Everyone should READ this, If you are a Lady, You have all the More REASON TO READ this.

I received an Email forwared from a friend Suga Dev, read the whole email and couldn't resist but Share it on my Blog. Enjoy....

Have Passion!

It was probably the April of 1974. Bangalore was getting warm and gulmohars were blooming at the IISc campus. I was the only girl in my postgraduate department and was staying at the ladies' hostel. Other girls were pursuing research in different departments of Science.

I was looking forward to going abroad to complete a doctorate in computer science. I had been offered scholarships from Universities in the US ... I had not thought of taking up a job in India .

One day, while on the way to my hostel from our lecture-hall complex, I saw an advertisement on the notice board. It was a standard job-requirement notice from the famous automobile company Telco (now Tata Motors)... It stated that the company required young, bright engineers, hardworking and with an excellent academic background, etc.

At the bottom was a small line: 'Lady Candidates need not apply.'

I read it and was very upset. For the first time in my life I was up against gender discrimination.

Though I was not keen on taking up the job, I saw it as a challenge. I had done extremely well in academics, better than most of my male peers...
Little did I know then that in real life academic excellence is not enough to be successful?

After reading the notice I went fuming to my room. I decided to inform the topmost person in Telco's management about the injustice the company was perpetrating. I got a postcard and started to write, but there was a problem: I did not know who headed Telco

I thought it must be one of the Tatas. I knew JRD Tata was the head of the Tata Group; I had seen his pictures in newspapers (actually, Sumant Moolgaokar was the company's chairman then) I took the card, addressed it to JRD and started writing. To this day I remember clearly what I wrote.

'The great Tatas have always been pioneers. They are the people who started the basic infrastructure industries in India , such as iron and steel, chemicals, textiles and locomotives they have cared for higher education in India since 1900 and they were responsible for the establishment of the Indian Institute of Science. Fortunately, I study there. But I am surprised how a company such as Telco is discriminating on the basis of gender.'

I posted the letter and forgot about it. Less than 10 days later, I received a telegram stating that I had to appear for an interview at Telco's Pune facility at the company's expense. I was taken aback by the telegram. My hostel mate told me I should use the opportunity to go to Pune free of cost and buy them the famous Pune saris for cheap! I collected Rs30 each from everyone who wanted a sari when I look back, I feel like laughing at the reasons for my going, but back then they seemed good enough to make the trip.

It was my first visit to Pune and I immediately fell in love with the city.

To this day it remains dear to me. I feel as much at home in Pune as I do in Hubli, my hometown. The place changed my life in so many ways. As directed, I went to Telco's Pimpri office for the interview.

There were six people on the panel and I realized then that this was serious business.

'This is the girl who wrote to JRD,' I heard somebody whisper as soon as I entered the room. By then I knew for sure that I would not get the job. The realization abolished all fear from my mind, so I was rather cool while the interview was being conducted.

Even before the interview started, I reckoned the panel was biased, so I told them, rather impolitely, 'I hope this is only a technical interview.'

They were taken aback by my rudeness, and even today I am ashamed about my attitude.
The panel asked me technical questions and I answered all of them.

Then an elderly gentleman with an affectionate voice told me, 'Do you know why we said lady candidates need not apply? The reason is that we have never employed any ladies on the shop floor. This is not a co-ed college; this is a factory. When it comes to academics, you are a first ranker throughout. We appreciate that, but people like you should work in research laboratories.

I was a young girl from small-town Hubli. My world had been a limited place.

I did not know the ways of large corporate houses and their difficulties, so I answered, 'But you must start somewhere, otherwise no woman will ever be able to work in your factories.'

Finally, after a long interview, I was told I had been successful. So this was what the future had in store for me. Never had I thought I would take up a job in Pune. I met a shy young man from Karnataka there, we became good friends and we got married.

It was only after joining Telco that I realized who JRD was: the uncrowned king of Indian industry. Now I was scared, but I did not get to meet him till I was transferred to Bombay. One day I had to show some reports to Mr Moolgaokar, our chairman, who we all knew as SM.. I was in his office on the first floor of Bombay House (the Tata headquarters) when, suddenly JRD walked in. That was the first time I saw 'appro JRD'. Appro means 'our' in Gujarati. This was the affectionate term by which people at Bombay House called him.

I was feeling very nervous, remembering my postcard episode. SM introduced me nicely, 'Jeh (that's what his close associates called him), this young woman is an engineer and that too a postgraduate.

