Saturday, November 23, 2013
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Friday, March 22, 2013
The compelling story of Yuvraj Singh
| After the win against Australia in the World Cup: Yuvraj could have died of a heart attack back then and no one would have known he had cancer |
how interesting careers look infinitely more boring,
how exciting events are clothed with terrifyingly dull prose, and
how lives become scorecards drearily described in an attempt to fill pages.
Then comes Yuvraj Singh's book. And you want to read it.
This is really a book of two stories, closely intertwined, within one narrative.
It is the story of the 2011 World Cup win, but played out against the backdrop of a deadly shadow.
As India inched closer to a second World Cup victory, a giant tumour, eventually 15cm x 11cm x 13 cm was growing within Yuvraj and pressing against a lung and artery.
He couldn't sleep, he was throwing up, he was constantly breathless, and he was winning Man-of-the-Match awards. The doctors told him afterwards that he could have died of a heart attack because the artery was being squeezed - and no one would have known he had cancer.
And so it needs to be read at two levels.
One, as a sportsman's account of how the biggest event in his life unfolded, and
two, of the fear of fighting something he couldn't see.
He didn't know what it would do, whether it would take away from him the only thing he was good at, and, worst of all, whether it would claim him.
When we write of others, we use these words easily but Yuvraj's story affected me, had me thinking: what if it was me, what if it was someone in my family? And then I tried remembering the World Cup all over again.
Were there pictures of him desperately trying to get up from under five or six bodies piled on him in celebration because he could no longer breathe?
Do I remember that battle cry after the quarter-final against Australia in Ahmedabad? Why was he going on about wanting to do it for Sachin?
And it is an honestly written book.
He talks about problems between his parents, the stress, and then the relief, of them living apart, of how it affected his younger brother, and of how cricket became an escape from it all.
There is respect for what his father tried to do, but it doesn't gloss over the uneasy relationship between the two. Yograj Singh once threw a glass of milk at Yuvraj, which he ducked under but saw break a window behind him, because he hadn't scored enough runs.
But Yuvraj also remembers his father's advice from when he was growing up, "Play straight, down the ground", at a crucial time in the World Cup quarter-final.
But Yuvraj also remembers his father's advice from when he was growing up, "Play straight, down the ground", at a crucial time in the World Cup quarter-final.
There is, too, the frustration of not really making it in Test cricket, and he is quite open about putting in the book a comment from VVS Laxman, about how he knew two Yuvrajs: one who believed he could win every one-day game, and the other who was a bundle of nerves in a Test match.
| Yuvraj's book needs to be read at two levels. One, as a sportsman's account of how the biggest event in his life unfolded, and two, of the fear of fighting something he couldn't see | |||
But eventually this is the story of a fight against an illness that scared him like nothing had; of someone who tried to cure his cancer with acupuncture, and of a humane doctor who gave him reassurance and told him the truth. And it is a mother's story; of a woman who dropped everything and, as he says, gave birth to him again. Unless you are hard and emotionless, you will find it difficult not to be moved by Shabnam Singh's story. And by the details of the love of the Indian cricket fan, of students in Indiana who made cards and brought food, and simple people who helped with shopping and cooked when needed. Those are not isolated stories. Mothers care, friends help, good samaritans emerge, but because it is Yuvraj, because it happened either side of the World Cup, you read it all and you feel good.
And you get an insight into people around Indian cricket.
You read of trainers who didn't rest, and didn't let Yuvraj ease up on his routine; of team doctors who woke up at 4am to cajole a nervy match-winner to bed, who take great efforts to find the right sleeping pill before a World Cup final; of team-mates who call only to tell stories that will raise his spirits; and yes, of administrators who gave assurances of looking after everything. Indeed, Yuvraj talks about the support system in Indian cricket and wonders how he would have fared if he had been playing another sport.
You read of trainers who didn't rest, and didn't let Yuvraj ease up on his routine; of team doctors who woke up at 4am to cajole a nervy match-winner to bed, who take great efforts to find the right sleeping pill before a World Cup final; of team-mates who call only to tell stories that will raise his spirits; and yes, of administrators who gave assurances of looking after everything. Indeed, Yuvraj talks about the support system in Indian cricket and wonders how he would have fared if he had been playing another sport.
