Put Down the Glass
February 22, 2009 by Gaurav SangtaniValuable Advice I got….!
January 26, 2009 by Gaurav SangtaniToday I would like to share with you a small incident or some valuable advice I received. On my last with Goldman Sachs, I was about to leave the office, it was around 7.30. While going towards lift area, I was passing through the CFO, Mr. Ravi Krishnan’s office. As it was last day, rather last few minutes in Goldman, I thought let me say bye to Ravi also, if I can catch him. Luckily, I found him in his cabin along with someone. He easily recognized me as soon as I told him that it was my last day. He already knew about my decision of quitting job to enter into Private practice. He wished me best of luck, but I wanted to ask something more, a bit hesitant but what’s risk anyway it was my last day.
So I asked “Ravi I have heard you have been in practice”.
Ravi “Ya, I have been in practice for more than 12 years.”
Me “So any tips for me about practice.”
Ravi “Tips… hmmm…. ok…!”
I would summarize what he told me about practice.
1. Draw the line: Always draw a line that you will never cross. In practice if you allow yourself to do anything and everything and don’t draw boundaries for yourself, you will be dragged into things from where it will be very difficult to come out.
2. You have only one client : Whenever you are dealing with any client, remember he is the only client you have. Treat him as if you don’t have any other client. Give him 100 % when he is with you. If you want to retain the client, you need to make him feel special.
3. Religion of Partnership : In partnership there are different kinds of people. In a firm there can be someone who manages all the work in office and gets these executed and someone else brings the client. If you are former one and start thinking that the other guy is not doing much work just hanging around with clients and just talking, partnership will not go very far. In partnership you need to understand that different partners have different skill sets which will help the firm.
4. You tell, you learn : Always train your articles, and train them well. Every time you tell them, you learn the new aspects about the things you already knew. Invest time in their career and it will pay you back.
Advice looked valuable to me. Where will you expect CFO to talk to normal employee who is leaving the company and moreover giving tips for new venture… its possible only for someone who has these Goldman cultures and values….with thanks to Ravi, I hope he won’t mind sharing this private conversation with you…
That’s all for today
Afraid?
January 6, 2009 by Gaurav Sangtani
Just wanted to post some Dialogues from a movie, “The Terminal”.
“So, Mr. Navorski, I have some very good news for you.
What?
I’ve figured out a way to get you out of this airport.
How?
Well, we have laws here that protect aliens who have a credible fear of returning to their own country.
If we can establish this fear with you, then the CBP will be forced to begin Expedited Removal Procedures,to bring you to an immigration judge and let you plead your case for asylum.
- Asylum?
- Mm-hm, asylum.
Unfortunately, the courts are so backed up with asylum cases that the soonest you’d get before a judge would be six months from now.
Yes, and we would have no choice but to let you go for those six months.
It’s the law. You’d be released.
You would be free to wait in New York until your court date.
But, believe it or not, most people never show up before the judge.
- So I go New York City?
- Uh-huh.
You can go to New York City tonight.
But, you only get to go if we can establish a credible fear.
- Fear?
- Mm-hm, fear.
- Fear.
- Fear.
From what?
That’s the best part.
It doesn’t matter what you’re afraid of.
It’s all the same to Uncle Sam.
So I’m going to ask you one question, if you give me the correct answer, I can get you out of this airport tonight.
So, I answer one question. Go to New York City. Tonight.
- Tonight.
- Tonight.
- Tonight.
- Tonight.
- [laughs] OK.
- OK.
All right.
Do you, at this time, have any fear of returning to your own country?
No.
OK. Let me try it again.
- Your country’s at war.
- Yes. War.
There are men in the streets with guns. Political persecution.
- Yes. It’s terrible.
- Yeah, it’s horrible.
And God only knows what could happen.
Innocent people are torn from their beds.
On Tuesdays. I hate Tuesdays.
So you’re afraid.
- From what?
- Krakozhia.
You’re afraid of Krakozhia.
Krakozhia?
No, I am not afraid from Krakozhia.
I’m a little afraid of this room.
I’m talking about bombs.
I’m talking about human dignity.
Human rights.
Viktor, please don’t be afraid to tell me you’re afraid of Krakozhia.
Is home.
I am not afraid from my home.”
The Ten Commandments for Business Failure
December 18, 2008 by Gaurav SangtaniToday I will discuss with you the latest book I have read, “The Ten Commandments for Business Failure” by “Donald R. Keough“. The book which is written by former president of the Coca Cola Company, recommended by “Bill Gates” and “Jack Welch” and forwarded by “Warren Buffet”, was promising enough to be picked up from the store. To be precise, the book stood to the all these recommendations.
Donald Keough has poured his vital experience of Coca Cola years into this book. This is the first management book I have read which had flow of a fiction book. You hardly feel like putting it down. Small stories bring great wisdom, moreover when these are witnesses by author himself. Keough’s style of writing is compelling enough to convince you about the business wisdon you have already read at many places.
