Touch Base

The phrase comes from the sport of baseball where both runner and fielders have to ‘touch base’ in order to be safe or record an out. The corner bases are stations with which a runner must make contact before being put out or, perhaps, the need for a fielder possessing the ball to make contact with one of the bases to record an out.

The current idiomatic use of touch base implies a meeting of sorts between two people. One possible explanation for the derivation could be that the idea of base as a home or headquarters might lead to the suggestion of a salesman in the field returning to headquarters to meet with a client or colleague.

Our base could be close family, core team or our passion, our reason for true joy. Every time we touch base, we reconnect to people and priority. It is said so well that not keeping in touch is injurious to relationship. When we reconnect we are reenergised and also connect to initial vision and mission.

Touch base is not just meeting or reconnecting. Often it needs seeking or searching for the base as we may have strayed far away from that base. We may have lost sight of that base. Hence it is important to maintain the conscious link to our personal or collective base. When we touch base we reclaim original purpose.  

Do not run around an aimless race

On a regular basis… do touch base!

- Pravin K Sabnis

Possible

At a workshop for students, Pravin Kakode shared the story behind his popular slogan. He would help his daughter get ready for school. After she wore her uniform, he would help her put on the tie, as the clip of the tie needed to be locked behind the neck.

 One day, the little one was not eager to go to through the routine. The father firmly asked her to be independent & dress on her own. She was upset but did so grudgingly. She managed to wear the tie all by herself and happily said in Konkani, ‘zai naa ashe kai na’ (Nothing is Impossible)

 It became a war cry at his business, aptly called Upgrade and a lot changed since. It empowered ownership and commitment to a solution focused on 'can do' attitude. The tag line has helped people beyond Upgrade as he loves sharing his motivational quote with everyone he interacts with.

 The word ‘possible’ refers to not just what is attainable but also what can be done only if we were to put sincere efforts. Over the centuries, the unimaginable has been achieved because someone did not let doubts to deter the determination. The greatest of inventions seemed impossible yet they came to fulfilment

 We must choose to believe in the power of the possible. We must step beyond the restrictive limits of what is practical and holds confirmation of feasibility. We must align to the attributive angle that rises from conviction that it is always possible!  

 Heed that no deed is impossible

Positive belief makes it possible!

 - Pravin K Sabnis

 

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is an act of fraud. It involves both stealing someone else's work and lying about it afterward. Watching someone else take credit for your idea can be one of the most infuriating things to happen. While it is unethical and unfair, it is important not to lose cool. We must calm down and think about the real source of the anger…

Why are you reacting so strongly? Do you always feel undervalued and underappreciated? Is credit important to you? Finding out what it means to you can help you tackle it reasonably. It can also reveal the stories you tell yourself; sometimes we connect events that have no external connection.

We must frame our claim as a question, so the colleague has a chance to explain his or her actions. This could involve directly asking the credit-stealer about what happened, in neutral language. ‘Talking about the project, why did you say ‘I’ instead of ‘we.’ It sets strong boundaries by letting the plagiarizer know you know what they did.

You ultimately defeat plagiarism by making it clear who did what, so make sure your contributions are known to those around you and above you. And if credit-stealers persist, enlist your friends and colleagues to stand up on your behalf. But the best way is to focus on ‘doing’ things that are better. They can’t compete there!

plagiarism pirates can be challenged for false credit

but they cannot steal your inner process that led it!

- Pravin K Sabnis

Learning Curve

The learning curve model is used commonly in organizational or industrial management to improve output by way of improving performance of the human resource. The model was widely applied during World War II when it was realized that the cost of aircraft decreased with the increase in production performance. It was later taken up by the industrial and business sector for a variety of performance improvement applications

There are many variables in learning that impact the rate of progression and cannot be accurately reflected in the learning curve model. In learning to read, the variables could include phonetics, vocabulary, type of reading material, teaching methods, motivation, previous knowledge or experience, quality of practice, and much more.

The learning curve model requires that one variable is tracked over time, is repeatable and measurable. Individual motivation, for example, would be difficult to measure. As a whole, learning to read is a complex procedure involving many variables and is not ideal for a learning curve.

