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Showing posts with label Management Student's Corner. Show all posts

Technology is the much needed Oxygen for sustainable business model in today's competitive world!

Representative Image: Pexels

Technology has impacted our lives in a way that today, our lives thrive on technology. We barely can think of tracing our footsteps backwards. With the advancement in Artificial Intelligence in every walk of our life - right from smart watches to smart door locks to robotic vacuum cleaners and of course the cloud kitchen concept, one can predict the power of technology in business.

Analyzing the above changes in the external business environment, one can gauge that having a mere specialized degree in Management (or any other stream) is not adequate but having a fine blend of technical soundness along with those degrees would go a long way in building a sustainable career. Having said that, here's how fresher's can integrate Management & Technology to have a sustainable career:

Monitoring the Trends Over the Years: A thorough sectoral & specialization analysis is what one should be starting with. Be it HR, Marketing or Finance - every specialization in every sector has undergone a dramatic change over the past years. Moreover, the pandemic has changed the business dynamics remarkably!

Upgrading your Knowledge & Skills: For example, it is imperative for everyone in the field of Marketing & Sales to know how to run digital marketing campaigns. Everyone in Finance, should know how trading is done online and how technology plays a vital role in all financial transactions. Everyone in HR, should know how HR uses technology to manage employee life cycle & HR activities.

Getting Certifications through Short Term Courses: Learning is a lifelong process and to avoid stagnation, plenty of short term courses are available at a throwaway price on various recognized e-learning platforms such as Udemy, Coursera, Skillshare, Upgrad etc. For example, if you go on any of these websites and search in your field of specialization, you will find many industry specific & job centric short term courses that are relevant in today's time. These courses can supplement your regular college degrees.

Participating in Events & Webinars: Events & webinars by renowned speakers from the industry, presents a glimpse of the corporate scenario along with exchange of ideas. It's a powerful tool to get acquainted with your field of specialization and helps in building contacts.

Using Social Media for your Benefit: Social media platforms like LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram to name a few can help in understanding the current trends in your area of specialization. So use it to your advantage.

Hunt for Internships: Internships are short term but gives an immense exposure to the practical nature of the job in real time. So, hunt it and grab the opportunity that comes your way.

Happy Learning & Prospering! 😊

Ma'am, should I take up Marketing or Finance? Which elective has better career prospects? Will I get a job in a bank if I take up finance? Is Marketing all about sales?

Many such questions I get from inquisitive minds every year who are pursuing management studies and are about to embark on the journey of their career. Many are naïve to the extent that they fail to understand that Marketing & Sales are two different fields and so is Finance & Accounting.

Representative Image: Pexels

To begin with, Mumbai University offers 3 electives namely Finance, Marketing and Human Resource from the third semester that is from the 2nd year of Bachelors of Management Studies program. But out of these three electives, most of the colleges offer only two electives (due to some constraints) to their students that is Marketing and Finance. Every elective offers a good career path and growth in their respective industry. Hence, it is very wrong to think that any particular specialization is superior to the other or vice versa.

Points One Should Consider Before Selecting An Elective:

Analyze your Strengths & Weaknesses to figure out your Area of Interest: This can be analyzed through self introspection. Spend a good amount of time in understanding your strengths & weaknesses. Some of the basic strengths could be creativity (out of the box thinking), analytical, adaptable, flexible, good communication skills, networking, strategic outlook, go getter attitude etc. Try to map these strengths across your area of interest in terms of work and career.

Understand the type and nature of jobs offered by every specialization: Some of the job categories that one can explore in Marketing domain are Market Research, Digital Marketing, Graphic Designing, Advertising (Copywriting & Content Creation), Public Relations, Corporate Communication, Brand Management, Business Development & Sales, Event Management etc. Please understand the nature of the job by going through their job descriptions on various search engine platforms like Google or YouTube.

Some of the job categories that one can explore in Finance domain are Stock Markets, Equity Research Analyst, Financial Analyst, Investment Banking, Portfolio Management, Wealth Advisors, Corporate Financing, Commercial Banking, Venture Capitalist etc. Please understand the nature of the job by going through their job descriptions on various search engine platforms like Google or YouTube.

Match your Area of Interest to the Jobs in every Specialization: After going through the job descriptions for the above profiles, ask yourself - "in which profile would you enjoy working the most?" You can gauge this by matching it with your area of interest. Let the choice of your specialization be NOT based on the MONETARY factor alone because JOB SATISFACTION is more important than money and money will follow once you give your best in any job. Also, most of the entry level jobs in all of these specialization offer almost similar CTC with certain terms & conditions specific to an organization.

