DEO BAGH HOTEL, Gwalior- Decent experience in a heritage property but a bit over priced!

Here it goes:
Location- The location is not very central and because it is a new property, most of the auto/taxi would not know about this. Make sure you talk to some one in hotel before you reach, so as to guide you with the location and best means of transportation. The hotel could do with some signages along the main road.

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10 suggestions for young Management Graduates?

MBA is the hottest career option today. No study needs to confirm this fact. In fact most of the graduates in India, whether they be Engineers, Architects, Accountants, Commerce or Science graduates, even Doctors have put an MBA as the preferred option to pursue after their graduation. Whether that is good or bad is a separate point of discussion altogether. The industry however feels that many of the management graduates passing each year are not up to the mark and lack employable skills and work attitude.

In the following lines, I try to enlist some key characteristics that an employer/organization would look for in a prospective employee that happens to be a management graduate.

1. Initiative

The young MBAs need to understand that whatever institute they pass out from and how much of a strategic thinker they might be, they will still need to get their hands dirty! They will have to work on ground to learn the nuances of their organization/product/services, before they can even think of ‘strategic plans’. They will need to work hard & work smart. Initiative also means proactively working towards betterment for the function and the company you work for. Very important is the passion for your organization, and your work. And to prove that passion and hard working nature, a little extra thing outside of your defined KRA would help. Your willingness & enthusiasm to work on new projects/challenges is bound to make your boss/organization happy.

2. Ability to contribute from day one

You may have gone through the rigor of the best MBA and might know the Kotler by heart, but that does not necessarily mean you are employable. An example is that you could be missing knowledge about a simple skill like photocopying, which might be one of your first tasks or be a part of your first task! A very good grasp on technology related tools and ease of working on applications like MS Office would be extremely important. Now this might or might not be in your MBA syllabus. Also very important are your people skills. You would be asked to deal with team members, internal teams, external agencies, vendors, customers etc. without much information about the organization and its processes. If you can ‘get work done through others’ at that instant, you are on the right path to be a ‘manager’.

3. Right communication skills

In the current scenario, communication skills can make or break your corporate life. Although many B-schools are now laying a lot of stress on building their student’s communication skills, this is still one of the sore points of most management graduates. Not just restricted to ability to speak in English (which of course is required), it also encompasses listening skills, writing skills, and reading & comprehension skills. The ability to think clearly and communicate it concisely & precisely is the backbone of good communication.

4. Right Values and ethics

Now, you might have the best of abilities and skills, but everything else is downright useless if you do not possess the moral values and ethics towards your organization, your colleagues, your environment, and the society at large. ‘Profit’ at any cost is thing of the past. And it has more to do with having a heart of gold. Companies with profit as motive are now seen as shortsighted. Having these kind of values ensure certain credibility for you as a person and that helps you get responsibilities and thus grow.

5. Willingness to learn

Yes, you might be the topper of your class or might have won numerous business plan writing contests, but real corporate life is not a management course! When working in an organization, be open to learning. And not just from your superiors, but your peers, and juniors also. On the job learning is something that will go a long way for you.

6. Academic fundamentals

Ok, so those of you were starting to think that everything you learnt in your MBA was not worth anything, relax! These fundamentals will be useful; in fact it is time that you now use these fundas on practical problems. For that to happen you need to remember what you learnt and keep on brushing the same.

7. Stay updated

World as we know, is changing by the second & new technologies evolve and become outdated with a blink. Stay updated on the current trends in your area of work and everything that could relate to it. Also, you ought to be updated at least superficially about the world and happenings in general. More than anything else, it could just help you start an interesting and educated conversation!

8. Multi-tasking

Something that your hiring manager might or might not tell you, but is bound to happen. So be prepared to multi-task multiple projects simultaneously with equal attention and efficiency! Which means you should be good at adjusting to different work conditions, managing your time by setting priorities and channeling the efforts of your team.

