The inspiring friday tale - How to be happy at work

The Friday that passed away last was highly inspiring, believe me not all Fridays are very good part of my days for a few reasons like I like to be in Office and work, I feel pressure to complete all those incomplete things I have left over the week to be completed on the weekend, I find Friday nights lazy and Saturday and Sunday mornings dead as kids have no school on the weekends and everyone at home sleeps till late.. So what is it that made my Friday happpy and inspiring? (Catch the extra p in Happy yet?), well I had 3 reasons for it and I am going to blog about each of these reasons in the Friday's that make me Happy series, So let me tell you what those 3 things were so that we can continue our discussion further :

1. YT our Tech Architect gave us an eye opener, On Software Quality

2. I met an EX-MLA and got some lessons and tips about politics and life - Very fruitful and inspiring

3. I found a few more ways to be Happy at work

So taking a regular approach I think I will begin with the 3rd... In the middle of the day on Friday the 18th, I took some time off from office so I can visit a physician for my wife, on our way back we found a old time friend waiting by-side of the road for a Bus and offered him a lift home. I give a bit of our conversation before we operate it and I tell you my reasons to blog...

This conversation is post our greetings ;)

Me : "How are you doing?"

Him : "Okay, You tell me"

Me : " I am good.."

Me : "Where are you working these days? and hows work?

Him : "I work for a Software Company, XXXXX we are into blah blah etc etc" [Half of India works for Software companies so this was no brain teaser]

Him : "My Work? I Simply love it" And I noticed a broad flash smile on his face [This surprised me, half the people from the industry I meet are either whining about how there company is not good or there managers are ruining there lives...]

Me : "Cool" - My inner curiosity was killing me... I wanted to know the reason behind the smile and also wanted to find out what is it that the organization was doing that he was feeling so Happy...

Him : "I have learnt to be Happy"

Me : "Hmmmmm... so what is it?" - I have to say that Zappos has got me so inspired that I am trying to find all possible ways of building great cultures and happiness in the team and honestly I wish to imply every single thing that can benefit our teams too...

Him "Nothing, There are so many small things we do and we should take pleasure about.. why Whine, when you can feel Divine"

Believe me... the words made my day... This also comes because one of a fellow colleagues a day ago had asked me "What keeps you motivated to write a blog? there are so many issues, work load etc etc".. Though I answered "Passion" I know that there is much more.. I just think what inspired me to feel proud about is worth sharing here...

Yes.. I have found a way to keep myself Happy... and that Happiness really turns back to wherever I am ... at work, at home or any other place.. I have always been like this and these are the things that I do to be like this... i.e. Happy

1. Read a book unrelated to your profession

Reading is always a blessing, I have learnt this with experience... it has helped in knowing new things and new ways of doing things. A lot of us are scared looking at the breadth and width of the books but let me tell you it is not bad once you get in..

I made atleast 18 attempts before I actually started loving reading. Now reading keeps my momentum at work.. The recent book I am reading is "Worshipping false Gods" [A book targeted towards Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's life and decisions by Arun Shourie a BJP leader] . Prior to that I finished "Delivering Happiness" by Tony Hseish [This is more related to my work, culture but inspired me a lot]. Reading really keeps you involved and I am sure that if it is away from what you do regularly this will keep you busy in the evenings.

P.S. Don't start with Leadership and self help books, if you are not a regular reader.. start with Fiction or some suspense thriller novel...

2. Go visit an art gallery, Museum,

This will blend you into the oceans of art.. some paintings, some art work.. just go visit it once every while. A visit to a aquarium or a sports ground or a museum is also not bad... I visited the Kelkar museum 2 weeks ago.. and learnt a lot about Pune city's irrigation setup. Amazing I must say... A few weeks ago to the renovated Deccan Gymkhana grounds and took a tour.. you know the history and the players associated with it..

3. Watch Movies

I watch a lot of movies. 2 new movies a minimum a week. This keeps me busy, I know one of my weekend nights is going to be watching a good actor play things. Movies inspire you to improve yourself...as in watching a sports centric movie always blesses me to do more exercises, watching Sean Connery, Amitabh Bacchan, Aamir Khan and Tom Hopkins get me improve my style [include all the Hindi players within too]. Sometimes running into Operah's and plays will also keep you Happy.