She is the first woman to work on the Telco shop floor.' JRD looked at me. I was praying he would not ask me any questions about my interview (or the postcard that preceded it).

Thankfully, he didn't. Instead, he remarked. 'It is nice that girls are getting into engineering in our country. By the way, what is your name?'

'When I joined Telco I was Sudha Kulkarni, Sir,' I replied. 'Now I am Sudha Murthy.' He smiled and kindly smile and started a discussion with SM. As for me, I almost ran out of the room.

After that I used to see JRD on and off. He was the Tata Group chairman and I was merely an engineer. There was nothing that we had in common. I was in awe of him.

One day I was waiting for Murthy, my husband, to pick me up after office hours. To my surprise I saw JRD standing next to me. I did not know how to react. Yet again I started worrying about that postcard. Looking back, I realize JRD had forgotten about it. It must have been a small incident for him, but not so for me.


'Young lady, why are you here?' he asked. 'Office time is over.' I said, 'Sir, I'm waiting for my husband to come and pick me up.' JRD said, 'It is getting dark and there's no one in the corridor.

I'll wait with you till your husband comes.'

I was quite used to waiting for Murthy, but having JRD waiting alongside made me extremely uncomfortable.

I was nervous. Out of the corner of my eye I looked at him. He wore a simple white pant and shirt. He was old, yet his face was glowing. There wasn't any air of superiority about him. I was thinking, 'Look at this person. He is a chairman, a well-respected man in our country and he is waiting for the sake of an ordinary employee.'

Then I saw Murthy and I rushed out. JRD called and said, 'Young lady, tell your husband never to make his wife wait again.' In 1982 I had to resign from my job at Telco. I was reluctant to go, but I really did not have a choice. I was coming down the steps of Bombay House after wrapping up my final settlement when I saw JRD coming up. He was absorbed in thought. I wanted to say goodbye to him, so I stopped. He saw me and paused.

Gently, he said, 'So what are you doing, Mrs. Kulkarni?' (That was the way he always addressed me..) 'Sir, I am leaving Telco.'

'Where are you going?' he asked. 'Pune, Sir. My husband is starting a company called Infosys and I'm shifting to Pune.'

'Oh! And what will you do when you are successful.'

'Sir, I don't know whether we will be successful.' 'Never start with diffidence,' he advised me 'Always start with confidence. When you are successful you must give back to society. Society gives us so much; we must reciprocate. Wish you all the best.'

Then JRD continued walking up the stairs. I stood there for what seemed like a millennium. That was the last time I saw him alive.

Many years later I met Ratan Tata in the same Bombay House, occupying the chair JRD once did. I told him of my many sweet memories of working with Telco. Later, he wrote to me, 'It was nice hearing about Jeh from you.
The sad part is that he's not alive to see you today.'

I consider JRD a great man because, despite being an extremely busy person, he valued one postcard written by a young girl seeking justice. He must have received thousands of letters everyday. He could have thrown mine away, but he didn't do that. He respected the intentions of that unknown girl, who had neither influence nor money, and gave her an opportunity in his company. He did not merely give her a job; he changed her life and mindset forever.

Close to 50 per cent of the students in today's engineering colleges are girls. And there are women on the shop floor in many industry segments. I see these changes and I think of JRD. If at all time stops and asks me what I want from life, I would say I wish JRD were alive today to see how the company we started has grown. He would have enjoyed it wholeheartedly.

My love and respect for the House of Tata remains undiminished by the passage of time. I always looked up to JRD. I saw him as a role model for his simplicity, his generosity, his kindness and the care he took of his employees. Those blue eyes always reminded me of the sky; they had the same vastness and magnificence.


(Sudha Murthy is a widely published writer and chairperson of the Infosys Foundation involved in a number of social development initiatives. Infosys chairman Narayana Murthy is her husband.)

Article sourced from: Lasting Legacies (Tata Review- Special Commemorative Issue 2004), brought out by the house of Tatas to commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of JRD Tata on July 29, 2004.

How this Girl is Insanely Productive but Still Keeps Smiling?

This is a Post from Mary Jaksch of Goodlife ZEN. - http://zenhabits.net/


Get things done, calmly.