9. Working under pressure

An aspect of corporate world that goes without saying. Today the situations in organizations are worse than a pressure cooker. Complex products/services, changing consumers, competition, coupled with your personal pressure to perform, should not be too much to handle. When in a pressure situation, deal with it logically and calmly. Look up to advice from your experienced team members. Believe it or not, it might be a little difficult in the start but eventually you will get used to it, and may be start enjoying it too!

10. Be honest

Well, somebody was right when he said that ‘honesty is the best policy’. Remember, your superiors know that are not too experienced and are bound to make mistakes. What they are looking in for is genuine effort and the right attitude. Even if you fail at something, be honest and acknowledge that you failed, but more importantly take home a learning. Down the line you are bound to succeed if you work with the same zeal!

Memorable Pictures 2

Part 2 of some of the memorable pictures i have clicked. As promised in one of my previous blogs.

A Masakali

Sunset at Udaipur

The three faced Shiva at a Rajasthani palace

A bright and fresh flower

A Pine tree in the himalayas

A picturesque view of cottage at Sattal

A Lotus bud

A thatched hut in the himalayas

Work personalities!

In my short yet eventful career, i have seen many types of personalities which you are sure to come across in your workplace as well. Some typical one's that mar the team/organisation are listed below.

Switch Manager: These are the 'electric' people who operate only through a 'switch'. Until the switch is on, they will continue to sit on issues, problems and impending work. The switch in most cases is a communication (in more stronger terms, a stinker) by their boss or someone who is fairly senior and in a position to create 'trouble'. So when the switch is put on, everything else takes a backseat and all they focus on is diffusing that particular situation. And when that situation is solved, another problem is brought to their notice through a switch and the cycle starts again. And they live their professional life like this (and with them their team does too), always in a fire fighting mode!

Courier: Very simple, these people simply get something and pass it on to somebody else. Or in another way, they get an idea from somebody and just pass it on to somebody in their team, without even bothering to read it once, forget adding any value. How could an organisation such amounts of money to someone who simply does nothing apart from forwarding stuff from one table to another?

Follow-up manager: These are the most irritating of the lot. They will follow-up with you for some work as if their life depends on it (and they will actually say that!). They will send a mail, then call you to tell that they have sent a mail, then send a mail to enquire about the progress and then call about the mail they sent, then message you that it's urgent. You could expect calls from them at odd hours, or on your personal numbers. Sometimes, they will be quicker than the mail- so their mail will come after they have come to your desk enquiring about whether you got the mail or not. Tip- add them to the spam. And when they enquire about the work, innocently tell them you never got the mail :-)

Mail junkies- These people live their life off the mailbox. They will send mails about work, marking a copy to your boss, his/her boss, the CEO, the chairman, even God sometimes! They are so conscious about what to write in their e-mails (it ought to be not too strict but firm!) that 90% of their time is spent thinking what to write in a mail to make their point. They are most likely to send long lists and pointers in their mails and address multiple people and issues in the same mail. And if some work is not done and you please you don not know about it, they will have one answer always- why don't you read your mails properly?

Hyper creative creatures- Although you will find them very smart and full of ideas, the first few times they meet you and splurge you with their creativity; after sometime you will just wish that you don't have to work with them. They usually don't have a life and will sit till midnight so as to polish the creative/idea/presentation..., lugging you with them. These people would want to make 5 options for all work that they have to do (whether a creative, presentation or concept note) and get a feedback for all 5. And then start work on a sixth one based on the feedback! Their favorite dialogue- i want more time so as to make it better!

Vellas- Found usually in the higher end of the hierarchy, these people will have a cabin, where they sit and play solitaire or Facebook, while their team, works their guts out. The only work they do is to forward the work that comes their way, to their juniors and ask them to adhere to the deadline. God forbid, if anybody misses the deadline, they will have to bear a nerve wrecking lecture by these perverts on work ethics, business needs, time management, efficiency, industry best practices and what not. They will leave at exactly 6 PM everyday instructing their team to complete the work without fail, so they could take a look next morning.

