Bias For Action

Why do most managers work so hard but accomplish so little? We have blamed everything from a lack of motivation, time, and money to the overwhelming amount of work and corporate bureaucracy that managers face.

But a new study suggests a different cause: how much willpower managers bring to their jobs. In a book written by Sumantra Ghoshal and Heike Bruch " In A Bias for Action" show that managers often confuse action with accomplishment, and motivation with leading.

Their research has revealed that 90% of managers spin their wheels by procrastinating, detaching emotionally, and distracting themselves with busywork-while only 10% act purposefully to get truly important work done.

Based on exclusive research across several industries, and illustrated through stirring personal stories, A Bias for Action shows that great managers produce results not by motivating others, but by engaging their own willpower through a powerful combination of energy and focus.

Bruch and Ghoshal provide simple strategies for bolstering your own willpower and action-taking abilities, and explore ways to marshal the willpower of others to encourage collective action. Upending conventional thinking about the requirements for effective leadership, this book will help CEOs and frontline managers alike to stop simply doing things-and start getting things done

A must read for all professionals.

Indian Highway

Indian Highway

I grew up in Indore a small town in the heart of India, from a very humble beginning, wherewith the support of friends and family members ...who gave me the dream of becoming a Global executive running a multi-billion organisation of 1000's people.

Incidentally or Accidently I landed up to do a course in Mechanical Engineering, where I spent six years at university to get Diploma and Bachelors degree ( Still trying to figure out what those meritorious studies have given me..?

I have always belived during university days that good grades, marks will enable me to reach my dream quickly ( inspiration from key individuals). Through the campus placement I got the as a trainee Engineer in India's number 1 Engineering and Automoible company, Tata Engineering & Locomotives Company Limited, in the steel city of Jamshedpur. ( In 1994 / 95 - India's top most private sector organisation in terms of turnover)

Seeing the giant machinery, plants, furnaces, and assembly lines running round the clock to manufacture trucks and construction equipment.

I learned everything possible in the manufacturing line hoping to get some assignment in the plant for machine design or operations so that i can get exposure to the International benchmarks from where TELCO was importing technology.....

It never happened....I got placement in the domestic customer service department, at Mumbai where i had to deal with Fleet Owners, solve the complaints they are experiencing on their trucks, visit various dealers, providing them technical assistance on problem-solving, technical diagnosis., marketing support, brand enhancement, worked deligently to get highlighted in the eyes of management so that i get the opportunity to serve the global market.

Again... the performance was highlighted, recognized with the fastest promotion in the batch of 135 engineers, but the award was posted and a new all India assignment of channel development. Target given was to have network of workshops across the country every 100 Kilo Meters.

Travel to rural India, Indian highways, trucking centers....non stop for four years.I have delivered what assignment was given to me , created the presense of service support across the nation....again living with the hope of getting posting in the Internation Markets, where my other friends have gone...

To improve my chances i had done post graduate program in foriegn trade and International business through evening classes working more than 18 hours a day.

No result

In Year 2000, when dot com was talk of the day, indian IT service providers were making there presence felt globally, i got job offer from countries primier organisation Satyam, which was having its 80% revenue and client base in US, 10% in Europe, 8% in South East Asia...2 % in India.

Just after joining , Satyam bagged biggest contract in India with Mahindra and Mahindra, another automotive giant of India, based on my previous experience in Domestic Automobile Industry I became project manager for their fleet services programme..., next project again of Cummins US, but roll-out support in India.

Trucks, Truck Drivers, Indian Highways, Truckers needs....have become my core competency areas, where very few people in the country have the skill set.

Within two years, countries first private sector petroleum retail network plan was unvieled by Reliance Industries. Again got attracted towards the size and magnitude of the project, join there in a hope of honning my skills and visiting their technology provider Flying J in US. I ended up being off shore support rather than being part of 100 plus member onsite team.

Last four years...again my life has taken me much much closer to my Customers ( fleet) and Indian Highways.

Having travelled entire nation by road many a times, each and every civil airport of the country, stayed more than 2 days in over 500 cities of India, from a 200 Rs / Night a room, to luxiorous suites in Five Stars......i have fallen in love with India, and said good bye (not from my heart) to my child hood dream of delivering on global assignments.

Highways, its culture, its rituals have made such a deep impact on my psyche that even thought of changing domain and industry makes me uncomfortable, last 11 years of my career has brought me so close to this industry, that i can live rest of my life here...but i think sooner or later i need to say, "Phir Milenge" to my industry , as written on many of the Trucks in India.

And go where my heart is Retail In Indian Industry...through managing national channel ..either products, or services

Have No Fear of Perfection.....
You will Never Reach It.