'Deleting the delay button’ -An Approach adopted by Ministry of Environment

All project leaders wish to delete the word ‘delay’. It affects project cost, worker morale, quality of completed project and industry reputation. If delay arises due to Environmental ministry, it scares them the most. Recently Prakash Javadeker, Minister of Environment & Forests said that the word ‘delay’ is deleted by his ministry by speeding up the approval process in the past three months. But this has been seen as an assault on the greens from nature conservationists. On a positive side it’s a dream come true for project leaders of national highways, hydropower, mining, irrigation, oil & gas, railways, power, defense, and manufacturing sector. Is delete button becoming synonymous with ‘Minimum Governance’?.   

But, on 25^th August 2014, Supreme Court has given the first jolt to the NDA government for altering the composition of National Board of Wildlife (NBW) and its standing Committee. An open published letter is addressed to the Prime Minister by NBW on 12^th Sep 2014. It acts as a reminder for him to make good of his own message - “Zero defect and zero effect”. Letter literally opens up the Pandora box of its own non-compliance: (1) number of current board member present (11) versus needed (47); (2) bypassing of Section 5(A) norms of Wildlife Protection Act (WPA).(3) In two sessions, 133 development projects were cleared and pronounced environmental friendly cleared out of 160 assessed. Was that a sign of superman project leader or the avoidance of fear of complexity involved in evaluating the projects.?

It’s an excellent Project leader skill to remove bottlenecks. But shortage of ecology experts in the EC panel should not be used as a safety buffer in front of bottleneck. Bottleneck is generally removed by putting more resources, leaning, standardizing, fool proofing, flexible resourcing, or job levelling etc. Whichever approach thy use, even then the required number of resources - ecology experts - is needed for evaluation, acceptance / rejection.

An insight from an operation management perspective warns of common misunderstanding between ‘removing of bottleneck’ and ‘changing of bottleneck’. Both are different. The happiness of quickly removing the bottleneck changes immediately into sorrow on seeing new bottlenecks emerging. For example, Professors are facing problems in imparting higher knowledge to undergraduate students. Especially in courses which demands knowledge of basic science and mathematics fundamentals. But unfortunately those fundamentals skills were delivered in speed in school. The school teachers can’t fail students. Why? Because the bottleneck ‘fail option’ was ‘deleted’ by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD). Result - School system has simply increased the speed of delivering skills no matter they are fit or not for college education. Schools deliberately forget that they are connected with college in this ‘value chain of education’. It seems bottleneck in developing skill is always changing its form in education sector.

Statistics on the government website (www.forestsclearance.nic.in) tells that 80 projects were submitted after 15^th July 2014 and 72 (90%) are already under examination. Another government website (environmentclearance.nic.in) that 688 projects were submitted in 2014 alone so far. On a contrasting note, if we look at the data from 2004 to 2013, on an average 1700 projects sought for environmental clearances 

(EC) every year. But only 534 projects ( 3%) got EC certificate till 4^th August 2014.  This approval rate reminds me of an event when we played musical chairs. One of the participants was the slowest. Others were eventually slowed down as rule doesn’t allow overtaking the other. Gutsy members in the heat of frustration overtook the bottleneck member. But they observed that they are still behind that slowest person. They have to break the rule again and again to be fast. But in the end, they all lost the game and miraculously the winner was the slowest participant - ‘bottleneck winner’.

Can we say that our previous Ministry office was like that bottleneck winner playing with similar strategy. The previous Ministry was crawling forward at the speed of 3 files /year. And can we say that this new Ministry office by running at a speed of 65 projects cleared / meeting, is a symbol of minimum governance. The pros and cons are many for both minimum and maximum governance but we hope that by deleting the delay button, we don’t manufacture more disasters like that of in Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir.  Demand for EC certificate is very high by all Industrialists but we should ensure that the supply of certificates should not transform into orders to Indian army to rescue during floods.

Implementing Yellow Box could face behavioural challenges on Indian roads

Many Indian drivers have yet to respect the traffic light rules. Hence, the psychological rule of Yellow box of traffic system is not introduced in India. What’s a Yellow Box or Yellow Junction? It’s a sign of self-discipline exercised by the motorists on the road. These junctions have criss-cross yellow lines painted on the road. It symbolizes that “You MUST NOT enter the box until your exit road or lane is clear. But, you may enter the box and wait when you want to turn right, and are only stopped from doing so by oncoming traffic, or by other vehicles waiting to turn right”. This rule is deeply imbibed by many European countries, UK, parts of United States and few other countries. The sole objective is to avoid gridlock and to ensure that densely populated intersections do not grind to a halt.

