Happy Diwali Friends

Have a safe & Green Diwali!

Did you know that diyas lit on the moonless Diwali night signifies the end of darkness of ignorance and the beginning of light that enlightens all? Well, this Diwali enlighten yourself towards the hazards that boisterous celebrations of Diwali poses to our environment.

This articles endeavours to sensitise the readers towards celebrating an environmentally safe Diwali by pointing out the major impacts that Diwali has on our environment. It is hoped that this articles will encourage you to celebrate a green Diwali, where there will be an explosion of joy without crackers!

How to celebrate an Eco Sensitive Diwali?
Now, that you are interested in celebrating an Eco - Sensitive Diwali, the first thing that you need to do is to make yourself aware about the effects the traditional Diwali celebrations has on the Mother Nature. Given below are three major environmental impacts that Diwali Festival have on our environment.
Air Pollution through Firecrackers
Excessive Consumerism
High Energy Consumption
1. Air Pollution through Firecrackers - "Say 'No' to Fire crackers and 'Yes' to life!"
For most people lighting of firecrackers is the highlight of Diwali. Brighter the sparkles, louder the noise the greater the thrill!! In fact to many of us, these aesthetic forms of light seem so appropriate and most essential when celebrating the 'Festival of Lights'.

But little do people realize that in our increasingly populated and polluted cities, the temporary joy of watching the firecrackers is soon replaced by the intense air pollution caused by these. The toxic substances used in the firecrackers release toxic gases that are harmful to the health of all living beings. The high level of noise generated by the crackers cause immense suffering to birds and animals. Besides, Diwali crackers are dreaded by the sick and the ailing.

Sadly, few of us realise that the firecrackers used on Diwali are mostly made by very young children. Since the substances being handled are extremely toxic many of these child labourers get sick and die in their early teenage years.

Harmful effects of Chemicals used in crackers
Let's do a little analysis of crackers and list out in actual terms the harmful effects posed by each of its chemicals.

Chemical and its imapact
Copper: Irritation of respiratory tract
Cadmium: Anemia and damage to kidney
Lead: Affects the nervous system
Magnesium: Its dust and fumes cause metal fume fever
Sodium: Reacts violently with moisture and can attack the skin.
Zinc: Leads to vomiting
Nitrate: Could lead to mental impairment
Nitrite: Could lead to coma

Noise Pollution caused by Fire CrackersCrackers that make a noise of more than 125 decibels at four metres distance from the point of bursting are banned by the law. Given here are the hazards posed by excessive noise pollution caused by crackers:
Hearing loss, high blood pressure, heart attack and sleeping disturbances.
Sudden exposure to loud noise could cause temporary deafness or permanent relative deafness.
2. Excessive Consumerism An indirect but equally significant impact of Diwali on nature is due to the increased consumption. Since Diwali is also a celebration of abundance and wealth - many people believe that it is a good time to buy. Often, people go out and buy new items even when they don't need them. Advertisements and hoardings scream out to people offerings sales extravaganzas, bargains, discounts encouraging us to buy more and more!

How does this increased consumption affect Nature? A point to realize is that all man made items are made out of materials that come from Nature. Be it plastic, metal, paper or cloth - all of these raw materials come directly from nature. Those sources that are non renewable (cannot be grown back) such as fossil fuels and metal ores get depleted and will one day run out. Depletion of non renewable natural resources is one of the most significant impact of consumerism.

For instance, the gold earrings that you will buy on Diwali is coming from a gold mine that is not only depleting the gold resources of the earth, but in the process of mining is probably ruining several ecosystems.

A question to ponder at this stage is, where do all the things we throw away go finally? Solid waste created by human beings which is non biodegradable (does not easily decompose) has to be filled into holes dug up in the ground. These 'landfills' as they are called may exist for centuries without completely getting integrated into the soil. The plastic toys that you are throwing away today, may exist in a landfill several generations after yours!

Five Principles of Nature conservationTo be able to conserve our natural environment it is important to keep in the following principles -
Reduce : the amount of things we use
Reuse : the things we have in different forms until we have absolutely no use for them
Recycle : items that are no longer functional.
Rethink: the choices we make when deciding to buy something and
Refuse : things that we do not need at all.
So this Diwali, before you buy something new apply the above five principles and only then pay at the counter!

