Monday Blues: Command, conquer and captivate!

When Karl Elsener started working on the cutlery in his shop in 1884 little did he realize the gigantic trend he is starting in the genre of collectibles and pocket knives. Called the iconic Swiss Army knife, the multi-utility knife is known for its quality standard and encourages the spirit of adventure. This is exactly what it chose to represent when they were Gold sponsors for the IIM Bangalore Vista last week.

Nestled among the budding young leaders of the management students who carry on them a great amount of pressure to be the best in what they can, Victorinox offered a chance to experience handling tremendous pressure while being cool, sustainable and relevant even with the changing pressures, situations in the modern marketplace.

While the pocket knives were all time favorite, the luggage was a surprise choice for many. While most youngsters were captivated by the clean design, immaculate finish and simple corporate looks, the multi-utility theme was its best conquering element. Some of the handpicked items were given as gifts to the honored guests from the corporate diaspora who graced the workshops and the keynotes.

The gift hamper was chosen to accommodate the high-flying, traveling, rigorous usage clientele and had a passport organizer, backpack for the laptops and some pocket knives. My favorite being the huntsman and the rescue tool, the passport organizer can actually be useful for anyone like me. I prefer to travel light and this would make a perfect companion for your long distance travel across continents and handling various currencies.

Command, conquer and captivate, the theme of  IIM B Vista, pushes us to think beyond the current situations on our desk, our monday blues and our problems in general. The army officer who holds the Victorinox pocket knife or the trekker who uses it to cut his food, ropes for his tent or the hobbyist who adds them as his collectibles, try and push you to look at the next adventure with a fresh set of eyes and seek solutions that may not be quite obvious. This Monday, I urge you to look at the next problem and instead of moving away or finding a simple solution, seek to command, learn to conquer and strive to captivate. Yes, while you are at it, look at the message from the most loved knife designer - Build to quality, trust and deliver functionality and innovation. Have a nice Monday.

Don't give up

That is the potential each of us have. Every day, we can move forward and start a new day, a new life. Everyday is a gift from the Lord and it is your responsibility to ensure you make it worth it. Sky is your limit. You can reach it. Don't give up yet. 

Don't give up even if things don't go your way. Even if that friendship doesn't work, even if you don't get that job, you can't repay the loans. can't make it big, can't get what you want today! Remember tomorrow is another day, another chance, another fresh start. You never know what you can become if you don't try. Don't give up yet. Don't quit. This is not a race. This is a marathon. You should be in for the long run. You have many people who love you, care for you and are rooting for you. Don't quit.

If you feel depressed, feel that your life has no meaning, feel that the world is closing on you, feel that you are alone and don't have anyone who can understand how you feel, still, DON'T QUIT. Find someone who will listen to you. Take help. Call a friend, brother, parent, teacher or someone who will listen to you. Visit a place of worship, help someone in need, take a walk, join a gym or do anything that will keep your mind busy. Just DON'T QUIT yet when your life is a story about to unfold. You are important. 

If you feel you are #depressed and need to talk to someone who will listen to you without judging and can help you, mail me or message me. If you have a friend who is going through stuff, refer them ti someone who can help too. I am always ready to lend a patient ear, warm #coffee and a comforting hug. 

God has put immense potential in you and you have to give it a chance to bloom. Be a blessing to many people and you will see how many people care for you and love you. If everything else fails, talk to someone you love or #TalktoTiger write2tiger@gmail.com

Monday Blues: Work for a change!

Do you have a colleague who enjoys being idle. Most of the time watching at the dumb WhatsApp screen or a YouTube video or pretending to work? I bet you do and get irked. May be it is beyond being lazy, callousness, may be it is a habit or a disease. 

Sometimes simple solutions can be found to major problems, if we are ready to look beyond the box. A new habit or idea is as strong as this little red chilli and can change the flavour of the entire process. Use it for good and you are adding something nice and powerful in the right direction or you are killing your productivity, your morale and in the end your own self.

As you progress in your work and try to step it up, you sometimes can be benefited by a small change in your routine. This Monday, I want to encourage you to look for that small change that can help you improve. There is no fun in being stubborn. Your monkey brain may be holding you back, but just calm it once and try to work differently. Learn to push yourself to contribute.  May be that will change your psyche to the right side!

Monday Blues: The better exercise

How is your day going? Are you in the right frame of mind? Are you at peace with what you are doing and is it going to help anyone? 

The human endeavor is one with outstanding opportunity. When you have a chance in making things happen, make them happen in such a way that it builds, is constructive,  makes positive relationships, enables meaningful change to someone who interacts with you. Even if you are at the most depressing place or task, you can still make it work! Yes. When I say you can make a change and when made in the right direction, you will see the outcome is better than what you intended it to be.

Given an option, choose to lift people up. All around you there are many who need the uplifting and you have an excellent opportunity to do just that. As John Holmes says, “There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.”  Do more of that and you will be witness to amazing stories all around you. 

This Monday, let us choose to lift people up, even higher than you can. Have a great day!

#MondayBlues #PositivePsychologist #Changeforbetter

Munching office politics - Monday Blues

So, how is your Monday going? How is the attitude at work and politics? How are you driving yourself to keep up with the pressures of life? When faced with certain circumstances, we are often tempted to take a path that is curt, to the point and  dusted with harmful options. 

These are easy to come up with and react. However, as a leader, you need to look up above the simple low-minded people's attributes and behave. Learn to let it go, forgive, move on to be a better person than you can be. Revenge is not ours and it will be taken up when needed. Not by you and I but by the power high up above. I am really telling you this.

You may be thinking that I don't understand your situation but trust me when I say, I have been in the worst of politics, dealt with people who behave like animals fighting for survival and have still come up victorious. The revenge when the pride falls is sweet, beautiful and worth waiting for. The key is in understanding the psyche and learning to let the barking snarling dog go. You will find your light, soon enough.

Here is a hymn by Horatius Bonar that keeps me from losing my cool and waiting patiently for the show to mature.

Thy way, not mine, O Lord, however dark it be;

Lead me by Thine own hand, choose Thou the path for me.

I dare not choose my lot; I would not if might;

Choose Thou for me, my God, so shall I walk aright.

Immerse yourself in your domain, responsibilities. Keep that smile on, push forward and perform better than anyone you know and you will live to see the fall.