Network with experts in that field to get insights: The best way to get industry insights on the career field of your choice is to talk to your seniors or friends & family members in that industry. Also, LinkedIn is a powerful tool to connect with industry experts from your domain.

Try to map a career path for yourself: After having an exposure to a lot of information from all the above sources, skim the information to devise a career blueprint for yourself. Seek help from your seniors, mentors, professors and industry experts if required.

Keep yourself updated with your field of specialization: Just having a degree is not the end but it is just the beginning! Keep enhancing your knowledge by attending domain specific webinars, events, guest lectures etc. Keep updating yourself with domain specific short term courses or by taking up some internship projects. Internship is the best way to get an early exposure to the field of your interest.

Here's hoping you'll make the right career choice for yourself. 😊

Giving effective Powerpoint Presentations is an Art that can be mastered through time and practice.

In my last blogpost, I had covered PowerPoint Prerequisites (Part 1). And as promised, here is Part 2 - Points to remember while giving effective PowerPoint Presentations. I have listed down 10 basic points which are good to go with a power packed - effective presentation!

Representative Image-Pexels

Rehearse: I say 'Rehearse' and NOT 'By Heart'. Whether it is a group presentation or an individual presentation, don't ever forget to run through your slides and rehearse it. You maybe an excellent orator or you maybe be completely naïve to the concept of giving formal presentations; whatever the case might be, be ready with your content to speak for those pointers on the slide with examples wherever possible.
Dress for Success: Since most of the presentations are a formal affair, dress up in the right formal attire. Also, try to pick up right formal shades for your formal attire. Dark blues, grey, black & white and some pastel shades are some of the formal shades that one must always have in the wardrobe.
Appear Confident: You are NEVER completely dressed until you wear your confidence. So remember to wear confidence as your 'ACCESSORY' always. Appearing confident helps you to conquer half the battle.
Greeting & Introduction Etiquette: Greet the audience in the room with a smile and introduce your self & group members (if at all a group presentation). Also, have a nice short introduction ready for your topic before you dive into the slides. You can get a lil' creative here in order to create interest amongst your audience.
Eye Contact: Maintain proper eye contact with everyone in the room. This will help in drawing attention from the audience to a great extent thereby making them active listeners.
Body Language: Body language consists of all those gestures, postures, facial expressions and paralanguage. Try to moderate it with a conscious mind. Ensure that your gestures are not too loud and the other aspects of your body language are not over shadowing your presentation content.
Don't just read the slides: Remember that it is not a news reading task. Hence, refrain from just merely reading the slides but try to explain the points from the slide in your own words with quotes, anecdotes or examples wherever possible. Also, avoid having any written content in your hand.
Time Management: Ensure that you are well informed about the time allotted for your presentation and plan your slides and content in tandem with that time. Don't rush with your speaking as it may cause you to stammer at times. So pay attention to the clarity of your speech as well.
Avoid fillers in your speech: Fillers are those small pauses that many people often use between words such as ums, uhs and ers just to decide what to say next.
Showing Gratitude towards the Audience: Conclude the presentation and show your gratitude towards the audience by thanking them for their time as well as listening patiently. At this time, you can also, invite questions from the audience if any.

Here's wishing you best of luck! :)

Making an attractive power point presentation is an art as well as a learnt skill!

Having groomed batches of Management students over a decade in PowerPoint making (as presentations form an integral part of their marking pattern), it feels nice to see these young and enthusiastic minds transform and master the art of beautiful slide making! Watching them present it with confidence and overcoming their stage fear is truly commendable! At the end of their three year degree journey, when they come and thank us all for these and being so strict with them, we take pleasure in giving a contented smile! 😊

Representative Image: Pexels

So today, I'll share 5 things that one should keep in mind while making a PowerPoint presentation:

