A Bend in the Lane

...outside but weather.com tells me that it feels like -22deg Celsius thanks to the howling beastly wind. This is the coldest weather I have ever lived in and its quite weird. Cant wait for the snow storms In February. There is ice on my Vicotrian semi-bay window panes. I am prep-ing for an unprep-able final tomorrow in a warm bed and thinking of all the books I can devour after I am done with awful phase of B-school. 

from our LEAD class -  "Nothing is worse than procrastination.. It's better to make decisions quickly and be right seven out of ten times than to waste time trying to achieve the perfect solution. To stick one's neck out and do the right thing is obviously best. But the second best is to take action, make a mistake and learn from your action. To take no action is the only unacceptable behaviour for ABB managers" - Percy Barnevick (Europe's answer to America's Jack Welch

CS Lewis's very relevant take on corruption -  To nine out of ten of you the choice which could lead to scoundrelism will come, when it does come, in no very dramatic colors. Obviously bad men, obviously threatening or bribing, will almost certainly not appear. Over a drink or a cup of coffee, disguised as a triviality and sandwiched between two jokes, from the lips of a man, or woman, whom you have recently been getting to know rather better and whom you hope to know better still-just at the moment when you are most anxious not to appear crude, or naif, or a prig-the hint will come. It will be the hint of something which is not quite in accordance with the technical rules of fair play: something which the public, the ignorant, romantic public, would never understand: something which even the outsiders in your own profession are apt to make a fuss about: but something, says your new friend, which "we"-and at the word "we" you try not to blush for mere pleasure-s...

In our LEAD class, we were made to read a bunch of 10 year and 20 year memoirs of the HBS Class of 1976. The ensuing discussion in class was thought provoking. We went on to desribe our personal take on 'what is success'. It was an almost touching experience to hear how my very accomplished classmates measure success. And let me tell you it wasn't just coming to HBS or getting awards.  One said his immigrant grandfather taught him that true success can be measured by how many people attend your funeral. Because when you die, people don't owe you anything, except for respect. Another said, success cannot be achieved if you pursue success. Instead if you pursue happiness, success will follow.  Yet another said that maybe success is not just about yourself and is actually about striving for the success of others. I wont go into mine, because I think anybody who reads my older posts can pretty much get a sense of it. In fact, someone had written my thoughts better than I h...

I have 2 amazing books to read over Thanksgiving - Winterson's Lighthouse Keeping and Murakami's The Elephant Vanishes. I am as excited as a 5 year old would be on Christmas Eve, waiting to open her gifts. I wish it was perfect weather to go with these books. There are plenty of wooden benches beneath maple, birch and other trees here, which are so forlorn - yearning for someone to sit on them. But the cold is just too bone chilling to read sitting on them.

Flag Day is an important section event. It's the day we hang our national flags in our classroom. The # of flags raised in my section is 30; i.e my section mates come from 30 countries. Unfortunately, HBS's policy dictates that the Taiwanese national flag should not be put up. Fortunately, for my Taiwanese classmates, we hung the Taiwan Olympic delegation's flag. That diffused the uncomfortable situation a bit. To introduce our flags, we give a 3 min fun presentation of our countries - quirky facts, trivia, a bit of patriotism thrown in. The below hilarious map surfaced during the USA presentation, all in good fun. Notice Africa doesnt even exist!

I know the heights of egotism and pomposity is to quote oneself. But i cant help it, I want to remind myself a promise I keep making to myself. I need this reminder ever more so here at Harvard, to not get drowned with all the work and the many ways one can spend time here. Eastertide, here goes all over again   March 09, 2009 -  You have to be a Jack of all trades. Being a Master is overrated. You need to be able to sing a ditty, dance the lindy hop, discuss the Palestinian situation in Middle East, solve a cryptic crossword, be content with your own company,be comfortable going to parties alone, steer a sparkling conversation over lunch, climb a peak - kilimanjaro or kinabalu - once in a while, run a marathon, swim a kilometer, backpack across continents, be kind to the dog or the kid, know all about wines and yet remain a teetotaler, know all there is to know of cigars, and yet remain a non-smoker, learn a language, give a dime to the old man selling tissues, canter and gallop with...

My 'homeroom' professor , the professor who is sort of the assigned 'spiritual' guide to our section, has been ranked #44 in World's Top Business Thinkers this year! http://www.thinkers50.com/biographies/44/2009

My husband asked me to attend this talk without fail. And being a dutiful wife, I did just that. And here is my report - Bob McDonald talked about his 10 maxims for leadership, a work in progress through his many years of leadership in the Army and at P&G. I have condensed a lot of points and hence may not be as eloquent as his speech. Anyhoo, here goes - Have a purpose in life . My purpose has always been helping people. That is why I was a Boy Scout, then went to West Point and subsequently the Army. Then I joined P&G because the purpose of P&G aligned with my purpose. It was touching lives and improving life. He listed the P&G core values, etc. Everyone wants to succeed, success is contagious . Putting people in the right job is one of the most important jobs of the leader . Character is the most important trait of a leader . By character, I mean (a) putting the needs of the organization above your needs. Have ambitions for the organization, not for yourself. (b) In...

