(this is again a group mail for one of the company I am associated with)
What happened to aji? Why is he giving such wolf stories now? Don’t worry this is as inline as it can be with our professional life esp with startup companies. Have a little patience and read it, don’t forget to add your opinion to it.
Wolves are professionals like us doing their work for their satisfaction. This is a story about a professional wolf who was very motivated and hard working inline with the dream of his team members. His career looked very promising; everybody believed that he will go on to become a big millionaire wolf with all hunting expertise. He was comparing himself to a professional who dreams of a BMW when others of his age laugh at such dreams. This Wolf was happy and focused.
But one day, he saw a blood Popsicle, a ball of ice dipped in his favorite seal blood. He was very intelligent and knew that such things can be risky and dangerous for his life but he went on and started licking it. “What a taste! I am enjoying it!”. Time was just passing by and he kept licking. He felt as if he is so involved it in and enjoying it thoroughly. But he was feeling a little weak as if his energy was going away but he kept licking. His vision was dimming a bit but he kept licking as it was giving him some pleasure. Now he couldn’t see much and he knew something went wrong and before he could decide to take a step back he fell and saw his tongue bleeding, he wanted to help himself but could not get up. He started recapping about his career that how good it was towards the staring, how motivated he was, how energetic he was but now even with so much of experience he was not able to help himself. With one drop of a tear and few unmeasured quality of wasted blood he ended his career and life. He died a death which he never thought of. He asked the God to give him one chance to do one work. He wanted to know that why he died like this and what was that he licked. God allowed him and he came back and found the following recipe for the blood Popsicle:
Recipe for blood Popsicle
First a knife is sharpened to razor sharp. Then it is dipped in the blood of a seal.
After dipping the knife in blood it is set outside in the cold so the blood freezes on the knife. After it freezes (a matter of minutes) it is dipped again into the seal blood and again with a delay to let the blood freeze. Layer after layer makes a blood Popsicle. When it is done, the knife’s blade is hidden inside the snow just like a popsicle stick.
He understood the story
The handle of the knife was buried in the snow leaving the blood Popsicle standing up and I was attracted by its smell and found it as a “bloodsicle“. I started licking it and enjoying every taste. Over and over I licked and without understanding that my tongue was becoming numb because of the cold layer. Finally the bloodsicle got over and I was licking the razor sharp edge of the knife. It cut into my tongue again and again but I did not even notice for my tongue was no longer able to feel anything. My own blood was flowing from my cut tongue. I was thrilled as the blood was now more plentiful and continued to lick more and more not knowing that it was my own blood. Instead of getting stronger I was going weak. I drunk my own blood and killed myself.
God gave him another chance to live and now he is a professional working in an Indian IT industry. He is asking every professional to read this very carefully. “I thought the life is different from the Siberia and esp being a human with IT company but I was wrong. I still see popsicles at different places. I see some people taking negative about India, about company and about my own team. I am very tempted to join them. I see that some of the best people join the discussion just for the sake of fun but slowly they go numb and without realizing that they are hurting themselves. They start killing their passion, their ability to think great and positive dims; they end up being less innovative and energetic. Even after understanding that such negative discussion is not helping anyone (and in reality is hurting everyone including themselves) they still do it as they are carried away by the numbness of it. After few weeks and months I see a very average person who once was a promising one dreaming about BMWs. I have only one thing to tell all such people, don’t die like me, I died my own death. Such negative talks only help none. For the sake of yourself stay positive and do good. If you see a team as bad, IMPROVE IT OR leave it. If you find negative things in a company, IMPROVE IT OR leave it. If you see India to be bad, IMPROVE IT OR leave it.”
Don’t ever die like a Siberian wolf. Do well for yourself and your team/company/India.
————-
Regards,
Aji Issac.
If you want to talk to the Siberian wolf, try this http://www.idealwebtools.com/blog/ ¦ you are free to pass on this story to your friends 🙂 ..
I don’t know what incident drove you to write this post…all I can say is I agree with this philosophy. However, I would like to change the code a bit, instead of “Leave it OR Improve it”…I would say…”Improve it OR Leave it”.
Actually it depends on the mindset of the person…a person with leadership abilities should go for “Improve it OR Leave it” and a person with no leadership ability should follow the other option, i.e., “Leave it OR Improve it (if possible)”.