Attractive Slides: As you know, first impression is the last impression, so invest some time in searching for an attractive template for your slides based on the theme of your presentation. Before you do that ensure that your MS office is updated with the latest version. Ample of themes are available that matches every presentation type. Once you choose the template, you can change the colour of the template as well as select the desired font style that goes best with your presentation type.
Avoid Cluttering of Content: As it is a 'PowerPoint', restrict the content only to the 'key points' or 'pointers' and avoid putting endless theoretical content in form of lengthy paragraphs. Paragraphs are a strict No -No in a PowerPoint.
Use Smart Art Graphics / Images / Animations: Wherever possible, try to put your content in appropriate Smart Art graphics by going in insert menu. Incase Smart Art graphics doesn't go well with your content then use content relevant images. Avoid picking up images directing through Google Images due to copyright issues. You can hunt for appropriate free images on www.pexels.com and similar websites. Don't forget to use animations for your Smart Art graphics, images and content by going to Animation menu at the top. Explore the 'Effect Options' menu in animation for some amazing 'Effect Options'.
Site Sources: Siting of sources of your secondary data in the PowerPoint is of utmost important. Incase of data is in form of facts & figures or statistical data, mention it below the content. Alternatively, you can also collectively mention all the references at the end by having a Bibliography / Webliography slide towards the end of the PowerPoint.
Appropriate Images for 'Thankyou' Slide and 'Q&A' slide: Let there be a formal Thankyou slide after Bibliography/Webliography followed by a 'Question & Answer' (Q&A) slide. Select professional images for the same from pexels.com or alike and avoid the informal jazzy and glittery images for the same.

So these were the prerequisites of a good PowerPoint. Very soon I shall post a Part-2 - explaining things to remember while presenting the PowerPoint.

Stay tuned! 😊

'Equality' is mostly just an illusion!

Every year lakhs of students graduate from various universities all across the country as well as around the world. Out of these, there will be a 'cream layer' of students who would get placed well or would be picked up by the market and would be groomed to lead their business processes; while many would still be struggling to have a good and fulfilling corporate career or a strong foothold in the corporate world.

Representative Image: Pexels

The fact here is that although every student (belonging to the same stream) has a similar piece of paper - the so called 'degree', not everyone ends up bagging a good offer. Obviously, people in the 'cream layer' have something in excess that makes them stand out as compared to their counterparts.

Being a Management Professor for more than a decade, one of the challenging task is to make students employable. This has made me list down a few of the interpersonal skills that I feel every student should be acquainted with at least before they graduate.

Communication Skills: One of the most important thing to learn before stepping in the corporate world. Both, verbal as well as non verbal communication skills are important. In verbal, both oral as well as written plays a vital role. The way you communicate, speaks volumes about you and your personality as well.

Management Skills: Though many might be knowing the theories of management, they fail terribly when it comes to practical application. Remember, management is also about finding a solution to all the problems apart from just bragging about planning, organizing, directing and controlling. 😉 So be part of the solution and stop complaining when things so wrong.

Leadership: Leaders are not always born but can be made through proper grooming. In fact, most of the corporates want leaders who take initiative and not mere followers. The best part to groom your leadership skills is to be part of various college activities and also leading those activities by performing various roles.

Team Building: Building an maintaining a cohesive teams is important for effective team functioning. Be considerate to your teammates and contribute continuously.

Social Networking: It means building contacts and good rapport with people in and around. A lot of people today are where they are not merely because of their degrees but also because of good social networking skills.

Happy Learning! :)

Money is a necessity for survival but having to do a 9:00 am-5:00 pm job (or beyond 5:00 pm in most of the cases) to make money is not a compulsion for many, today. Because a lot of people in this millennial era have moved their focus to gigs and freelancing.

Representational Image: Pexels

In fact, apart from their regular full time jobs, they are still engaging in a lot of paid gigs through freelancing. This enables them to make dual income and subsequently gives a boost to the growing gig economy. So let's quickly understand these two terms - gigs and freelancing.

Freelancers:

Freelancers are generally 'own-account workers' and are considered as self employed workers who work on contractual basis for an organization for a particular short term or an ad hoc project. They are responsible for their own marketing and have their own fee/compensation structure with terms and conditions set by them. It's good to hire freelance workers if you are looking for some specialized work.

The best part about being a freelancer is that it gives you flexibility as you choose your own working hours and place of work.

Gig Worker:

A 'Gig' refers to any one time paid project. It is technically a freelance work but it is mediated through a specialized app or platform. Gig workers are freelancers who earn money independently but do not entirely run their own business. The marketing for the gigs is usually done for them by the company that runs the gig platform and it routes the jobs to them randomly if they are registered on the platform that offers paid gigs.

For example, an Uber driver is responsible for providing a car, paying for gas, maintaining the vehicle, and driving passengers to their destinations. However, that driver cannot decide the rates and who they pick up on their own. But in this gig, he can give time availability as per his convenience if he is also into some other profession.