3. High Energy Consumption: The festival of lights puts a considerably heavy load on electrical energy sources that are already overloaded. The use of electric lights to adorn homes, business establishments, monuments and roads requires a huge amount of electricity. The older tradition of burning oil lamps is a possible alternative to electric lights - even though it does use oil, the duration of the lamps is shorter.

Eco sensitive Initiatives around Diwali
With the growing recognition of the impacts of Diwali on the environment, several groups have started to reinterpret the rituals and traditions to become more sensitive to nature. For instance, the children of NCL school, Pune celebrate a different Diwali by sharing clothes with the lesser privileged.

5 Whys

Quickly Getting to the Root of a Problem

The 5 Whys is a simple problem-solving technique that helps you to get to the root of a problem quickly. Made popular in the 1970s by the Toyota Production System, the 5 Whys strategy involves looking at any problem and asking: "Why?" and "What caused this problem?"
Very often, the answer to the first "why" will prompt another "why" and the answer to the second "why" will prompt another and so on; hence the name the 5 Whys strategy.
Benefits of the 5 Whys include:
It helps you to quickly determine the root cause of a problem.

Reference: Mindtools.com
It's simple, and easy to learn and apply.
How to Use the Tool:
When you're looking to solve a problem, start at the end result and work backward (toward the root cause), continually asking: "Why?" You’ll need to repeat this over and over until the root cause of the problem becomes apparent.

Note:
The 5 Whys technique is a simple technique that can help you quickly get to the root of a problem. But that is all it is, and the more complex things get, the more likely it is to lead you down a false trail. If it doesn't quickly give you an answer that's obviously right, then you may need to use a more sophisticated problem solving technique such as Root Cause Analysis or Cause and Effect Analysis.

Example:
In this example, the problem is that your client, Hinson Corp., is unhappy. Using the 5 Whys, you go through the following steps to get to the cause of the problem:
Why is our client, Hinson Corp., unhappy? Because we didn't deliver our services when we said we would.
Why were we unable to meet the agreed-upon timeline or schedule for delivery? The job took much longer than we thought it would.
Why did it take so much longer? Because we underestimated the complexity of the job.
Why did we underestimate the complexity of the job? Because we made a quick estimate of the time needed to complete it, and didn't list the individual stages needed to complete the project.
Why didn't we do this? Because we were running behind on other projects. We clearly need to review our time estimation and specification procedures.

Key Points:
The 5 Whys strategy is an easy and often-effective tool for uncovering the root of a problem. Because it's simple, you can adapt it quickly and apply it to almost any problem.
Bear in mind, however, that if it doesn't prompt an intuitive answer, you may need to apply other problem-solving techniques.

Working with Lazy People

Motivating Idle Colleagues

Do you work with people who don't "pull their weight"?
Perhaps he wastes a large part of the day playing games, or talking to friends on the phone. Or, maybe he takes extra-long breaks, and he's happy just to do the very minimum to get by.
If you work with a colleague like this, then you know how frustrating it can be. Working with someone who's lazy is always a personal challenge, but it can also lower the productivity and morale of everyone else in the office.
However, if you're not that person's boss, is there anything that you can do? Do you simply have to tolerate this "rogue," or should you confront the situation head on?

Your Options
If you have a lazy co-worker in your midst, you'll probably have several options.
Your first option is to ignore the situation and go about your business. If the lazy colleague isn't causing you problems in any way, this might be the best option.
Sure, it's annoying and unfair that she's getting away with only doing a fraction of the work. But eventually, her poor performance is going to catch up with her. In the meantime, let it go - focus on doing your own great work, and making sure that you get the recognition that you deserve.
However, if your colleague's idleness is having a negative impact on your work, or that of your team mates, then you need to take action.
So another option is to pick up the work your colleague isn't doing. This will take care of neglected tasks, but it's only going to add to your stress and frustration, since you're now doing her job as well.
Letting your co-worker continue with her bad work habits could also cause a negative impact on your, or your team's, reputation.
Your last, and likely best, option is to get assertive and take direct action to stop her being so lazy. We'll look at several approaches to doing this.

