The Role of Discipline in Personal & Private Victories

“Life is a series of problems. Discipline is the basic set of tools to solve life’s problems. With some discipline you can solve some problems and with absolute discipline you can solve all problems.”These lines from the book “The Road Less Travelled” by M.Scott Peck are more relevant today than ever.

In a world which is pacing fast towards nothingness, most people are living lives without any purpose. The need of the hour is to find ones center, have a goal and a vision and stick by ones commitments and promises.

Everyone respects a Man of his word. Honesty is still greatly valued. Authenticity is critical in creating lasting relationships.

Discipline involves Commitment, Rituals and Time Management.

1. Commitment

If you keep promises, you are bound to garner respect for yourself. People will start by trusting you with small things and soon they will start trusting you with bigger things. To keep ones word is a mark of a true gentleman or lady.

When you honor your word you are creating a Trustworthy Brand for yourself. People will approach you more and your reputation will soar sky high.

2. Rituals

Rituals are the basis of a disciplined and goal oriented life. Right from your morning exercise, yoga and meditation to having your lunch on time and networking 1 hour daily, if you have a well-defined daily routine, you will not waste time and will be able to make the most of each day.

3. Time Management

Time is Money. Time is everything. You have to realize that you have limited time on your hands and that is why you should concentrate on tasks which are Urgent and Important. The way you spend your time today will determine your destiny tomorrow.

Divide you day into 3 parts. Take breathers and Breaks. Make the most of the now. Prioritize.  Schedule. Keep Timelines. Be Punctual, in fact be before time. This will help you live a more fuller, more successful and a richer life.

With Commitment, Rituals and Time Management, you will be able to excel at your workplace and live a richer and more meaningful life.

By:

Siddharth Anand

Faculty, INLEAD

Success Mantra: Take Initiative & Be Proactive

Today good enough is not good enough. You have to be an expert- the best in your area of expertise and subject. To gain a competitive edge, you need to put in that extra effort.

There are certain traits Companies are looking in their candidates today:

1. Perseverance

It is a difficult world out there. In order to survive this world, you need to take initiative and seize the opportunities that come your way. You need to be tough and go through the struggles effortlessly. As the famous poet Rumi put it, “If you resist every rub, how will you get polished”. You will need to look at problems as challenges and give your best shot at constantly inventing solutions. 

2. Proactivity

Normal is passé. Taking Initiative is the new thing. Companies are looking for candidates who can go that extra mile, make that extra effort and deliver instantly and successfully. In this technology rich superfast business world, you are not only competing with humans, but  also competing with machines and computers so you need to be super quick and come up with progressive problem solving and creative solutions to complex problems.

3. Go-Getter Approach

Life is a race and you have to be in it to win it. Corporates are looking for candidates with passion, devotion and loyalty towards their workplace. In these dynamic times, opportunities are plenty but to seize and realize them one needs to be driven from within. One needs to keep ones spirits high and be an eternal optimist and always remember that behind every calamity lies tremendous opportunity.

4. Creativity

Today, knowledge is available at the click of a button. We are literally carrying the world in our pockets so the need of the hour demands that we think different, invent unique, improvise and customize. Creativity is a greatly valued skill and creative people are always in demand. Being creative involves original improvisation and intuitive imagination. Be creative and you will get the edge that is needed to shine in this world. 

5. Team Player

Companies are looking for team players and team assets. The need of the hour is to align personal values, vision and mission with that of the teams and to align the teams with the companies. Working in teams is a part of every profile and good team players are always in demand. 

By:

Siddharth Anand

Faculty, INLEAD

The Importance of Soft skills in Corporate Life

In the fast changing world that we live in today, soft skills play a pivotal role in generating personal and professional success. No doubt, technical expertise is very important in every job but if you lack in soft skills, you will find it very difficult to climb up the corporate ladder.

The competitive and fast pace nature of our world presents us with very less time to make a lasting impact and generate success. So, communication skills have come to acquire a critical status. Also, we have tight deadlines on our plates that need us to be an expert at multi-tasking and delegating. We all need to understand, that we are all very unique and different and we need to value differences and be effective and efficient team players. All these skills contribute in personal and professional skills.

You need to connect emotionally, be empathetic, and understand others and their paradigms. You should know when to be assertive and when to be submissive; what this means is that we need to be more emotionally intelligent to succeed in life.

Someone rightly said “life is not about accumulation…life is about contribution”. By using niceties, you can make emotional deposits in the hearts and minds of your friends and colleagues, thus increasing and improving your network and your connections.
Simple words like “Sorry” and “Thank You” make a big difference. People might forget what you said to them or about them but they will not forget how you treated them, so it becomes very important to be nice to others , no matter what their status or position. Real leaders lead from the front and know that to succeed one needs to make others succeed as well.