Important Reasons for the Growth of Gig Economy:

Flexibility: Many youngsters are drifting away from the monotonous culture of routine job. Gigs offer a lot of flexibility incase you don't want to be a part of the mundane 9:00 am to 5:00 pm job.
More time: Since paid gigs offer more flexibility, you have more time at your disposal that can be utilized for personal well being.
Dual Income: With the rising cost of living, every penny that you earn, makes a difference. In spite of many people being in regular full time jobs, they still indulge in paid gigs to make more money.

How & Where to Hunt for Paid Gigs:

Understand your Competence: Understand your strengths to decode your core Competence (expertise). It could be anything ranging from technical skills to basic proof reading or even strategic consulting or planning.

Understand the Market: Invest some time and effort in understanding the market outside pertaining to your core competence. Try to analysis the industry and the organizations in that industry that would need your services.

Register on the Gig Platforms: There are various platforms where one can get paid gigs. Google out and you will get the names of the best gig platforms. Some of the popular ones are fiverr.com, upwork.com, guru.com, urban company (formerly urban clap) and so on. Every website has its own terms and conditions. For example, on Upwork, you have to bid for a particular project. Alternatively, you can also join groups related to your expertise on Facebook or LinkedIn where many keep on posting their requirements and looking out for an expert to do that job.

Be Active: Getting gigs overnight is not a child's play! It needs patience and endurance. Be active on your preferred platforms and try to understand the complete mechanism of that platform.

Word of Mouth Strategy: If you are good at something, try publicizing it through your social media handles. Ask your friends to promote your work. It leads to a snowball effect that would offer you benefits in multiple ways.

Gig Economy is growing rapidly with more than 70% of corporates in India using Gig workers to do the task. It's time people start analyzing their core competencies to sustain in this millennial era.

"Learning to Manage oneself is more important than learning to manage the world around us."

If Abraham Maslow was alive today, he would have modified his 'Hierarchy of Needs Theory' to accommodate smartphone and Wi-Fi in the basic needs category consisting of food, clothing and shelter.

The Screen that Runs the World Around Us

In this fast-paced world driven by technology, smartphones have become an integral part of human survival. And there is no denying that we wake-up to our cellphones and fall asleep seeing it. In the process, we all are becoming the victims of FOMO, unknowingly!

What is FOMO?

FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) as a term refers to social anxiety that arises from the belief that one is missing out on interesting events by not being present while others might be having fun. This is often triggered by seeing post on social media. It can result from not knowing a conversation or missing out on important information - on professional front as well. The most important element in FOMO is 'Fear' - fear of not knowing what all we might miss out.

Signs and Symptoms of FOMO:

Constantly checking out phone with every beep.
Being glued to social networking sites always.
Constantly (daily) posting random images/content on social media to remain in the limelight.
Poor psychological & social well being often leading to depression.
Unable to say 'NO' or going to events to please others though the heart is not willing to.
Procrastinating daily schedule due to lack of focus on important daily activities.

The signs and symptoms of FOMO are an ultimatum - telling us to pause and review the situation we are in for a better inner peace.

Tips to Overcome FOMO:

Acknowledging its presence: Be aware of its presence since we all are immersed in the world or technology that also forms an integral part of our work life.
Learning to say NO: Be honest to others and learn to say 'NO' when you genuinely don't feel like going to a party or indulging in activities done by others. STOP doing it only to please others.
Unplugging: Unplug form the social media world and take a break for sometime daily. Mute all the unwanted group notifications. Learn to build authentic connections that really matter to you in life.
Do what you love: Cultivate a hobby that can be therapeutic in nature for your emotional and mental wellbeing.
Disciplined Lifestyle: Make a routine plan for yourself - first thing in the morning before you start with your day. Try to include at least 30 minutes for basic exercise such as stretching or walking.

FOMO can make you do things even when you don't want to do it. However, there is a way to overcome the fear. And once you master it, you will be more focused to the core tasks that need to be done.

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'Winner Winner Chicken Dinner' - To all those PuB-G fans, missing out on Chicken dinner, you all may settle on SAB-G for now. Because it's time to be AtmaNirbhar and await the launch of FAU-G (Fearless And United - Gaurds) by Mr. Khiladi (Akshay Kumar) and nCore games - a strategic move towards 'Made in India' initiative of the government. The best part about this would be that besides entertainment, 20 percent of the net revenue generated would be donated to Bharat ke Veer Trust. The objective of this multiplayer action game is to sensitize the audience towards the endless sacrifices made by our real time heroes - the soldiers.