I have seen people criticizing a team, community, organization, country; but they are not leaving it nor are they taking any initiative to improve it, which does not seem right to me. I am not saying that one should not criticize, but do it in a constructive way. Otherwise, by criticizing your own community you are insulting yourself.
As far as the story goes, if I was the WOLF, I would have taken a step back when I started feeling weak. If something looks attractive, it may be tough to decide if it is good or bad…but after spending some time with it, you can understand what is going to be and that is the right time to make a decision.
I want to say something more about it….before that I would like to know what others think.
>> “Leave it OR Improve itâ€â€¦I would say…â€Improve it OR Leave itâ€.
Thanks, I just went ahead and changed it 🙂 … thats why I always liked you.
>> Actually it depends on the mindset of the person
Very true, and its your call, you need to take it. Sometimes you see the mistake and dont want to improve it as you dont feel the ownership. At home we also follow “IMPROVE IT or improve it” but at office we follow “IMPROVE IT or leave it” and at railway station we follow “LEAVE IT OR LEAVE IT”. More than leadership its av
>> Otherwise, by criticizing your own community you are insulting yourself.
The whole purpose of the post was to remind all of us that we are not only insulting ourselves but also hurting (killing) ourselves.
>>but after spending some time with it, you can understand what is going to be and that is the right time to make a decision.
Its all your call, one must take it at right time.
>> I want to say something more about it….before that I would like to know what others think.
I doubt whether we will get any replies over here as it is already mailed to many and I keep getting email replies.
Thanks for the comment Saikat.
I agree… “it’s your callâ€â€¦you have to take the decision; you have to act at the right time.
at railway station we follow “LEAVE IT OR LEAVE ITâ€.
It pains me a lot to follow the “Leave it OR Leave it†rule at railway station, I try my best to improve it. I try to put the cap on roadside taps to stop the wastage of water; however, often I find there is no cap at all! And it hurts me. If it is my own location, I can meet the counselor, but if it is an unknown place I wonder how to proceed? It hurts me a LOT.
In such cases, I would choose a specific domain, where I will try my best to help others. Like I will help bring up 5 orphans, I will keep my locality clean; I will visit at least 1 old age home every month and spend some time with the members (which I have already started). I cannot change the whole world over the night, but at least we should start something. If 1 person gets inspired, that is what we wanted!
At home we also follow “IMPROVE IT or improve it†but at office we follow “IMPROVE IT or leave itâ€.
Don’t you think that the offices are missing a lot by not making it as much friendly as HOME? A person who follows “Improve it OR Improve it†attitude at home, is singing “Improve it OR Leave it†mantra at office! Why? If such things happen at HOME, all the members sit together to find out a solution. At HOME, members are given highest priority. At HOME we always think twice before saying something or doing something so that it does not hurt anybody. At HOME, while correcting someone’s faults we approach affectionately! At HOME we prefer to see other members happy, not me only. At HOME, we help others achieve their dreams. And there are many many many more things that make the space inside 4 walls and under one roof HOME.
Now, if we cannot make offices as much lovingly as HOME, who is responsible? A big question indeed! I have lots to say on this topic, will post later.
>> “Leave it OR Improve itâ€â€¦I would say…â€Improve it OR Leave itâ€.
>>>Thanks, I just went ahead and changed it 🙂 … thats why I always liked you.
That’s why I always liked you 🙂
>> It pains me a lot to follow the “Leave it OR Leave it†rule at railway station, I try my best to improve it
Many leave it as they see many others are leaving it, now if few will see that few are Improving it then these few will also do it and soon the few will become many and many will become few, who are leaving it. Believe in the power of one and keep doing it.
>> but if it is an unknown place I wonder how to proceed? It hurts me a LOT.
Let it keep burning you and one day you will come up with a solution.
>> Don’t you think that the offices are missing a lot by not making it as much friendly as HOME?
Yes, thats why in previous comments I said its about ownership … keep shifting till you dont get the ownership feeling. Companies that fail to distribute ownership will never be able to create such env.
>> A person who follows “Improve it OR Improve it†attitude at home, is singing “Improve it OR Leave it†mantra at office! Why?
Person to person it can vary .. as I explained it is a battle of energies … most of us leave when we see that the first option “Improve it” is not effective enough.
