Look at the Bigger Picture

There are several Leadership qualities that are seen among the leaders such as Communicator, Organizer  Motivator, Trustworthy, Able to see the big picture etc. Which leadership quality would you rate highest?

One might say the Ability to see the Bigger Picture and we will discuss this quality in detail in this post.
The quality is well explained in the classic “stone cutter short-story.” You find several versions of the story and several ways to understand its valuable lessons. The power of the story lies in the importance of perception and the way each person handles his work.

Whether you think you’re just earning a living, doing the best at your job, or you’re leaving a legacy, this story demonstrates that there is great value in thinking positively and in seeing the bigger picture.

Another version of the story, adopted by Management Guru, Peter Drucker suggests that seeing the bigger picture is the first step, the real leadership quality is while seeing the big picture, the Leader should ensure that others see it. This is done by building a shared vision.

The third version of this story graphically illustrates the view point of Peter Senge, the Author of the book “The Fifth Discipline.”

Story of Stonecutters

One day a person goes to a place where a few workers are building a structure. He goes to a worker and asks him, “What are you doing?” He says, “I’m cutting a stone”. The person doesn’t fully understand what’s going on, so he goes to another workers asks the same question. The second worker says, “I am cutting this block of stone to make sure that it’s square, and its dimensions are uniform, so that it will fit exactly in its place in a wall.” A bit closer to finding out what the stonecutters were working on but still unclear, the person goes to the third stonecutter. He seemed to be the happiest of the three and when asked what he was doing replied: “I am building a Cathedral.”

This story beautifully illustrates a key leadership quality - seeing the bigger picture. All three stonecutters were doing the same thing, but each gave a very different answer. Each knew how to do his job but what was it that set the third stonecutter apart? Perhaps:

· Knowing not just how and what to do, but knowing why.

· Viewing the whole and not just its parts.

· Seeing a vision, a sense of the bigger picture.

· Having the ability to see significance in work, beyond the obvious.

· Understanding that a legacy will live on, whether in the stone of a cathedral, or in the impact made on other people.


"I am Building a Cathedral”

Explaining this leadership quality, Peter Drucker told a different version of this story, going beyond the obvious in drawing out its lessons.

In Drucker’s version, when asked what they were doing, the first stonecutter replied:

“I am making a living”.

The second kept on hammering while he said:

“I am doing the best job of stone cutting in the entire country.”

The third stonecutter, when asked the same question said:

“I am building a cathedral.”

As with the earlier version, the first stonecutter knew what he wanted to get from his work, and was doing so. He was giving a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay. The third stonecutter obviously had a positive attitude to his work, perhaps because he saw the bigger picture. But what about the second stonecutter? Drucker suggested this was a potential problem area, perhaps the opposite of the third stonecutter’s view of the bigger picture. Here was someone focusing on his own narrow view of work, possibly to the detriment of the project as a whole.

Perhaps it’s worth reflecting on how we see ourselves.

· Has work become simply a means of earning a living?

· Are we too focused on our individual performance or achievements?

· Do we have a sense of the bigger picture in what we do?Answers to these questions will probably change over time and at different periods of our lives. Perhaps we do just see work as a way to earn a living, because we have more important things in our lives. Or perhaps being expert at what we do is sufficient, and we don’t feel the need to engage in the wider picture.

However, we spend much of our lives at work so making that time as fulfilling as possible is worth the effort. There is also considerable evidence that being a rounded, more complex person can make us happier, both at work and in our personal lives. Learning to look beyond the obvious, to see the bigger picture, can be a big step towards that happiness but does leadership require something else?

Did the third stonecutter’s reply demonstrate a leadership quality, or just someone happy in his work? Simply having the vision is not enough. Good leaders need the ability to show that vision, to share it, and to inspire others to understand and work towards it. The third stonecutter becomes a leader when his view of his work is shared by his workmates – when none of them says they’re simply doing their job.