An example of where a learning curve can be applied could be a measurable task like a factory worker learning to operate a new machine that requires specific, repeatable steps. As the worker learns to operate the machine following the procedural steps, he becomes faster and more proficient at using it. A learning curve would measure this rate of progression and mastery.

A learning curve is a graphical representation of the relationship between how proficient someone is at a task and the amount of experience he or she has. Proficiency usually increases with increased experience… the more someone performs a task, the better he or she gets at it. Hence every time we move on to learn, we progress up the curve

Don’t stay static in a cocoon curled

move ahead with the learning curve!

- Pravin K Sabnis

etc

Etc is the abbreviation of the Latin phrase, Et cetera. Et means ‘and.’ Cetera means ‘the rest.’ It is used at the end of a list to indicate that further, similar items are included. It also indicates that a list is too tedious or clichéd to give in full.

So often, so many of us go on and on. We have the choice to trim our talk, our presentation. When we use ‘etc’ we refrain from the unnecessary, the obvious and the tedious. ‘Etc’ says it so well that ‘the list goes on’.

At most formal functions, introductions of the speakers are long winded as all needless details are listed by the speaker when he passes his bio-data. It is enough to state the highest qualification, latest position and the most significant achievement.

But we stray from brevity. Think of bull’s eye. We have to focus on the central goal. The periphery is distracting and disturbs our aim. Let’s edit the pointless and get only to the real point of impact.

Let’s choose to keep it in brevity dye

Et cetera is about impact bull’s eye!

- Pravin K Sabnis

Distracted?

A man was complaining to Pedro, ‘my child is perpetually distracted’.  Pedro queried, ‘positive distractions or negative distractions?’ The man stopped playing with his mobile and asked, ‘what did you say?’

 A distraction is something that takes your attention away from what you are supposed to be doing. If you cannot keep from checking your social networking forums every ten minutes, that's a distraction that's going to interfere with your other priorities – family, work, passions, people.

 However a distraction can also be a refreshing change. If you are worried about your presentation tomorrow, watching a mindless show on TV may be a welcome distraction that helps you relax. The word comes from the Latin dis (apart) and trahere(drag). So distraction is when you're dragged away from your task or from your worries.

 Positive distractions divert you from negativity and help you emerge refreshed to take on priorities. These include choices like going on a trek, playing sports, attending dance or singing classes, watching entertainment, pursuing some hobby or even talking with friends and family. Social networking sites, television, gadgets easily turn negative distractions when done in excess. However, in moderation, they can be refreshing too.

 We play many roles and cope with varied challenges and pied priorities. The key to happiness and success is to involve in multiple positive distractions. If we do not choose positive distractions, we will tend to be attracted to negative distractions and allow them to turn into bad habits that take focus off our task.

 We must identify what makes us happy and also confirm that it does not estrange us from the people we love or distance us from the things we really want to do. We must let these positive distractions impact our focus. Then, we would not have time and space for worries or negative distractions to intrude, except moderated indulgences.

Ensure relationships are reflected

choose to be positively distracted!

 - Pravin K Sabnis

Lip service

The Latin phrase, ‘Acta non verba’ means ‘Deeds, not words’. It is used to make it clear that you don't kindly suffer those whose behavior doesn't match their words. It is an easy way to make it clear that you won't stand for lip service.

Lip service is ‘something proffered but not performed, service with the lips only. It is an insincere profession of good will. Offshoot terms in same sense was ‘lip-labour’, ‘lip-wisdom’ (the wisdom of those who do not practice what they preach), ‘lip-religion’, ‘lip-devotion’ (prayer without genuine faith or desire) and ‘lip-comfort’.

The term ‘lip service’ is first recorded in ‘A treatise against witchcraft’ by Henry Holland. The second instance is found in ‘A Saint or a Brute. The Certain Necessity and Excellency of Holiness’, by Richard Baxter. In the Introduction, he quotes Jesus from Gospel of Matthew: ‘This people draweth near me with their lips, but in their hearts are far from me’

It is deeds that truly reflect true intentions and convictions. Mere statements mean nothing if not backed by aligned actions. Often people agree and concur but they may not walk the talk. It is clear hypocrisy of refusal to practice what we preach. We must keep away from the pretence of lip service.

Walk the way about what you say…

Lip service is integrity gone astray!

- Pravin K Sabnis