Employee Motivation

Instant Inspiration, the weekly capsules of inspiration

Warm Greetings to Everyone,

My today’s Blog focuses on the importance of Employee Motivation which is so vital to the growth of an Organization. Understanding an Organization takes time and is a gradual process. One of my Leadership Mentor and Author of Start with Why, Simon Sinek says ‘when people are financially invested, they want a return but when people are emotionally invested they want to contribute.’  Eminent Marketing and Organizational Advisor, Sybil Stershic in her book, Taking Care of the People who matter most confirms ‘The way your employees feel is the way your customers will feel. And if your employees don’t feel valued, neither will be your customers. Motivation is generally what energizes, maintains and controls the behavior of an employee; it acts as a stimulus for desirable actions. An inspired workforce will lead to highly productive staff which will eventually lead to high profitability. Sometimes what a few words of motivation said or written in the right way can do, even a good compensation hike cannot do.

In this regard, I would like to put forth the importance of feedback in the appraisal system. The central purpose of any performance appraisal system is to provide constructive and reasonably detailed feedback in order to enhance the productivity and efficiency of the Employee thereby facilitating the growth and development of the organization. Vague and un-clear feedback confuses the employee. Statements like ‘Agree with the Appraisee’ followed by Rating without any reasoning - needs to change. Further, a streamlined 360 degree feedback system would bring in more transparency and entertain a healthy work culture.  Some of you may disagree, would love to know your opinion on this.

Marilyn Carlson, former CEO of the Carlson Companies said on what high performing companies should be striving to create - ‘A great place for great people to do great work’.

So rather than working with systems (metaphorically), if we work with people and work in an environment where every single person wins, we will be the world’s best Organization.

Further, I inspire you all to work in order to impress yourself and not anyone, to raise your quality of deliverables every single day. Lead in your own role. I have always stressed the need to realize your leadership potential. You definitely don’t need a title to lead. The sooner you realize the better it is. Many people say, “Narendra has excellent managerial qualities”. I have a different perspective. More than a manager, I want to become an effective Leader and I don’t need any title to become one. Imagine if every single employee in the organization leads, the day is not far when we will be the number one organization in the world.

No matter what, Stay Motivated. Be inspired…..Always :)

My Best Wishes and Regards,

Narendra Gupta

Work for a cause, not for a applause. Live Life to express, not to impress. Don’t strive to make your presence noticed, just make your absence felt…………..Author unknown. 

Rejection Therapy

Instant Inspiration, the weekly capsules of inspiration
 

Greetings to Each one of you, 

This weekend while watching a Ted Talk by Jia Jiang on ‘Surprising Lessons from 100 days of Rejection’, I came across this powerful concept of Rejection Therapy. It was a kind of eureka moment for me and a perfect answer to dealing with my fear of failures. In one of my previous blogs I had shared ideas on Failing Forward, today; I share with you my insights from the video and the series of related articles that I read thereafter.

What is Rejection Therapy?

Rejection Therapy is a self-empowerment game created by Jason Comely where being rejected by another person or group is the only winning condition. The Player of the game may attempt any kind of social rejection or go for a suggestion from one of the rejection therapy suggestion cards. The game can be played for any period of time, although many undertake the 30 day challenge.  The purpose of playing this game is to overcome the fear of rejection through controlled, forced, exposure which helps the players to adapt physically to the stresses of rejection.  Please read here for more details.

Jia Jiang’s 100 days of Rejection Therapy:

In pursuit of his entrepreneurial dream, after Investors turned down his startup, Jia went on a quest to get turned down once a day for 100 days. He makes 100 crazy requests to get rejected and in the process desensitize himself from the pain of rejection and overcome his fear. Please read a detailed account here.

Narendra, what is here to learn?

Rejection is essential …umm..rather indispensable if we want to accomplish something worthwhile. Rejection horrifies most of us and paralyzes us to settle for average. Friends, today I inspire you to come out of the herd of average, it’s okay to get rejected, it’s okay to fail, it’s okay to be laughed at, it’s perfectly okay to be ridiculed, for every rejection, every failure increases the boundary of our beliefs, thoughts and ideas and opens up doors for a bigger success.

 

Despite the power of learning from Rejections, the crazy thing is that often what we assume will be a obvious “no” becomes an excited “yes”. And with that ‘yes’, a whole new possibility unfolds; a small idea becomes a big business.  It turns out that the more successful you are, the more rejections you will experience and vice-versa. Rejection Therapy manifests that Rejection can be the catalyst for personal success and business domination. I hope today’s email inspires you to have an altogether different perspective when you are rejected the next time. I would love to know your views.

