Do We Have a “Joe” In Us? (Marshall Goldsmith)

Marshall Goldsmith is a Change Management consultant.   He has worked with more than 100 CEOs, CFOs, COOs, Directors, … and their management teams so far in preparing them to the future challenges of their respective organization.    He also authored the best-seller  “What Got You Here, Won’t Get You There” which my HR Dept  had recommended few weeks ago to buy.   The book is available at all leading book stores.

Sharing an excerpt from Marshall’s writing.

Marshall once had to coach a CFO who burned through his people and their feelings like wildfire.  We will call him  “JOE”.   Joe had led the organization to the very peak of financial success, and still he was about to be fired.  The firm’s leaders, who had promoted him to board status because of his great success, finally had a chance to bear witness to his horrible behaviour.  They, like the rest of the organization, were suddenly in a position to feel firsthand the wrath of  ‘Joe’.  

The firm engaged Marshall to coach Joe.  Marshall told Joe “You are already making millions a year.  I can’t help you make more money.  But, let’s talk about your ego.  How do you treat people at home?”

Joe told Marshall that he was  sweet and loving at home. 

Marshall called his wife (from Joe’s office) with the speaker  ON.   Joe’s wife laughed when Marshall told her how Joe thought he was at home.  Joe’s children’s response was similar.

Joe had a wake up call with that little phone interaction.   Not only had his board hired a coach to help him to change; his family also wanted him to change.

Joe decided then and there to change.  The reason he decided to change was not for money; it had nothing to do with the company.  It had to do with his sons.  He wanted to change because in twenty years, if his sons received similar feedback, he would be ashamed. 

Within a year, Joe was treating people much better.  In a couple of years,  Joe successfully changed his behaviour.  

The moral of the story?  ANYBODY  CAN  CHANGE, BUT  THEY  HAVE  TO  WANT  TO  CHANGE. 

One can find references to many such instances in Marshall’s book.   We recommend interested readers to buy a copy.  It costs around Rs 300.00 and is available at all leading bookstores.

Joe was the victim of the negative aspect of success  viz  complacency, ego, arrogance, ….    But, Joe was fortunate that his firm engaged  Marshall Goldsmith to bring-in the desired change in Joe.   Not all are fortunate like Joe.

So, the best alternative for us is to sincerely introspect each year, “Do We Have a Joe In Us?”.  

Jaikishan
28th April 2013

MN2M on RELIGION

(MN2M  =  My Notes To Myself)

Newspapers, News Channels, …  speak of the unrest  in every part of the world and society, in the name of Religion, Politics, Caste,  … , shocking gang rapes, unwanted hate speeches, illogical fanaticism, mutilated bodies of soldiers,  ….   I have vented out my mind through this blog post.

I always prefer simplicity in everything in life; in understanding and defining Religion too.   This post is  my personal opinion on Religion based on some facts and my reasoning/logic.

Logic.  Every person follows a religion to which his parents belong.  I am a Hindu because I am born to Hindu parents.  If a child is abandoned in an orphanage (by his biological mother) soon after his birth, the orphanage would give him a name.   If it is an orphanage run by Hindus, the child would get a Hindu name; a muslim name, if the orphanage is run by Muslims.  And, so on.

Fact.  My friends  (viz. Saleem Koya, Ahmed Abbas, Rehman, Mohd Husman, Thomas De’costa, Manoj Francis, Fredrick, Jesudas, Ram Prasad, Vinay Karan, Kuldeep Singh, Nadir Khajani,  Hunaid Deesawala, Hemant Gupta, Niraj Kapasi, Kushal Das Gupta, … )  follow different religion.  No religion speaks ill of other religions.   We perfectly understand this TRUTH and the secularism among ourselves. 

Fact.  One follows religion to lead a proper life in the manner that the CREATOR expects its subject to live, perform the duties in one’s lifetime,  ... ,  and to eventually qualify for a place in heaven after death.

Logic.   When Adam and Eve, the first among the humans on earth, lived on earth, there existed everything.   The land, the plants, the animals, the forests, ... , the other planets, the Sun, the Moon,  … , the cosmos.   In other words, the CREATOR did exist before Adam and Eve were born.   Religions came later but the CREATOR existed thousands of years earlier.    

Fact.  Various messengers of God (the CREATOR) lived among the people.   People were spread across continents.   Over a period of time, people treated the messengers-of-God as GOD himself.   And, thus many religions and sub-religions surfaced over these years.   And, we have many GODS now, when in fact,  they were actually messengers of the CREATOR.  And, the CREATOR is one.

Various people, organisations, political parties, …   have systematically injected differences among the people of different religions  for their selfish motives.   This is no different from  ‘market segmentation’  as in Marketing.  

Me and my family have insulated ourselves from these illogical aspects.   We believe in secularism.  Our friend circle testifies it.  In fact, spouses of some of my cousins belong to different religion, caste, state, ….  And, we have no problem.   Life is so beautiful and peaceful among us.

Through this post, I wish the reader to form his OWN  OPINION  on every aspect of LIFE including  RELIGION.   That will provide us the clarity in our mind.   And, thus we will  NOT to be carried away by non-secular people, organisations, political parties, ….    Thus, we will NOT be used as pawns by others.  Every person will thus be a CEO of his life.

If you concur with my reasoning contained in this post, you may share the blog with others.

Jaikishan
13^th Jan 2013