4. Blog your experience

Write about it. The more you write the more you improve.. Sharing is a new way of learning and blogging is a really nice experience.

5. Swim

It heals you. Believe me. If you cant find time to swim everyday, try and use your weekend to swim... I haven't seen another best way to relax oneself than swimming.

6. Exercise

A daily exercise or a morning walk can really really get you excited for the entire day. I have noticed that if the mornings begin early and start with a exercise they are surely going to turn you into a motivated factory ready to face the challenges of the day smartly and patiently. I treat Yoga in this section also.

7. Take a walk in the neighbourhood and find 20 things that you had not seen in your last walk.

Well not just neighbourhood, try this on roads and places.. you will find amazing changes and the effect of those changes too. I had done this in office building and noticed some changes that should be termed interesting, people, behaviors, attitudes and choices.. really inspires you... if you maintain the list you would find it worth reading a few years/months later.. if you want to make it easy... capture them in pics.

8. Sport

Stick to a sport.. cricket, soccer.. play it. Just don't watch it. Worst case watch it when it is played and not on TV. Sport is one of the best way to build patience, aggression and winning spirit all at same time.

9. Bowling Alley?

Go hit it once a while... this will bring flavours of joy in your routines.

10. Try an Adventure

Bungee jumps, adventure sport, rock climbing or scuba diving.. whatever you can do... ensure you do it once every few weeks.

11. Surprise your spouse, colleagues

With surprising elements... take them for a uncalled lunch or gift them something that they weren't expecting. This will keep them looking for you on what you would do next and in general improvise your confidence on doing creative things. Also it helps one gets creative.

12. Say a Thank You

A Thank you a day helps. See the smile that you would give someone who did good to you.

13. Donate your books, clothes

See how others would benefit from your unused belongings.

14. 1 Act of Random Kindness to your colleague

As it says... do this... A few kind words, a few polite and kind actions towards others..

15. Share your knowledge, even if not asked

Because if you do this.. you would learn more and the value of giving will earn you more....

So why not try and do a few things like this... there are more that I would want to share... but I guess I will keep them coming as we move on....

Read More

What is it like to have a healthy workspace?

Some body asked a question on Quora .. on how to create a healthy work environment with respect to the workspace not a cultural aspect included really... reminded me of a post written way back in September on Healthy Environments But I think that is not enough.. I missed to cover the healthy workspace issue for which I am fighting and struggling now for almost months.. So what is a healthy workspace structure?

Free Will
A structure that helps engineers or team members push their chairs and roll to the desk of his pair or team mate. A structure that will help the engineers to freely move in and around the office. No heavy cubicle structures, no heavy barriers. I really think the studio type structures helps free space all over and also effects the luxury to have a free will space for the engineers. Of course if you are not a development team and you have clients and customers visiting you very often, it doesn't make sense to have this type of structure. In such cases better keep a separate space a bit away from the development section.

Loads of NON CHAIR related sitting arrangements
Sofa, cushions, bean bags , lazy rolls help the engineers take a break from the regularly back-aching chairs.. A set of bean bags lying around helps people to pick there laptops and start working from there.. of course helps the teams light approach.

Fun
A bit of fun, jokes around is very much required. People obsessed with silence and concentration phobia are the only blockers, but there is always this need to get them involved. Fun activities needs to be done only in the workspace and not in conference rooms.. I sometimes prefer gatherings and announcements in the open areas.. so other teams can also have a glimpse of it. Builds a liking towards a team as a whole..

The bit of Noise
Light music is always inspiring, people talking , debating around is highly effective. If you have everyone with their headsets on listening to their own choices of music it is like working in a graveyard. I also prefer rotational DJ's unfortunately not many takers always. A central music system lets you learn choices of people.. helps people go and ask DJ to demand for specific music to be played.

UnPrivate Affairs
NO to Cubicles and cabins.. If managers and leads are going to sit in cabins, they are away from what is happening. Not that you should be placed to supervise / monitor people.. but been with the team helps you understand the day to day issues. You will always find leaders sitting with teams to be more interactive and pleasant than ones sitting in cabins.. of course not to forget you have to face those meaningless cribbers who whine about everything and some scared goats who cannot give you feedback openly. Who cares for them anyways?

