The focus then moved on to the Badminton courts but despite some valiant efforts in the court by  the captain, Rohit Parimal the team could not move past the pre quarter finals. The final score 3 – 0 to the opponents.

With the confidence a little shaky after two first round exits and one important member of the sports contingent getting injured, it was left to captain Kiran Lingam(PGPM 1 year) to lift up the spirits of all with a win against a stronger Narsee Monjee Team from Mumbai in table tennis. Kiran delivered what the doctor just ordered, a flurry of top spins to the right, whacking backhand shots and his impeccable services left the NMIMS team stunned as he toppled their Rank 1 player. Despite losing a close ladies singles match(2 sets to 1) and a valiant mixed doubles, the college bounced back with the duo of Kiran Lingam and Mohit Taneja(PGPM 1 year)  in men’s doubles. Eventually Mohit Taneja was up for the decider mens singles match. Mohit played the match with his trademark finesse and with his clinical serves and clean shots, left the opponents speechless. He won the match with 3 sets to nil, with the score in the final set being 11-0, the final score.

The positivity of the table tennis spread through to the football team and they won a challenging first round match with the score being 4-2 in penalty shootouts. In quarters, they met the team from NMIMS, Mumbai in the quarter finals. The match started on an even note and both the quarters saw some good attacking moves set up by Mathew, Nitin (1st yr PGPME) for Rohit Parimal (PGPM 1 year) and some good strong defense by Jitendra Lakhwani, Mithun, Sudhanshu (PGPM 1 year). The score after the final whistle being nil all, the match entered the penalty shootouts. This time luck just happened to slip through our hands and a valiant effort saw the scoreline reading 4-2 in favour of NMIMS.

And of all, not to forget the efforts of our special cheer leading team , lead by Vivek Sankhyan(PGPM 1 year) and Karanjot (1st yr PGPME) and ably supported by all crew members. The heights of dedication and passion are shown by our football team members, when all of them chose to stay there for their next futsal match in the morning.

We salute the bruised knees and sprained backs of our classmates and extend our concern for their well-being. Just back from one of our most memorable nights with alarm clock ringing now to inform me about the jogging time despite a sleepless night, we look forward to go and cheer for our friends, our family – the Great Lakes Family, in the forthcoming matches.

All Great Lakers @ MDI right now, RESPECT !!!

~ Pankaj

(PGPM 1yr)