Wind beneath my wings....

Inspite of all the gloom & slumps, I am feeling good, after a long time!
No, I am not a bear-market guy, neither do I intend to stock up on "normally" unaffordable shares. As a matter of fact I do not have a single paise invested in any scrip.
So, why am I happy? Am I approaching senility at the young age of forty? Not really!
Let's look at the positive side of what has happened: One, hundreds of "myths" have been broken, which is always a good thing.
Thanks to the very well concerted joint efforts of skilfull industry leaders, opportunistic administrators & of course the ever-willing media, we "almost" started believing that the world has become a fantastic place to live in. We saw the picture-perfect homes & moved in, we adored the sophisticated corporate traveller getting pampered by beautiful hostesses in business-class & started flying, we were impressed by the hourglass physiques of impossibly perfect models & signed up for the gym or weight loss programmes.
We bought cutting-edge sedans with ABS & EBD to drive on the "Batter-ed roads of Gurgaon" where attainable top-speeds will never require such fancy control-gear.
We have hung mammoth flat-screens on our very public drawing rooms. These boast of Full HD capability etc., while we do not have any idea about how to stream HD content to these sticker-toting marvels!
We have also moved up to "branded" items as they "guarantee" values. Gurantee? Values?

So, it's a good thing to find the shabbily dressed vegetable-vendor looking happy, after a long time. Yes, the spanky climate-controlled retailer round the corner had to drop it's rolling shutters! Guess they were not making enough money!
It's also nice to find many governments going hammer & tongs at senior-management compensations. No, it's not because I will feel "less" privileged!
I am happy, as we have finally managed to take off the rose-tinted branded glasses & look at the world "the way it is". Nature had perfect plans for us, just like they do for other flora & fauna. Our insatiable desires & demands screwed them up...big time!
Today we are on our way back, to nature, driven back by the same greed & lust that took us away.
Smile, the world may finally become a wonderful place to live in, again!

My Cousin Vinny

Yes, I am from the Home Entertainment business.
But no, this post is not about the popular movie starring Danni De Vito!
It's neither about the striking behavioural similarities between the mafia & corporate big-shots. Wink wink!
How're they similar, you'd ask.

Well, IF you have worked or are working for an enterprise (any size), frankly answer the follwoing questions first:

1. Have you ever found some or many senior managers "related" to each other?

2. How many "management-trainees" have been siblings / sons-daughters / nephews / cousins of other employees?

3. Did you find many fresh appointments done via internal-referrals (ex-colleagues / friends / acquaintances etc.)?

4. Have you noticed any bias on "regionality" of appointees (for example mostly from South India or North India or Assam for example)?

IF even ONE answer to the above questions generate YES as your response, start thinking.

Hang on, hang on hang on!
One last qualifying question....Did you get the job by being one of the above?
IF so, check-out now....it's not for you buddy!

Otherwise, just think on the following lines:

How does it help to recruit people we know / are related to?

Can we ever be as "professional" with someone "close" to us, as with an outsider?

Is it easier to have "comfortable" people around us, more as we climb up the ladder? Why?

Do the same people keep hitching on with us, in sync?

Have any such people ever "blown the whistle" on our "greedy" manipulations or manouevres? Why not?

Do we keep favouring such people over performing outsiders?

Do we, at the same time, ease-out outsiders who may outperform & outshine our own insiders?

Are we endangering the organisational goals by tilting the cart in "our" favour?

Is professionalism getting marginalised simply because "we" have a responsibility to "look after our insiders"?

Have I by now, answered your first question, on the 4th sentence?


Does this economic mess make much more "sense" now?

Spot the Cousin Vinnies.
The world will be a safer place - without the mafias.
Hope you realise that :)