Loaded Interactions
Promote and prosper the culture of open interactions.. I always like to jump into conversations and talk about things.. this helps build a good rapport and understanding of people's principles, values and attitudes. No matter people call you nosy or not.. ensure that open interactions are a part of your culture.

A decent floor plan for an interactive agile team

Smiling faces
If there are none.. you were as well good at those government offices with fat bellies all around you.

Visible walls
Have walls that puts Team events, status of teams work and agile boards.. of course visible to everyone. Try to not keep these walls with stale data.. a stale wall represents the laziness of the team.

Play areas 
Small areas where you can play a short few handy games.. like a mini cycle, a game of one touch cricket, a bit of golf etc. Rolling soft toys, balls and gadgets whats the harm if you have a developer with a barbie doll on his desk?

Read More

Where is your Chief Happiness Officer?

I started my day today answering a phone call from an old time friend, who was pretty unhappy about his current job and was re-locating in search of a great new job to another city. I was forced to think about the general unhappiness that gets created in the day to day cycle at any organization... some people unhappy about work, some about roles, some about compensations, some about environments, some about everything and some about nothing... with me recently having the performance appraisal reviews with most of the Team members, I understand how for certain member a small piece of unpleasantness leads to unhappiness...Then it forced me to review my role into the Team and company.... I see that every company has

CEO - To Manage the Executive actions

CFO - to Manage the Finance piece

CTO - To Manage the Technology piece

COO - To Manage the Operations piece...

Why do organizations not have the CHO? The Chief Happiness Officer? The Executive who can make strategic decisions to keep the employees Happy... Yes.. a role strong enough to do things that would work towards improvising the behaviours, attitudes and help support the employees be Happy... Some argued that the Human Resources should take of this... I strongly disagree.... Human Resources is purely designed to handle recruitment, resource policies etc a few of the tasks that Human resources do, keep them so busy with these tasks that issues related to people and their happiness is not even close to get attended... Smaller companies can afford to have their Sr. Managers take care of Happiness and HR things... but for bigger organizations... a must have is a role that will strive to create Happiness against all odds in the Team.

So then what is this role going to do? Lets define the responsibilities of the Chief Happiness Officer :

1. Responsible to ensure Team delight.

2. Should be organizing a chart and a plan for Team events, including Lunches and Dinners and Parties and outings and workshops

3. Should ensure work place and work culture is kept pleasant

4. co-ordinate effort to organize cross location and Team integrations

5. Primary responsibility is to bring smile on faces in the company

6. Organize sessions for Team building and delight spreads...

Want to add more? Now do you find anyone in your Team who does that? Well you dont need to Hire a new person right away for this.... but if you want to work the way great companies work... its important that you keep your people Happy..... and compensation, benefits, perks and goodies are not the only way to keep people Happy.... Go make one of your team members who is passionate about spreading happiness.. and make him your CHIEF HAPPINESS OFFICER... if you dont have one.... BE ONE

Read More

Does your Boss love you more than sex?

Well I am yet again getting into the mode... but the mood is very provocative, I happen to ask this question as sitting in various chairs you realize what you expect in each of these seats... As a Junior I always expect appreciation for the hard work done, I always expect to be told about my mistakes in private, I always like to not hear bad about me, I always like to get big bonuses and big salary increments.

When I sit in the leaders chair I demand a different thing... I always like if somebody takes initiative and takes it to end, I always like people on time and target, I always like everything to be nice and perfect and I always want the best to done at the less most cost.. Anyways this is how each of us see it... from different sides... however that's not the reason why I write this... I write this to mention that a few things if taken care can actually make life of each of us very easier.. as bosses and as their employees...

A few tips on how your Boss can like you better, but at the same time how your life can be easier in understanding your own expectations as bosses :P

1. Passion... do you have it in you?
Keep the interest at work. Keep your passion level up. Most of the times we get non passionate.. we think what should get done today would be OK even if it gets done tomorrow. You are on a critical task and you leave for the day without even dropping a note to your boss? Your boss is as hard working as you, the only difference is that he has himself to keep him motivated, you have several others. Keep the passion at the peak and see how best you can do your task.. finally its not about pleasing your boss... but instead doing your own things correctly which in turn would ease life of everyone.

2. Loyalty.. does it reflect?
He protects you, you don't know.. but he stands for you. He does his part and is always following up with you if you have everything to do yours. He stands in with you in emergencies, he lets you take your leaves in time of critical importance. In turn what does he expect? a little bit of loyalty... the loyalty demands you do your work in time and as per expectation and do not demand a blame "My boss doesn't do anything????"

