Average performers

Appraisals were done before two months. It is simple for a manager to decide who are the best and who are the worst. The best performers will be promoted / given good hikes and the worst will be sooner or later asked to leave. But what about the average performers? Thats the difficult spot for the managers. What should you do with them? You want them to stay on as they can give nearly standard output. They know the company’s systems and the processes well. However, they will be most likely to be unhappy with the appraisals and will feel that they are unappreciated.

Yes, I do speak to them and reason out with them about their weaknesses and where are they lacking. Some may outperform later but chances are pretty slim. They will start looking out and will leave within few months. By that time, new staff will be recruited. They will undergo the required training. But isn’t it better to keep average guys more pleased than recruiting new joinees? The company needs to incur cost of training as well. The new joinees will take some time to come up the learning curve. So what is right?

I don’t have a clear answer to that. However in the organization’s life cycle it is essential to have new recruits to keep it dynamic and fresh with ideas. Unlike average guys, new recruits will provide raw enthusiasm which is needed to keep the organization motivated. Also their compensation is little lower than the average people offsetting the cost of training.

We will again have new extremes – the best and the worst, and surely not to forget another set of average performers. This will be a never ending cycle in organization’s lifespan and we all need to deal with this. And not to forget, those who are promoted may become average in the new role and assignment. Such is corporate life!

Librarywala

Yesterday, I took a subscription of Librarywala. I paid around 3600/- for a year for which I will get 3 books a month, effectively translating to Rs.100/- per book. Cheap isn't it?

West Indies Win

Yesterday was important for West Indies. I typically don’t enjoy T20 matches but just saw last 5 overs of the match. After almost two decades West Indies are bouncing back. Their women’s team, under 19, and now the men’s team; all of them have won this year’s world cup. Quite a feat, I must say and so long due. They performed as a unit without depending on an individual like Chris Gayle.

Just like Horace mentioned, "Many shall be restored that now are fallen and many shall fall that now are in honor."

I miss my bus rides

It has been three years since I’ve travelled in bus to work. Of course, the office has shifted to the new premises and my home as well. So if I commute by bus, it is going to take atleast one and half hour one side. That’s where my Vespa comes handy and I reach to work in just 50 minutes. But I miss the time where I scanned ET headlines in 15 mins. or dozed off to have some power nap (ha ha at 9 AM).

There is surprisingly no city in India except perhaps Mumbai where even if you don’t have your own vehicle you can still reach your desired destination within stipulated time. Thanks to the knotty network of local trains and BEST buses. There is a Metro in Mumbai now too.

Now just compare Pune or Bangalore with population of more than 60 lakhs to Mumbai. These are the cities well-known on the global map.But their infrastructure, especially the public transportation is in pathetic state.

We want to be labeled as “SMART”. “SMART CITIES” has been the order of the day. Maybe it is too early to judge this but it is not the smartness which is required but it is the primary responsibility of the civic administration to pull up their socks and focus on some basic stuff rather than make it sound like a hyped program .

•  In these cities, the signals are not working most of the times leading to the traffic snarls
• Half of the roads are dug out and are in the status quo since last week or so
• Quantum of buses and frequency is abysmal and routes are even not planned properly. If the key feature of hub and spoke model is possible in airlines, then why can’t be used in the cities for buses.
• Opening up bus service for private companies, and maintaining bus stops can be done by our civic administration. They can charge landing fees to the private operators. This can be learnt from a small town like Dharamshala. I was really surprised and thrilled with the way these dingy buses operated. We can replicate the Dharamshala model in cities like Pune and Bangalore. Yes, the roads and flyovers need to be in place for that. And one more positive part will be that the hegemony of autos will disappear.

Now, does all this require smartness? Is this not common sense?

As the Colombian Mayor once said, "A developed country is not a place where poor have cars. It’s where the rich use public transport."

I still don’t own a car. Should I? I miss those bus rides…but my office marks me half day if I reach late :)

Master Oogway quotes

Source: http://www.mensxp.com/special-features/today/25450-10-quotes-that-prove-master-oogway-from-kung-fu-panda-is-the-greatest-teacher-ever.html

1. You are too concerned with what was and what will be.
2. One often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it.  
3. Oh, Shifu. There is just news. There is no good or bad.
4. You will never fulfill your destiny until you let go of illusion of control.
5. When the path you walk leads back to yourself, you never get anywhere.
6. No matter what you do that seed is going to be a peach tree. You may wish for apple or an orange but you will always get a peach.
7. Your mind is like a water, my friend. When it becomes agitated it becomes difficult to see. But if you allow it to settle, the answer becomes clearer.

Couple of dialogues from Before Sunset

Memories are wonderful thing if we don’t have to deal with the past – Before sunset (movie)

If you don’t believe in any kind of mystery , magic you are equal to dead – Albert Einstein quote coming from Before Sunset (movie)

Reduce monthly expenses – Long live cash economy!

Last Sunday, I and Ruchi were having discussion on finance (hmm…hmm…). She wanted a credit card because a sweet girl from a bank was soft-selling it. Well I wanted to meet that sweet girl, but that could be another story altogether. Coming back to the point, Ms. Sweety tried to persuade Ruchi  by telling her that she will have 10% discount on the stuff she purchases and also that the card is free for the  life-time. I am a very emphatic individual and lent my ears to Ruchi’s full flow of convincing arguments.

Ruchi’s Point of View: - Need a credit card as it offers 5-10% on the purchases and the card is free

Rathin’s response: - You already own a debit card which you can use. Despite the discounts, you will end up spending much more than the budget decided. I tried reasoning it out that one will spend more to buy the products which were not needed in the first place.

That set me thinking – how can one reduce spending on unnecessary items.  Solution will be to go back to the roots – Spend in cash. The reader will think that I am crazy to propagate cash economy in the jet and plastic era!

Either debit card or a credit card - If the amount straightaway goes through a bank transfer one doesn’t bother too much. Just take an example – If I have Rs.30000/- in my account and I see a UCB shirt worth 1500/-, I won’t think twice and immediately swipe my card. On other hand, if I withdraw Rs. 5000/- for my personal monthly expenses every month like pocket money and then see this shirt, chances are that I will surely think twice or more.

Try this once.

For reducing your monthly expenditure, withdraw Rs.10000/- (you can choose your limit – but try to keep it to the bare minimum for expenses on fuel, grocery, internet, power, telephone, child education, restaurants etc.) and only spend within this amount. Forget that you have an ATM / debit card (rather just keep it away from you in a safe). You can’t withdraw more than the initially withdrawn amount. So that will make you evaluate your purchases before you pay for it finally. I believe, if you follow this regularly, you will have a better control over the expenses. You will score brownie points if you can save something from the withdrawn amount and put it in the piggy bank like the old times when we were kids.

I gave this pitch to Ruchi. She might implement it in the next financial year. You may also do so…Worth a try! However, I am not going to follow my own advice, as I am in the splurging mode!