An Intriguing Session

Being a learner for life, there is a long way for me to learn many things, from the past, the present, and the future. I have been blessed to get a chance to acquire knowledge from the most reputed institutions, Indian as well as International. During my 30 years of gaining knowledge, starting at the age of three, from various academic settings, I have come across many teachers, professors, principals, deans, classmates, batchmates, seniors, juniors, alumni, coordinators, and the list goes on. And from each one of them, I have always learnt something, consciously and subconsciously, knowingly and unknowingly, many good experiences and a few not that great ones, yet learning nonetheless.

One of the electives, Managing Self and Career, that I had opted for during the PGPMX program at IIMI, has been an essential component in molding me in many ways, post the course. I am glad I opted for this elective.

The first assignment for the participating candidates was to write obituaries for ourselves and submit it before the first session. Now, that was a shocker. An obituary would be a few words, but to write it for self took me almost two days—a day of denial followed by the second day of thinking and drafting. It made me realize that when we are alive, we generally don’t think of the ‘what-ifs’ that may have turned our life stories into a very different one and casually ignore the ‘what-ifs’ in the lives of the people around us after our deaths. In fact we don’t or rather avoid thinking of death despite us being nothing but mortal human beings.

The program was extremely interesting supported with enlightening case studies and published articles by experts in the field. However, another class activity that stayed with me was SWOT Analysis—not of a company but of one-self. I know SWOT, I apply it to various projects and assignments. But until 2017, I had never applied it to myself. And there it was, Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats charted for myself, right on a page glaring at me. It was like a revelation—what I am versus what I would be or could be.

Managing Self and Career was just an elective, but I think it had a major impact on me than the rest of the sessions. No, I am not all learnt yet, nor will I ever be. But yes, I am a work-in-progress, and today I am a better version than what I was yesterday. This is due to the conscious efforts applied on a daily basis to realize and recognize the strength that could be a weakness with over confidence and the weakness that could be strength with a slight boost in confidence. Well, maybe someday I will master the art of balancing the S and W and match it with the O and T to create an aura of positivity around me that inspires everyone who crosses my path in the journey called life.  

Thinking, Learning, Dreaming, Growing, and Repeat!

…Ashu Bolar

Today is an opportunity to get better. Don’t waste it.

Yep, I took this opportunity to get better three years back. As a Person, yes I have learnt a lot, specially in the HR and OB classes. As a Professional, yes, again I am more polished, enough to shine a lot.

Right now, I am waiting for the next right opportunity, a long wait.
So, I guess, my shine is blinding people now 🙂

And that reminds me of another quote:
“In the middle of every difficulty lies an opportunity.” – Albert Einstein

Why I chose this ad?
Because it has my batch PGPMX-5 in the ad with me in the extreme right 🙂

Best wishes to all the future participants!

Published in Times of India, Page-3 on Wednesday, 13th June 2018

#IIM Indore #PGPMX Mumbai #IIMI

For program details, visit: https://www.iimidr.ac.in/executive-programmes/post-graduate-programme-in-management-for-executives-pgpmx/

– Ashu Bolar

Tempus fugit…Time flies…

Sunday, 4^th October 2015 was my first day at IIMI Mumbai Campus as a participant to the PGPMX Batch-5. And Wednesday, 28^th March 2018, in the 19th IIMI Annual Convocation, I graduated–one journey ends and another begins.

Time flies…so what do you do? What do I do?

I can’t clench it, I can’t catch it, I can’t cage it.
So I fly with it, matching its pace as far as I can, as long as I can.