Representative Image: Pexels

Although the recent ban by the government on PUBG is heartbreaking to many; the social media has been flooded with memes and videos since the announcement that exhibits our creativity to the fullest! Leaving the jokes apart, banning PUBG and other 117 apps that possessed threat to national sovereignty and integrity of the country, is a rational move by the government or many may call it a well planned strategic move by the government to make a way for AtmaNirbhar Bharat.

The quarantine phase in this lockdown has honed our gaming skills like never before! With the outbreak of the pandemic, the online gaming industry has seen an exponential rise in the users. Every major gaming or e-sports app has reported a surge of 80-100% during the period of March – June.

Games were once viewed as a recreational activity and a means to beat the boredom. But this gaming culture has changed so much and the gaming industry has gone through a huge transition and has evolved with the changing time. It's fascinating to see how we have moved from on-the-field games to video games with the advent of personal computers in 1990s in India, to this day of 3D games on our smart phones. It was a long journey - with every on-the-field game (once played by many), having it's replica in an online game.

With a lot of trolls, memes and videos over the social media from PUBG lovers, its too early to comment if FAUG will be able to attract the set of loyal players of PUBG. It's time to wait and watch until it's release in October 2020.

Till then have some SAB-G ;)

"First Impression is the Last Impression." Well, quite literally and in the Job Market, it refers to your Résumé. It is your foremost chance to impress the recruiter and expect an interview call. An impressive résumé, increases your chances of getting noticed by the recruiter by placing you ahead of your many competitors. (PS: The terms Curriculum Vitae - C.V. and Résumé or Resume are used interchangeably in the job market to refer to the same type of document. Although, the meaning might differ in literal terms)

There is no one such standard format for a résumé or a C.V. However, following points should reflect in your résumé.

A good Résumé should reflect the following points clearly in the following sequence:

Personal Details: It should consist of Your First and Last Name, authentic mobile number, email ID, residential address, Date of Birth (DoB), languages known. At the top: Name, mobile number and email ID only. Have a proper email ID resembling your name in the CV and avoid email IDs based on nick names or anything alike. At the bottom: Date of Birth (DoB), Address (Permanent as well as Correspondence if applicable) and Languages known.
Career Objective: It's a brief statement describing your career goals. It gives the recruiter an idea about your expectations and helps in matching it with the job requirement. Sample Career Objective: To secure a challenging position in the finance domain with an organization of repute that would help me in expanding my knowledge & skills and enhance my learning curve. You can also narrow down your career objective by making it more precise and focusing on your specific expertise.
Academic Credentials: Start in a descending order. For example starting with T.Y.BMS, H.S.C. and then S.S.C. in a tabular format. You can have five columns with headlines like 👉 Exam/Degree, Name of the College/School, Name of the University, Percentage/Grades, Year of Passing.
Work Experience (if any): It should be in a descending order in case you have any work experience. It should contain details like Organization, Designation, Duration and Key Tasks Handled. If you don't have any work experience then you can replace this area with internship details or major projects undertaken.
Major Achievements: Start with the latest and specific achievements appropriate to your job profile. In case you don't have any, just skip this heading.
Extra Curricular Activities: Few may not have anything to put here because they never participated in any such extra curricular activities either during college days or otherwise. But many will have a lot to put under this heading. Highlight only the important ones like clubs or associations and where your contribution or participation has made a difference either to you or someone else. Be prepared with proper details as questions may pop up in the interview.
A Self Declaration: A self declaration at the end stating that all the above information is true and authentic is a must. This should be followed by date, place and your signature (Name if sending a soft copy). Just above self declaration, you can also mention that references if required shall be furnished upon request.

Certain Do's and Don'ts to remember while making a Résumé:

Use a good format. Various free apps are available that might help. Canva is one such app that might help you'll with good formats.
Save the file with your complete name either in Microsoft Word or PDF. Eg.: Pooja Fernandes-CV or Pooja Fernandes-Resume.
Customize your resume depending on the profile that you are applying for. There is no 'one size fits all' approach when it comes to bagging a good job.
Use/Insert proper Keywords pertaining to your profile in your resume that the recruiters try to search. For Eg.: Digital Marketing, SEO, Food & Beverages, Business Development, Investment Banking etc. It gives your resume an edge to appear in the search filters applied by the recruiters.
Don't copy even the formats of someone else's resume. Be unique, be original and avoid plagiarism.
As a fresher, your resume should not exceed more than one page. So use font style and font size accordingly.
Putting a professionally clicked photo on the resume is optional.

