We are again the same class in a leading management institute.
A guest walks inside the class wearing a suit.
He says, "I will tell you the story of the suit as this was the second best I wanted to buy".
"There was a marriage in my house, and as the custom in India is to buy new clothes on the occasion, I decided to buy a nice suit for myself.
In the small town where I come from, there are only a few shops that sell suits. These are all readymade, and as you might be aware, getting a suit tailored is not the fashion in India.
So I and one of my more stylish friends went from one shop to another to buy a nice suit. We found a really nice piece, withing our modest budget at a shop and were pretty sure that we should buy it.
But as we had one more shops left to see, we asked the young shopkeeper, who looked like owners son, to keep it for us till tomorrow and we shall be back. He agreed.
We covered other shop and did not find anything at par with the one selected.
Next day, we went to buy the selected suit and we asked the young guy for it. He said that he has sold it to someone. His manner suggested otherwise.
As a customer, I had a feeling that he hasn't and for some reason is keeping it from me. One could be price.
As you may know, in India the retailer are free to decide the prices and if they find that something can be sold to next customer at a higher price they would like to retain the product.
That's what I thought was happening.
I offered him higher price, but he insisted he has sold. Again, the manner suggested otherwise."
The guest : "Now, I would like to ask you what would be your response in this situation."
A girl stands and says 'I would have yelled at him and he would have remembered it for his life'.
A guy stands and says 'I would have politely explained to him the importance of not loosing a customer and asked him to get me the suit'
Another student says, 'I would have asked the retailer to get another piece from the company.'
Another student , 'I would offer him higher price for the same piece.'
The guest, "All those who would like to teach the retailer a lesson in business or life, please raise your hand"
All hands go up.
The guest, "As it was marriage time at my house, I was carrying a few toffees in my pocket. I asked the young guy across the counter, do you like toffees, he said yes, so I gave him two and quietly walked out of the store."
The guest, "Some time later, I realized, I should have no interest in teaching him a lesson, I should learn my own and move on".
He turns to the board and writes
"Don't let the child in you, run your business."
Gurubhai.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Classroom lessons in Leadership - Don't loose your focus
This happened in a premier B-school in India. This school has a high focus on leadership skills and from time to time calls social, political or other leaders for guest lectures. One day it was a time for guest lecture on leadership and the class was in full attendance.
The lecturer walks in and finds the light inappropriate, he fiddles with the switches. As the classroom is large and there are many lights and their many switches, he leaves some on and some off. He walks to the board and finds only half of it is well lit. There are many dark spots in the classroom and faces of some of the students are not clearly visible.
He says, " someone please turn on on the lights".
A student from the corner of first row rises, the lecturer says, "not you, some one else".
Another from the corner of second row rises, the lecturer says again, ''not you, someone else".
Another rises from the other corner, the lecturer repeats his words.
The student behind the previous one rises and the lecturer again repeats his words. This continues for a few more students. A student from the middle of the back bench rises, the lecturer repeats, but the students comes to the stairs. The lecturer repeats again, but the student continues to come down, folding his shirt sleeves on the way. The lecturer stands in from of the students and says angrily "I told you to sit done, some one else will switch on". The student replies calmly, "I am going for a smoke".
Lecturer says "ok", turns towards the class and continues, "someone switch on the lights", another student rises, the lecturer repeats again "Not you, someone else".
The next moment, lights turn on, everyone sees towards the switchboard and find the student who was going for a smoke standing next to the switchboard. The lecturer fumes, "I told you, someone else will switch on", the student replies "Can we get on with the lecture now?".
The lecturer replies with the same calm, "Good".
The lecturer walks towards the board and starts writing. He writes:-
1) There always remain dark spots in a society/corporation, a leaders job is to switch on the lights.
2) Everyone expects, the person nearest to the switchboard will turn on the lights.
3) People at far end, assume (wrongly), that its not their job to turn on.
4) Whenever a person rises to turn on the lights, someone, higher authorities or vested interest will stop her/him.
5) A leader is fed up with the status quo or the game of someone trying and others stopping.
6) A leader will have to sidestep arguments or threats and not loose focus.
7) Find the darkness.
मुन्ना भाई
He turns towards the class and says "there's nothing more to it." and walks out.
Abhinav
08 Oct 2007
The lecturer walks in and finds the light inappropriate, he fiddles with the switches. As the classroom is large and there are many lights and their many switches, he leaves some on and some off. He walks to the board and finds only half of it is well lit. There are many dark spots in the classroom and faces of some of the students are not clearly visible.
He says, " someone please turn on on the lights".
A student from the corner of first row rises, the lecturer says, "not you, some one else".
Another from the corner of second row rises, the lecturer says again, ''not you, someone else".
Another rises from the other corner, the lecturer repeats his words.
The student behind the previous one rises and the lecturer again repeats his words. This continues for a few more students. A student from the middle of the back bench rises, the lecturer repeats, but the students comes to the stairs. The lecturer repeats again, but the student continues to come down, folding his shirt sleeves on the way. The lecturer stands in from of the students and says angrily "I told you to sit done, some one else will switch on". The student replies calmly, "I am going for a smoke".
Lecturer says "ok", turns towards the class and continues, "someone switch on the lights", another student rises, the lecturer repeats again "Not you, someone else".
The next moment, lights turn on, everyone sees towards the switchboard and find the student who was going for a smoke standing next to the switchboard. The lecturer fumes, "I told you, someone else will switch on", the student replies "Can we get on with the lecture now?".
The lecturer replies with the same calm, "Good".
The lecturer walks towards the board and starts writing. He writes:-
1) There always remain dark spots in a society/corporation, a leaders job is to switch on the lights.
2) Everyone expects, the person nearest to the switchboard will turn on the lights.
3) People at far end, assume (wrongly), that its not their job to turn on.
4) Whenever a person rises to turn on the lights, someone, higher authorities or vested interest will stop her/him.
5) A leader is fed up with the status quo or the game of someone trying and others stopping.
6) A leader will have to sidestep arguments or threats and not loose focus.
7) Find the darkness.
मुन्ना भाई
He turns towards the class and says "there's nothing more to it." and walks out.
Abhinav
08 Oct 2007
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