Open a Dialogue
Begin by meeting your co-worker privately.
First, explain how her actions are affecting you and your other team members. Cite specific dates or situations that will trigger her memory - be as detailed as you can here.
For instance, if she was supposed to prepare a presentation for last week's meeting and missed the deadline, then let her know that you had to stay late to complete her work. Making her see that her actions (or lack thereof) are having a personal affect on you can drive the message home.
This can be a difficult conversation to have, but be respectful and polite throughout, and try to avoid getting emotional or angry.
If you're nervous or unsure what you're going to say, then try role playing to prepare for this meeting. You might also want to brush up on your communication skills to make sure you can get your point across confidently and assertively.
If your co-worker regularly dumps her own responsibilities onto you, then it's time this behavior stopped. Let her know firmly that you're not going to cover for her, or take on her tasks, any longer. Stress that if her behavior doesn't change, you'll have no choice but to go to your boss.
Your co-worker might not respond positively to this conversation. So, to prepare for this, you might want to learn more about how to deal with difficult people. If things get heated, end the conversation and walk away - nothing productive will come from arguing.

Tip:
Keep a private note of everything that you do and why you're doing it. If your co-worker makes a fuss about what you're doing, you need to be able to defend yourself!

Listen Actively
You may think your co-worker is simply lazy, or that she just doesn't care.
But there might be another reason why she's not performing. Perhaps she's not in the right role and feels overwhelmed by her tasks. She might not know a certain task is her responsibility, or she might not have the skills needed to do her job effectively.
Or, she could be dealing with stressful issues such as a personal or family illness, divorce, or troubles with her children.
Ask her to explain her side of the story, and listen actively to what she has to say. You might be surprised to find out that there's more than meets the eye. Sometimes, just being willing to listen can make a big difference.
The Invisible Manager
Another strategy you can use is to help a lazy colleague in a subtle way. That is, you can delicately shape his behavior and motivation without him realizing what you're doing.
For example, if you think that your co-worker is unmotivated because he isn't in the right role, ask him what he'd enjoy doing. Then, try to pass along projects and tasks that would fall under his ideal role. You could also loan him books or articles that would help him develop professionally. This can get him excited about what he's doing, and improve his morale.
You can also help him to discover how to work with purpose and find new meaning in what he's currently doing. Or, you could use a well-respected tool like Schein's Career Anchors to help your colleague to find inspiration and direction in the work that he's currently doing.
When your co-worker does step up and do a good job, then recognize his efforts. Often, compliments and thanks from team members can be more gratifying than those from the boss.


Consulting Your Boss
If, in spite of your best efforts, your colleague won't improve or change, and if her laziness is still causing problems for you or your team, then you might have to speak with your boss.
Before you do this, remind your colleague again that you'll have no choice but to go to your boss if her behavior doesn't change.
In the meantime, make a note of exactly what your co-worker is (or isn't) doing. If she spends two hours at lunch and doesn't make up the time, write this down. If she's making personal calls, or surfing the Internet, write down the times and any other relevant information.
You may want to do this over a period of a few weeks to gather enough evidence, and give your colleague a further chance to improve her behavior.
If there's still no improvement, arrange to meet with your boss. Explain the situation clearly and honestly, and detail the steps that you've taken to get your co-worker to change. Again, try to keep emotion and drama out of the conversation.
You'll also want to bring any records you have that prove that your co-worker has been shirking her duties.
Then, hand the situation over to your boss completely. After all, you've now done all you can.

Key Points
Working with a lazy colleague can be a challenging and frustrating experience. Lazy co-workers who don't work to the best of their ability can damage the morale of the entire team, and even cause negative repercussions in your own career.
Usually, your first step will be to meet with your colleague in private. Let him know how his poor performance is impacting your own work. You can also try to help him by subtly changing his motivation and behavior.
If, however, this approach doesn't work after you've given him several chances to improve, you'll need to hand the problem over to your boss. It's their responsibility to handle staff issues, once you've done all that you can.
Reference: MindTools

Steve Jobs: Life and Leadership Lessons

By Tony Bradley, PCWorld

Steve Jobs has passed away. The man was a unique genius who transformed the world because he believed he could.

I never met him. I never saw him in person. I never spoke to him on the phone. I have never owned a Mac. In fact, I never owned any Apple product until I got the iPhone 3GS a couple years ago. Yet, I respected the man and his genius, and I am deeply saddened by the loss.