Some years ago, the Times of India decided to supplement the small “i”  for the capital “I” symbolizing a less egoistic, less selfish approach. This is what we need to do in our lives as well. When you help others you are helping yourself too. Inclusiveness can make your life rich and worthwhile.

More than all using soft skills make you feel good about yourself and make others feel good about you as well. So, imbibe these soft skills and make yours and others lives rich and fruitful.

By:

Siddharth Anand

Faculty, INLEAD

Holistic Life Skills Workshop

The workshop on Holistic Life Skills by Mr. Mehernosh Bazyn Dittia, Founder & Director, Lighthouse Training, was one of a kind. The workshop introduced the students to a whole new approach on how to be the ultimate stable individual and live a life full of happiness and no regrets.

Mr. Dittia started off with the interaction with a spiritual curve where he shared a story of a Sensei who is trying to tell his student to let go off Arrogance, Anger, Domination, Jealousy and Greed in order to prepare yourself for learning. He alluded that the key to success is to become a seeker throughout your life and always be open to learning. He very particularly mentioned the difference between reaction and response. He also highlighted the importance of awareness in life and how one has to constantly remain aware of the emotions flowing through the mind and not get affected by the mishaps that one may encounter in day to day life and deal with a situation without being impulsive. He further discussed about a technique of creating two circles one of Concern and the other one of influence and deal with a situation on the basis of logic and evidence.

Mr. Dittia also spoke at length about the busy work life schedule these days, because of which we often forget the basics of life. Every human being is in charge of their own lives, actions and thoughts. We get carried away and let the world’s harsh words affect us; it’s we who set our mood and it’s we who decide to get affected by the negativity around us. It was a very insightful session about the basics of life.

Mr. Mehernosh Bazyn Dittia concluded the session by saying, “There is no escape in life and always make the correct choices.” 

Writing it Right

“Good writing does not succeed or fail on the strength of its ability to persuade. It succeeds or fails on the ability to engage, to make one think, to give a glimpse into someone’s head.” – Malcolm Gladwell

Aptly said, good writing is one that has the power to engage its readers, and stir a response from them, thereby fulfilling its very purpose. One’s style of writing reflects their personality. Today in business, from lords of finance to programmers who dream in code, everyone needs to write intelligently. By using simple, clear, precise language, and following a few other basic writing rules, you can become a better communicator and improve the prospects for your career.

We probably write on the job all the time: proposals to clients, memos to senior executives, a constant flow of emails to clients and colleagues. Hence, writing as clear and effective as possible becomes all the more imperative. According to experts, overworked managers with little time might think that improving their writing is a tiresome or even frivolous exercise. But knowing how to fashion an interesting and intelligent sentence is essential to communicating effectively, winning business, and setting yourself apart. “As Marvin Swift memorably said, clear writing means clear thinking.” You may have all the great ideas in the world, unless you can communicate, nobody will hear them. Luckily, everyone has the capacity to improve, says Bryan Garner, author of The HBR Guide to Better Business Writing. Effective writing “is not a gift that you’re born with,” he says. “It’s a skill that you cultivate.” (Source - hbr.org)

Here’s how to write simply, clearly, and precisely.

• Keep it Short: Start by writing short, declarative sentences. Never use a long sentence with too many expressions, where a short one will do. Be ruthless about self-editing; if you don’t need a word, cut it. However, brevity should never compromise on quality and completeness; don’t miss out on significant details, compromising on the quality of the message.

• Avoid Jargons: Never use a foreign phrase, an industry specific or scientific word, or any kind of jargon if you can think of an English equivalent, especially when your writing is not directed to the people from the same sector or industry.

• Simplicity: When composing an e-mail, make your point and move on. Write one idea per paragraph. If your big idea isn’t in the first paragraph, put it there. Start by asking yourself what you want the reader to do as a result of this e-mail. This is how one can add purpose to the writing.

• Be direct: Use active voice instead of passive voice. Active verbs help to reinforce your text. Instead of writing “The meeting was led by Tom,” write: “Tom led the meeting.” Passive voice could be used, however, to convey negative information. It’s better to write, “The confusion was caused by the report,” than, “the report caused a confusion.” Use a straightforward sentence structure–subject, verb, object–that people can read and understand quickly.

• Grammar: Whenever possible, use active instead of passive verbs. Active verbs help to energize your prose. Instead of writing “The presentation will be completed by us,” write: “We will complete the presentation.” Use a direct sentence structure–subject, verb, object–that people can read quickly.

- Sumit Chakravarty (Faculty), INLEAD