As Peter Senge has put it: the responsibility of a leader is not just to share a vision but to build a shared vision.Our final version of the story illustrates Senge’s idea of leadership quality. This time the stonecutters are building London’s magnificent St Paul’s Cathedral, designed by the great British architect and designer, Sir Christopher Wren. In this story the third stonecutter’s response does illustrate a leadership quality…

One day, after work on his cathedral had begun, Wren unrecognised by the workforce, walked among the artisans and stonecutters.

He asked one of the workmen:

“What are you doing?” “I am cutting a piece of stone“, the workman replied.

He asked the same question of the second stonecutter. “I am earning five shillings two pence a day”, the second workman replied.

He asked a third workman the same question, and the man answered, “I am helping Sir Christopher Wren build a magnificent cathedral to the glory of God.”

A leadership quality might be seeing the bigger picture, but it’s essential to help others share that vision.

“Cathedrals and Big Structures are incredible symbols of human endeavour. Whether we need cathedrals are not, definitely we need cathedral thinkers, people who see beyond their tenures in the organizations or their own lifetimes. They add a new dimension to the world around us and leave a legacy behind.

If you are unhappy...

Once upon a time, there was a nonconforming sparrow who decided not to fly south for the winter. However, soon the weather turned so cold that he reluctantly started to fly south. In a short time ice began to form on his wings and he fell to earth in a barnyard, almost frozen.

A cow passed by and shat on the little sparrow. The sparrow thought it was the end.
But the manure warmed him and defrosted his wings. Warm and happy, able to breathe, he started to sing.
Just then a large cat came by and hearing the chirping, Investigated the sounds.
The cat cleared away the manure, found the chirping bird and promptly ate him.

The Moral of the Story:
1. Everyone who shits on you is not necessarily your enemy.
2. Everyone who gets you out of the shit is not necessarily your friend.
3. And, if you are warm and happy in a pile of shit, enjoy your time and keep your mouth shut. 

The Big Fight - Waterfall vs. Agile

It is the most common scenario! A business problem is handed down to the team. The project manager comes out with project charter explaining the objectives and other details. He determines the project scope, estimated effort, costs and time lines etc. He promises a date by which he’d deliver the solution with a set of features.

Then the Waterfall cycle begins! The teams work meticulously in capturing each requirement in detail, may be using use case, point by point, covering all the scenarios. Then the design team comes and detailing the placement of every field, button, checkbox and pixel and data models etc. Then the army of Developers takes over, write down the code meticulously in the way dictated by designers, implementing each requirement to the best of their understanding to hand over the output their comrades, the Testers. Testers show their mettle in finding bugs and product is ready. And then, finally T-shirts are printed and launch parties celebrated and slowly euphoria dies down. Business gets a chance to use the product. Despite all the confidence inspired, what happened is wrong solution is delivered with right efforts!

What went wrong???

There is a lessons learned meeting, root-cause analysis happens. It concludes that the team delivered the wrong solution because the project was based on unvalidated assumptions. These assumptions were presented as requirements. There is no feedback loop mechanism during the development of the product.Waterfall typically depends on listing the features to the teams which are bundled together and developed as a product. 

Instead of providing the teams with list of features, what needs to be done is to  present the business problem to the teams and put constraints on the solution. Working on short iterative cycles gives the business the opportunity to look at the product and validate the way in which product is being built.

Building agility into the development life cycle with shorter iterations and continuous feedback loop mechanism mitigates the risk of delivering a wrong product to the customer at the end of a long project gestation period. Despite a lot of buzz around Agile methodology with lot of coaches and availability of literature, many people and organizations struggle to embrace agility properly. One of the reasons is people got comfortable with waterfall and the other is no clarity on certain roles. 

Software Engineers whose activity is coding, don't find their role changing. They continue to write the code. For others the roles are not clear. People in roles such as designers, project managers, architects and analysts find their role definition changed. The water fall process provides designers compartmentalized period in which they can focus on their work and draw a lot of satisfaction by providing what they think are optimal design for the application. Suddenly the designer finds the role and space shrunk which leads to dissatisfaction as well as job insecurity. Suddenly you find people screaming, “Oh, this is not the way of working. This cannot be called design.” In agile, the value designers brought into project gets distributed to other roles in the team. One needs to recognize the evolution of the role avoid the temptation to cram the old methods into the new process.