Some great people have said…

• Life is too short to worry about anything, you had better enjoyed it because the next day promises nothing. (Eric Davis)
• Life is too short for long-term grudges. (Elon Musk)
• Life is too short to do anything that’s not challenging. (Michael Mayer)
• Life is too short to have anything but delusional notions about yourself. (Gene Simmons)
• Life is too short to spend hoping that the perfectly arched eyebrow or hottest new lip shade will mask an ugly heart. (Kevyn Aucoin)
• Life is too short to blend in. The only rule is don’t be boring and dress cute wherever you go. (Paris Hilton – this one, I take it very seriously 😉 )
• And I loved what was said by the Chief Guest, Mr. Aditya Ghosh (President and Whole-time Director, IndiGo Airlines) during the Convocation speech
  – “Don’t be prisoners of your mark-sheets.” An A-grade doesn’t mean there is no scope for enhancement and a D-grade doesn’t mean end of the world.
  Life is too short to be a prisoner of your mark-sheet. – Well, that’s my conclusion.

I have been blessed to be associated with the best of best educational institutions. One being IIM Indore. And every convocation, the words from my favourite book echoes in my mind…

“It is a far far better thing that I do, than I have ever done.

It is a far far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known.”

– A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens

Yes, being a part of every academic institution was indeed a better thing that I did, than before.
And every time when I share the knowledge gained, it gives that rest, that peace, than I have ever known.

I know for sure all the graduates will be successful, some sooner, some later in life. Thus, I wish every participant, of this, and all the future convocations, best wishes to be a good citizen and a great human being. Achieving goodness and greatness is a learning process, sounds easy but in reality it is difficult.

Siddhi Moolam Prabandhanam – The Root of All Achievement is Management – that’s what the IIMI crest reads.

And I believe with management, it is possible to achieve both goodness and greatness.

Tempus fugit…time flies,
therefore, Carpe diem…seize the moment
because Que sera, sera…whatever will be, will be.

All the best. God Bless. Jai Hind.

– Ashu Bolar

IIMI Plexus Conclave

Alumni Meets, a very interesting concept. You meet and greet professors, senior and junior batchmates, peers, friends, once-upon-a-time/ongoing frenemies, batch-competitors (read rivals), some good characters, some annoying-species. But all in all, it is a great networking opportunity.

I have been lucky in life to be an alumnus associated with many academic institutes, but this year, for the first time, I attended IIM Indore PGPMX Alumni Meet scheduled on Saturday, 24^th February 2018 at IIMI Mumbai Campus and Park Hotel, CBD Belapur, Navi Mumbai.

The event initiated at IIMI Mumbai Campus with the inauguration of PGPMX (Post Graduate Programme in Management for Executives) Batch-9 followed by PGPMX Alumni interaction with the IIMI Director, Prof. Rishikesha Krishnan and Professor Kajari Mukherjee, Chair – PGPMX, IIMI.

There was an interesting and informative session (as always) on ‘Indian Economy – the present and the future’ by Prof. Ganesh Nidugala, Faculty – IIM Indore. He is the favourite economics professor of almost everyone. I doubt if anyone could have taught International Finance as best as he did – at least to me – because being a medical graduate, and yet I understanding International Finance means some great job done!

Professional Trainer’s Team from SAS Institute enlightened the alumni with a bird’s eye view on Business Intelligence & Business Analytics through application of SAS. Technology can do miracles. And every data narrates a story. Connect the two and one can be a modern day magician.

Later in the evening, at Hotel Park, all participants experienced an ice-breaking and engaging Plexus Conclave – thanks to Dale Carnegie Training Team for all those intersession activities! The conclave had two illustrative sessions by IIMI Faculty members – Professor Abhishek Mishra and Professor Omkar Desai and two intriguing sessions by Industry Guest Speakers – Mr. Sushil Borde, Head, Reliance Innovation Leadership Centre and Mr. Tushar Pradhan, CIO, HSBC Global Asset Management.

And the evening concluded with photo session, all alumni receiving a box containing Indore Sweets and Farsan, as well as a handy IIMI branded Leather Organizer, and of course, all of us relishing a delicious dinner.

Thanks to Sanjay Gupta (PGPMX-1) for all the coordination and to the IIMI Student and Faculty teams that contributed in making this event a success.