Do you want to be more productive? Maybe you do, but I’m sure you don’t want to feel stressed, overwhelmed, or unhappy – which happens to many super-productive people. But there is good news:
You can be insanely productive – and still smell the freesias, savor a Pinot Noir, or enjoy a languid hug.
A few weeks ago Leo Babauta said to me, “Mary – you’re one of the most productive people I know. And you still keep smiling and seem so relaxed. How do you do it?”
Most stuff I’ve read about productivity is about doing things differently. Like getting up at 4 a.m. each morning, or drinking eight liters of water a day, or keeping a notebook under the pillow. Sorry, folks – I don’t do any of those things.
High productivity isn’t about doing, it’s about being.
If you want to be highly productive – and still enjoy life – you need to look at how you live, and how you use your mind. Check out the following five suggestions:

1. Make peace within.
   Most people live in a constant state of inner conflict and suffer from a barrage of negative thoughts that sabotage productivity. Here’s a scenario: Imagine that your car has landed in a ditch. A group of helpers gather, attach ropes and start to pull the car out. Unfortunately, they’re not all pulling in the same direction. Some try to pull the car toward the road, whereas others try to pull it deeper into the ditch. It’s absurd.
   That’s exactly what happens when we’re divided within: everything is a struggle, nothing much happens, and it’s frustrating. But what if your mind, body, and soul are all aligned?
   When our energy is aligned, we are in a state of flow.
   When we’re at peace within, and immersed in the task at hand – without negative thoughts sabotaging our productivity – action becomes effortless. We’re able to achieve much more in less time. And with more enjoyment.
   Tip: Wear an elastic wristband. Whenever you notice negative thoughts, change your wristband to the other arm. This will help you to create and maintain peace within.
2. Go to your edge. Regularly.
   Most people use only a fraction of their capacity and try to save personal energy. For example, we’re tempted to rest when we feel tired in order to recover our zest for life. Wrong move! The more energy you spend, the more you have. Tiredness can signal many things. If you’re healthy, it may mean that you are bored, frustrated, lack movement, or need more oxygen. Or maybe conflict within has sapped your energy. It’s important to go to your limits regularly. Take up running, martial arts, swimming, or other activities – there are many way to exercise vigorously.
   Tip: If you feel exhausted or lethargic, go for a brisk walk in order to rev up your energy and restore your spirit.
3. Take action.
   Most people aren’t productive because they don’t take action. They have dreams and even plans – but they don’t follow through. Negative thoughts can derail action. It may be that you have doubts about your ability, or that you listen to others who doubt you. Tip: Look at what you would like to achieve and ask yourself, “What is the smallest step in the direction of my dreams that I can take right now?” Then take that baby step. Now.
4. Do what you love.
   Think about how you spend your time. Do you enjoy your work, or is it a grind? I’ve changed my life, and what I’m passionate about has now become my work: I teach my Zen students, and also work together with Leo to mentor bloggers in the A-list Blogger Club . A few days ago my partner David knocked at the door of the little cabin in the garden where I work:
   “Mary,” he said, “ do you realize it’s 10 o’clock at night – and you’re still working?”
   “I’m not working!” I shot back. “I’m enjoying myself!”
   Yes, when the boundary between work and play gets blurred, you may actually work more – but it feels like you’re just having fun.
   Tip: Follow your dreams – even if it’s only for ten minutes a day.
5. Love what you do.
   We can’t always do what we love. But we are free to love what we do. From a Zen perspective, there is a way to turn even the dullest chore into pleasurable activity through mindfulness.When we pay tender regard to our present experience – letting go of all thoughts and judgments – even the most mundane action can become pleasurable. Mindfulness doesn’t mean watching yourself, it means being fully present, moment by moment. Tip: In order to become mindful, notice sensations of the moment. What sounds can you hear? How are your feet connected with the ground? What does your skin feel like?

Finally, a key question you need to ask …
If you want to be productive and still enjoy life, there is a key question you need to answer: why be productive?
I mean, why not just chill out on the couch, eat potato crisps, and watch TV reruns? That might be fine. But what about the oblong box we’re all going to end up in?
I remind myself every morning that life is short and mine may be over by nightfall. That gives me the the desire to taste and enjoy each moment. It also adds a measure of calm urgency because I want to leave a mark upon the world. Do you?
If so, mindful productivity will help you create a life that offers both pleasure and productivity. You’ll achieve more, and you’ll still keep smiling. That smile will light up not only your own life, but also the lives of those around you.
You don’t have to be a super-hero. Simply make peace within and live each moment fully. That’s all.
Mary Jaksch is a Zen Master and blogger. Head over to Goodlife Zen for more of her articles. And visit the A-List Blogger Club.