Best Wishes to all in your future endeavours!

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Friendship comes in all forms, shapes and sizes. You just need to mingle with the right ones to boost a healthy life! So, who has your back?

As I write this on the eve of Friendship Day and especially when the popular sitcom of 1994 'F.R.I.E.N.D.S' and the mystery thriller series '13 reasons Why' trending over Netflix, one can understand the impact friends have on one's life (both-positive as well as negative). Here's a quick list of types of friends we all have or had once upon a time and why these friends matter:

A Tribute to One of My Favourite Sitcom

A Loyal Best Friend: No better example than Chandler and Joey. If you have one such loyal friend or a partner who always has your back, be thankful to your lucky stars!
Entertainer Friend: Every group has that one entertainer just like Phoebe Buffay! They are the charm of the group. Their presence and constant chatter, keeps the group live always.
Sarcastic Friend: Sarcasm is not everyone's cup of tea! If you have some Chandler Bing kind of sarcastic friends in the group then you probably know what I am talking about. ;)
The Secret Keeper: That one friend in whom you always confide and they keep all our dark secrets safe! Beware because they are very rare and often in form of loyal friends.
Gossiper Friend: Friends and no gossip is something rare. We all have friends indulging in tittle-tattle. No matter how much you deny it - deep down, we all love to do it. That's the only source of grapevine. Isn't it?
Host and/or Chef Friend: Who better than Monica Geller? If you have a Monica Geller in your group then consider yourself one of the luckiest person on this planet! And if they can cook world's best lasagna for you then I have no words to describe how fortunate you are. 😂
Scholarly Friend: Oh yes, just like Dr. Ross Geller! We need such friends as they help us get through our lecture bunking and exam preparations just because they attend all the lectures and they know it all. In fact, they are the ones who teach their friends just before exams.
Fashionista Friend: Who better than the queen - Rachel Green. We all need one such friend to give us fashion & style goals. Also, they are a good source of information when it comes to shopping and grabbing some good deals - for they know it all.
Friend with good Photography Skills: Just like Tyler Down who is always ready to flash his DSLR for the college year book in 13 Reasons Why. A friend and good photography skills is the most sought after combination in this era of social media where you need to put on the show of a pseudo life as well.
Wealthy and Influential Friends: Wealthy and influential just like Bryce Walker who used his power and wealth to get away with many wrong things. But he was also a guy who stood by his friends in their difficult times. At times, the contacts and the network of such friends does help in some or the other way. So befriend them for all the right reasons.
Short Tempered Friend: Every group has that one short tempered friend just like Tony Padilla from 13 Reasons Why. Maybe a quick jaado ki jhapi might help to pacify them.
Caring Friend: When we talk about caring, who can be better than Clay Jensen? He has got everyone's back right from Hannah Baker to Justin to Tyler and goes an extra mile to ensure the well being of his friends.
Chugali wala Friend: Ever wondered who spilled the beans and how your secrets reached the teacher and others out there. Yes, the secret reporter. Hate them or like them - but you surely cannot ignore them. :)

Crew of 13 Reasons Why

So the moral of the story is that 'Har Ek Friend Zaroori Hota Hai' just like the jingle of Airtel ad campaign in 2012.

I know that you have blushed all throughout thinking of that one friend while going through the above types and reasons. If yes, then share it with your friends and let them smile too.

Happy Friendship Day! :)

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Ubuntu - not just a Linux based operating system but much beyond technology! Hence, the title of this post-'It runs without installing.' ;)

UBUNTU simply means, 'I am because you are' or 'humanity towards others'. It has its roots in the African philosophy – a traditional African concept and is regarded as one of the founding principles of the new republic of South Africa and is connected to the idea of an African renaissance. The social values of Ubuntu are – Survival, Spirit of Solidarity, Compassion and Respect or Dignity.

The Ubuntu Story:

Once an anthropologist held a game for the African tribal children. He placed a basket of sweets under the tree and made them stand at some distance. He then told the children that whoever reaches the basket first, will get all the sweets. To his surprise, the kids held each other's hands and ran towards the tree together - divided the sweets equally and relished it. On asking them why they did so, they replied, "UBUNTU" - which to them meant how can one be happy when others are sad.

The Ubuntu logo is a symbol representing a 'circle of friends'. (PS: The official logo is a graphical representation of three friends holding hands in a circle.)

