Enigma Solution

World War II was a bloody and sickening affair. A dirty and shameful blot on human history. It was not a war for truth or justice etc. but as usual it was about power. The rivalry between established world powers of France, Great Britain, United States, USSR and want to be great powers of Germany, Japan and Italy.  Nevertheless, 80 Million people died due to wounds, and war induced disease and famine The former Soviet Union alone lost 26.6 Million people.  Unfortunately behind everything we see or experience in the material world is about power. First they fight, then they decide what is the noble cause for which they are fighting. They fight, then they weep. "It is well that war is so terrible, otherwise we should grow too fond of it." General Robert E. Lee _____________________________ The Soviet Union was led by their leader Josef Stalin. Stalin was frequently described by Lenin as "a course, brutal, bully". Stalin's willingness to sacrifice...

Henry Ford the American legend, was obsessed with being the only shareholder and manager of his company.  Ford carefully analysed the work and its flow and broke up the tasks into the smallest possible elements so that tasks could be performed without application of mind or spirit repeatedly by faceless and nameless workers. Henry Ford designed his operations so that workers were completely dispensable and easily replaceable by any other able bodied worker. This approach inhumane as it may appear, gave the brilliant Henry Ford, tremendous improvements in productivity and savings in cost, helping Ford to leave his competitors a long way behind. Initial success was phenomenal. In early 1920’s Ford motor company’s share of American automotive market was an eye popping 75%. This approach soon thereafter became a norm in all industries. (This is why majority of trade union activities focussed more on work conditions than only on increase in wages.) Henry Ford was obsessed with be...

You can't get lost if you don't know where you are going.

Success needs no explanation and failure tolerates no excuse. Yet few people appreciate this point. Many people who fail, dole out excuses one after another, everyone and everything else is to blame except themselves. The situation is most pathetic, when owners, managers and leaders blame their own employees, team members and followers. Their opening statement is "The problem is ........", and this is followed by a long tirade or moan of nonsense. The first step in solving a 'problem' is, to learn what is the problem? Surprisingly most people have no idea what the problem is? A problem is defined as an obstruction 'C' which prevents you from going from  Situation 'A'  to situation 'B'. Unfortunately most people don't know where they are, where they want to get to and what is obstructing them. In that case the person does not have a problem, they just have an excuse for their failure.

                                    I f you go to a restaurant, there is almost always a waiter to serve you. The reason the person is called a waiter is he or she waits on you. The waiter's job is to wait. To not only wait but also watch and respond to the guest seeking information or some service.  No one likes to be summoned by the snapping of fingers, talked down in a demeaning manner or to clean up an unnecessary mess. The waiter's job is challenging especially when demands of guests are unreasonable. While waiting is common in restaurants, what do we say when this happens in organisations? It is quite common for even highly qualified and senior people having to wait on their bosses and political masters. Many bosses and even heads of families like to hold a grand audience with several people waiting on them. This makes them feel important while making people around t...

I t was the year of 1992 and I one of the proud owners of our family's rather large  manufacturing business. The head of engineering Mr. Pange and I had just reviewed his very attractive proposal to save our company a great deal of money and also improve quality significantly. I gazed at this soft spoken man with amazement and respect and asked Mr.Pange,   "we are lucky to have you on our team. I am sure  you must have saved your previous employer a lot of money and problems?"  He replied "Not a single rupee,Sir" "Why?" I asked incredulously. He said, "I presented my boss with an fantastic proposal which would have done wonders for the organisation, but he refused to even listen. It was the first and last time I made a suggestion until I joined you." His boss insultingly dismissed him saying, " If I want your opinion, I will give it to you. Now get back to work"

Every child learns about the all powerful genie trapped inside a bottle or lamp. This genie needs a master to release it from the bottle. The master gets his or her one or three wishes and then what? The genie that has power to give whatever is desired is obviously very powerful. It does not want to return to the lamp or bottle and the master cannot force it to return. The genie MUST have purpose or else it becomes a nuisance to itself and to everyone. We humans are not much different from the genie in the bottle.  Once discovered and released like the Genie the power of individuals and teams and organisations can be immense and once they get committed to a cause they are virtually unstoppable. Most of us have some form of genius within us, but we have to discover it. Sadly most of us are in a kind of stupor imposed  on us by our social conditioning. Our family, teachers, governments, society and employers.  They do this because all they want is to...