As author starts in the introduction:
” When I was asked to talk about how to win, my response was I couldn’t do that. What I could do, however, was to talk about how to lose and I offered a guarantee that anyone who followed my formula would be a highly successful loser.”
The book gives you ten (rather eleven) commandments for failure in Business, if you want to be successful, you need to be careful not to follow any of these. Commandments are made of simple business wisdom such as “Quit taking risks“, “Assume infallibility” and “Don’t take time to think” and it also includes some of the new wisdom such as “Put all your faith in Experts” and “Send mixed messages“. Its not the advice which makes the book interesting, rather the way the advice is presented. Small stories, amusing quotes and author’s personal experience make it good and delightful read.
The book is humorous, compelling and entertaining enough for atleast one read, although I am going to read it again. I will repeat Jack Welch’s recommendation “A Must read for every leader” and I will further add ” A must read for anyone who aspires to be leader and learn from others mistake rather than making his own”.
I would definately recommned it and rate it 4 out of 5.
Now I will leave with you some of the parts of the book I liked:
“A company doesn’t fail to do anything, Individuals do……
….Businesses are the product and the extension of the personal characteristics of its leaders – the lengthened shadows of the men and women who run them.”
“It’s human nature. I’ve got something. Why risk it? Who knows what’s on the other side of the mountain? Don’t go there!”
“Einstein said he needed in his office: a desk or a table, a chair, some pencils, paper, and a very large warebasket “for all the mistakes I will make.” “
“If a company never has a failure, I submit that their management is probably not discontented enough to justify their salaries.”
“When you’re comfortable, the temptation to quit taking risks is so great, it’d almost irresistible. And failure is almost inevitable.”
“It not only behooves us to treat our fellow human beings with compassion and respect, it is essential for our collective survival. Unethical men and women can flourish for periods, sometimes very long periods, but ultimately their lack of morality – and their lack of humility – destroys them. You cannot build a strong and lasting business on a rotten foundation.”
“If you want to get nothing done, make sure that administrative concerns take precedence over all others! Love your bureaucracy!…….Meetings are the religious service of a great bureaucracy and the bureaucrats are fervently religious…….. These meetings generate more paperwork, more e-mails, more calls, more meetings. In fact, most often there are meetings to plan meetings.”
“I have never met a successful person who did not express love for what he did and care about it passionately… they can’t imagine doing anything else. They seem almost crazy about it. “
There is lot more I will leave upon you to read finally a story author shares from his life, I liked it.
“In my teens, while working during the summer at the city stockyards, I got a offer becoming a bull buyer. A bull buyer was supposed to choose appropriate bull for slaughter from the bulls scattered all over the yard. After my first day on the job, he came by and asked to see what I’d bought. It turned out I’d paid too much for quite a few of the bulls. He reminded me that I was among salesmen and because of my young age, they would try to flatter me, be nice to me, distract me, but he pulled out a chart and said here’s exactly what you are looking for in a bull. No matter what anyone says, never deviate from these basic requirements of conformation. He said, “Watch the bull, not the man”.
That simple advice has stuck with me through my years in business even to this day”
Logic
December 9, 2008 by Gaurav SangtaniToday nothing much has happened, so I don’thave much to write about the day. Still I wanted to write something, to share something. So I would share one story.
“Once a philosopher entered into a lion’s cage. The lion was brought for one circus and philosopher unfortunately entered into cage and cage got locked from outside. The lion came to eat the man and he started running, but cage was closed. He was running and lion was running after him. They were running within the cage into circle. The people started gathering outside the cage, but no one had the courage to open the cage. They started shouting “Run… Run fast…”
Both were running in circle and lion started coming close to the philosopher and one man shouted “Run fast, lion is coming near to you….”
Philosopher said “Shut-up, you fool..! I am still two laps ahead of him…!!!”
Sometimes logic doesn’t prevail… “
That’s all for today….
J. Krishnamurti on Education – Part 1
December 8, 2008 by Gaurav SangtaniWhen I started this blog, I promised myself that I will write something everyday and share it with all of you over the morning tea. But as it happens with all the promises and resolutions, I am writing very rarely. From today onwards, I will try to have tea with you more frequently.
Today’s post is about chapter of a book. Before I write anything about what I read, let me share something about the author and the book. The Book is compilation of letters of J. Krishnamurti to his schools. Today me and Manish were just wandering around and got into a book shop. Although I always think that I will not buy new unless I read the old ones, I bought two new books. Both are authored by J. Krishnamurti, one is the letters to schools and other one is “On love and loneliness”.
I first knew about the krishnamurti long back, not sure exactly, but it should be atleast 5 – 6 years back. I went with Mohit (one of my frens) to our teachers house Mr. Agnihotri. He used to teach us english during our 12th standard. I was influenced by him for many reasons, first he encouraged me to learn and read more english and secondly because of his dedication and vast knowledge. Till 12th, I was doing my education with hindi medium and because of his encouragement I started reading ‘Readers Digests’ and ultimately switched to english medium after 12th. Whenever I look on my Book shelf, I don’t find any hindi book, and I wonder had I not switched over to english, I would have missed all these good books.