Agile with its orientation towards iterative approach facilitates better coordination and frequent feedback from the customers. Software is developed in iterative and incremental model in rapid cycles. I’d not like to cover the methodology of Agile as such in this post as it is very popular and would limit my discussion to the impact on the teams and development cycle. Here are the Pros and Cons of Agile:

Pros:

Flexibility

Traditional waterfall model dictates that requirements to be defined ahead of design and implementation. The scope is rigid and non-negotiable factor. With Agile methodology, schedule and cost are the major determining factors and it is scope that changes in order to accommodate acceptable business demand.

Immediate Feedback

Presence of business representative ensures that there are suggestions regularly. Agile methodology calls for smaller release cycles, in which the product is always in a ready release state. This ready release state is brought about by continuous feedback from product owners and end users with the development and quality assurance team. Corrections can be immediately passed on to the developers.

Predictability

Fewer Defects make to the end as result of quality assurance testing being done on each cycle. The cycle of develop, build and test cuts down the number of defects and they are caught early on.

Cons:

Documentation Gets Left Behind

Agile’s code-test-build-release cycle does leave one component behind, which is documentation. Due to the fluid nature of Agile, the documentation team needs to follow right behind the curve of the project’s rapidly changing scope. Whether this happens are not is the question.

Daily Meetings take the toll

Daily stand up meetings take the toll due the high pressure created. However, frequency of the meetings is one thing that needs to be decided by the project managers in the interest of the team and project. The team members are expected to have considerable experience expertise and junior members may not always be preferred.

Conclusion

There is no single methodology that can be adopted by all the projects. The classic Waterfall model has its own advantages as well as limitations. Agile methodologies can also be inefficient in large organizations and certain types of projects. So it is up to the Managers concerned to select the right methodology based on the project characteristics.

Whatever said and done, Agile is the current trend and Buzz word. As long as we don’t see the methodology as the end in itself, we can adopt any suitable model and deliver value to the customer. It is worth giving it a try.

Mobility is the In-thing

Mobility began as a trend for personal use, social connectivity and as a fashion signature. What started with non-serious activities such as watching YouTube and chatting with friends over weekend has become the game changer! Business owners and executives in all industries have come to recognize the benefit Mobility brings to the table. 

Mobility appears like a treasure as the world grapples with economic challenges. Facebook is working on bringing out their mobile based advertising model which is significant for them. Small businesses all over the world are reshaping their business models with the use of mobile devices such as Tablet PCs. China has surpassed US in the dominant smart phone market. India is catching up fast. As per an estimate, by 2014 there will have been over 76 billion mobile apps downloaded resulting in an app economy worth an estimated thirty five billion in the same year. Mobile business will become big business in the not so distant future. There is going to be mad rush as the businesses chase the fortunes associated with mobility.

However, it is worthwhile to look back and learn from what happened earlier in the initial days of Web. We watched the horror movie of bust after boom over a decade back. In those days browser-viewed applications were the order of the day and businesses rushed to grab the opportunities. E-commerce was the buzz word and associated windfall gains in revenue lured the businesses. Everybody created his own website and launched it without doing detailed ground work and putting in place proper revenue models. As the dust settled in, people slowly realized how expensive maintaining a website could be without accruing any real value out of it. The same is the case with social networking where getting something up in the social networking space without building an engaged and meaningful following. Similar thing is possible  in the mobile space as well, if companies take a “channel” approach instead of behavioral approach. 

Businesses need to differentiate between mobile and mobility. Having a few devices and targeting users with mobiles could be myopic. Instead, mobility is all about understanding the behavioral patterns of the users and the relevance of your connectivity to the user in the context of his lifestyle, needs and interests. Does the user need to connect with you on the go?