Currently our traffic department has started teaching Indian motorists this art of self-discipline. First comes the desire to learn rules of an art. Fear of any penalty comes second. We can see this big proof of absence of first step towards self discipline. In July 2014, fines of 1crore were collected by traffic department. Scores of driving licenses were cancelled despite media spreading the awareness campaign of traffic department. Punitive measures announced include hike in fine amounts from three to 50 folds, increases in types of fines & fine collection modes, and cancellation of license on repeat offence or reaching particular penalty points (12 pts). As I see, these fines and measures are both physical and verbal reminders for the motorists so that they can be prepared for respecting ultimate self-discipline signage - the Yellow Box. Yellow box concept is currently not in India but can see the foundations getting laid with the strong actions of traffic department. Result- motorists started shifting from their irresponsible driving to responsible driving habits-the first step towards self-discipline. Let me uncover some behavioral patterns of motorists that if understood by traffic department personnel, can be used for increasing motorists’ self-discipline.

First, Honking habit!  Honking shows that the traffic rules were not learnt. Honking is taken as an insult for motorists in countries where yellow box is a norm. On the contrary, honking is a sign that “I am a V.I.P.”. This V.I.P. habit becomes criminal when the sound of ambulance is suppressed by surrounding honks.  Sound of Ambulance is a non-verbal command meaning “give me the way”. But the honking habit has erased this sound of life to reaching out to the ears of fellow motorists. Lives could be saved if ambulance is being granted their “right of way”. Can we stop honking?

Second, CWG Corridor success! The fast-track bus corridor during Commonwealth games (CWG) of 2010 functioned efficiently in delhi. Building upon its success, the absence of green corridors (fast-track ambulance corridor) to facilitate transportation of organs from Hospital to Airport is not a far off dream. Some cities in Chennai have shown the respect for green corridor but not other parts of India. This wrongly prioritized perception of motorists needs correction. It seems we love and respect sports more than life. I don’t see why Perception managing firms or media houses can’t be roped in to influence the current perception of motorists towards honking, and green corridors. Can we?

Third, disrespect towards zebra crossing! Zebra crossing is a one-directional form of yellow box. There is acute shortage of respect of motorists towards pedestrians using zebra crossing. Respect towards zebra crossing signage will go in long run towards multi-directional yellow box signage. Indians tend to use cars due to habit, social norms, and lack of effective public transport. This lethal combination of blindness, arrogance, and frustration in many motorists prevents them from respecting pedestrians more than the traffic rules. Can Indian motorists respect these zebra crossings?

Fourth, Great Learning habit ! Indians are good learners. Chinese pedestrians while talking on mobile phone, use a special roadside made with signage without worrying about moving vehicle or open manhole. This signage system is an extended version of zebra crossing. Chinese motorists immediately learned and absorbed this new traffic signage system. Learning efforts for selfish motive are opposite to learning efforts for societal benefit. Can Indians demonstrate their world class learning prowess on roads too while driving?

These four challenges can make the dream of yellow box a distant reality. But when I see the alertness on roads in delhi, I don’t’ see why these challenges can’t be overcome. WE SHALL OVERCOME SOME DAY!

The Paradigm Constraint in Varanasi’s Smart City Project

The MoU for developing India’s first Smart City -Varanasi (Benaras / Kaashi)- utilizing Japan’s experience of their own smart city “Kyoto” is a global news. All hearts of Varanasi are praying for its quick start and completion. The operational challenges involved in building Smart city in Varanasi are similar to developing any Vanity city. According to the McKinsey Global Institute’s extensive study of global cities, by 2025, 40% of GDP contribution will come from smart cities in developing countries. China is developing its own 100 smart cities like India. At the Burning Ghats of Varanasi, before burning the body there is a ritual of smashing the skull else it will explode under the heat of flames. Similarly, if we can smash dead skull (worsening quality of life) by the bamboo of political will, it can signal the rebirth of an avatar- Smart City infusing new life.

