Entries Tagged 'Reflexion' ↓

Last Monday late in the night, I got a phone call from a friend who asked whether Mr. X called me. On further inquiry, I understood that Mr. X had that morning been sacked from his job, as his boss discovered that he had committed a fraud of a few million of rupees. His wife, in tears, called my friend to advice that Mr. X did not return home that evening and that she had no news of him.

Whilst all of us knew that Mr. X had huge debts accumulated from his previous gambling addiction but this time we feared that he was in total despair and could commit the irremedial act. I panicked and ressort to my only tool in these circustances: prayers.

Thank God, my fear did not materialise or God answered my prayer if I prefer to choose. The next morning, I was informed that Mr. X spent the night at the Bouchon on the cliff overlooking the sea deciding to commit suicide.A great relief.

Now the reconstruction work has to start. Life is a constant renewal is n’t it.

Looking back at my early working days, and my learnings in my Air India days, I cannot stop myself from thinking how lucky I have been. More than luck, I would like to suggest that luck strikes the one who converts any event into opportunities to grow by taking the maximum of benefit by using one’s brain power and one’s will to ever innovate for the better.

In 1968, an offer was made to a number of my colleagues to join in a challenging new position. All of them turned down the offer. Air India was then a new airline operating to Mauritius with low perspective of growth. It was really hard to get clients to travel to India and further more, most of my then colleagues thought that reporting to an Indian expatriate boss, with a mind and culture so different from our own, was an unnecessary hassle to bear. I took up the challenge with an understanding that I could re-integrate my rank and job at Rogers if I was not happy.

During my terms of duty at Air India, my experience was enhanced for having worked with three different Indian bosses with different styles, outlooks of life and work whilst all three had the same seed of inspiration to grow from. All of them had as hero the chairman of the company: J R D Tata. All of them had J R D Tata, their guru’s picture, hung in their office and always acted humanely in their dealings.

P.B. Dhar, the first Country manger of Air India, was Kashmir born, of military training background. The Dhar’s had always lived as ex patriates and were typical of army high ranked officers who are assigned postings all over the country. He practiced a top down management style and his words were orders not to be discussed. He was a fatherly figure commanding the enterprise, whilst he would transmit and execute orders received. JRD Tata was for him the second to the almighty.

Then came along: R.Misra. A young graduate selected by the Tata’s group as an upcoming business leader, R.Misra made his mark in Jamsedpur at Tata mills and was transferred to Air India. A true marketer he was. JRD Tata’s spirit of entrepreneurship, innovation and risk taking inspired him and gave him his drive.

Marajah Zutsi, the third boss I had, incorporated other aspects of JRD Tata, which were of thorough thinking, and completeness. He was a meticulous hard worker and ensured what he delivered was minutely thought of.

Working and adjusting my behavior to the various management styles could only hone my flexibility in action and understanding in people. I did not have the privilede to meet J R D Tata personally. People who met him described to me the aura he projected and favorable marks he imprinted on them. Amede Maingard, the founder and first chairman of Air Mauritius who had met him more than once was profoundly touched by JRD’s charisma. An inspiring leader, a motivator, the humane entrepreneur, JRD Tata has been, through his achievements. He is claimed to be one of the model of India entrepreneurship and a master of humane management.

I reproduce here the

5-guiding Principles of JRD:

1. Nothing worthwhile is ever achieved without deep thought and hard work;

2. One must think for oneself and never accept at their face value slogans and catch phrases to which, unfortunately, our people are too easily susceptible;

3. One must forever strive for excellence, or even perfection, in any task however small, and never be satisfied with the second best;

4. No success or achievement in material terms is worthwhile unless it serves the needs or interests of the country and its people and is achieved by fair and honest means;

5. Good human relations not only bring great personal rewards but also are essential to the success of any enterprise.

Some concluding remarks

Would it be fair to contribute his greatness and success to his life background? Have his varied youth experiences and multi faceted living, like to be born in France of a French mother, be of Zoroastrian culture and having been educated in a foreign country, the UK, moulded his life outlook?

We, Mauritians, could benefit of a similar situation, if only we would use these life experiences to build us up. We live in such a varied cultural atmosphere. Let us all value our differences.

Nous est proposée ce matin la lecture de St.Paul aux Corinthiens à la messe.

Citation

1 Co 3,18-23.

Que personne ne s’y trompe : si quelqu’un parmi vous pense être un sage à la manière d’ici-bas, qu’il devienne fou pour devenir sage.

Car la sagesse de ce monde est folie devant Dieu. L’Écriture le dit : C’est lui qui prend les sages au piège de leur propre habileté.

Elle dit encore : Le Seigneur connaît les raisonnements des sages : ce n’est que du vent !

