Monday, October 12, 2009

Something new!!

'Sharpen the saw' - said Covey...how true, blogging is my way of 'sharpening the saw.' Every year, I promise myself that I will learn something new.....every year, I've done it. This year, I've learned to blog....I've this tech whiz in my life who's helping me remotely to get my blog in shape, just the way I want it. Thanks, AD. Blogging is a great way to put your thoughts together. It's a great way of having leisure: 'What is this life if full of care, we don't have time to stand and stare?' Blogging is my time to stand and stare...at the world, at myself, at others, and generally talk about it. Does it matter that somebody should read your blog? Not really....it's fun to do it for yourself...so I say to all of you out there who get into your shells when you hear about 'blogging'....don't be intimidated.....it's fun. Enjoy maadi!!!

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Mmm hmmm....haven't blogged in the past few days....performance management of people is so tough. You tend to look at all the positives and yet the negatives can't be infinitely ignored. Somewhere, feedback has to be given....and no matter how gently or indirectly you say it, it still can be taken wrongly...it's a double-edged sword - damned if you say it and damned if you don't. When you hire someone on the team, you are well aware of their strengths and weaknesses. Do you simply 'tolerate' the weaknesses? Do you talk about it and re-set expectations? In the act of ignoring the weaknesses, you invariably end up disgruntling the ones that are good in those areas. How do you balance this? i guess one needs to be an excellent communicator, use loads of emotional intelligence, and do as objective an evaluation as possible before embarking on the sticky journey of giving feedback.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Musings on a rainy day

Well, I've been spreading the word around that I've my own blog....I ain't sure though if people do want to check it out....I know mine ain't all that jazzy or whatever; but for me this is a big, big step. Today's been a sort of gloomy day weather wise....life takes on an entirely different dimension when a stranger becomes part of your family.......that's what's happened to me the last couple of months. We are hosting a lovely person from the US and our lives have been enriched by her presence. As I mentioned yesterday, change is constant...people come into our lives, touch us in so many ways, and then move on. All we can do is to have good memories and live life to the fullest.