 

Varanasi, the Spiritual capital city of India is barely breathing a quality life.  It will not be wrong if I say that most non-Varanasi, hindu visitors, come here or are being brought here to either cremate their relative or to get cremated. The foreign tourists watch this with a mixed response. For them, the holy city where the final send off is given to the Hindus, how this can be so uncivilized and in such a sad state of affairs. It should be place of omnipresent awe and wonder instead of omnipresent aah and buffalo’s dung-thunder.

 

Identifying the major constraints for the Smart city project whether physical, policy, paradigm, or market constraint is important.  The government’s objective is to put the city on the fastest route to profitability. Kyoto’s model of transformation in MoU means “what to change to”. The focused elements mentioned in MoU means “what to change”– heritage conservation, city modernization and field of art, culture and academics.

 

Signing of MoU is not a guarantee that smart city will forever remain smart unless the paradigm constraint in “what to change”-  is also highlighted or brought to light. Let the spiritual uniqueness of this holy city be reminded, amplified and magnified to locals before the smartcity projects starts. Fishes caught from far off corners of sea remains fresh in the fish market, if kept along with a baby shark in shipping containers. This ancient city also needs to place this baby shark -‘building true respect for the dead’, along with the Japanese and global infrastructural fishes that will be shipped to Varanasi in the container made of political will. Barring the airforce, army and navy community, the respect for both the death and life has not caught the fancy among civilians. Fulfilling the rituals alone is not the sign of complete respect as the whole process. Respect for death is not respect for life. Duty and love are not same. Love encompasses duty but not vice-versa.

 

This paradigm constraint looks like a paradox to an outsider but not an insider. And the unique locational advantage of Varanasi, if elevated, will definitely support in transforming its life. It shouldn’t be a totally stick & carrot approach but also a “fall in love” and “get kissed” approach. Fall in Love with life and get respectfully kissed when dead.

 

Government will-power and government itself is normally not strong. Hence the importance of policy constraint, which is now more of a strength rather a constraint. The physical constraint of uplifting the ancient city, thousands of years old, with 22,000 temples structures, will definitely act as major physical constraint. Even before its beginning, online retailers had opened their virtual market doors for giving a boost to Banaras weavers. Local real-estate agents are busy guiding Hospitality Industrialists to sign big land purchases. Is this the pre-good luck showers of Rs.7,060 crores allocated for “rejuvenating” Indian economy by building smart city here? It seems market constraint is also disappearing! Dubai is encashing upon its uniqueness now as a global shopping destination. Varanasi also can market its uniqueness.

 

One philosopher was passing through a construction site where he saw three workers working. He asked the first one, “what are you doing”. Worker replied that he was cutting stones. The philosopher moved ahead and asked the second the same question and he replied that he was working to earn bread and butter. The Third one was singing and working and upon being asked the same question, he replied that he was building the God’s Temple.

 

If kaashi can bless the dead then why can’t life be blessed by its very own human creations?

 

Crystallization of teachings of a Spiritual traveler: An Insight from RajaYoga Meditation.

Crystallization of teachings of a Spiritual traveler:

An Insight from RajaYoga Meditation.

-An Interview taken by Dr. Nitin Arora

28^th July, Manama, Bahrain: Spirituality is a way advocated by all, practiced by few and misunderstood by most. On this auspicious occasion of Eid, I had conducted an interview in the domain of Spirituality for the benefit of my readers. We are fortunate to have with us Sister(Sr.)

Sr. Ansuya
Director, Bahrain Meditation Centre

Ansuya, a meditation teacher and Director of Bahrain Meditation Centre. Bahrain Meditation Centre is located in Um Al Hassam in Bahrain,the centre is a non profit organisation which provides seminars, lectures and experiential workshops in meditation, positive values, stress free living and self management. The Centre supports individuals in recognizing their own
inherent qualities and abilities and in bringing out their inner most potential. Working at all levels of the society the centre continues to inspire change and motivation to individuals and organizations.All sessions and activities are free of cost as a service to humanity, the centre runs on voluntary donations. Today we will discuss with her the vision and the journey of meditation, the motivations to be on this journey, the barriers and many more relevant questions. I am sure the interview will generate many incredible insights and experiential clues for seekers to implement and move forward or start spiritual journey.