All of you have a useful week ahead

Best Wishes and Regards

Narendra Gupta 

I take rejection as someone blowing a bugle in my ear to wake me up and get going, rather than retreat. - Sylvester Stallone

A Love Letter to my Wife

Celebrating four years of oneness

“Show me a man who is smiling from ear to ear and living a beautiful life, and I will show you a man who is grateful for what he has and utterly in love with his wife” - Fawn Weaver

Dakshineshwar Temple, Kolkata, June 21, 2013

My Sweetest Pal,

Today is our fourth wedding anniversary and as it has been earlier on two occasions (out of four), I am away, thousands of miles away from you (physically though). Coincidentally, it is the 200^th day I saw you last. My crazy, my larger than life, my colossal lifetime goals and sometimes not-so-practical as few people say (I differ as usual), and to some extent my inability to plan things and moments for family have always put you in trouble with the pain of staying away.

I am not the most romantic person, in fact I am not romantic at all, I cannot write poems in your praise (does not come naturally to me), you know material things don’t excite me (and to some extent you as well), so even dropped off the idea of sending any expensive jewelry gift, today I am writing this letter to let you know how much you mean to me, how much I appreciate everything that you do for me, for our sweet little doll and my lovely parents, how much I treasure you for loving me in spite of all my imperfections, to some extent my selfishness of working monomaniacally on my goals, my ambitions, my dreams; through this blog I just want to say I Love you, I Love you Rani, I Love you so very much!!

A Happy Marriage is the union of two forgivers… Robert Quilten

Health and family are the life’s two most precious thing that people take for granted until they lose them. Although I have not been balancing my ‘family’ equation of life so far, today I want to convey you, I do not shy away from my responsibilities; in fact I will be the last person even to think of that. My ‘karma’ may have brought me far away from you but I want to tell you today, no goal, no dream is bigger than you my Life (my wife). My Parents, our little doll, and you, my love, are the most prized possession I have in my Life. I am so happy, fulfilled and so thankful to God that I don’t ask for anything more.

I also want to say and I hope you will understand why I am so passionate about my dreams, why I think so socially, why I want to give and give until it hurts? Rani, my dreams are so big that they sometime even scare me. I really don't know if I will be able to realize all my dreams in this life but then I can say I will die peacefully because I did my best and that is all I can do. I don’t want to regret on my death bed thinking I lived my life without realizing my full potential. I want to die being completely used up. I want to be of maximum service to humanity and help as many people as I can in realizing their dreams and potential and eventually make our earth a happier place.  Every breathing human being has infinite potential but most of us die without realizing that potential which is such a colossal waste of human energy, as Robin Sharma, author of ‘The Monk who sold his Ferrari’ and also my mentor and coach says.

Rani, you are a blessing... 

Although I have told you earlier, I want to write here again expressing my thankfulness to God. When I started my professional journey by the end of 2007, I wrote a letter to a girl attracted by her physical beauty. I would call that an ‘infatuation letter’. I wasted 5 to 6 months of my precious time and energy thinking about someone who didn’t matter to me and my family. Well, age and im-maturity was ruling my mind. Looking back, I feel happy and am so thankful to God that things didn’t work my way.  At this point I want to convey my Friends who are undergoing similar situation now, please focus on things that matter in your life, your family, your career. God plans things the right way for the right people. Many people say, Narendra, you are a blessing to other’s life, I say, Rani, I am so blessed to have you; you are an absolute blessing in my life and my family.

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength while loving someone gives you courage. - Lao Tzu

I cannot forget those utterly trying times, when I went for pursuing my cherished dream of completing Masters in Management from England, immediately after our marriage. It was so difficult adjusting in an extremely cold, relatively less social, alien land. I missed you so much, I even cried like a child. I was so immature. You were my pillar of strength in those days of extreme hardship; your faith filled words provided me so much courage. I could complete my degree with a Merit, which was possible all because of you Rani. You are way more understanding, caring, mature, and perseverant than me even today. I am so proud of you Rani. 

Love is the greatest gift when given; it is the greatest honor when received ……Fawn Weaver

Eminent American Journalist and author, Mignon McLaughlin, has said “A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.”  I don’t say, I don’t look at other girls, yes I do, and I do appreciate their beauty.  Beauty must be appreciated. However, I must say without any exaggeration, in my eyes you are the most beautiful person I have ever seen. Although you are beautiful, your inner beauty and your values makes me fall in love with you every single day.