It is a book that could have become syrupy, melodramatic and very Bollywood. Or it could have told the story with a literary flourish that wouldn't quite have been Yuvraj.
At most times it stays simple, and it is in doing that and yet telling the story that Sharda Ugra plays her role.
The writer with flair does come through fleetingly, but she doesn't allow style to dominate.
A biography would have been very differently, but I suspect more easily, written.
Far too much of Indian cricket is shrouded behind scorecards, irrelevant quotes, noise, glamour and money. There are some lovely stories to be told that the lure of the daily media box office doesn't always allow. It is good to see one come up sometimes.
Harsha Bhogle is a commentator, television presenter and writer.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Good one....
“If money is your hope for independence you will never have it. The only real security that a man will have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience, and ability.”
Henry Ford
Henry Ford
Friday, April 28, 2006
Authenticity - A Leadership imperative
"The only test of Leadership is that somebody follows" - Rob K Green
Authenticity, according to the Webster’s dictionary, is being genuine. Genuine, suggests Webster’s, means not being a hypocrite. And, at last, to be a hypocrite is "to feign qualities or beliefs that one does not actually possess or hold, especially a pretense of piety or moral superiority."
So to be a truly genuine — or authentic — leader requires a few things: To ensure one’s corporate actions and rhetoric are aligned; to ensure that such actions are meaningful (as opposed to superficial, headline-grabbing actions that don’t permeate or take root beyond the organization’s need for disingenuous publicity); and to ensure that one’s public persona and private core are not at odds. And we wonder why it’s so lonely at the proverbial "top," or why truly authentic leadership is a rarity.
Even without the great degree of personal discernment required for Plato’s examined life, it can be challenging for many leaders to ensure that their own and the organization’s rhetoric is borne out in the actions taken individually and collectively. We don’t have to dig too deep to find an ample supply of corporate hypocrisy that is the result of a disconnect between good intention (or, perhaps, good spin) and follow-through.
No, in most cases it’s not a matter of evil people doing evil things for purposes of unmitigated self-gratification, or so I’d really like to believe. It’s just that it’s pretty easy to say things, to read a speech about vision and ideals, to inaugurate a new initiative with a lofty tagline. To dub the company World Class, Ground Up. It’s not so easy to get an organization that has assumed a life of its own, driven more and more by the insatiable appetite of shareholder value, to actually be that ideal. The proof is in the follow-through. That’s where the level of leadership commitment and influence becomes, often painfully, evident.
And small businesses aren’t immune. I know from my own experience as a business owner that it’s very easy to quite authentically believe in a course of action, only to quite authentically find that it’s not the best course of action a week later. To get excited about a new idea, only to find out the idea’s time has not yet come, or worse, it’s not realistic in practice. Without straight-forward communication, clearly articulated expectations, and an authentic, stable core vision, the sort of strategic vacillation common to entrepreneurial companies and large corporations can force a disconnect between that which is spoken and that which is done.
We’ve all heard the grapevine stories about organizations large and small that tout one thing publicly while doing quite another behind closed doors. Examples would include the communication firm that doesn’t practice skillful communication; or the large corporation that’s recognized for its great work environment while it conducts round after round of layoffs and is permeated by a real culture of enforced workaholism. Or the large company that, in a competitive job market, perpetuates the myth that it's"flat" by calling its leaders "coaches" or its employees "associates" or "team members." Is it any wonder that we live in a decade in which corporate spin and employee cynicism have skyrocketed?
In any organization, whatever the size, a truly authentic leader gets ahead of the often unavoidable, sometimes unpleasant business realities, and communicates both realities and possibilities in a context of uncompromising honesty. He or she withstands the temptation to adopt popular buzz words just for effect if he knows there’s inadequate commitment to long-term support required for an initiative or ideal to take root and survive within an organization on its own volition. She doesn’t pretend the company’s without hierarchy when both its size and its production requirements make hierarchy of some sort a necessity.