Arora: What is meditation?

B.K. Ansuya: By far the deepest and most direct route to relaxation is meditation. It is no accident that for over two thousand years almost every ‘wisdom path’ has featured meditation as the core practice to achieve everything from relaxation to inner peace to mystical states of enlightenment.

The purpose of helping you to learn to meditate is not to turn you into a mystic but to introduce you to the practice of meditation as a way to the deepest form of relaxation – the relaxation of spirit. The most profound calm and serenity lie at the core of our own being; we have simply lost awareness of its presence. Spirit is what we are, sometimes referred to as soul, ruh, chi and atma. We each radiate energy in the form of spiritual light. That light emanates from the core of our being, and is entirely invisible. The quality of our thoughts and feelings will be according to the quality of that light. The atmosphere in a room is the result of the collective radiance of those in a room, a building, a community and even a nation – what we sometimes call vibrations.

Meditation is the deepest and most effective way to ‘let go’ of the attachments, fears and sorrows, which distort our energy and heal the spiritual wounds of the past. Meditation is the easiest way to see and transcend old patterns of behavior, gain a true insight into eternal truths, and dissolve the blocks that have stopped us from experiencing our inner peace. Meditation helps us to master our senses, maintain our focus of inner attention and therefore remain undisturbed by external events. However, practice and perseverance is required! Then we can truly begin living as human beings and not human doing.

The point of Consciousness

Arora: Why do you need meditation? Please describe the process of Rajyoga meditation and why this specific name was chosen for this meditation?

Ansuya: From the moment you are born, your attention is directed outwards. Firstly towards your own body, as you learn how to see and touch, how to move your arms and legs. Your attention is drawn outside yourself as you learn about your family relationships. You begin to walk and talk, and your attention is drawn to the world around you as you learn how it all works and how you fit in.

Meditation reverses the direction of your focus from outwards to inwards. You turn your focus away from the world around you, back to yourself. Sometimes meditation is described as taking an inner journey. As you journey within, you discover more about yourself. You find answers to the age-old question, "Who am I?"

You begin to understand that you are more than your physical and social identity. Although these physical and social aspects are part of your life, they are not the keys to understanding who you are. In fact, thinking of yourself as only a physical body makes you value yourself according to all the external aspects, such as physical appearance, age, gender, role, position and social grouping. All these physical aspects are constantly changing, and can leave you feeling unsettled and unhappy, if that’s all you think you are.

During meditation, you start to understand that your value lies in who you are on the inside - a unique human being. Meditation is the method to link deeply to this inner identity, where your true qualities exist in abundance - peace, love, truth, happiness, freedom and contentment.

In meditation, you will sense the difference between the physical you and the non-physical you. The body is an instrument for you, the soul. When you start meditating, you gently concentrate on the soul and experience your true qualities. This empowers your daily life.

The true self is the soul. You are a soul and you have a body.
The soul is subtle energy. The soul is spiritual energy, entirely different from your physical body (the form in which you dwell). You the soul are not black or white, young or old, healthy or unwell, male or female. You, the soul, are the life force in your body.

Everything about who you are is recorded in the soul; all your memories, thoughts and feelings. All the things that are intangible are recorded within the soul, such as beliefs and attitudes, hopes and dreams, memories and habits, personality traits. 

The soul is amazing - it has the ability to store everything about you, everything that makes you who you are. In the soul is contained a record of everything you’ve seen and spoken, everything you’ve done, and every thought you’ve created from the very beginning of your life.



Raja Yoga meditation redefines the self as a soul and enables a direct connection and relationship with the Supreme Source of purest energy and highest consciousness. Raja Yoga can be translated as ‘supreme union’, or as ‘highest connection’. Every soul has a right to experience this ultimate relationship. Raja Yoga meditation helps you to be a self sovereign i.e being a master over yourself.

Arora: Can you explain the connection of meditation with religion?

B.K. Ansuya: You do not need to belong to a religion to meditate. Meditation can be practiced by anyone of any religion and also by those who do not belong to any religion. Everyone can benefit from meditation.

Arora: Does Rajyoga focus a lot on the third eye? Could you tell our readers on the importance of third eye?

B.K. Ansuya: In Rajayoga meditation third eye is nothing but eye of enlightenment, the eye of knowledge with which you can perceive spiritual reality and there is clarity in everything I think and do.