My Final words.. 

Rani, as we celebrate our fourth anniversary far away from each other, it just occurred to me what would be the best gift I could offer you today?, and I thought ‘thinking and thinking and writing only about you the entire day would be my best gift.' British novelist, poet, dramatist and travel writer, Lawrence Durrell once said “The richest love is that which submits the arbitration of time.”  My Soulmate, whether it is 200 days or 500 days away from you, my love for you is ever growing and it is growing every single moment. As Friedrich Halm said on Marriage “we are two souls with but a single thought, Two hearts that beat as one.”  For all the immense love, the endless care, a VIP level respect and honor, for being so understanding, for instilling confidence and understanding, forever delicious food, for the beautiful smiling face, for our bundle of joy, for all your sacrifices, my sweetheart, today, I want to say, Thank you, thank you, thank you….and Thank you. 

Happy Wedding Anniversary Wifey!!

With all my Love and forever your’s

Narendra Gupta 

On Marriage: Love is the reason, Lifelong friendship is the gift, kindness is the cause, till Death do us apart is the length.  -Author Unknown.

INR 86,400 in your Bank Account Everyday.

Instant Inspiration, the weekly capsules of inspiration

INR 86,400 in your Bank Account Everyday

A very Good Morning to Each one of you, 

I hope you are in high spirits and working with supreme passion.  Be it Coding, Testing, Reporting, or whatever; just attack your work. Get the better of your work and Let the work not overwhelm you. Instead of complaining about things and nature of your work, work to make a difference. Be accountable, take responsibility and assume ownership. I am so thankful to everyone who have filled my inbox with your words of encouragement in earlier weeks. You all inspire me. :)

This past Sunday, my neighbor, an elderly US Citizen shared a story which is the content of today’s letter. I have slightly tweaked the story to fit in Indian context. Imagine Goddess Lakshmi appears in your dreams and upon your desire of wealth, blesses you with an amount of INR 86,400 in your Bank Account every morning. However she puts forth 5 conditions to help you realize the value so that you don’t misuse the precious gift. 

Condition 1: Each morning upon awakening, an amount of INR 86,400.00 would be transferred to your Bank Savings account.

Condition 2: You and only you should spend the whole amount.

Condition 3: You may not transfer any amount to your friend or family member’s account.

Condition 4: Any money that you didn’t spend by end of day would be taken away from you.

Condition 5: One fine day without notice, transfer of amount would be stopped. The Saving Account would be closed and you may not be able to receive a new account thereafter. 

Interesting! Friends, how would you spend the money? You would buy anything and everything you wanted. Not only for yourself, but for all people you love - like family and friends. Sometimes even for people you don’t know, because you couldn’t possibly spend it all on yourself. You would tend to spend every single penny. Right?

My friend, the blessings by Maa Lakshmi is a Reality! Surprised? Every breathing human being is in possession of a magical bank. We just can’t seem to see it. 

The MAGICAL BANK is TIME. Each morning we awaken to receive 86, 400 seconds (24*60*60) as a gift of Life. At night when we go to sleep, ir-respective of what time we go to sleep, any remaining time is not credited to us. We cannot transfer an hour of our life to make 25 hours a day in friends or family member’s life. Yesterday is forever gone. Next morning we receive the gift of 86,400 seconds again, however we never know when our ticket is due. :)

Someone has rightly said Time is like a river. You cannot touch the same water twice, because the flow that has passed will never pass again. I have always believed time is 1000 times more precious than money Today through this short story, I inspire you to utilize every single second. For instance, at work, I personally feel we Indian waste a lot of time in tea, lunch and gossips. There are many such examples I can cite. We have to change such time wasting habits to take our Account, our Organization and eventually our Country to the next level. 

I hope this blog has inspired you to utilize your time more effectively. What are the inhibitions you are facing to cope with the huge stack of work in given time, are you also complaining you don’t have enough time? Friends, Let me know your perspective on time and I would love to help you in any possible way I can. 

Have a Productive Week ahead!

My Best Wishes to all of you!

Narendra Gupta

Time is the soul of Business and Life.

**********

P.S: Friends, this is one of my favorites. I wrote this Letter to the Employees on Tuesday, 27^th May 2014. I hope it adds some value to each one of you today :)