Corporate Beauties- Usually females (although there are males as well), these people will spend a major part of their time in office facebooking (checking pics mostly), going through fashion blogs, online shopping, planning their holidays, reading movie reviews etc. And the great point is they make everyone believe that they don't have time for any additional work. Sitting continuously on their machines for hours and hours together, if they are given some new work, they will rant about it for hours and always try to negotiate on the deadline.

Keep a look, you are bound to find these in your workplace too. And yes, do add categories of your own and share...

Same War, Different Heroes!

Some noteworthy differences between Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev and why i don't like Ramdev :-(

- Anna Hazare does not own a trust worth crores of Rupees unlike Baba Ramdev. So while Ramdev has a 'set' business and is doing whatever he is doing for quick publicity, Anna is selfless and righteous.
- Anna Hazare does the right thing (fight against corruption) and gets support from followers. Ramdev on the other hand has to ask and coax his supporters to join him and later save him from the police. Many of the so called supporters are hurt and roughed up while Ramdev crossdresses and fleds to Haridwar !
- Anna Hazare talks less and does more, Ramdev does nothing but talks and talks (remember his viewpoint on gays and item girls. how can such a pervert fight for the democracy and the people?)
- Anna Hazare doesn't affiliate to any political party and does selfless service for the betterment of the countrymen. Ramdev on the other hand supports & seeks support from political groups like RSS and BJP.
- Anna Hazare does not run from his fast site and certainly does not need an 'army' to achieve what he has started on. Ramdev runs sheepishly (come on, the most police could have done was to arrest him for an hour and then let him go! Why so much hullabo about that?) and wants to build an army to fight the government. how is that different from a Maoist?
- Ramdev does not support Anna Hazare when the latter is on a fast. Anna, in spite of the fighting tactics of  Ramdev supports him and assured him, he will join him.
- The government respects (and probably is a little fearful of) Anna Hazare, but do not care much about Ramdev.

Lifestyle???

You hear about this word now and then, 'Lifestyle'. The most common phrase being 'These days, all diseases/disorders are lifestyle-induced'. A whole new list of disorders called 'lifestyle disorders' have emerged and a whole lot from the earlier disorders have been added to this list fully or partially.

Everyone has advise for people on how to cope up with these lifestyle disorders or avoid them altogether. Some of these being Yoga, Meditation, Exercising etc. Well, i have thought of some innovative & funny ways myself (and i am sure you would not have seen most of these earlier).

1. Don't read the newspaper. Or may be just go through the gossip and magazine supplements. Avoid the main newspaper altogether. No, bad news, no tension, no problem! If you get depressed easily, you could cut out even the magazine supplements.

2. Do at least one creative thing a day. It will lift up your spirits, make you feel more satisfied with life. It could be anything, painting, writing, sketching, etc. But don't confuse this with your hobby or something you like doing. e.g. your hobby could be reading novels, but that's not being creative. This is more to do with donning your thinking hat and getting your creative juices flowing. Creating something (good or bad isn't at all the question), gives satisfaction.

3. Real adventure. Get your adrenal rush. Go for an adventure activity like bungee jumping or visit your nearest amusement park for the wackiest rides available. The real (not kiddish) video games are also an option. Anybody who says that video games are not 'real' adventure hasn't yet played a good game. Basic idea is to induce the right hormones!

4. Shop Smart. I don't mean shop spending half your salary on most things you don't want and then get depressed all over again. I mean, plan your shopping, and look for offers on things you want. Nowadays, with more than one store in the same mall, you could buy different stuff (which you had planned on buying) from different stores at great discounts. Apart from the fact that shopping is therapeutic, when you will look back that you got everything you wanted (and planned for) at the least price possible, you will feel elated!

5. Do something for people around you. This could range from helping a friend shift his/her flat, to doing some service at the local blind school. And don't think of money when you wish to do something for the underprivileged, actually do something. On the ground helps! Satisfaction from this is guaranteed...