Arora: What are the barriers to meditation?

B.K. Ansuya:  Past habits and the negative traits that have been tamed for a long period of time are the real hindrances. But with power of positivity one can overcome these barriers and move forward.

Arora: What is the minimum age of doing meditation?

B.K. Ansuya: Anyone can practice meditation irrespective of age.

Arora: What is human mind and why it is labeled as flickering entity? What is the importance of heart?

B.K. Ansuya: Every soul has three separate faculties, which are inherent in all human beings irrespective of place of birth. Just as electrical energy produces warmth, sound or light depending on the device through which it passes, similarly, the energy of consciousness functions through three different but closely connected faculties, referred to respectively by the terms mind, intellect, and personality.

The Mind: With the power of the mind, one imagines, thinks and forms ideas. Thoughts are created in the mind. The thought process is the basis of all emotions, desires and sensations. It is through the minds that, in an instant, thoughts reach anywhere, a memory can be relived and the feeling of happiness or sadness is experienced. The metaphysical mind should not be confused with the heart, the physical organ that maintains blood circulation.

The Intellect: Thoughts are processed and interpreted by the intellect. This is the faculty, which understands. The capacity to understand is perhaps the single most crucial ability of the soul. Clear understanding of anything is possible when the intellect becomes broad, deep and farsighted through the regular study of spiritual knowledge and the disciplined practice of meditation. The intellect also reasons, memorizes, discriminates and makes decisions. The non–physical intellect should not be confused with the physical brain, which is the physical focus of the nervous system. The brain is the soul’s control panel; it provides the facilities for the soul’s expression.

The Subconscious mind: Any action once performed leaves an impression on the soul. Habits, temperaments and tendencies are all embedded in the soul (as images, feelings, sounds, trains of thought, etc.) as a result of every action performed. The most fundamental feature of every soul, its personality, is determined by such stored impressions. These impressions, formed in the past, are the reservoir, which we draw upon, often sub–consciously, as our source of thoughts and actions in the present.

Arora: What is the importance of Out of Body experiences (OBEs) in support of realizing soul consciousness?

B.K. Ansuya: It has been observed that some people have OBEs. In Rajayoga meditation one practices the awareness of the inner being, so the experience of being a spiritual being and experiencing the core values of the self is a very natural and one does not need to have a OBE for that. 

Arora: What is the significance of chakras.?

B.K. Ansuya:Rajyogameditation is the practice of inner awareness and connection with Higher source, those who excel in this practice are the true Yogis who have the power of mind over matter and for them naturally all the chakras are open and there is no conscious effort nor identity of chakras involved.

Arora: What is the meaning of Om Shanti?

B.K. Ansuya:The full greeting is “OM Shanti”. OM means I’m a Soul, the spiritual being and Shanti means Peace. OM Shanti means I’m soul and embodiment of peace. Soul’s true nature is peace.

Arora: What kind of seekers finds difficulties in following your instructions?

B.K. Ansuya: The true difficulty is not in understanding but in practice. Practice and practice and practice, Awareness and awareness and awareness is the answer.

Arora: Would you give some message to our readers who have potential to be seekers but have yet not started their journey to discover their real self.

B.K. Ansuya: The path of Rajyoga is an interesting path to experience truth and I encourage everyone to try this journey of meditation to bring true peace, happiness and love in life.

Key Insights from Crystallization happening in Trading of Packaging Solutions for the Petrochemical Industry

Mr. Mohammed Jheir,
Jheir Trade Services Co.

Bahrain, 19^th June 2014: Crystallization is a tedious process of formation of solid crystals. In trading context, crystallization indicates process of keeping customers intact in today’s competitive customer driven business. This interview will look for essential insights in trading business from the perspective of Mr. Mohammed Jheir, Owner, Jheir Trade Services Co.(www.jheirco.com). The Co.is a family business and is into trading and consultancy services & plastic packaging solutions for the petrochemical industry.

Arora: What one major change you have witnessed that has shaped your specific trading services (packaging products for petrochemical Industry)?