Ainsi, il ne faut pas mettre son orgueil en des hommes dont on se réclame. Car tout vous appartient,

Paul et Apollos et Pierre, le monde et la vie et la mort, le présent et l’avenir : tout est à vous,

mais vous, vous êtes au Christ, et le Christ est à Dieu.

Fin de citation.

Et nous qui sommes en quête de sagesse sur terre, recherchons plutôt l’essence de vie. Pour moi chrétien, je suis au Christ.

Voila que mon cher ami Cyril, qui m’envoie ce jour par email, une histoire qui se résume ainsi : un homme demande à son Seigneur, en cadeau une fleur et un papillon. Triste il était, en recevant du Seigneur des épines et un ver rampant. Sagement, il accueille le cadeau en se disant qu’IL avait d’autre voie pour lui. Peu de temps après, l’amas d’épines, un cactus, donnait une fleur d’une beauté extraordinaire et le ver se transformait en un papillon.

Oui, La sagesse de ce monde est folie devant Dieu….

Mind mapping

Work smarter not harder? How can one be more creative? How can one have a focus vision whilst keeping track of the overall view?

I have been mind mapping for donkey years. Some time ago, whilst chatting to an old friend, Andre, he told me since he was a school kid; he always had some sort of drawings to map out his thoughts. That would suggest that mind mapping is natural form of thinking process. Indeed, a recent study on the working of the human brain confirms that human thoughts could well take the forms of mind maps. The brain links different “objects” to make up a thoughtful idea.

Tony Buzan has spent years teaching the world to use mind maps. I have gained a lot using his techniques. Today, there is a number of Mind mapping soft wares available. I currently have been using Mind Jet since version 1 some 8 or 9 years now.

I have taught a number of persons to use the techniques and they have found great productivity gain. Recently I brought in my friend, Victor to give a series of lectures on the subject to some CEO’s in Mauritius. They were thrilled.

I would have wished that all the students Mauritius be taught the use of mindmaps.

What about you, the entrepreneurs? Do you want to become more effective and creative?

I had a wonderful morning today. My cousins came to visit me. Nothing extraordinary you may think to have your relatives to visit you? Not so true, because first of all, of the cousins two of them came from far distant Canada and I have not met them for a while to talk about our common interests.

Serge Trudeau, married to my cousin, is unique, as most of us are any way, had prepared this morning’s visit by sending me an advance email to list out the subjects of common interests he would like us to talk about. We talk about NLP, a subject which has been common to us for a number of years. I recalled that in the frequent travels when I went for training in the US, I used to stop over in Montreal and to share with Serge my interests and learning thereon. Serge later, modeling me, followed me in attending an NLP training. Since, we had not met.

I enjoyed exchanging with Serge. In spite of his present eyes health conditions, he carries on studying, reading in Braille and reflecting on topics, we commonly share and which are viewed from a different perspective because of our different life experiences. These meetings expand our vision of the world. Is not it so wonderful? My present health condition also directs me to study, read and reflect. So you must imagine the excitement of this morning tea gathering!

“De fil en auguille”, Serge, Quebecois pur sang, shared with me a website of telequebec TV giving the interviews of great achievers and their deeds. Jacques Attali was one of them. I am so fond of him and enjoy seeing him on TV shows and rank him second to Michel Serres as a thinker, and parts of the great minds of today. I had not met Jacques Attali but I had conversed at length with his twin brother some years back at Chateau Bel ombre. On the other hand, I spent a weekend at Anse la Raie with Michel Serres, a couple of years ago, listening to his vision of the world.

Biting through life with eagerness could bring to you the juice of a new life of bliss and joy.Merci cousin Serge.

China Today

By my origin, as you may know, coming from a Chinese origin family, of parents born in Maurituis, I have the privilege of being a Mauritius citizen born in China.CBC (China born Chinese) as opposed to my MBC parents! A proud Mauritian, I am. To live on our Island and be exposed to the diversity of cultures at close range, I bet, is not usual. Then to be conscious of it and to take benefit of the unique situation would be wise and clever. This presents an advantage over most men of the world. We, Mauritian should be more aware of our unique heritage laid down for us and be avid to reap the fruit of these assets.I trust you enjoyed my recent blog taking you to India and the Elephanta caves for the feast of Lord Ganesh.

I have a foible for China. The obvious case may be because of my family back ground but the stronger case element is “what China presents in population size and what China will command in the future as an Economic power house”. To that matter, every single soul in the world has a stake to watch out China.

I read through a paper presented by Prof. LI Hongtu at a ENS conference in Lyons in 2004 which is still relevant & pertinent.