I'm because you are - Ubuntu

Management Lessons from Ubuntu:

Ethical Values: Being ethical is a rare virtue! Hold your ground strong and never compromise on your ethical values and principles.
Accountability: Stop the blame game or passing the buck and take onus for everything that you do, irrespective of good or bad or big or small.
Co-existence: Try building an ecosystem of co-existence and encourage fair competition. For 'we rise by lifting others'.
Team work & Leadership: Success is an outcome of effective team work. Encourage an active team participation. Team spirit is always high when there is active involvement by all the team members and true leader is the one who is empathetic and leads by setting an example.
Compassion: Everybody is fighting a battle you know nothing about. So be kind and compassionate to everyone that crosses your path.
Harmony & Integrity: Harmony and Integrity are the foundational principles of happiness. Keep them strong.

'I am because you/we are' - Let us all carry forward this attitude of sharing & spreading happiness wherever we may go.

As Nelson Mandela quoted it once, "the profound sense that we are human only through the humanity of others; that if we are to accomplish anything in this world it will in equal measure be due to the work and achievement of others."

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Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues that one possesses! Humility cannot just come from within, we need to create an environment for it to thrive. Being intellectual is being rational in thinking instead of thinking that's based on mere emotions. Hope the example below, clarifies it further.

A Timeless Virtue for Leaders

There was once a young man who achieved great success at the age of 25. His academic credentials, hard work and a little bit of luck played a vital role in his journey to success as compared to his other batch-mates who still struggled to have a strong foothold in the industry. With this success, he had his chance to fame and popularity that filled this gentleman with arrogance and pride. As a successful personality, he was once invited to be on a reality show. Engulfed with pride and arrogance, his behaviour and statements on the reality show, brought humiliation upon him from the viewers across the world. And finally, after self realization, he admitted that he learnt about Humility through Humiliation!

What is Intellectual Humility:

Intellectual humility is often described as an intellectual virtue, along with other perceived virtues such as open mindedness, intellectual courage and integrity in contrast to proposed intellectual vices, such as pride and arrogance. People with intellectual humility are both better learners and can effortlessly engage themselves in the social surroundings. It is a conscious mindset that guides our conduct towards others. It is a cognitive function and a way of thinking. It is all about being curious to uncover your blind spots - in a right way.

One simple example of Intellectual Humility is if you are congratulated for securing good grades in your examination, the appropriate response to it is not mentioning how smart you are and how you didn't have to study much to achieve it. But the simple answer could be a 'smile' (non verbal communication) and a 'thank you' (verbal communication).

Why is Intellectual Humility Important:

Over last few years, psychologists, researchers and philosophers have explored intellectual humility with an aim to understand its nature and implications on human well being:

Open Mindedness: When you widen your horizon and try to make a move outside your cocoon, you get to see the different shades of the beautiful world outside. Being open minded is all about being open towards accepting new ideas and new perspectives and not being complacent with oneself and one's way of thinking.
Embracing Diversity: In the world of globalization, workforce diversity is inevitable and true leaders are the one's who can effectively lead a diverse workforce towards achieving a common goal. Hence, people with Intellectual Humility find it easier to adapt and survive in an environment that has diverse workforce.
Enhances Tolerance: It enhances tolerance or respect for beliefs and ideas of others. Studies have proved that those who are intellectually humble are more tolerant when it comes to interacting with those from different mindsets and cultures. If at all intellectual doesn't lead to tolerance, it will at least help overcome the narcissism of small differences.

Cultivating Intellectual Humility:

Cognitive Blind Spots: While you should appreciate your cognitive blind spot, you should also work upon narrowing it by being more open minded and receptive to the surrounding. Be more considerate towards others opinions and views and to integrate opposing views and perceptions.
Admit it when you are wrong: As a human being, we have our limitations and we are bound to make mistakes or be wrong. There is absolutely no harm in admitting it. We all owe our learning and growth to our mistakes that we once committed.
Separate your ego and reality: Stop feeding your egos for all the wrong reasons because ego doesn't change reality. Learn to accept the reality with graceful attitude.
Encourage fearless culture: Constructive conversations are based on respect, empathy and active listening. Intellectual Humility eliminates the fear of being reprimanded. In fact, it invites people to express alternative opinions.
Reward & Recognition: Never forget to reward and give due recognition to people exhibiting Intellectual Humility. It acts a a strong motivation and many others may follow the lead.

Remember, Intellectual Humility is one of the key traits of a Humble Leader

Sharing is Caring!

