Fanaticism at work..dont disturb !!

Almost a week at my new job and I can already see significant differences in the way things are done here ..A lot more passion,a lot more straight-from-the-gut talk...a lot more "lets-do-this-bcos-we-want-to !"..but also a lack of process understanding,re-inventing the wheel over and over again and maybe,therefore...a lot less effective..sometimes....

In my lifetime,I have been associated with the following organizations(school,college and workplaces)-Don Bosco,Delhi;Carmel School,Blore;SCVK,Blore;MES College,Blore;BMS College,Blore,2 companies-a medium-sized IT concern and then a huge FMCG;IIT Madras;One of India's largest IT companies and then now-a medium-sized IT company.

2 places stand out in my memory out of the above.2 Places where i had fun....

First was SCVK-an ICSE school,2nd batch to ever pass out..13 in the class-6 guys and 7 girls...lack of facilities,lack of resources...lack of almost everything...but..the advantages(or is it disadvantages) of a small organization-want something to be done ? Do it yourself ! and so..a 100% first class at the end of the final year !

Second came MBA @ IIT madras..38 students...2nd batch to ever pass out(again !)..lack of facilities,lack of resources...lack of almost everything(we were so shocked after the first few days that some of us even considered going back to work and do an MBA the following year !)...but..the advantages(or is it disadvantages) of a small organization-want something to be done ? Do it yourself(we have even swept the floor of auditorium before the Pre-placement talk of the first company to come for campus recruitment that year !The day after has been the most satisfying of my life..so far..:) ! and so..100% placements(with a decent average salary !) at the end of the 2 years !

At both places..I was involved in almost everything that happened(as were most other people-If you didnt get involved,you risked being left out as the lazy good-for-nothing one !:)...so much so,that I am still in touch with the people there..to this day...

But..the common thread between the 2-fanaticism...With small organizations the advantage is that you have do everything yourself and do it well !! It helps to mentally psych yourself that the whole world is out to get you and the only way you can survive is to fight it out-backs to the wall,blood and guts stuff...and thats why the fanaticism..

I see that kind of fanaticism with the way things are done at my new employer...but it is still early days yet and I do not want to take a call right now...I hope,i am rite and this place stands out in my memory,the same way,the other 2 do..

Bcos...People cannot work bcos they have to,they need to work bcos they want to..You can do it for a couple of years...but in the end,you need to do what you really believe in and something you are good at...In my first job,I yearned to see that kind of fanaticism...that kind of involvement..that kind of passion..It happened in bits and pieces-during my first project,but died a slow death somewhere along the way...I guess that was the disadvantage of working for a large organization..It is already so large that it doesnt really matter if you put in that delta effort more at work or not...

On the other hand,smaller companies tend to have their own disadvantages as well..especially for people who like to do things in an organized and structured manner..as I said earlier,the process or lack of it is a concern..also,office politics can be deadly at smaller organizations..

PS: some other day..a post about my observations on the changes that small organizations have to go through when they try to scale up..and scale up big !! based on 2 live case-studies that I have been personally witness to...

Disclaimer: the author of this post does not profess to be a management/global-gyan guru...he understands and respects them when you have views and opinions which do not necessarily concur with his own..The above post is based on observations gathered through experiences gained by him after a lifetime in this world...which is why it is called a blog with comments and not an e-magazine soliciting your "esteemed" views...

PPS: I hope that disclaimer satisfies you , miss avenger..long time since I received a mail from you..and longer since i retorted..was getting a little boring..so...Theek se chaabi lagao toh gudhiya bhi naachne lagti hai,tum toh phir bhi insaan hi ho..
:)

Hear,Hear..the messiah is here...

Google does it again...with one more...Google Base this time..

"Got something you want the world to see? Google Base is Google's database into which you can easily submit all types of content. We'll host your content and make it searchable online. "

It was time for lunch when i was looking it up and somebody said "tikka"..so..I checked out a neat looking chicken tikka masala recipe here..
:)

But some people are not too happy..

"Conspiracy theorists who worry that Google is really just a beta-test version of the all-knowing Matrix now have more to fret about...Instead of people putting up Web pages, then quivering in anticipation until Google spots and searches them, Google Base allows anyone to type information right into Google's computers -- then tell Google what search queries should locate that content."

Interesting...He does have a point...

Hmmm...O the humanity...

PS:Btw,The other matrix...big daddy-the US will continue to control the internet..more here ...

2nd test,2nd innings,2nd day...

I am back...not with a bang tho...too many experiences to even blog about..

Leaving bombay was tough..too many things to do..too little time...and a lazy butt to boot...:) besides,just over a year in mumbai has made me a half-mumbaiite..i think i'll miss it..(i even bought a "mario miranda-salaam bombay" sketch t-shirt from Cafe Mondegar DAMMIT ! :)

Nice flight.."Paani ke liye baarah rupyaa chillar dijiye" from the low-cost airline hostess made me cringe..(nothing intended in the previous line-the airline was low-cost,am not sure about the hostess-seemed high maintenance item to me)...gujju couple next to me invaded the window seat(MY window seat !) and my armrest and let me rot in the aisle...the man slept during take-off (WHO SLEEPS DURING TAKE-OFF ??!!! I mean,come'on !! it's one of the most exhilarating experiences ever !) while the wife fiddled with the mini-tv and watched "kyunki saas.."...for the nth time...she even knew the dialogues DAMMIT !:)

Bangalore and home were both fun..mini-reunion at home and with friends...my cousins,nephews and nieces had forgotten me until they saw the cadbury's choco-bar sticking out of my pocket(the cousins are old now-they were impressed with my dressing sense tho !WOW ! I wasnt that bad before..gimme a break !)..same with friends-still remember me and ensured that dad and mom knew more than enough of what i did in iitm to have me banned from home for life...for the pics and the complete info on the mini-reunion,visit surd's site...good times do last...sometimes...

Sunday morning..chennai station..with surd.....even the kooum smelt good after the rains(just fyi for non-chennaites-the kooum is an erstwhile river,now drain and motivates the first sense
organ to goto work when u enter chennai :)

Staying with surd now..met a few people...went to insti-iitm..saw the new building...sat with Prof.LSG,Dipu,surd and dhagala and chatted...what struck me the most was the size of the scaling up- from-zero-to-60-in-3-secs types :)..

The pride in LSG's eyes when he talks about the department and it's future plans is worth a complete blog in itself...some other day though..

Joined my latest employer yesterday...looks good..will have to give it time and see if it feels as good..

Yesterday-went to insti and the beach at midnite...with rohit a.k.a "murder" morde..the magic is the same with iit at nite...slight mist..pin-drop silence...the greenery..felt good to be back...

2nd day today...my 2nd innings in chennai...and my 2nd job(test match)...
:)

adios until my next post...

PS:Dei Pittu,will update the blogroll da..sorry to hear about ur blog-hack kahaani..either your password was too simple or somebody used keylogger software to figure it out once you logged in via a common internet kiosk,is my guess...

PPS: sayeshaji,khush ?? :)

PPPS: People,Life without a mobile phone is bliss..trust me...try it sometime..i call people i want to talk to-which means total control of my time..and given the control freak that i am,i am not thinking of changing the situation any time soon...besides,i cant afford it now...i think that's as good an excuse as they come..so..until it become absolutely necessary...
:)