Some glimpses from the event as below and more can be read on the webpage: https://www.iimidr.ac.in/news-events/first-pgpmx-alumni-meet-and-conclave-plexus-held-at-mumbai/

IIMI PGPMX Alumni Meet Feb2018

IIMI PGPMX Batch-9 Inauguration Feb2018

IIMI Plexus Conclave Feb2018

Looking forward to Plexus-II…

…Ashu Bolar

IIMI: Captured!

Amidst travelling+reading+assignments+exams+group discussions+lectures+Indore heat that says ‘stay indoor’+having fun+late night study spells+campus morning walks+early breakfasts+hastened lunches+retro Bollywood music on TV & dinners+Saturday Latest Movie in campus auditorium+exploring IIMI campus+Indore City Tour, here are some of my Digi Cam captures…

IIMI

Entry Point!

Mandir

Inside IIMI

Inside IIMI

View from ER-2

Inside IIMI

Inside IIMI

Executive Residence-2

Inside ER-2

ER-2

ER-2

Faculty Residence

Medical Centre

Sports Complex

Students’ Residence

Inside IIMI

Saturday Movie Time

Inside IIMI

Lalbagh Palace Indore

Rajwada Indore

C21 Mall, Indore

#IIM Indore #PGPMX #IIMI Mumbai 
#Siddhi Moolam Prabandhanam #The Root of All Achievement is Management
#Batch 2015-2017 #Dr. Asma Yousuf

….Ashu Bolar

Rat Race

…Ashu Bolar

A Good Job Fit or A Good Organization Fit?

What will be your choice?

Hmmm…interesting question…was one of the questions in Organizational Behaviour (OB-I Paper), IIMI first semester exam.

There is no book or any article which answers this question. I doubt if any professor can.

The answer keeps changing from person to person, and from time to time.

When it is your first job, well – you need a job, in short you are desperate, so only job matters, fit is never a concern. But post five-year work experience, you may not think the same. You would then desire a good job and a good organization. Now this is again a hypothetical situation, which can only be assumed.

An organization may be small, but a good leader makes a lot of difference. With a clear vision and mission, and employee friendly policies, what a leader thinks is percolated throughout the hierarchy. There will always be a weakling in a team, an overtly ambitious worker, an extremely competitive employee, a gossip monger, a procrastinator – but to ensure all work together and share equal responsibilities, is a leader’s job. Being leader is not enough, one has to be a mentor and a learner. There are times when you as a team lead may be wrong, and that’s when you should have the patience to listen what your team has to say. Their opinions may turn you into a better employee, a better person.

In my opinion a ship sails safely only when it has a good captain, an orchestra is melodious when they have an expert music director, a surgery is a success when the lead surgeon guides the entire team in saving a life.

What is the point of working in a reputed so called largest firm, which makes you wake up with foul mood and end your day cursing your boss?

Any corporate success is indeed a team effort. But the Manager/Boss/Team Lead plays a crucial role. He/she can break it or make it. The attitude, the knowledge, the experience…all counts in making you, modifying you into a good ‘MANager.’

Work, to those who are skilled, is never a difficulty. But people are and can be very difficult, and you cannot work alone in a team. A team lead is that glue which binds each team member and guides them as a whole towards the vision. And this attitude is what can make a job good fit, and such team leads and cooperating team members make an organization, an excellent fit.

I do not know if you have come across a leader and a mentor, but I was lucky that I did meet some seniors, who taught me, and when required, guided me to ensure that I traverse the rough sails smoothly.

Yes, I did have my share of ‘Monsternager’ as well (in plural). But those too were learning experiences. Nature introduces such characters in your life so that you master the art of patience and letting go what is of least significance. Remember, for a monsternager, the current job is his/her world. But for a talented person, there is a world full of opportunities. And, I love exploring! 🙂

Learn till you can, tolerate till you can, do not compromise on your self-worth, self-respect and dignity. Be prepared to move on; there is always something big and something better waiting! When you can fly, then why walk?

So yes, A Good Job Fit or A Good Organization Fit?

What is your choice?

Be wise, make an efficient choice; you know what suits you the best.

Be prepared to fly, as high as possible; just try to be in the flock as far as possible or create your own flock. 🙂

…Ashu Bolar