Steve Jobs changed the world, because he was crazy enough to believe he could.
Compared with other writers like Walt Mossberg or Brian Lam, I feel a bit unworthy to even write about Steve Jobs. Imagine being the relative new kid on the block among entertainment writers when Michael Jackson died.

The reality is that even if you have never owned an Apple product, Steve Jobs has affected your life. In tribute, here are some lessons I think we can all learn from Steve Jobs' brief but brilliant life.

Think Different

"Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes…the ones who see things differently--they’re not fond of rules. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things--they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do."

"A lot of companies have chosen to downsize, and maybe that was the right thing for them. We chose a different path. Our belief was that if we kept putting great products in front of customers, they would continue to open their wallets."

Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish

"Innovation has nothing to do with how many R&D dollars you have. When Apple came up with the Mac, IBM was spending at least 100 times more on R&D. It’s not about money. It’s about the people you have, how you’re led, and how much you get it."

Lead from the Front

"You can’t just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they’ll want something new."

"It's not about pop culture, and it's not about fooling people, and it's not about convincing people that they want something they don't. We figure out what we want. And I think we're pretty good at having the right discipline to think through whether a lot of other people are going to want it, too. That's what we get paid to do."

Strive for Perfection

"When you're a carpenter making a beautiful chest of drawers, you're not going to use a piece of plywood on the back, even though it faces the wall and nobody will ever see it. You'll know it's there, so you're going to use a beautiful piece of wood on the back. For you to sleep well at night, the aesthetic, the quality, has to be carried all the way through."

Love What You Do

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle."

Take these lessons and apply them to your life--personally and professionally. Play to win. Playing not to lose is a poor strategy that generally backfires. Once you stop setting new goals to strive for, and instead just try to protect your lead, your strategy becomes too timid and leads to stagnation and decline.

You still have today. What will your legacy be?

Most Trusted Brands 2011: Coca-Cola versus Pepsi, the tussle for cola marketing

While on a market visit in rural UP, towards the end of 2009, the Coca-Cola India & South West Asia, president, Atul Singh observed that there were pockets with intermittent or no electricity connectivity, which meant that selling the beverage chilled, was a task.

While the eutectic coolers were already there, freezers specially designed and developed for the places where power shutdown is for longer duration up to 10 hrs, the bigger issue was selling chilled cola in areas with no supply of electricity.

The brief was given to the technical team and solar coolers were created, that have been piloted in rural Agra for now. While the coolers' solar power could help the rickety shop remain open much longer even after dark; in addition it had a mobile charging unit, which led to many walk-ins. Result: sales went up nearly 5 times in the areas where this concept was tested.

This bottom-up innovation, once rolled out on a large scale, is likely to be exported to other markets also. Innovation has been something that the cola brands have been trying to incorporate in a very big way, be it in distribution or packaging or formulation or in the branding.

The year has been particularly a good one for Coca-Cola. In Brand Equity's Most Trusted Brands survey 2011 Coca-Cola has moved up from 23rd position(overall rank in MTB 2010) to 11th position this year. In the beverage (cold) category, it has emerged as the winner followed by Thums Up (overall -16, last year - 20), Mirinda (overall -19, last year - 56), Pepsi (overall - 21, last year - 15) and 7 Up (overall - 25, last year - 52) as the Top 5 players.

Noteably the top two brands in the category are from the Coke stable, with rival Pepsico taking the next three places. Excitedly Anupama Ahluwalia, VP - marketing, Coca-Cola India & SWA elaborates on the brand Coca-Cola's performance for the year, "The focus has been on building brand-love through our brand campaigns, undertaking relevant social causes and campaigns to help build an enduring social component into the brand and create unique brand properties like Coke Studio."

Some of their marketing initiatives like the 'Shadow' campaign, the 'Invisible bottle' campaign, the 'Brrr' campaign were integrated with on-ground activations to create buzz. For instance the 'Shadow' campaign was first released to consumers on mobile phones and 400,000 people downloaded and got an exclusive preview of the campaign before it hit mass media.

The carbonated drinks market touted to be worth nearly Rs 10,500 crores of which nearly Rs 4,000 crores is the cola segment has been among the most active battlefields for marketers. Be it the global behemoths like Coca-Cola and Pepsi or the Indian-born big daddy Thums Up, all are vying constantly for the consumers' wallet-share through a slew of marketing initiatives across mediums.