Friday Musings - You feel good?

What follows is a personal rant. Be warned!

Hi Ravi,

I know that you are quite busy these days and the next two to three months are going to be even more hectic, with almost little time to breathe. I also know that you are entering what is possibly the most challenging project you have handled in the past year and the expectation to deliver better than ever is even higher. And, that is the exact reason why I am writing to you today.

Your mind is already preparing for the next project and for the hectic few months that lay ahead. However, today I want you to pause, albeit even for half an hour to look back at your previous project and the past two months, and feel good about it.

Your job currently, if I may simplify , is to work on the big opportunities or the big problems, do some analysis, come up with recommendations and then sell your recommendations to everyone within the organisation. And, you have been reasonably good at this. However, given the fact that you work on the big opportunities or problems, your recommendations have a natural traction and people are willing to listen to you, even upto the top management level. They may not buy it, but they are willing to listen to it. This is not to belittle your efforts or to say that you have had it easy so far. I am just providing this perspective to highlight your recent achievement.

The last project however was your first external project. You had to not only understand the market, the competition, new categories, new business quickly but also the client's business and their organisational priorities and then make strategic recomendations. This time there was no natural traction for your recommendations. Infact, this time you had to compete with one other big organisation and an equally capable team, if not better, for winning the project. And you won. Congratulations!

Among the many good things that you should take away, the most important thing is that you were pushed out of your comfort zone and were required to adapt within almost no time which you did really well. So in the future, remember that you have demonstrated the agility to respond to change, and, whenever you feel a little apprehensive (like right now) , think of this.

Changing gears, I do have a big crib. You really really need to learn to accept appreciation and enjoy the good times. Philosophically you are stoic, and nothing wrong with that. When things are tough, you have a great attitude and look at the positive side. But then why, when the things are good, that you forget to cherish, celebrate and feel good. Remember how when you called up your friend for congratulating her on her achievement, she played it down to the level of rubbishing the recognition, that you felt let down for feeling so happy and excited for her. Don't you think others also feel the same way when they talk to you? Ok, you ain't that bad, but still you are no great either. Accepting gracefully is also as art and makes people feel great, just like giving thoughtfully does.

It is difficult to change but not impossible. Infact it just requires one thing - willingness to change. Are you willing?

Good luck on your next two three months for it is going to be one hell of a roller coaster ride.
Regards

Karthik