Truly authentic leadership may, indeed, be more possible in privately owned companies, given the tremendous pressure on leaders in public companies to squeeze every possible penny of profit for shareholders, regardless of the deleterious effect on the organization’s culture, employees or customers. Are the chief executives of large, public companies — like most politicians — more like actors than true leaders?
What we do know is if the market analysts are watching, organizational leaders may, or may not, be standing on the sideline struggling with issues of leadership and authenticity as they ultimately make the decision that brings value to the shareholder rather than an assurance of authenticity in the reflection of the mirror.
This is an opinion from Ivy Sea Online. The opinions expressed herein are not a substitute for tailored communication counsel designed to meet your unique organizational needs. Should you require individualized counsel, please seek the assistance of a communication expert.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Authenticity, according to the Webster’s dictionary, is being genuine. Genuine, suggests Webster’s, means not being a hypocrite. And, at last, to be a hypocrite is "to feign qualities or beliefs that one does not actually possess or hold, especially a pretense of piety or moral superiority."
So to be a truly genuine — or authentic — leader requires a few things: To ensure one’s corporate actions and rhetoric are aligned; to ensure that such actions are meaningful (as opposed to superficial, headline-grabbing actions that don’t permeate or take root beyond the organization’s need for disingenuous publicity); and to ensure that one’s public persona and private core are not at odds. And we wonder why it’s so lonely at the proverbial "top," or why truly authentic leadership is a rarity.
Even without the great degree of personal discernment required for Plato’s examined life, it can be challenging for many leaders to ensure that their own and the organization’s rhetoric is borne out in the actions taken individually and collectively. We don’t have to dig too deep to find an ample supply of corporate hypocrisy that is the result of a disconnect between good intention (or, perhaps, good spin) and follow-through.
No, in most cases it’s not a matter of evil people doing evil things for purposes of unmitigated self-gratification, or so I’d really like to believe. It’s just that it’s pretty easy to say things, to read a speech about vision and ideals, to inaugurate a new initiative with a lofty tagline. To dub the company World Class, Ground Up. It’s not so easy to get an organization that has assumed a life of its own, driven more and more by the insatiable appetite of shareholder value, to actually be that ideal. The proof is in the follow-through. That’s where the level of leadership commitment and influence becomes, often painfully, evident.
And small businesses aren’t immune. I know from my own experience as a business owner that it’s very easy to quite authentically believe in a course of action, only to quite authentically find that it’s not the best course of action a week later. To get excited about a new idea, only to find out the idea’s time has not yet come, or worse, it’s not realistic in practice. Without straight-forward communication, clearly articulated expectations, and an authentic, stable core vision, the sort of strategic vacillation common to entrepreneurial companies and large corporations can force a disconnect between that which is spoken and that which is done.
We’ve all heard the grapevine stories about organizations large and small that tout one thing publicly while doing quite another behind closed doors. Examples would include the communication firm that doesn’t practice skillful communication; or the large corporation that’s recognized for its great work environment while it conducts round after round of layoffs and is permeated by a real culture of enforced workaholism. Or the large company that, in a competitive job market, perpetuates the myth that it's"flat" by calling its leaders "coaches" or its employees "associates" or "team members." Is it any wonder that we live in a decade in which corporate spin and employee cynicism have skyrocketed?
In any organization, whatever the size, a truly authentic leader gets ahead of the often unavoidable, sometimes unpleasant business realities, and communicates both realities and possibilities in a context of uncompromising honesty. He or she withstands the temptation to adopt popular buzz words just for effect if he knows there’s inadequate commitment to long-term support required for an initiative or ideal to take root and survive within an organization on its own volition. She doesn’t pretend the company’s without hierarchy when both its size and its production requirements make hierarchy of some sort a necessity.
Truly authentic leadership may, indeed, be more possible in privately owned companies, given the tremendous pressure on leaders in public companies to squeeze every possible penny of profit for shareholders, regardless of the deleterious effect on the organization’s culture, employees or customers. Are the chief executives of large, public companies — like most politicians — more like actors than true leaders?
What we do know is if the market analysts are watching, organizational leaders may, or may not, be standing on the sideline struggling with issues of leadership and authenticity as they ultimately make the decision that brings value to the shareholder rather than an assurance of authenticity in the reflection of the mirror.