>> At HOME we prefer to see other members happy, not me only.
At office there is no difference .. thats my motivation … I want to see out cook’s girl going to the best school in his village and have the best food. I have seen him cry while on phone as his family did not had food for that day, I allow him to use my phone to call his family as together I want to change his life altogether. Only difference is that at home most of us think alike and have a special bonding but in a company only few are expected to have this bonding but remember only one is needed to make it happen (and thats you) but you have more than I (few).
>> Now, if we cannot make offices as much lovingly as HOME, who is responsible? A big question indeed! I have lots to say on this topic, will post later.
Even home has problems but inside home you don’t have option called “leave it” and thus the “improve it” option always work. The main factor here is the communication between the parts of company. Go ahead speak it loud as it may help us address it, don’t hesitate .. even you can mail me if something is there that I should know.
Do you know people have a lot of complain against me too as they feel I am not promoting them, may be your word will help me improve it :).
>>>At office there is no difference .. thats my motivation
It is reflected in your attitude.
“Now, if we cannot make offices as much lovingly as HOME, who is responsible? A big question indeed!” This is a very very crucial topic. There could be several reasons behind this, if I miss any feel free to add it here. It goes like this:
People welcome others similarly as the welcome they got. Suppose A and B started a company. Both of them were good. They welcome C cordially. Then C welcome D, E and F in a similar way. But F was a different person altogether. F started dealing with the next generation, G, H, I, J, rudely. Once this thing comes under the spot light, some steps must be taken against F. Now, in my previous posts, I have said a lot about “Improve”. So I won’t suggest showing pink slip to F at once. But no one should be put under F, because if a single person receives a bad welcome, this will start to circulate within the organization. So F should be informed about the whole thing, F should be given a chance, F should have no juniors and F should be monitored intensively. (I think you had posted a similar story in your blog few days back. In the story, the king was not so kind with the servant, but here I have shown enough kindness to F.)
This thing should be applied to everybody unless they become integrated part of the org. So we have secured a healthy welcome for all.
Now, to distribute ownership OR authority w/e…there should be certain levels within the org. Similar like HOME. Everybody should enjoy freedom at their own levels. Once they execute their slice of power effectively, then only they should be rewarded with more power in terms of decision making and authority. No one will be monitored by default, but if you have done anything bad, you enter the suspect zone. There should be certain rules for all. By for all I mean FOR ALL. And everybody should follow it by heart.
I will keep posting if something comes in my mind…let’s sleep over the idea right Aji?
🙂 thanks …I did not had a good day, so will answer you sometimes tmrw .. need a sound sleep … btw (just from my unconscious mind and with half asleep tired body asking) did I ever harm you or stop you from improving in life (sorry for asking this, just wanted to know from you as I came to know that you might have left us because of me, once again sorry for asking)?
Absolutely Not. If you were not there, I would have left much before…
Thanks but I still wonder why someone can even think of such thing that a person like Saikat left because of me. I was totally down wondering if I by mistake did some harm to you (once again sorry for troubling you with such stupid questions).
I always think independently Aji, my decisions are always my own decisions…people can help me take decisions but none can influence. You are always my friend Aji.
Everything that happens in life has a fixed and concrete reason behind the course of action. I have this feeling when I am listening the song called “Desert Rose†by sting and “Junoon†by Abhijit Sawant. It stirs the spiritual senses in an empty room when I am sitting all alone, left blank, and feeling thankful for all that’s happened to me so far. When I look back over the past moments while hearing the song, I realize meeting U is the best thing happened in my life, but that’s of course after my girlfriend. There may be many other combination and permutation to be done and instances to be compared, but right now, I can’t think anything better other than my gf and U. I wish I can start a good topic somewhere, but that will certainly leave everyone with a feeling of flattery by me. Let me stay anonymous here and lost in the crowd but with good feelings for you. (the moment I wrote the last line, tears rolled out, maybe it’s the impact of the song or U) You are god’s good child. You have all good reasons to earn your sanity and with tremendous force!!!!
Sorry I missed to answer this. I think I know this well wisher … I could catch u with 1) “Desert Rose†by sting and “Junoon†by Abhijit Sawant 2) time of post 3) my gf and U 4) I wish I can start a good topic somewhere
A special thanks from me, you rock 🙂