Want to Know the Secret to Happiness?

Happiness 101: Q and A with Tony Hsieh

 

Tony Hsieh is the CEO of Zappos. He recently published a book called Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose. In this interview, I probe, and he responds, to subjects as diverse as raising kids, business plans, and what Asian moms want their sons to be.

Q: Based on your experience with earthworms, The Gobbler, and buttons, do you think that entrepreneurs are made or born?

A: For the vast majority of people, by the time you’re 12, you either have the entrepreneurial spirit or you don’t.

Q: When you raise kids, will you force them to prepare for SATs, take violin and piano, and aspire to be a doctor?

A: No, I think my approach would be to have them try a ton of different things and then figure out which ones they’re passionate about.

Q: What is the math behind the policy of two-way free and overnight shipping?

A: Our philosophy is to take most of the money we would have spent on paid marketing or paid advertising and instead invest it into the customer experience, and let our customers do the marketing for us through word of mouth. We view the free shipping both ways and surprise upgrades to overnight shipping as our marketing costs.

Q: How should entrepreneurs decide which business they should play at?

A: I would say try a lot of different things in different industries and with different people over your life, and eventually the business that you were meant for will find you.

Q: What’s worse for a startup: too much or too little money?

A: Too much money.

Q: What kind of business planning should entrepreneurs do?

A: Think about where you want to be 10 years from now and think about where you want to be up to one year from now. Anything in between doesn’t really matter because nothing ever turns out the way you planned it.

Q: Is customer service the new marketing?

A: What’s new is that we are all hyperconnected and information travels much, much faster than before (through Twitter, blogs, etc.) So customer service stories, good or bad, tend to spread more quickly and therefore can have a much bigger effect on a company’s brand.

Q: What role does the plain old telephone play in Zappos?

A: We believe the telephone is one of the best branding devices out there. We have the customer’s undivided attention for 5-10 minutes—compare that with a 30-second Super Bowl ad when the viewers are probably not paying full attention. If we get the interaction right, what we’ve found is that customers remember that for a very long time and tell their friends and family about us.

Q: What are the core values of Zappos? 

A: 

1. Deliver WOW Through Service
2. Embrace and Drive Change
3. Create Fun and a Little Weirdness
4. Be Adventurous, Creative and Open-Minded
5. Pursue Growth and Learning
6. Build Open and Honest Relationships With Communication
7. Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit
8. Do More with Less
9. Be Passionate and Determined
10. Be Humble

Q: Is a near-death experience good for a company?

A: It can be, if the company learns from it and becomes that much stronger because of it.

Q: Is Amazon changing Zappos or is Zappos changing Amazon?

A: We’re both learning from each other, but true to their word, Amazon has allowed Zappos to remain independent. We continue to make our own decisions and grow our brand and our culture the Zappos way.

Q: What is “happiness” for a person who’s sold companies for $265 million and $1.2 billion?

A:

• Perceived control
• Perceived progress
• Connectedness (number and depth of relationships)
• Higher purpose

Q: From your book, it sure sounds like you’re in bars all the time—do your parents know about this?

A: My dad is actually translating the Chinese version of the book.

Q: Are your parents proud of you now or do they still wish you were a doctor?

A: I think my mom still wants me to be a doctor.

For more from Tony, be sure to read his book. I have to admit that I laughed out loud at many places in it. If anyone knows how to deliver happiness, it’s Tony. Click here to buy the book.   

How to Create that Work-Life Balance?

How to Create that WorkLife Balance?


Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Tammy Strobel of Rowdy Kittens.

Our culture celebrates workaholism. We hear stories of people who “burn the mid-night oil” at the office, or about individuals who never take vacations. Working a lot doesn’t mean you deserve a gold star or a raise.



Working too much is likely to decrease your productivity, leave you creatively drained, and negatively effect relationships with friends and family. Don’t get me wrong, pursuing your passion is a beautiful gift and there is nothing wrong with working hard on projects you love. However, it’s essential to take breaks. Whether you’re working from home or in an office environment it’s essential to nourish your creative spirit.



Below are a few creative ways to avoid becoming a workaholic.



1. Set clear boundaries. Make sure your working hours are consistent. For instance, if you work from 8am to 5pm make sure you leave the office by 5. Don’t stay late.