Jheir: Shipment volume Size and plastic bag thickness. Bulk shipments, is when product is loaded directly in container using container liners, and loads of around 20 tons. 10 -20 years ago the world was not ready with infra-structure needed to load / unload bulk shipments, today it’s possible. On other hand, plastic bags thickness is being reduced to as low as 100 microns, and the bags are maintaining strength this was result of new polymers developments, This trend of increasing strength and size is what crystallized trend in our trading services is.

Arora: How do you explain on having successfully formed a ‘heart connection with customers’ ?

Jheir: Heart connection is the core! Nowadays on internet you can find any product, check price, buy it online from anywhere, and most critical, you may find alternatives and choices. But it’s only a good relationship with client will that differentiate a company from other. You have to prove that you really care about your client’s business growth. We had supported our clients by suggesting them alternative solutions even cheaper ones with fewer returns to us. This is honesty and real care. If this alternative solution helps them without compromising the quality, they will be happier and will remain connected with us for long. Some traders will not act like we act.

In trading business if you can demonstrate real honesty and care then even the trade barriers will not affect your business. Pricing will not be the only comparison factors in getting the order. Further, the client will always come back to you for not only for our core business but also for seeking recommendation for its other problems too. Repeat customers may not have heart connection with us. They just like our services. We have handful of customers, 10-15 only. If you lose one customer, you lose a big chunk of our client base. Good relationship is and will remain the core of our trading business.

Arora: What do you see as organizational strength that helps achieving an immortal status (self-sustaining for long) ?

Jheir: The customer can call me anytime 24x7 and even on public holidays. All my employees know that if customer calls them and if they don’t reply they know that they are in trouble. It’s common sense. We are not selling rocket science. If we don’t respond to them urgently, someone else will do. And this strength of ours is real only if it comes from our customer side.

Arora: How do you define your business lifeline? Do you see it even going to zero?

Jheir: Packaging industry will never die. But our business may stop if we deliver bad services. This is why we are diversifying into manufacturing some of our traded solutions and adding more products to our core portfolio. New competitors are inevitable who may reduce our margins and profit. This can happen.  

Arora: Is there a space for innovation in your company?

Jheir: Innovation in our business comes in our consultancy business but not in trading. It is not easy to change our product specifications or values, because customers use our product on their machines that are not easy to change setting frequently. Our manufacturing project, which is going to start very soon, will be manufacturing innovative products that satisfy our clients’ specific needs. And we will be the first one to do it in GCC.

Arora:  What are your organizational ‘possessed predictable-intelligence’?

Jheir: The network !

When the customers know that you are doing you level best to sell, deliver for them good quality products, they will trust you and then will cooperate and support you when you have a problem, which is normal with the size of business we do where chances of mistakes is there.  8 out of 10 mistakes could be resolved with good will cooperation between customer and supplier.  

Arora: What is that ‘unpredictable intelligence’ that you are eager to capture?

Jheir: Finance. With the team and knowledge I have, and can add when and if needed, in company I can execute any task. The progress and expansions however requires financing, which should be planned in way not to affect the ongoing business.  Banks do not finance unless you develop credit history, which leaves us the choice of financers.

Arora: Is your ‘possessed predictable intelligence’ sufficient enough to capture the ‘unpredictable a

Jheir: With Possessed intelligence I can continue as is. But this increases the risk of zero level on long run. With the financial crisis hitting the world regularly customers are becoming more price sensitive, and with the world trade organizations the market is becoming wide open to new competitors to our local markets.  If we do not diversify and expand into new projects, our profit margins will be reduced gradually to reach zero level.

Arora: What frightens your Organization the most?

Jheir: Our business is coming from one sector and has few customers only. If an earthquake (God forbid) hits jubail the main petrochemical zone in region, or Saudi Arabia stops oil manufacturing, or if war happens in region, our business becomes zero same day. We are therefore diversifying to avoid this fear factor that is embedded due to the nature of our business.

Arora: How does chaos look like in your work / Industry?

Jheir: I don’t have unmanaged chaos in my normal business. We sell high quality products, so customer returns and product damages are covered even by insurance or by a win-win resolution to problems.

The real chaos is force majeure that is causes beyond our control like war, political unrest, and other similar reasons where solution is out of our reach.   

Arora: What action is majorly taken after the completion of production if the complaints w.r.t. quality of product is received from the clients?