This is an opinion from Ivy Sea Online. The opinions expressed herein are not a substitute for tailored communication counsel designed to meet your unique organizational needs. Should you require individualized counsel, please seek the assistance of a communication expert.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Emotional Intelligence
I read about Emotional Intelligence recently. Thought of writing and sharing with people.
Emotional intelligence is your ability to acquire and apply knowledge from your emotions and the emotions of others in order to be more successful and lead a more fulfilling life.
When I browse I found various definitions on the net for this. Here are those follows.
From Six Seconds
“The capacities to create optimal results in your relationships with yourself and others.”
Lea Brovdani
Emotional intelligence is being able to recognize, name and appropriately deal with the emotions that we feel and experience. We may all feel anger, emotional intelligence is knowing what to do with the emotion of anger to achieve the best possible outcome.
Reuven BarOn
"an array of noncognitive capabilities, competencies, and skills that influence one's ability to succeed in coping with environmental demands and pressures".
Maurice Elias
Emotional intelligence is the set of abilities that we like to think of as being on the other side of the report card from the academic skills.
Inst. for Emotionally Intelligent Living
The ability to sense and use emotions to more effectively manage ourselves and influence positive outcomes in our relationships with others.
A management consulting firm in Australia
Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to regulate your impulses, face obstacles and empathize with others.
To explain further, I believe each baby is born with a certain, unique potential for emotional sensitivity, emotional memory, emotional processing and emotional learning ability. It is these four inborn components which I believe form the core of one's emotional intelligence.
Emotional intelligence is your ability to acquire and apply knowledge from your emotions and the emotions of others in order to be more successful and lead a more fulfilling life.
When I browse I found various definitions on the net for this. Here are those follows.
From Six Seconds
“The capacities to create optimal results in your relationships with yourself and others.”
Lea Brovdani
Emotional intelligence is being able to recognize, name and appropriately deal with the emotions that we feel and experience. We may all feel anger, emotional intelligence is knowing what to do with the emotion of anger to achieve the best possible outcome.
Reuven BarOn
"an array of noncognitive capabilities, competencies, and skills that influence one's ability to succeed in coping with environmental demands and pressures".
Maurice Elias
Emotional intelligence is the set of abilities that we like to think of as being on the other side of the report card from the academic skills.
Inst. for Emotionally Intelligent Living
The ability to sense and use emotions to more effectively manage ourselves and influence positive outcomes in our relationships with others.
A management consulting firm in Australia
Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to regulate your impulses, face obstacles and empathize with others.
To explain further, I believe each baby is born with a certain, unique potential for emotional sensitivity, emotional memory, emotional processing and emotional learning ability. It is these four inborn components which I believe form the core of one's emotional intelligence.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
My house in Chennai
This is the house which I built in chennai. Its one of my dream...I really like this...
Fun--Again...
A woman wanted to reach her husband on his mobile phone but discovered
that she was out of credit; she instructed her son - to use his own
phone to pass across an urgent message to daddy who is at site.
After junior had called, he got back to mummy to inform her that
it was a lady that picked up daddy's phone the three times he tried
reaching dad on the mobile. (Women!!) She waited impatiently for her husband
to return from site, immediately she sighted him, she gave him a very hot
slap, while the man was trying to ask why? She repeated the slap,
people from neighborhood rushed around to know the cause of this.
The man asked junior to tell everybody what the lady said to him
when he called, junior said "the number u are Trying To call Is not
Reachable At The Moment. Pls Try Again Later".
that she was out of credit; she instructed her son - to use his own
phone to pass across an urgent message to daddy who is at site.
After junior had called, he got back to mummy to inform her that
it was a lady that picked up daddy's phone the three times he tried
reaching dad on the mobile. (Women!!) She waited impatiently for her husband
to return from site, immediately she sighted him, she gave him a very hot
slap, while the man was trying to ask why? She repeated the slap,
people from neighborhood rushed around to know the cause of this.
The man asked junior to tell everybody what the lady said to him
when he called, junior said "the number u are Trying To call Is not
Reachable At The Moment. Pls Try Again Later".
Thursday, January 12, 2006
A to Z of stress management
Always take time for yourself, at least 30 minutes per day.