After coming out of schools also, we (me and mohit) used to visit him. On the one hand I was interested in his vast knowledge, mohit is interested in Hinduism and all the pooja rituals he knows. Mr. Agnihotri, although an english teacher, comes from a family which is known in our town (Rishikesh) for its Vedic background and he is considered to be one of the best teachers for Sanskrit and Vedas. So that day when we visited him, I brought the topic of OSHO. At that time I was reading OSHO. I wanted to discuss this topic because, I wanted to know his thoughts about the Osho, as he is strong believer in all the hindu religious rituals and Osho strongly condemns these. Surprisingly he told me that he has read Osho a lot and told me you should read all this and atleast you mind will be open. And he also suggested me to read the Krishnamurti and gave me a book to read. That day I started reading the Krishnamurti.
I can tell you a lot about all this, but will come to this chapter first.
Whenever I review any book, I will mostly give my favourite parts and quotes of the book and not my thoughts on the book. Then you are to decide, if you like it.
Once I read a book of “Shri Aurbindo” about education system in India, it suggested to scrap the system we are following now in our schools and book was published in 18xx. It had the outline of how will be the education once we get independence. It has not happened yet. Krishnakurti also has unique thoughts on education. In this particular letter, he is emphasising on importance of learning and leisure.
“The whole movement of life is learning…..the accumulation of knowledge, which is called learning and to which we are so accustomed, is necessary to a limited extent, but the limitation prevents us from comprehending ourselves………
We learn from a book or from a teacher who has a great deal of information about a subject, and our brains are filled this information….this process goes on endlessly, and gradually we become second-hand human beings… this is our modern education…
The act of learning is the act of pure observation, and this observation is not held within the limitation of memory. We learn to earn a living but we never live.
It is only when you have leisure that you can learn….learning can take place only when there is no pressure of any kind….
We are so occupied with our livelihood that it takes that it takes all the energy of the mechanism of thought, so we are exhausted at the end of the day….
There is no leisure to learn, and so life becomes mechanical, almost meaningless…. leisure is a period when the mind is not occupied with anything whatsoever.. it is time of observation.
It is the absolute responsibility of the teacher to cultivate the flowering of goodness in leisure… for this reason the schools exis… “
That’s all for today… will share something tomorrow….
- Gaurav Sangtani
Dasvidaniya – Movie Review
November 15, 2008 by Gaurav SangtaniDasvidaniya: the best ever goodbye. The tag line and promos led me the cinema hall and if I concise my review it will be, I was not disappointed. The story is of simple man and how we forget our dreams in day to day life and how we forget to live while we are alive. The message will look like similar to those who have read or watched the “the last lecture” by Randy Pausch. I am not sure if movie is inspired by that as it must started shooting long before this book came. Anyway movie touches and succeeds in giving a message, its all about fulfilling your dreams.
The pace of movie is not broken anywhare, ya sometimes it slows, but you do not loose interest because Amar Kaul has made a bonding with you by that time and you want to see what happens to him next. Most of people will resemble some parts of character with themselves. This is the one movie I will say could have been better had it been little longer that this.
There are some touchy moments in the movie, scene where Amar made the silent love confession to Neha, sings a song for his mom and when he leaves the house of his friend. Overall a good watch, little bit off the target, could have been better, but overall I will give it 3.5 out of 5 for overall storyline, emotions, comic sense and music. If you have time, must watch otherwise don’t miss on DVD atleast.
Why Indian Mujahideen – now NIM
October 2, 2008 by Gaurav SangtaniI was just reading a news article on one of the sites that next target of Indian Mujahideen is Chandigarh. One thing striked me why we call them “Indian Mujahideen”. Just because they address themselves by that name… but that’s not correct what does this word stand for?
As a common surfer I referred to wikipedia and it says Mujahideen means “is a Muslim involved in a jihad, id est fighting in a war or involved in any other struggle.” So first whey want to declare they are muslims and they are fighting against in a war. Although these kind of attacks can’t be said to be war… but still fair enough….!
My problem is with the first word “INDIAN”. How can they be indian? No not at all…… They are killing indians and spreading terror against indian…. To be the target of thier bombs…. only one criteria… You should be Indian… they are not killing people from any specific religion, caste or tribe. The delhi blasts hit people from all religion and tribe including Muslims. They are fighting against India and Indians.
So they can say themselves anything…. I deny to address this outfit with this name.
Let’s rename and use this name only NIM (Non Indian Mujahideen).
If we can’t do much… let’s take thier right to be indian…. they are Non Indian Mujahideen… Let’s clean the words first.. then fight against these Non or Anti Indian Forces…
Join me and I would request Media also to stop using that wrong name.
SUCCESS SECRETS – Knowing when it’s time…
August 1, 2008 by Gaurav SangtaniSUCCESS SECRETS – Knowing when it’s time…
What criteria should be used to
determine if you have been with the
same company too long?
—Jason Morrow, Salt Lake City
Your question reminds us of a
friend of ours, an investment
m…read more…