Jheir:  Hamdullah, so far we have not faced even one problem like you asked. In the first place, we make sure that we select good suppliers for our solutions and products and we strictly adhere to product qualifying process. Our employees conduct quality check visit at our global suppliers location to avoid the future problems. Not everything coming from China is of low quality. They also make high quality products. We just want to ensure that we are always standing next to our customers at the time of their disaster. If my product (whose worth is say 10000 riyals) fails the extent of damage to my customer could go to 2 million riyals or more. So if any problem happens, we first make sure we resolve the problem and provide alternative solutions to the customer so they continue their business. Other issues like returning the defective products, etc. could be done later. First solve the problem of client. Product insurance covers most of such situation else I simply can’t afford to have a problem of this scale that might arise due to product failure.

Arora:  What does harmony mean for you in your work and personal life? What you do to maintain it?

Jheir: Personal Life v/s Business. Till I am 50, I consider myself I am still in a building process where 80% of my time is allocated to business and 20% allocated to personal life. Later on,  this time allocation will start switching in favor of personal life where more time is allocated to my personal hobbies, family as business will take care of my expenses and lifestyle. Chaos is a part of professional harmony. I have been working now for 27 years, 13 of them as self-employed, I still a beginner in many aspects and avenues of business.

Other harmony is among my business team. My employees are like my family this is no cliché, One day, when my coffee boy told me that he had his first baby boy, I hugged him and we cried together of joy. Employees have to know that it is their company. I am sure that if I am away from the company for weeks, the company will run the same way as it is. I don’t interfere in their work. They take their own expert decisions. When they are stuck at some point / situation, they come to me and I take the necessary hard decisions. This coordination between employees and my decision makes professional harmony possible.

At time of chaos, and I really have a tough time, I do three things. First, I fix my relation with God by way of doing prayers and doing charity. Second, I do lot of sports to release the tensions. Third, I entertain myself, by listening to music and or watching movies alone. I listen to hard rock music like Deep purple or Scorpion. It gives me a good memory of my old college time and makes me feel good and fresh. When the music is loud in home they know it’s a sign that I have hard time, they get away from me. Even my wife! This helps me to forget about the problem and then I relax and start thinking about the solutions for the problem. Every problem has a solution and by keeping away from that checkmate type of mindset is what is needed to get back to my harmony state.

Arora: How your harmony can influence your employees, clients and personal life?

Jheir: My mood affects my employees’ performance and all the office atmosphere. The way I dress for example of Thursday it is casual, and good mood, everyone is affected and happy. When I am in really bad mood, my employees approach and try to be helpful and give suggestions this Harmony between myself and the employees in company is because we are very close. My employees feel happy and at home when they share their personal details with me. A way to identify successful companies is how they manage problem, chaos, bad moods, etc. If employees can step forward and handle the blame or they just roll the blame to others. My employees feel the pain more than me when they lose an order. I am proud of it. And this kind of feeling of employee is more precious to me which indicates their bonding with the company. This strong bonding will ensure that harmony will be restored any time it is lost.

Arora: What technical skills young business undergraduate / postgraduate business students should develop to be successfully recruited in your trading business?

Jheir: for the manufacturing project I need Industrial engineers, mechanical engineers etc. For my trading I need more of business management staff. After all, today’s technologies & software knowledge is as essential, such as MS office, reporting skills, presentation skills that are essential for communication among their own team and others.

Arora: What soft skills young business undergraduate / postgraduate students should develop to be successfully recruited in your trading business?

Jheir: Ethical and Behavioral skills. The candidate should know when to admit mistakes, and when to step forward in case other party did the mistake, customers are humans and do make mistakes, by time the customers will realize that it was not arrogance at all.

List of previous published articles

1. Arora, N (2014). Key Insights from Crystallization happening in Psychiatry Services. An Interview with Dr. Abdul Kareem Mustafa, Consultant Psychiatrist, Ibn Al Nafees Hospital, Bahrain (Interview Date: 16^th June 2014)

2. Arora, N. (2014) Key Insights from Crystallization happening in Advisory Services. An Interview with Mr. Adnan Fareed, Senior Financial Consultant, Talal Abu Ghazaleh Organization, Bahrain. (Interview Date: 10^th June 2014)

3. Arora, N (2014); Crystallization of SpaceTime: An exploratory Mystical insights for Business. The Proposed model.