Be aware of your own stress meter: Know when to step back and cool down.
Concentrate on controlling your own situation, without controlling everybody else.
Daily exercise will burn off the stress chemicals.
Eat lots of fresh fruit, veggies, bread and water, give your body the best for it to perform at its best.
Forgive others, don't hold grudges and be tolerant -- not everyone is as capable as you.
Gain perspective on things, how important is the issue?
Hugs, kisses and laughter: Have fun and don't be afraid to share your feelings with others.
Identify stressors and plan to deal with them better next time.
Judge your own performance realistically; don't set goals out of your own reach.
Keep a positive attitude, your outlook will influence outcomes and the way others treat you.
Limit alcohol, drugs and other stimulants, they affect your perception and behaviour.
Manage money well, seek advice and save at least 10 per cent of what you earn.
No is a word you need to learn to use without feeling guilty.
Outdoor activities by yourself, or with friends and family, can be a great way to relax.
Play your favourite music rather than watching television.
Quit smoking: It is stressing your body daily, not to mention killing you too.
Relationships: Nurture and enjoy them, learn to listen more and talk less.
Sleep well, with a firm mattress and a supportive pillow; don't overheat yourself and allow plenty of ventilation.
Treat yourself once a week with a massage, dinner out, the movies: Moderation is the key.
Understand things from the other person's point of view.
Verify information from the source before exploding.
Worry less, it really does not get things completed better or quicker.
Xpress: Make a regular retreat to your favourite space, make holidays part of your yearly plan and budget.
Yearly goal setting: Plan what you want to achieve based on your priorities in your career, relationships, etc.
Zest for life: Each day is a gift, smile and be thankful that you are a part of the bigger picture.
Be aware of your own stress meter: Know when to step back and cool down.
Concentrate on controlling your own situation, without controlling everybody else.
Daily exercise will burn off the stress chemicals.
Eat lots of fresh fruit, veggies, bread and water, give your body the best for it to perform at its best.
Forgive others, don't hold grudges and be tolerant -- not everyone is as capable as you.
Gain perspective on things, how important is the issue?
Hugs, kisses and laughter: Have fun and don't be afraid to share your feelings with others.
Identify stressors and plan to deal with them better next time.
Judge your own performance realistically; don't set goals out of your own reach.
Keep a positive attitude, your outlook will influence outcomes and the way others treat you.
Limit alcohol, drugs and other stimulants, they affect your perception and behaviour.
Manage money well, seek advice and save at least 10 per cent of what you earn.
No is a word you need to learn to use without feeling guilty.
Outdoor activities by yourself, or with friends and family, can be a great way to relax.
Play your favourite music rather than watching television.
Quit smoking: It is stressing your body daily, not to mention killing you too.
Relationships: Nurture and enjoy them, learn to listen more and talk less.
Sleep well, with a firm mattress and a supportive pillow; don't overheat yourself and allow plenty of ventilation.
Treat yourself once a week with a massage, dinner out, the movies: Moderation is the key.
Understand things from the other person's point of view.
Verify information from the source before exploding.
Worry less, it really does not get things completed better or quicker.
Xpress: Make a regular retreat to your favourite space, make holidays part of your yearly plan and budget.
Yearly goal setting: Plan what you want to achieve based on your priorities in your career, relationships, etc.
Zest for life: Each day is a gift, smile and be thankful that you are a part of the bigger picture.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Article on love by Vivekananda
A Nice Article By Swami Vivekananda...............
I once had a friend who grew to be very close to me.
Once when we were sitting at the edge of a swimming pool, she
filled the palm of her hand with some water and held it
before me, and said this:
"You see this water carefully contained on my hand? It
symbolizes Love."
This was how I saw it:
As long as you keep your hand caringly open and allow it to
remain there, it will always be there. However, if you
attempt to close your fingers round it and try to posses it,
it will spill through the first cracks it finds
This is the greatest mistake that people do when they meet
love...they try to posses it, they
demand, they expect... and just like the water spilling out
of your hand, love
will retrieve from you. For love is meant to be free, you
cannot change its nature. If there are people you love, allow
them to be free beings.
Give and don't expect.
Advise, but don't order.