The other day, I remember walking along the halls of Aldrich and coming across this piece of art I found quirky and yet haunting. I shan't quote it just yet because I want to get it exactly as the artist said of the piece. Tomorrow, I will go in search of it. And I will quote all of it. It reminded me of life's little things. A reminder to not be buried in the hurry burry of everything, and to marvel at the strange fates at work  that brought me to Harvard, to Aldrich, to that hallway, standing at that very art piece on the cusp of the beautiful moment that will be so full of comprehension and beautiful simplicity.    

.... If we should weep when clowns put on their show, If we should stumble when musicians play, Time will say nothing but I told you so. There are no fortunes to be told, although, Because I love you more than I can say, If I could tell you I would let you know. ... I always always always end up connecting with Auden's magical, lyrical haunting poetry. No matter what I read or don't. 

Shock of the week - to find out that of all the famous people in the world, George W. Bush was from my section.  Just one question. Why? PS: Mitt Romney was too.

Today has been the first day of serious classes. And you all may or may not ask, "How has it been, H?" and other variations questions. Well it depends - On Cases & Classes -  I like it a lot. I think, I am going to actually like my 'fluffy' classes quite a bit- LEAD (Leadership) and Maketing. We also looked at a case of Lapdesk, a for profit social enterprise in South Africa. I haven't been as concise and articulate as I wished to be during class. But, I will get there. I better as 50% of my grade is dependent on the quality of my comments.  On Diversity of Classmates - The sheer number of things my classmates have achieved in their 'personal' time was plain outstanding, their careers, I felt needed some room for diversity. Most had followed the consulting and private equity route, if not the IB and private equity route. So much so that I quickly realised that I was the exotic diversity candidate at Harvard, the 'poet'! Where are the promised ...

Thucydides said, "The secret of happiness is freedom. And the secret of freedom, courage" I often thought that I ranked 'way above average' when it comes to courage. Not the kind of  'let's jump off a cliff for a skinny dip' courage, or 'let's sleep in a haunted house' courage, or 'let's do a 100m bungee jump' courage. Nay, not that kind of courage.  Rather the kind of courage that doesn't think twice to confront a misbehaving stranger on a bus, the kind who doesnt hesitate to call the cops on some random jerks on the buses trying to molest women, or the kind who doesnt take it low at work be it a colleague, or my boss or his boss if I dont like something (and hence is often not well liked).  But, at times, I have this nagging doubt that I am courageous not because I am aware of the precariousness and the dangers of my actions, but rather, I am foolish and naive to know of them. Or lack the tact and sauve to tackle the situati...

"He advised those who had no government of themselves never to taste of things that tempt a man to eat when he is no longer hungry, to drink when his thirst is already quenched, because it is this that spoils the stomach, causes the headache, and puts the soul into disorder."

Yesterday I came across an unfinished post recollecting the embarrassment I and my cousins put my sister through in 2001 while receiving her at an undisclosed airport in Arizona. It was loads of fun planning the whole sham. It was winter vacation. I went to my uncle's place in an undisclosed great American suburbia in Arizona. So, did two other cousins from up North and Canada. My sister was the last to fly into Arizona. So, we all put our heads together to make her feel very 'welcome' by organizing a welcome procession at the airport. Banner Every welcome party, needs a banner. So, the first task was to make one that screamed "Welcome Name-of-Sister !" I employed the talents of my uncle's 3 year old, Cousin A to come up with the artwork to 'decorate' the screaming letter written in pencil. She scribble mysterious things that vaguely looked like lop sided flowers with wings, dogs that looked like a horse with three legs ("it hurted it's le...

The other day, while I was driving past IKEA, a billboard caught my eye. A billboard announcing the sale of childrens' furniture. The hoarding read - "For the most important people in the world" - obviously referring to children. What struck me was what a load of marketing balderdash the statement was. At least in my opinion. When did the world gang up and decide that children are the most important people in the world? They ARE important. But surely they are not the MOST important? Look, it is a given that I would do just about anything to protect a baby.   But what about the old and the aged? Dont they figure as the most important? They have lived decades and have attained, hopefully, wisdom. We have many lessons to learn from their experiences, from their mistakes. We have wisdom to partake. If there were no old, there would no wisdom to teach the young. And what is a generation sans wisdom worth?   And what about women? Dont you think they are much more importan...

In a meeting, if someone is not arguing with you, dont join the argument. Not even to defend your boss, Or boss's boss. Bosses can take care of themselves. That is why they are bosses. Its not a fisty-cuffs in the school yard. Its Machiavellian maneuvers in the board room. The Lessig style of presentation is all nice and jazzy and gets you lots of attention usually . But not always. Sometimes, it looks shallow and like you haven't put in enough effort. Especially if you do not know the difference between Scheme and Fare.  Which brings me to - there IS a difference between Scheme, Fare . Dont argue. Especially with policy makers. Especially with big honcho-policy-maker. It's foolish. And my best learning - shut up. If you cant shut up, sleep. If you cant sleep, doodle. They will survive fine without your two cents worth. They have till date. 

"I come to embrace it, to heartily concur, to affirm that one's title -- even a title like president -- says very little about how well one's life has been led," he said. "That no matter how much you've done, or how successful you've been, there's always more to do, more to learn, more to achieve." ~ Barack Hussein Obama

... is a taxing one. And it is an unfair one. Tomorrow, I shall rant. Today, I shall just be plain old sad.