In the early days, people wanted information instantly at the click of a mouse. In the social networking era, it also included social connectivity. Mobile takes it further to include instant information or transaction, social connectivity and anywhere, all bundled together across variety of environments, screen sizes and devices.

Mobility could mean a laid back indulgence like watching a video while travelling or making a banking transaction like funds transfer on the go which is a serious business. The aspects that should be borne in mind for businesses is to avoid “bloodshed” that happened during Web days. They should understand nuances of mobility and mobile behaviors before investing in mobile initiatives. Hiring a Hero and providing him funds and resources does not help. Establish a COE, integrate all the business needs and formulate a cohesive strategy and then translate it into initiatives. Going mobile is not all about having an app. Avoid the tendency to develop an separate app for every small thing or interaction. Use a single app to aggregate the content of all the sources in the Enterprise. One needs to differentiate tactics from strategy. 

Today the situation is that there are millions of apps already available for download. Is your app attractive to the users? Who are your competitors? What happens if the number of downloads/ installs are low after spending so many funds? Competition is fierce and what if you have to compete with established brands in the markets? Nobody wants to his apps to be seen as junk in the market. 

With a clear focus and specific needs of the customer in mind, coupled with clear understanding of his behavioral patterns and backed up by benefit-cost analysis, the organizations can take its mobile initiatives forward. There is definitely great future for mobility and it is going to call the shots. The market is in the growth phase. Youth are adopting mobile in a big way  for their interactions and doing businesses. Organizations will have to take a serious look at their revenue models and possible impact by going mobile and if it helps the business and they should certainly work on game changing mobile strategies. Tomorrow’s mobile players will win the game based on usage numbers due to the value of their content, whether it’s sheer utility or irresistible entertainment value and ...nothing... else.

Look at the lessons learned in the past and so that the risk is well managed.

Success

A lot of studies have gone into understanding what Success is and you come across so many definitions and descriptions. Success certainly lies in big achievements, however it is something beyond that. Success lies in simplicity and applying basic principles of life consistently. Simplicity should not be misunderstood as ease. A few interesting thoughts on this...

To laugh often and love much;
To win respect of intelligent persons
and affection of children;
To earn approval of honest critics
and endure betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty
To find best in others;
To give off one's self without the 
slightest thought of return;
To complete your tasks with 
spontaneous efforts by willing teams;
To have laughed and played with
Enthusiasm and sung with exaltation;
To know that one life has breathed easier
because you have lived;
This is to have succeeded
- Anonymous

Perspectives

One of the interesting things I have learnt in some of Management training sessions is the  topic of perspectives. 

Perspective is the way the object appears to you. There is a human need to understand your perspective is correct and valid at the same time there could be other perspective as well which may be different from yours. 

What do you see in the pictures below?

Are you finding multiple perspectives? If so, let me know.

Think

Closed Mind!!!

Nothing dies faster than a new idea in a closed mind.

In the history of mankind, whenever man has opened the shutters of his mind, healthy new ideas have breezed in. And he has vigorously stepped out of his narrow confines to discover continents and oceans, planets and galaxies.

But whenever man has shut out new ideas and gone into hibernation in the safety of old, rigid norms, human civilization has been shrouded by the gloom of Dark Ages.

Now shake yourself out of your slumber. Step out of the den of stagnant thoughts, into the open field of bold new ideas. Soar high on the strength of an exploring mind to reach unknown heights of achievement and success. 

Thinking out of the Box

People build invisible boxes or a pattern around their thinking based on their brought up, environment and the people they interact with. Over a period of time a conceptual frame work gets formed around a perspective which is called logic bubble. 

Think out of box and unconventionally and form a new perspective.  

Innovation Earlier

Progress today!

Here is a small anecdote I read some time back on keeping mind open or empty.
                                    

Keep the mind 6-7% empty.

A professor goes to a Zen master to learn about Zen Buddhism. The Zen master pours tea in a cup for the professor. After some time, it starts spilling and the professor shouts, "Stop no more will go in the cup."  The Zen master replies, "Likewise, your mind is full of your own ideas. How can I teach you Zen till you empty your mind to learn about it?" THINK.