Wealth seldom assures a pleasing personality. A good personality is an outcome of continuous efforts and commitment towards self improvement. Many teenagers are still naive about the term 'Personality' and relate it to mere physical appearance which is deceiving.

Why Personality Development is so important? The answer is to make you employable and to prepare for the challenges of life after academia.

Personality Development is an organized pattern of an individual's behaviour that makes them unique. It is mainly driven by two important determinants - Heredity and Environment. Given the fact that you cannot change the biological features you have inherited, you can surely turnaround the environmental or situational factors to your benefit.

Often Educational institutes provide the best platform to enhance the personality of its pupils through various activities year-round. Those actively participating in it, benefit immensely and evolve full of self-confidence as against those that rarely exploit the opportunity.

Newly Graduated People Wearing Black Academy Gowns Throwing Hats Up in the Air

Gain an edge before you gain your degrees!

Five points to focus on Personality Development:

Interpersonal Skills: Just grab the stage and the mike whenever opportunity knocks. It is one of the best ways of overcoming stage fear. Interpersonal skills represent your ability to interact with others. Communication (verbal as well as non-verbal) is one of the major interpersonal skill along with listening, problem solving, decision making to name a few. So master it!
Leadership Traits: Leaders are not always born but can also be created through proper nurturing and grooming. Today, corporate world needs leaders willing to take initiative and lead rather than mere followers. Start leading and running the show in your college premises (and outdoors) by being a part of various committees. NSS and NCC-highly recommended.
Empathy: Empathy refers to being 'thoughtful' and 'aware' about other's emotions and respecting them. It is a learned behaviour and reflects your Emotional Intelligence. That's the reason why E.Q. (Emotional Quotient) is more important that I.Q. to sustain in life.
Adaptability: Being adaptable is the new normal especially when the environment is dynamic. Acquiring new skills and being versatile is the key for adaptability. Being adaptable may also ensure multiple career options against the odds of recession.
Networking: Try building your contacts and increasing your reach through professional events either by being a part of the organizing committee or as a participant. Networking for the right job, through the right people, through the right medium may land you into your dream job. LinkedIn would be an apt platform for professional networking virtually.

Here's wishing all a pleasant Personality! :)

It's pouring webinars and I'm drenched completely to the extent that I'm sneezing webnovid 20. I might survive covid 19 but may succumb to webnovid 20 - a flu caused by attending excessive webinars or being in contact with groups sneezing excessive webinar forwards.

The show must go on...

Lockdown has taught us that come what may, learning should never stop and the show must go on! Especially today when the world is so competitive, knowledge enhancement and skill sharpening is essential to keep abreast with the changing dynamics of the market place. In this rat race when there are so many webinars happening around, lets drop the certificate collection mentality and be part of a webinar that offers value - mostly for free.

A lot of good Samaritans are doing it for free and helping the community to grow by giving so much of value through free webinars in these tragic times. And incase they charge a bit don't make a fuss about it because trust me, nothing comes for free in this world. Everyone has to earn their bread and butter at the end of the day. Many may argue that they are building their funnel of database but that's what everyone has to do to sustain their business.

So how do you pick up a webinar to attend:

Career related: Career growth is an ongoing process. So all that comes under the purview of your career should be your top priority. Use this opportunity to hone your skill set.

New skill enhancement related: In changing times, 'survival of the fittest' is the new norm and everyone is expected to know 'everything of something and something of everything.' There is no harm in testing new waters as that might turn out to be your alternate career option. Being 'versatile' is the key!

Hobby related: Hobbies are meant to be nurtured and what can be better than an extended lockdown to indulge in your hobby about which you always complained because of lack of time, owing to your busy schedule earlier.

Lifestyle & Mental Well-being related: Inculcating a healthy lifestyle is a dream nurtured by many but only a few are able to commit themselves to a healthy living. With a lot of art of living webinars happening around, its time to embrace a healthy lifestyle because it's never too late to make a right move. :)

General knowledge related: What impact will covid have on the global economy is a burning topic and only time will answer this. So the best is to grasp the knowledge that comes your way and wait and watch.

Happy Learning! :)

Points One Should Consider Before Selecting An Elective:

A good Résumé should reflect the following points clearly in the following sequence:

Certain Do's and Don'ts to remember while making a Résumé:

The Ubuntu Story:

Management Lessons from Ubuntu:

What is Intellectual Humility:

Why is Intellectual Humility Important:

Cultivating Intellectual Humility:

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