What the hell !!!.... Ok Fine...

My just completed teenage daughter utters two phrases frequently. Language of teenagers are different and shapes the future of the language.

Coming to these phrases, there is a great learning from these.

In life we are always concerned with one or many things. When any such incidence we encounter personally first utterance is : What the hell !!!

However we are taught by Stephen Covey that there are two area in our life: Circle of Concerns and Circle of Influence. Expanding circle of influence will contracts our circle of concerns. 

When we are in our area of concern , what the hell situation will be frequent.  We have two options then:

1) Expand the area of influence to address the concern
2) Accept the reality that you cant do anything about the situation

In both the scenario our response after what the hell should be - Ok Fine;

1) Ok Fine , let me do something about it 
2) Ok Fine, let me accept that I have to live with it

Lesson is do not remain in what the hell situations and quickly go into Ok Fine mode with any of the two options above.

My daughter when she understands why of what the hell situation usually says OK Fine with 2nd option & occasionally pursues 1st option.

These two phrases are very important & going hand in hand in real life situations.

Whenever we are in what the hell state of mind immediately go into Ok Fine mode to remain calm or become action oriented as the case may be.

Lessons in life comes from anywhere and everywhere. 

Why enterprises MUST expand their area of Influence ?

“Expand your area of Influence” and we remember great author Stephen Covey.  This is referred for personal development as one of the habits of effective people. However this also applies in the realm of better and delightful customer experience.  Yes to compete in such severe market condition every company must expand their area of influence.

Expand the definition of your offering and you will know area to be influenced.

Tirupati Balaji temple trust believes that their responsibility for devotees starts only when devotees are at the temple campus, restaurant thinks their job is only to offer food in side the eatery, telecom company thinks their role starts when a customer become their customer to use their voice /data services, manufacturers think product dispatch is the only job they are suppose to do likewise banks , hospitals every other business can think limited or expand their area of influence – its up to them.  In their book The Experience Economy - Author Duo says add ING to your offerings. This ING is what customer wants. Add ING and you see expanded area of influence.

Balaji Temple Trust started thinking of transport , logistics , devotees , online booking , queue management and every possible thing that devotees would think of while thinking of visiting Titupati. Asian Paints has started offering home decor solution to end user from merely selling paints.  Every enterprise HAS to think beyond their physical area of influence and keep expanding their area of influence not only to offer total solution and adding ING in their offerings but also to better their customer experience.  How else will you expand your market-share?

(This applies to every employees and professionals.)

Pearls of Wisdom from Stephen Covey

Today with his demise we have lost one of the great motivator of our times. His book 7 habits of Highly Effective People is the bible on inspiration and self motivation especially in the times we live.  


His recommended habits in nutshell below.    

No 1 Be Proactive.

We are in charge of ourselves. We are responsible – response-able. We can choose how to react to external stimuli, rather than being Pavlov’s dog – salivating at the light.

Covey says that keeping to your commitments – to yourself and others – is the clearest manifestation of our proactivity. If we commit to do something – do it. If we don’t want to commit to it – don’t commit to it. Integrity to our commitments is the clearest manifestation of our proactivity.

No 2 Begin With The End In Mind

All things are created twice – first in our minds and then in reality. We need to get clear on what we want – then create it. It’s goal-setting, essentially.

Without clear goals we are adrift. I reckon roughly 80% of people have no clear goals. They’re not bad people. They’re just won’t realise their potential.

No 3 Put First Things First

This is the high-payoff activities I bang on about endlessly. Not the crises, deadlines, interruptions and endless small stuff.  We must learn to say “no” to everything that is not a high-payoff activity. Say “no” to others, and to ourselves.  Do it pleasantly, smilingly, non-apologetically. But do it. Time actually IS our greatest asset.

No 4 Think Win-Win

In all relationships – business and personal. Life is not a zero-sum game. To win, others do not have to lose.

Do you have any win-lose relationships in your life? Turn them into win-win, or politely excuse yourself and go. Win-lose is bad for the other guy and bad for your soul. It’s actually lose-lose.

No 5 Seek First To Understand

…then to be understood.

People want to be understood, but few people do the understanding. Why not be one of them? When I meet people for the first time I make sure the conversation is about them, not me. Shamefully, I started doing this because it was suggested to me that this would help them to like me, as people like those who are interested in them. Fortunately, I now find myself genuinely interested in understanding them first. I enjoy understanding them. I actually like it. They seem to too. Maybe I really am a coach.

No 6 Synergy

1 + 1 = 3. We work better when we work together.  I’d rather be in two ventures, sharing the profits with another human being, than in one venture by myself.  I’m pretty good. I’ve got the test results to prove it. But I’m not that good. I lose perspective pretty quickly by myself. I miss things. I don’t see clearly. I am glad I am sufficiently self-aware to see this.

No 7 Sharpen the Saw

Take time to renew. You cannot work all the time. We need to rest, reflect, renew. So take some exercise, write a journal (a great idea), just play, or take time with someone you love. I’m rubbish at all of this. Someone said to me the other day they were leaving the office at 4pm to go home. I thought to myself – “what a luxury”. It’s not a luxury. It’s a necessity.

He first introduced the concept of circle of concerns and circle of influence. 

wow!!! these were the thoughts he presented to the world in his best written book. Hats off.  RIP Mr. Covey, you have expanded your circle of influence through your books manifold.  

19 Life Changing Books !!!

 1) Experience Economy- Pine & Gilmore

2) Re-imagine & Circle of Innovation - Tom Peters

3) Rethinking the Future - Many Renowned Management Thinkers

4) Linchpin & Small is new Big - Seth Godin

5) Delivering Happiness - Tony Hsieh

6) Seven Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen Covey

 7) Mavericks @ Work - Taylor & Labaree

8) The Referral Engine - John Jantsch

9) Seven Days Weekend - Ricardo Semler

10) The Goal - Dr Eliyahu Goldratt

11) Blue Ocean Strategy - Kim & Renne

12) The Starbucks Experience  - Michelli

13) Working with Emotional Intelligence - Danial Goleman

14) Who moved my cheese - Spencer Johnson

15) The Professional & Go Kiss d world - Subroto Bagchi

& Of course

16)  Indian Income Tax Act and Companies Act - For not pursing & practicing the same

(Everything need not end with round figure, influence is not in the given order & not included religious books - 
Readers are welcome to share their influencers - boook or people)