Reading similar documents nurtures my quest for understanding, learning and expanding my perspectives. I pray that they do the same to you. Bonne Lecture.( our frenchie touch yet another gift bestowed upon us) Enjoy…

« Que Ta volonté soit faite » je le dis tous les jours depuis que je suis enfant. Plus une fois, je me suis posé la question : Comment connaître la volonté de Dieu ?

Voici un texte de Bruno Feillet qui mérite lecture et réflexion.

Chacun ici, moi compris, nous avons quelque part dans notre cœur le secret désir de connaître avec certitude cette volonté et la connaissant, nous la mettrions en œuvre sans nous poser de question. Nous aimerions tant être à la place du serviteur du centurion à qui il dit « fait ceci » et qui le fait. Au fond, ce serait assez sécurisant mais aussi plutôt déresponsabilisant. Avons-nous été créé pour être aveugles dans notre obéissance, robotisés dans notre agir, ou encore pour être des marionnettes dans les mains de Dieu ?
Nous allons le voir, la volonté de Dieu à notre sujet n’est pas coulée dans le bronze de l’éternité. Il y a une vraie différence entre le désir et la volonté de Dieu sur nous ou encore les appels que Dieu nous lance et ce que nous appelons ici bas une vocation. Ne nous méprenons pas, Dieu veut de toute éternité que nous soyons en communion avec lui et entre nous ; il veut que nous fassions le bien et évitions le mal. C’est sûr et il ne faut pas douter de cela. Cependant, plus nous descendons dans le quotidien de la vie, comme le dirait saint Thomas d’Aquin, moins les choses sont évidentes car les situations sont complexes pour ne pas dire compliquées.

Commençons par imaginer la thèse où Dieu aurait tout écrit, tout décidé pour chacun de nous et tâchons d’en tirer logiquement les conséquences. Revenons à notre ami Rodrigue qui hier hésitait entre épouser Cunégonde ou épouser Artémise. Si Dieu voulait qu’il épouse Cunégonde, en épousant Artémise, a-t-il raté définitivement sa vie ? En fait, on pourrait aussi imaginer que Dieu voulait que Rodrigue devienne prêtre du diocèse de Cambrai. Mais voilà qu’il épouse Artémise ? Rodrigue a-t-il raté sa vie et compromis son salut ? Vous savez bien que la réponse est non et nous allons voir pourquoi. Et si la réponse est non pour des situations aussi importantes que les engagements à vie, la réponse sera encore plus ferme pour les petites décisions de notre quotidien.

J’entends déjà une objection parmi les familiers de l’Écriture que vous êtes. Celles et ceux qui ont lu et médité le Ps 138-139 qui porte sur l’omniscience de Dieu connaissent le verset 16 : « sur ton livre, ils sont tous inscrits les jours qui ont été fixés, et chacun d’eux y figurent ». Ce n’est pas parce que Dieu sait tout ce qui va advenir que c’est lui qui organise les événements. Il sait tout parce qu’il est Dieu et qu’il sait comment nous allons réagir à ses appels, mais parce qu’il est l’amour même, il ne fait pas les choses à notre place. En fait, il veut agir avec nous et pas sans nous.
Autrement dit, Dieu ne reprend pas d’une main ce qu’il a donné de l’autre. En nous créant libres pour être des partenaires, des collaborateurs de sa création, des hommes et des femmes debout, il ne peut dans le même temps nous manipuler à longueur de temps ou nous enfermer dans un programme préétabli. Si Dieu nous a donné la sagesse et l’autonomie, c’est pour que nous nous en servions pour faire le bien et éviter le mal en nous appuyant sur sa grâce. Grâce de Dieu dont je rappelle qu’elle éclaire notre intelligence et incline notre volonté à faire le bien.

Pour aller jusqu’au bout de ma pensée, lorsque nous demandons à Dieu « que ta volonté soit faite » nous lui demandons très exactement de nous aider à faire le bien, à vivre de l’Évangile, à être des témoins de son amour dans toutes les situations que nous traversons. Cela suppose que nous ouvrions notre conscience à son Évangile et à son Esprit-saint.
Les Pères du Concile Vatican II n’ont pas eu peur d’écrire au N° 16 de Gaudium et spes l’expression suivante : « Au fond de sa conscience, l’homme découvre la présence d’une loi qu’il ne s’est pas donnée lui-même, mais à laquelle il est tenu d’obéir. Cette voix, qui ne cesse de le presser d’aimer et d’accomplir le bien et d’éviter le mal au moment opportun résonne dans l’intimité de son cœur : « Fais ceci, évite cela » ; Car c’est une loi inscrite par Dieu au cœur de l’homme ; sa dignité est de lui obéir, et c’est elle qui le jugera. ». Voyez-vous, lorsque les Pères nous invitent à écouter notre conscience, ils ne nous disent pas de nous éloigner de Dieu mais bien de nous en rapprocher. Faire la volonté de Dieu, c’est construire avec lui, sous l’éclairage de notre conscience droite, le chemin de vie qui sera en harmonie avec notre conscience.
Relisons la troisième demande du Notre Père. Jésus ne nous dit de prier en disant « que ta volonté soit accomplie », mais « faite ». C’est-à-dire, qu’il faut la construire avec lui. Et c’est la grandeur de l’homme que de pouvoir faire cela.