3. Do you want to replace him?
80% of employees think that they can do better than their bosses. They think, sometimes they do... but Management is not a task, it is not something that starts on day 1 and finishes on day X, its different .. its ever lasting and is not as easy as it appears... Each one of us want to grow... but the growth is different based on how you want to grow???? If you want to replace your Boss and if that is visible.. its not working well...Last thing your boss would love about you...

4. You Bluff , You get away?
People tend to bluff, its easy to get away... a few bluffs I have heard used to be funny... you laugh on it specially when you know the truth behind... Its hard, Bluff is the easy way to get away in a short run, long run it sucks... Once your boss knows that you are a Bluff master, your future is on toss... you can depend on bluffs not for work items.. above all its the truth what will bring you closer to your task.. bluff takes the trust away..

5. Are you a friend?
You are a friend to your boss? Are you kidding? No its a plain professional relationship, it has a caring touch because that's what your boss role demands...be a friend but don't behave like one... that's the last thing your boss and you would want.

6. Too much of it or too less of it? Yes I talk of initiatives
Less initiatives.. kills, Too many initiatives over kill.. yes when you have no initiatives they cause a block to the work.. your boss wants you to do some things that he always wanted to get done... if you don take initiatives h falls behind...

Too many initiatives???? overkill why??? well you wont be happy if those initiatives cannot be implemented or ideas getting rejected or initiatives not getting justification.. your Boss would be in a situation because he may not be in a state to implement them all...
Initiatives be balanced... they work well then ;)

So a few tips on what bosses like , and what we as employees should think of... Got any views????

Read More

Time to Set Expectations

Its time to set expectations.. This is the time when you need to set the expectations... this is time which is going to mark the beginning of the time. Yes the time that is just going to set the momentum before it actually begins. What is important is to set the Moral right during this time so that the coming challenges can not only be faced but also be driven away successfully...

With this time that is going to approach we want to :

1. Clearly Set expectations of what it is going to be for the future.
2. Set goals for each and every member on what is expected of them and how to achieve it
3. Drill the desire deep so that the challenges float and evaporate.
4. Define Success
5. Set the path and show the hindrances that needs to be covered...
6. Last but not the least.... ROLL the MAGIC

I am all set to take this force become a wave, I am all set to drive this with several other drivers, I am all set to Success, I am all set to party with this fun... Come join the force!!!!!

Read More

Am I Happy?

Somebody asked me today "Why do you whistle at work?" and I really had to question myself on why.... gathering the answers I realised that its the Happiness that makes me
1. Whistle around
2. Roam around the office
3. Kick ass myself to do more or less work
4. Worry only when required
5. Keep Smiling

Yes the answer is Happiness ... the same thing that we derive from each atom or molecule we use or utilise at work. Going back to my work on Work is better than sex and the subsequent extracts that I wrote in their adds to my happiness..

a. The place we spend maximum of our time is not home and if you are not happy at the place where you are for the maximum time means that you are not happy at all

b. Enjoying work at work is as easy as working for what you ahve been always working for and trying to work it out in the best possible way

c. A notrious kid is the happiest person in the classroom...and if the classroom is full of notorious students its fun to be there.... how can you be enjoying sitting with 50 heads of which 49 look at you only when they have to abuse you or in better words how can you enjoy food in a restaurant when you see everyone except you making a puke face at the plates.

Coming back to the point the workplace appears better no matter what is going on only if you enjoy doing what you are doing though it is something that you do not want to do... learning to control on how not be sad and if you are too optimistic like anyone I admire.... learning to be Happy.

So let me leave you thinking on
1. Do you really enjoy what you do?
2. Do you appreciate your own work?
3. Do you think you are working with happiest people?
4. Do you think you enjoy STress busting even if its not of your interest?
5. Do you think you add value to what you do?
6. Do you think you can go beyond what you do?
7. Do you think aspirations are meant to be dreamt, reality is to face what you are doing?

Well try answering this and you come to know if you are Happy or not.... And do remember dont be Toxic or put your fuzzy logic in here.... cause if you are not happy you are NOT Happy the fact that you are not happy can add to make you happy about been unhappy.

Read More