Trust these help. In case they don't you don't have any option but to succumb to the vagaries of your lifestyle!

Vacation Express!

Voila, it’s the time of the year, when everybody’s heading towards the mountains! So, for almost everybody who might be thinking of the usual destinations of Shimla, Manali, Mussorie or Nainital (for North India), I feel a little sympathetic. Why? Because, going to these locations is like getting away from Delhi (both from the scorching heat and the hustle-bustle of the city) and landing up in Delhi all over again! Yes, you do have the lake or the mountain, but what point is it when half of Delhi’s population is riding a boat in that lake or climbing up that mountain. I have been to all these locations and they all have the same problem (Shimla being the most oppressed, while Manali still makes some sense).

So, I am going to share some thoughts of my own for this holiday season:

1.   If you are looking for a quick getaway, think Jaipur or Agra for instance. Don’t yet raise the gun to my head, hear me out. This time of the year, the money you spend in staying at a two star hotel in Mussorie, might be able to get you a special getaway package at a 5 star hotel in Jaipur or Agra! I know it is hot as hell at both the places (worse than Delhi actually), but that is if you get out of the 5-star hotel you are staying at! And, if you are lucky, you might actually get a pleasant evening, in which you could explore the Hawa mahal or the Taj Mahal (Taj Mahal, by the way, in the evening under moonlight is an experience altogether). The sight might turn out to be much better than seeing your boss, with his family, in a boat in the Nainital (In summers, it gets so crowded, the boats can hardly move around without hitting each other!). This might be one of the rare chances when you could stay at a 5 star with your family, and not get ripped. And you get the best value for your money, whether it's shopping or food or other expenses. You could also indulge in a special theme holiday (Spa, Yoga, Culinary etc.). It is also very convenient to travel from Delhi to Jaipur or Agra. Check out special deals at hotels like Taj, ITC, Trident etc.

2.   If you are the beach kinda person you could head to places like Goa, Kovalam, or Kerala. Again, urge you to keep your gun down and read further! Yes, so, it might be hot as hell in Goa or Kovalam as well, but one, don't go out in the day and two, it will be definitely better than Delhi, with the sea breeze. These places will be less crowded during this period, you will get excellent deals and remember Monsoon arrives in those parts of India pretty early than Delhi. So if you perfect your timing, you could be holding hands with your spouse, walking on the beach, in a drizzle. Not bad, huh?

3.   You could always head off to the not so 'touristy' places. Some places i recommend are Bhimtal, Naukuchiatal, Sattal, Kasauni, Chakrata, Landowne etc. Not only will they be much cooler than Delhi, you can expect not to find hordes of people at these places unlike say Shimla or Mussorie. In addition, places like Naukuchiatal, Sattal, Chakrata offer something for the camper in you. You could stay in a tent, go trekking, do adventure stuff, learn fishing or just sit around the lake/moutain and enjoy the scenic beauty.

4.   Next, you could always go the North East states. They are cool, not too crowded and are unexplored. You could see and play in snow, have the special teas & drinks and enjoy exotic cuisines plus shop for the NE handicraft stuff. So basically, everybody's happy! Although i still yearn to make my first trip to this part of the world, based on what i know, i suggest places like Nathula Pass, Sikkim, Shillong, Gangtok, Tawang etc. Again, avoid Darjeeling, as it will be too crowded for comfort.

5.   Last but not the least, why go anywhere. Well, i don't mean, stay at your home and watch TV. Head out to a good hotel or resort in Delhi/NCR and chill out with your family. Just, don't get out of the hotel. Do indoor activities or laze around in their swimming pool, play board games etc. You could even take along your XBOX/DVD player and have fun with the family. Again this time of the year, you will find some amazing deals at these city hotels. Check at Radisson, Taj, Sheraton, ITC etc.

Hoep these are useful, and remember to have fun!