Sur le site de Bruno Feillet www.discernement.com ou je me suis régalé (intellectuellement). J’ai croqué avidement les pages de citation & sagesse. Je vous recommande une visite presto….pour le weekend.

We may today still be in awe with the works of Leonardo Da Vinci, 456 years after his death and we may still be inspired by him. Leonardo was himself in reverence with Filippo Brunelleschi who lived a century earlier. I was moved during the last week whilst watching a show on BBC giving an account of the genius of Leonardo in various fields.

In his serial of stories, Micheal J Gelb describes in his book, “Discover your Genius”, of the like of Plato, Columbus, Elizabeth I, Shakespeare, Jefferson, Darwin, Gandhi, Einstein, how Filippo continues to inspire & influence the world today.

Post the renaissance period, the great inventors or artists did not, in the western world signed their works. All deeds at the time were attributed to God. At Renaissance, the individual contribution was accepted. Now, we believe that He acts through humans.

We may learn to model Filippo Brunelleschi’s creative problem solving skills, his challenge of the limits of the impossible, and his persistence in getting his vision into reality. Above all, as he was a multi skilled person, modeling him would expand our perspective.

Some learning’s:

1. When I begin a project I start with a visualization of its successful completion.
2. I keep my priorities in perspective when I’m under stress.
3. I have faith in my own ideas.
4. I don’t let set back throw me off course.
5. Opposition strengthens my resolve.
6. I can improvise when necessary.
7. When I set a goal, I work with patience and dedication until it is successfully realized.
8. I want to expand my intellectual perspective.
9. I can think “out of the box” and then apply creative solutions to real life problems.
10. I understand and appreciate the influence of architecture in my view of the world.

I still have goose pimples when I flash back in my past trip to Florence in 2004.

In almost all work situations, there are some office politics. When there are humans involved there is politics. This happens even in families. The game of influencing, threatening, pressuring, convincing, and yielding or complying be it soft or hard are always present in human interactions. Some years ago, I had the chance of attending an enlightening lecture by a Belgian author, Jean Jacques Creve Coeur who wrote “Relations & jeux de pouvoir”.

I have traveled fairly well in this path in my work career. As a junior, I yielded more easily, sometimes I gave in unconsciously. At the start, I was often a door mat: I would not react either out of fear or timidity or out of not wanting to create waves. As I grew older and when I acquired more experience and responsibilities in the working environment, my level of awareness of “office politics” also increased. I have learned how to discern the office politics and how to be saved from situation before it gets out of hand.

In the nutshell, I learned when and how to play with the sharks without being eaten by them. I practiced the art of turning an unavoidable evil into a source of information for better understanding and better informed actions. Just like rumors, one needs to know which part of it is false (intoxication) and which part has a base of truth. Who are the guys spreading the rumors and for what purpose is the propaganda? Who are the initiators, designers and who are the unconscious carriers of the rumors?

I always thought that if I was made aware of the intricacies of “office politics” well ahead, I would have acted in some cases better. “Un homme avisé en vaut deux”. Can one attend a seminar on the subject?

As a matter of interest, at least those who might be swimming with some sharks now, I like to share with you a power point presentation on the theme. May the PowerPoint get you to think and be warned ahead?

“Par respect pour le Christ, soyez soumis les uns aux autres ;

les femmes, à leur mari, comme au Seigneur Jésus ;

car, pour la femme, le mari est la tête, tout comme, pour l’Église, le Christ est la tête, lui qui est le Sauveur de son corps.”

Texte de l’Epitre Ephés. 5,21 que j’ai entendu a la messe d’hier.

Pour mon esprit qui vadrouille sans cesse, m’est venu a l’esprit une thèse que mon oncle, un créatif, avait sur le sujet.

Il disait :” si l’homme est la tête de la famille, comme médecin, en analogie du corps humain pour décrire les relation familiales, la femme devrait être le cou.

En effet, le cou est à la base de la tête. Le cou soutient la tête. Le cou donne la direction du regard à la tête et le fait girouetter.

Ainsi, sans le cou, la tête perd sa direction et son soutien. Le cou ne sert pas a grande chose sans la tête. Ils sont tous partis de l’ensemble du corps.”

Quelle belle leçon d’interdépendance !