Siya and her stories...

Siya and her stories....
Siya - Mom, I am getting bored.
Purwa - But darling, I am a little busy. Can you play with Papa.
Siya - Papa will play chess with me, and I wanna play monopoly
Purwa - Its a boring game, chess is fun - lots of strategy
Siya - Monopoly is lots of money, how can you not like it when in business ....

The next generation in making ...

Are good managers good leaders always?

It is obvious in professional life to have disagreements and different view points. You land up to arguments and arguments land up to wars at times ;-). I have gone through similar ones a lot in past and when I introspect as to why, one realizes that once you are a leader (someone whom people look up to) you own responsibilities of a lot of people within the organization and outside, you influence them but hey you might not be able to manage them well.

Management is all about numbers exercise - topline, bottom line, targets, achievements, profits, etc and you are accessed against meeting those numbers. Leadership is all about "inspiring people" and for all you know you can inspire people with your management skills. Leadership is all about who you are and management is all about how you do things. Management is more of a skill just like teaching, cooking, etc while leadership is what is within and attributes that can be "followed by". Being courageous, trust worthy, visionary are all qualities that a good leader should possess and has to be felt by others. While management is merely a skill that can be worked upon on daily basis till you get better at it. Being a good leader is more like working on yourself - self-improvement, thinking, defining and visioning. Being a a good manager is all about planning, achieving, setting company's goals.

However, what is common between a manager and a leader is good listening skills, thirst for knowledge and highly dependable and accountable. Both realize the importance of their contribution to the business and make sure to be committed to it.

So, lets play a game today, on the scale of 10 (where 10 is the best), rate yourself and me on Leadership and Management. (Leave a comment)

Happy Birthday Jute Networks!

The Story of Jute Networks

It is absolutely intentional to announce the website of Jute Networks on the same day as Siya's birthday. Why not have the birthdays of both my babies on the same day :-) especially when both the babies took the same amount of labor pains :-). 

Jute for me happened by chance. After I left QLC, I have been talking to a lot of people but for a job. And one fine evening, I meet Girish Nair (my mentor and a very good friend of mine) and all he tells me is "you should start up". That night I could not sleep and was thinking of what next. I have been reading a lot about entrepreneurship and always wanted to get into one but never managed to say "ok, lets just do it". All it needed is a dinner with Girish to make sure I can pass a statement like this. And then I also met Ajit Menon who has been another reason for me to ensure that I dive into Jute Networks. So, we were like best-est friends who can not agree at all with each other :-). However, the fact that he said "you should try and atleast not have regrets later" was the only agreement I guess we had till date. And then finally my husband and my dad and Siya too gave me a green flag with lots of ifs and buts too which I turned deaf ears :-). But the fact that people who matter me the most were with me, I jumped into. So, a lot of things just started in place, investments, people, place, etc and angels came to help me from every part of earth to help me out :-).

So why Jute - Traditionally jute was used in traditional textile machineries as textile fibres having cellulose (vegetable fibre content) and lignin (wood fibre content). But, the major breakthrough came when the automobile, pulp and paper, and the furniture and bedding industries started to use jute and its allied fibres with their non-woven and composite technology to manufacture nonwovens, technical textiles, and composites. Therefore, jute has changed its textile fibre outlook and steadily heading towards its newer identity, i.e., wood fibre. Jute will help business houses in defining their new identity at affordable rates. India is also the largest producer of Jute in the world and that is surely where Jute should get to. Our vision is to be India’s most customer centric company; to build a company where businesses can find and discover anything they need to fulfil their IT needs. We would like to make a rich history and look forward for a dynamic future. “We make a difference…”

There are so many other people whom I would like to thank who just were there, my clients from QLC, my colleagues from netCore, my colleagues from QLC and most of all my immediate and extended family. (it does almost sound like a Miss Universe speech after award wining ).

Happy Birthday Jute Networks and you are as special to me as Siya! Announcing the launch of the website of Jute Networks. Hope you guys like it! This is just the beginning and the game has just begun, I have a long way to go so wish me luck and most importantly energy to drive it through.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUTE NETWORKS AND WELCOME AGAIN!!! 

Happy Birthday Siya - 7 years

Hey darling,
I just realized that you are now at a age where you are no more a kiddo for me and would prefer to be treated like a friend. But hey, you know what, I would still prefer to be a mom to you :-). Wishing you a very happy birthday my princess and lots of happiness and strength to overcome all hardships associated. Year April to 2011 to April 2012 has been for us more like a "BIG" Siya. Completely independent, completely self-sufficient,  very matured and more understanding. Tough you started treating me as a friend far earlier (http://purwajain.blogspot.in/2011/04/happy-birthday-siya-6-years.html), it took me a while to absorb you that way. I still felt the need to pamper you and may be cuddle you to sleep as yet :-)! However, it is working in your favour and you are having fun!

So what really was different this year! This year darling you came into first standard and that say it all. You were no more treated like a baby where you were told to hold teacher's hands or mom's hands. Your school made it sure that you get far more mature before even I could realize. You also started getting really more conversant with me and started having a real strong opinion for things. If you enjoy doing things, you will do it irrespective of who says a yes or a no. You have developed this strong will to make sure you get things done as per your needs and yet stay humble and kind. Your emotional side of development especially with your friends has left me shaken. Every person goes out of the way to help her best friend but you go out of your way to help a person who is in need. A few school incidences made me proud of you.

Sport field has been your passion and will continue to be till you want it to be. you have realized this year that if there is "x"amount of energy in you and if not utilized correctly - will come out in anger, frustration, crankiness, etc. you exactly know how to keep yourself busy when parent are busy and this could be a duration as long as 8 hours. You would yourself shift the furniture in the room to corners and start practising gymnastics just because you wanted to channelize it in the right direction. As usual laurels earned this year were in the field of skating, gymnastics, kathak, shaimak's, drawing and few more. But I am sure, your certificates put together versus mine till date, you have done atleast 30 times better than me. Proud of you as always!

So, there was 6th April, 2005 where my life had changed! You made me a mother! And today is 6th April, 2012  - exactly 7 years and all I can say is "you made a difference" to our family. You have been my reason to smile, my reason to dream and my reason to think real BIG! I have no regrets in declaring that you have been my guide in these 7 years. When I seek motivation, when I seek energy, when I seek optimism, I only and only look upto to you. While you will not even understand half of these words, you just do it in way where I realize why could I not be like her.

When you were born, I had this fear if I was capable to take care of this little angel and hope I have succeeded in these year. And today I have a similar fear when I am on a path where I am taking the next major move. And I have this fear if I can take care of the same or not. But as you always proved, "put in the best and leave the rest", the fruits will be delicious. So darling, your mom has gone into entrepreneurship - not sure if it is the right move or not, but who really cares - if I fail I will atleast know what not to do from next time. So Siya, you have made it a point to make us proud always, now its my time to make you proud. We friends have decided to make a difference and here is where I announce the launch of the new born baby - Jute Networks (www.jutenetworks.in).

Happy Birthday Siya once again and make sure you continue to inspire us. That is surely what is going to keep us going on! Love you !

Happy Birthday Siya and God Bless!