2. Get enough sleep!



“If you encounter someone who’s acting like a fool, there’s a good chance that person is suffering from sleep deprivation.” ~Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, Rework



Staying up late to work on a project and then getting up at 5am to go into the office is not a good strategy. Lack of creativity, diminished morale and irritability are a few traits of people who go without sleep. Work smarter, not harder.



3. Unplug from the internet. Getting work done doesn’t require an internet connection. It’s amazing what can happen when you step out from behind the computer screen or your mobile device. Most of my killer ideas come to me when I’m taking a shower, on a walk, cooking a meal, and “not working.”



Everyone is creative and ideas can come to you at odd moments. Just because you have an idea doesn’t mean you have to implement it right away. Keep a journal with you at all times so that you can capture your idea and enjoy your down time.



4. Spend time in nature. Spending time in nature is a great way reduce stress, disconnect from everyday worries and incoming work messages. Set aside time in your daily life to go outside. For instance, take a half hour walk everyday and be mindful of your surroundings. There is no need to rush. Take your time, try to understand your instinctual feelings and observe the natural beauty in your neighborhood.



5. Make time for friends, family and your partner. If you’re working too much, you’re probably sacrificing time with friends, family and your life partner. Doing work you love is extremely important, but so are the people who love you. Consider how you spend your time and what is truly important in life. When you are with your family, friends and life partner, really be there. Make an effort to be present. For instance, if you’re having a conversation with a friend listen to what they are saying. Be engaged and ask questions.



6. Eat real food. A side effect of working too much is eating out more and not eating real food. Real food includes, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Before you head out to the office, take time the night before or early in the morning to prepare a healthy breakfast and lunch.



Most importantly, don’t eat while you’re working. Savor your food and enjoy every bite. Studies have show that if you eat food quickly, you’re more likely to over eat and gain weight.



7. Find a hobby. Cultivate a hobby; preferably something that doesn’t relate to your day job. Start by brainstorming your interests. For example, you can start running, walking, knitting, reading novels, or writing. A hobby should be something that brings you joy; something you can lose yourself in and find your flow.



8. Listen to your body. If you are working too much you will start feeling tired, cranky and apathetic. All of these symptoms are a sign that you need to slow down. It’s essential to listen to your body. When you listen to your body, you’ll know when your sick or just need some extra rest.



9. Constantly question your goals and life purpose. It’s important to continually reevaluate your goals, life purpose and behaviors. For example if you constantly stay late at the office, sacrifice personal relationships because of work, or check your email obsessively, ask yourself:



Why am I doing this?

What is the end goal?

Are my behaviors healthy?

10. Continue to cultivate healthy habits. Developing healthy habits is not something that happens overnight. By working on one small behavior change everyday, you can make huge changes over the long-term. For example, rather than checking your email every five minutes, start checking it 3 times a day.



Also, consider incorporating small changes to your daily routine, like getting a half hour of exercise everyday, preparing your own food and being present when you spend time with friends and family.



11. Reach out to others with a good work-life balance. If you think you’re a workaholic, reach out to others. Connect with friends, family, and consider therapy as an option. If you think this is negatively impacting your life, do something about the problem. We only get one life. So live it well and take care of yourself.



Tammy Strobel is the author of Simply Car-free: How to Pedal Toward Financial Freedom and a Healthier Life and writes about social change through simple living at RowdyKittens.

Stupid Girl Loses Job Because of Facebook Status (how would you handle situation as the employer?)

http://www.recruitingblogs.com/profiles/blogs/stupid-girl-loses-job-because

GeneratorSoftware

Want to Learn How a Man went from Million dollars in the Hole to a Billionaire?

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circumstances and tragedy to rise to the top enterprise in America. Homeless at age 14, a member of a street gang and a high-school dropout - ...Bill took control of his life by taking the GED exam and putting himself through college and law school. Since then, Bill has created seven successful businesses, including a $3.5 billion company started from his kitchen table with a $13,000 loan. Now, Bill Bartmann is referred to as the “Billionaire Business Coach”. He is the only self-made billionaire who has exclusively devoted his life to teaching others. He travels the country, sharing his story of how he created his success and how he dealt with his challenges. This Saturday's Millionaire Mentor Session with Bill is titled, “Conversations with a Billionaire”. This is a rare opportunity to be mentored by one of America’s most successful businessmen.

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Prince2 Project Management

How to manage Projects effectively using PRINCE2 Methodology in Less than 4 Minutes?