BARREN?

Recently, a researcher was surveying responses to proposed amendments to the draconian Land Acquisition Act. In the village of Keri in Goa, Ramkrishna Jhalmi was asked whether he felt it was okay for the Government to acquire barren land. His response was worthy of a bond with land that only a tribal so passionately possesses.

Ramkrishna pointed out to his head and asked, ‘if I lose all the hair on my head, does my head become barren? Should then my head be knocked off?’ He questioned the urban perception of barren land. After all as a young student, he saw his village resisting the imposition of a polluting plant on the top of hill plateau of Keri. Their struggle was triumphant at the cost of the life of Nilesh Naik, killed in police firing.

A decade later, Ramkrishna and his village struggles to save the plateau from the rapist controls of a SEZ (special Economic zone) which is just another glorified land grab for real estate. For them, the plateau was far from barren. Besides being grazing land and having spiritual significance, the plateau was the rain water receptacle that charged the various springs, wells and water bodies. An assault on the plateau would translate into irrevocable destruction of the surrounding seven villages and the splendid spice farms therein.

So often, the urban educated see things superficially, wearing glasses of greed in the garb of need. What gets ignored is the underlying reality and the ramification of actions arising about prejudices about what gets labelled as barren land. To be better at connecting with the reality where no land is really barren, let’s remember Ramkrishna’s poser: will you knock off your head if gets barren of hair?

No land is really barren, if we look deeper…

let’s BE BETTER at seeing the larger picture

- Pravin K. Sabnis

WHAT THE DROP TAKETH

The anecdotes of Emperor Akbar and his trusted aide Birbal are entertaining as well as enlightening. Once, the Emperor received the gift of a rare perfume. As he opened the bottle, a drop of perfume fell to the floor. Akbar instinctively moved to retrieve it by wiping the floor with his finger. As he looked up he noticed a bemused look on Birbal’s face… his eyes seemed to mock the Emperor for being scrounging.

To change Birbal’s perception, Akbar summoned him the next morning to his bath. He asked his attendants to fill up the bathtub with the best of perfumes. Akbar sought to show Birbal that as Emperor he could afford to waste as much perfume, as he wanted. Birbal when asked to react said the immortal lines, “Boond se jati, woh haudh se nahi aati” (An entire tub full cannot retrieve what the drop took way!)

Birbal sought to tell the Emperor that his earlier instinctive action (that exhibited miserliness) could not be undone by an intentional action (aimed at big-heartedness). Our character is determined by our reactions, not by forced posturing. It is better to be transparent then wear favourable masks. In fact every little action and reaction, every spoken word and emerging thought reflects our true self!

To be better at being what we would like others to see us as, we have to look at what we really are. Introspection is the prerequisite for desired transformation. And that transformation has to begin from within to without by clarifying our values and aligning every action with our own declared principles. Otherwise the posturing in the tub shall not retrieve what the drop taketh away!

What the drop taketh cannot be reclaimed by a phony reaction…

let’s BE BETTER at renovating our inner self and external action!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

PRACTICE

During our school days, we would be all charged up every time we see a martial art movie. We would walk on our toes, run up the stairs with buckets filled with water and eventually join some martial art class. However, save a few, most would drop out of what seemed only an occasional infatuation. The interest was genuine but the commitment was like a sparkling, fizzy soda.

Motives play a significant role in inspiring action. However, the effect of motivation is effervescent. So often, we enthusiastically embark on journeys to do things we find exciting and attractive. And so often, the initial exuberance seems to drop down the way. Making a start can be rendered futile, if we do not go the whole distance. And going the distance merits going beyond motives and developing the practice.

Practice is the term commonly used to describe appropriate actions of a consistent nature. We need to develop the right practices to move towards desired destination. Jim Rohn said it so well, ‘Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going’. However, a practice is not just a habit that develops by itself. It is a conscious process of walking the talk.

A practice requires a greater commitment along with a plan that includes discipline, dedication and determination. Whenever inspired, we must be able to make a plan of investing our time, thoughts and action. Otherwise motivation will be just an occasional emotion. So whether it is learning a new skill or making a fresh pledge we need to be better at empowering effective practices.

Let’s BE BETTER at keeping on going…

our practices need solemn empowering!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

DEEP & WIDE

Look around at people you find interesting to converse with... They could be friends, doctors, pharmacists, barbers, shopkeepers or the like. What is the secret of being a successful conversationalist? They can talk politics with a politician, finance with a banker, sports with a sportsman, education with an educationist and so on and so forth.

Where does a good conversationalist learn to speak at almost everything under the sun? Besides reading, the good conversationalists possess the tolerance for listening and learning from every person they meet. However, it is pertinent to note that we would not be so eager to visit the conversationalist if he was bad at his basic job.

Never mind the additional attraction that your conversation skills offer, the other person will patronize you only if you are good at the basic job that you are expected to do. Learning is generally ignored after attaining desired academic levels, mainly when entrenched in the comfort zone of a secure job. However, it is a folly to stop learning.

Consider the traditional barber. He is a good listener and an engaging conversationalist. However, he also is constantly keeping apace with the latest trends, styles and news. Let’s choose to BE BETTER like the barber who goes after both depth and breadth of knowledge and skills… depth to be better at his basic expertise… and breadth to be better at conversation with his customers…

Let’s choose to BE BETTER like the barber

By going deep and wide as a proactive learner!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

MENTOR

In Greek mythology, Odysseus entrusted his fiend Mentor with the full care and education of his son, Telemachus. Because of Mentor's near-paternal relationship with Telemachus, the term Mentor has been adopted as a term meaning a parent-like teacher.

Mentors provide expertise to less experienced individuals to help them advance their careers, enhance their education, and build their networks. Many teams organise mentoring programs in which newcomers are paired with more experienced people, who act as friends and guides. In fact a major contribution that any person can make to his team and organisation is being a mentor to others.

The qualities of an effective mentor include risk taking, trustworthiness, a depth of knowledge and above all being emotionally strong. They engage in showing concern for the development of team members, giving good counsel when required and motivating the necessary struggle of their protégé towards progress.

While we see glowing examples of successful team persons who have grown through mentoring, it is also pertinent to note that too few, among us, are ready to devote time and initiative to the task of mentoring. The reasons range from an inability to share to the lack of patience to cheer from the sidelines. However, if we seek to leave a legacy in our lifetime, we must choose to be better at mentoring.

First we must make the choice to give time to share our experience along with care, concern and participation in the protégé’s progress. However, it is important that the mentor is not a back seat driver or just a how-to-do lecturer. But surely, it is a desirable role since the mentor too moves to higher planes as he mentors his mentorees.

Don’t just lead or be an occasional tutor,

Let’s BE BETTER at being a mentor !

- Pravin K. Sabnis