Ask, but never demand.
It might sound simple, but it is a lesson that may take a
lifetime to truly practice. It is the secret to true love. To
truly practice it, you must sincerely feel no expectations
from those who you love, and yet an unconditional caring."
Passing thought...
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take; but by
the moments that take our breath away.....
Life is beautiful!!!
Live it !!!
I once had a friend who grew to be very close to me.
Once when we were sitting at the edge of a swimming pool, she
filled the palm of her hand with some water and held it
before me, and said this:
"You see this water carefully contained on my hand? It
symbolizes Love."
This was how I saw it:
As long as you keep your hand caringly open and allow it to
remain there, it will always be there. However, if you
attempt to close your fingers round it and try to posses it,
it will spill through the first cracks it finds
This is the greatest mistake that people do when they meet
love...they try to posses it, they
demand, they expect... and just like the water spilling out
of your hand, love
will retrieve from you. For love is meant to be free, you
cannot change its nature. If there are people you love, allow
them to be free beings.
Give and don't expect.
Advise, but don't order.
Ask, but never demand.
It might sound simple, but it is a lesson that may take a
lifetime to truly practice. It is the secret to true love. To
truly practice it, you must sincerely feel no expectations
from those who you love, and yet an unconditional caring."
Passing thought...
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take; but by
the moments that take our breath away.....
Life is beautiful!!!
Live it !!!
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Sunday, May 22, 2005
Why Me????
Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon player was dyingof AIDS.
Fromworld over, he received letters from his fans, one ofwhichconveyed :"Why does GOD have to select you for such a baddisease"?
To this Arthur Ashe replied:
The world over --
5 crore children start playing tennis,
50 lakh learn to play tennis,
5 lakh learn professional tennis,
50,000 come to the circuit,
5000 reach the grand slam,
50 reach Wimbeldon,
4 to semi final,
2 to the finals,
When I was holding a cup I never asked GOD "Why me?".
And today in pain I should not be asking GOD "Why me?"
Happiness keeps u Sweet,
Trials keep u Strong,
Sorrow keeps u Human ,
Failure Keeps u Humble,
Success keeps u Glowing,
But only God Keeps u Going.
Fromworld over, he received letters from his fans, one ofwhichconveyed :"Why does GOD have to select you for such a baddisease"?
To this Arthur Ashe replied:
The world over --
5 crore children start playing tennis,
50 lakh learn to play tennis,
5 lakh learn professional tennis,
50,000 come to the circuit,
5000 reach the grand slam,
50 reach Wimbeldon,
4 to semi final,
2 to the finals,
When I was holding a cup I never asked GOD "Why me?".
And today in pain I should not be asking GOD "Why me?"
Happiness keeps u Sweet,
Trials keep u Strong,
Sorrow keeps u Human ,
Failure Keeps u Humble,
Success keeps u Glowing,
But only God Keeps u Going.
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Nice joke
A little boy wanted Rs.50 very badly and prayed for weeks, but nothing
happened.
Finally he decided to write God a letter requesting the Rs.50.
When the postal authorities received the letter addressed to God, INDIA,
they decided to forward it to the President of the India as a joke.
The President was so amused, that he instructed his secretary to send
the little boy Rs.20.
The President thought this would appear to be a lot of money (Rs.50) to
a little boy, and he did not want to spoil the kid.
...
....
The little boy was delighted with Rs.20, and decided to write a thank
you note to God, which read:
"Dear God: Thank you very much for sending the money. However, I noticed
that you sent it through the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, and those
donkeys deducted Rs.30 in taxes ... "
happened.
Finally he decided to write God a letter requesting the Rs.50.
When the postal authorities received the letter addressed to God, INDIA,
they decided to forward it to the President of the India as a joke.
The President was so amused, that he instructed his secretary to send
the little boy Rs.20.
The President thought this would appear to be a lot of money (Rs.50) to
a little boy, and he did not want to spoil the kid.
...
....
The little boy was delighted with Rs.20, and decided to write a thank
you note to God, which read:
"Dear God: Thank you very much for sending the money. However, I noticed
that you sent it through the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, and those
donkeys deducted Rs.30 in taxes ... "
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