The First Dot.
I recently saw trailer of a Hindi movie, whose name I cannot recall now. In that movie, the protagonist asks his friend what he would do if he had a crore of rupees. His friend says he would give away a significant portion of it, as he doesn't need so much. For this, the protagonist says, 'you will not be the same person anymore then, how can you be so sure?'...Basically, here was a man without a crore of rupees talking about himself with a crore of rupees at a future date, who will think, feel, breathe differently. As per the protagonist, he will be another man altogether! That makes some sense.
The Second Dot
In our organization, we are currently making a business plan for the next 3 years. We have been doing this exercise for about 15 days now. For Time = Aug-09, we are doing planning for next 2-3 years. The first two years are crystal clear to us. The third year is kind of hazy. The process has been great, even though we had our share of heart burns, but the process was a very learning one. For me, this has been an 'inside-out' process. Inspite of the strategies being in place, the technology in place, solutions in place, people are ready and eager, Because I was in touch with myself, I deeply felt something was amiss
Connecting the dots.
What was missing? I got the answer from this Hindi movie trailor. Expectedly, when we travel from Aug-09 to Aug-10, our efforts for getting there would have changed us. On top of it, reaching the goal (a lofty one) would likely have made us different people. Much like the protagonist's friend with a crore of rupees in hand...basically, here we were, three co-founders of the company, planning for future, who themselves will be different people a year hence and we are making choices for that man with a crore...
All our models of business planning, intellectually engage the future. I think it is important to travel emotionally down the path and ask us how the man with a crore would feel, and what choices he will make then. Is it possible? May be not all the times. May be that is why many of the future plans do not remain relevant, when we actually get there.
Can a heightened 'self-awareness', (which is atbest a database of our past and present) help us take this journey? Presently, i dont think so. But i know of no other way. Do you?
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All our models of business planning, intellectually engage the future. I think it is important to travel emotionally down the path and ask us how the man with a crore would feel, and what choices he will make then. Is it possible? May be not all the times. May be that is why many of the future plans do not remain relevant, when we actually get there.
THESE ARE TRUE WORDS WHICH WE SHOULD TRY TO PRACTICE...NO DOUBTS...
Vasan
A lighter comment this time. Quite obviously you suffer from a similar malady to mine. Thinking too much or in your case planning to much!
Think about all umpteen philosophers who talk about taking life as it comes. Maybe this is what they meant - not a hedonistic lifestyle as many wannabe bohos would believe, but more of a lighter, less regimented, less strategised approach with a enough flexibility.
Hi Chithappa,
Good one. I certainly agree with you on how 'Change' in itself can change a person.
I guess this is precisely the reason why 'Look at the Biggest Picture' is preached so much by Corporate Management Trainers, assuming that every decision you take at whatever stage is driven by the sole motive to get closer to that 'Biggest' Picture.
- Sridhar
There is a saying,"Class is permenant but Form is temporary". This feeling of yours "think past emotionally down" belongs to Class. Form which may/will come in the likes of "temporally enjoying that present moment and forgetting the past" will definitely be governed by Class. So even if you all get there, you will definitely come back & sit down to think back your past. After all, who will not like to remember their hardwork?
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