Keep your minds 6-9% empty for new ideas to flow in.

Respect Skill

An American was travelling in Afghanistan and his car broke down. He tried his best to repair it, but nothing worked and the car didn’t start. Finally, a mechanic came from the hills came riding a donkey. He opened the bonnet, looked at it and hit the cylinder six times. He asked the American to start it and it started! The American asked, “How much?” The mechanic said, $100. The American gasped and asked him to itemize the bill. 

The mechanic said, “10 cents for hitting six times and $99.90 for knowing where to hit.” 

Moral of the story: Respect the skilled people.

Luck favors those who help themselves

Here is an interesting story I read some time back:

A flood was threatening a small town and everyone was leaving for safety except one man who said, "God will save me. I have faith." As the water level rose a jeep came to rescue him, the man refused, saying "God will save me. I have faith." As the water level rose further, he went up to the second storey, and a boat came to help him. Again he refused to go, Belying, "God will save me. I have faith." The water kept rising and the man climbed on to the roof. A helicopter came to rescue him, but he said, "God will save me. I have faith." Well, finally he drowned.

When he died and reached God,  he angrily questioned, "I had complete faith in you. Why did you ignore my prayers and let me drown?"

The Lord replied, "Who do you think sent you the jeep, the boat, and the helicopter?"

This is a tale of missed opportunities and luck favors those who have right attitude and help themselves. Even God cannot help the people, who don't help themselves. One can pray God, but one should believe in himself and look for opportunities. It takes planning, preparation and action to succeed in life rather than waiting for some miracle to happen.

Mounika

On a cool wintry night

I found a marigold blossoming under moon light.

It whispered in my ear

Please come close to me dear.

I saw droplets of snow on its face

And they were enhancing its grace.

Its smile was so sweet and bright

That I could never forget its sight.

When it shook its head in delight

It send thousand musical notes into my heart.

She was no ordinary marigold or so

She was a pretty princess who loved me ages ago.

I used to enjoy her playing on piano

Now if I ask she says, “No, no”.

Heard melodies are sweet

But the unheard too touch your heart.

That’s why I still hear her Raga*

And its name is Mounika (Silence)!

                                                                                         - V.V.Rao
*A raga (literally "colour, hue" but also "beauty, melody") is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.

Lion or gazelle?

“Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up, it knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve. It doesn't matter whether you're the lion or a gazelle-when the sun comes up, you'd better be running.”

Half Marathon journey

Spirit of achievement is something that keeps one going against odds and challenges. It is a component of psychology, physical stamina and faith in one's own ability or in God. You have a target, plan and prepare hard, overcome odds, endure pain and in the end achieve the goal and draw immense satisfaction!

 And of the course the journey continues.  Life is a journey of changing goal posts and crossing milestones.

A couple of the images from the event when  I finished half marathon some time back..

Brindavanam signifies Tulasi Garden

Tulasi or Tulsi (botanical name: Ocimum Tenuiflorum) or Holy basil is an important symbol  in Hindu tradition and is treated as Sacred Plant.The plant is viewed as manifestation of goddess Tulasi, a consort of Vishnu. Tulasi plants are grown most of most of Hindu homes in pots or in front/back yards. Tulasi is offered in the worship of Vishnu or Krishna.

Holy basil has healing power and is cultivated for medicinal purposes as well. Tulasi leaves are used as nerve tonic and promote the removal of the catarrhal matter and phlegm from the bronchial tube.

The leaves of basil are used for treating many fevers. During the rainy season, when malaria and dengue fever are widely prevalent, tender leaves, boiled with tea, act as preventive against these diseases.

Tulasi leaves are used in the preparation of many an Ayurvedic syrups for cold and coughs. They are used in the treatment of skin disorders as well.

Basil leaves are used in treatment of headaches. A decoction of the leaves is prepared and given for this disorder. The air passing over the homes grown Tulasi plant cures many known and unknown diseases of the inhabitants of the homes.