A.Word.A.Day from Wordsmith.org

This morning I got an email from Wordsmith.org asking me to verify my subscription to their email list. I have been subscribing to “A Word A Day” service for many years now and they were verifying the ID for housekeeping purpose. It reminded me to know more about the service.

Anu Garg was born and brought up in Uttar Pradesh, India. Until entering the class 6^th in school, at the age of 9, he did not have learning of English. He went to the USA to study computer science. At that time in the 90s, internet came up and opened a whole new world in front of everyone. He started Wordsmith.org, a community of people who enjoy words. You can read more about him and his endeavor here [Ref1], [Ref2] or check the website itself http://wordsmith.org/awad/about.html 

You can check the Subscription page here. There is also one free service which you can subscribe [here] or just send an email to wsmith@wordsmith.org with the subject line as: “subscribe your name”. (remove inverted commas and replace "your name" with your name)

Most of his subscribers are from outside India. He is based in the US and has been running Wordsmith for 18 years now. He has also authored three books on words. He considers himself a lifelong student of English Language. When he was asked how being Indian helped him, he said, “In India there’s huge competition to succeed. People realize that good education is the key that opens doors to a better life”. When asked how people can be made interested in words, he says etymology helps. “When you see that ‘pavilion’ is like a butterfly spreading its wings (from Latin papilio: butterfly) it’s easy to fall in love with words”.

It is wonderful to know more about Anu Garg and his wonderful journey, of which even I am part at least for last 7 years…

- Rahul

Note: Views are personal and do not represent views of any organization associated with the author. [Detailed disclaimer] Pic [Ref]

Pagdandiyan (पगडंडियाँ)

After huge success of our first book Kasturi (कस्तूरी), Hind Yugm decided to publish my poems in upcoming book Pagdandiyan "पगडंडियाँ" also. Here is its cover page. You may also like its Facebook page to support: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pagdandiyan/367545386665536 The book is planned to be launched during International Book Fair in New Delhi around 10th of Feb (अंतर्राष्ट्रीय पुस्तक मेला, प्रगति मैदान, नई दिल्ली).

You can buy (pre-book before 10 Feb) the book at Infibeam and eBay with 20% discount:

Infibeam: http://www.infibeam.com/Books/pagdandiyan-anju-anu-chaudhary-ranju-bhatia-mukesh/9789381394380.html

ebay: http://read.ebay.in/ci/Pandandiyan---PRE-ORDER-/10391274?frmPg&frmPgTx&frmPgTxAr

• Additional 6% ebay discount if you use ICICI Debit/Credit card or Net Banking. Take codes from here: http://deals.ebay.in/icici/ 
• Additional 6% ebay discount if you use HDFC Debit/Credit card or Net Banking. Take code from here: http://deals.ebay.in/hdfc/index.html
• And Additional 7% ebay discount if you use SBI Debit/Credit Card. Take codes from here: http://deals.ebay.in/SBIcards/index.html 

Trip to Shani Shignapur Temple and Shirdi

Shani Shignapur Mandir:

Shirdi Sai Baba Mandir:

On the way: 

Good News

• Read about a maternity hospital in Pune which takes no money if a girl child is born. Medicare Hospital in Hadapsar, founded by Dr. Ganesh Rakh and all its staff including the gynecologist and nurses took a collective decision to waive off their charges if the newborn comes out to be female. It has been going on for a year now. It is gender discrimination with a difference. Certainly a very noble act... (DNA; Pune; 11-Jan-2013; page-4)

• Another such incident in Pune: At early morning (3:30 am), two burglars were stealing a safe with Rs 17 Lakhs from an office. While coming out they saw an approaching taxi, dropped the safe and fled. The driver Rajesh Rathod took the safe to his home. In the morning, he took the safe to the police station and reported the incident. Afterwards, the owner also reported the burglary at the police and was surprised to get the money back instantly. The driver works at a private cab service. (DNA, Pune, 8-Jan-2013; Page-3)

• Thank you HC for such a sensible and just decision. Religion can't be thrust upon a child: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/religion-cannot-be-thrust-upon-a-child-hc/article4178432.ece 

360-degree Evaluation Process

I think it is the need of the hour to bring 360 degree evaluation process at all good corporations. Without elements of 360-degree performance evaluation process there can’t be a best in class organization. Why not adopt it in full spirits?

Very often we find colleagues dissatisfied with the appraisal process. Often they feel they have a lot at stake just in the hands of one person – their boss. To make a fair evaluation process and to instill the confidence that each voice counts no matter what position in hierarchy, we should adopt 360 degree evaluation process where essentially reporting managers should also be rated by directly reporting colleagues.

I understand that there already is some effort done in this area. But if in the existing system a manager him/herself selects whom he/she wants to invite for providing the feedback about him/her, obviously one will choose one’s favorites for the same. It has become like give-and-take in many teams and it discourages others who are not in the favorites circle. People feel let down and “used” when they feel their efforts will never be recognized just because our temperament doesn’t match with boss’. Also, in case of serious complaints also no one goes to ombudsmen; people simply take release from project or leave the organization. Company needs to look at these grey areas and 360 degree feedback is perfect for these.

Last month I had got an invite for providing feedback about a senior colleague, on his leadership and team skills. I thought he had chosen me for that. He was not my boss. I had very good relationship with him so I provided very positive feedback. So I see all such surveys are biased inherently… It is not effective to the organization as a whole to get the correct picture…

I think the system should automatically make all direct reporting colleagues as eligible. Obviously many will not provide feedback because of lack of time. But those who will do, will be the right persons to provide such feedbacks.

Also, in case of L3/L2 support projects, we should have onsite team rating offshore team members and vice versa. And client should rate us too – though not directly but in form of we quoting appreciation emails and our bosses quoting complaint mails, if any.

I think Managers will not like this idea because of obvious reasons :) But company will gain immensely from it. I do not say this. The famous and much liked saying says it:

"People do not quit jobs; they quit their bosses!"

A manager’s position is very important. One manager with 20 people reporting to him/her can make life hell for all/any of those 20 people who in turn may resign from the company or may work with lots of dissatisfaction in their hearts. Such demotivated workers would be drain to all our efforts. One irony is that people seldom tell the real reason why quitting their jobs. Therefore the company will never be able to know exactly why lots of attrition is happening...

- Rahul

Note: Views are personal and do not represent views of any organization associated with the author. [Detailed disclaimer]