Lead kindly

This last week The McKinsey Quarterly brought into focus factors for succeeding at open- source innovation, in the light of the whopping number of downloads of Mozilla's latest Firefox web-browser version. In an organization where much of the software coding, product development, distribution and what not depend on volunteers, it was interesting to read what these factors might be. In her interview with TMQ, Mozilla Corporation's Chairperson, Mitchell Baker commented on the management styles adopted early on at Mozilla, that were very unlike traditional practices, but key to open-source innovation. And the secret? 'A balance between maintaining control and letting motivated people run with their passions…’

This sounds like the most intuitive thing, almost common sense, doesn't it? After all, every senior manager, of even the most traditional industry and thesis advisor, must surely be expected to live that very balance in some form or fashion. But like most fundamental principles of sound management and effective leadership, they only sound simple. To practise them is certainly much, much harder to do and truly inspiring when done. The heroes and towering personalities of our times, however, do not instill a sense of urgency to imbibe those values. No, by their very stature they become far-removed from our immediate reality (mine at least); an idol on a high pedestal, an excuse to not aspire to that ideal. But the people in our lives- the people we can meet with, laugh and cry with, touch and hold, whose struggles and triumphs we have watched first-hand; people who seem like any one of us in their demeanor, in their station in life, in their hopes and fears; the same people whose qualities and actions set them apart from every one of us, truly inspire.

One such friend stopped by a few days ago.

In the course of our conversation, we touched upon her work and how rapidly it had expanded from a prototype for an online tutorial to a product now deployed by governments across the seas, inspiring social workers in several developing countries. ‘Her’ project had now become the foundation for multiple sub-projects, spawning undergraduate summer research material, master’s thesis components, a non-profit organization and that’s only part of it!

And as we marveled over this incredible growth, she remarked ever so casually that while she had had some experience with professional project management, her current work called for a very different approach to management. A student-led not-for-profit initiative, run entirely by volunteers and funded by angels (in the truest sense of the word) and supported by only the most sincere, giving and passionate people driven by nothing other than the promise of a better informed and hence, safer world. It called for her to at once be able to provide the guidance, knowledge, acquired painstakingly over the last three odd years, and vision to each new aspirant to this mission; and yet let go of execution, and completely relinquish ownership of the new direction each mini-project will inevitably take. And when she spoke of it, she did so with a smile of assurance and faith in her team, total acceptance of the individuality they are bound to mark their work with and an earnest desire to see the very best be done in every aspect, even if that means having to step back and let someone else take the reins.

A fresh realization of what detachment means emerged for me; a most gentle and generous form of leadership revealed.

Ps: Having nothing to do with the web-browser itself, the article and the recollection of a greater leadership made me, finally, switch from IE to Firefox over the weekend! Hurrah!

And then kids grow up...Shucks!

They're doing that all the time, you know. Kids growing up, that is. They're doing that next door, in that day care center; as they discover new people in this world, different from their parents- little people like themselves. They try to be valiant in this strange atmosphere, failing hopelessly at times and bursting into tears, gurgling mirthfully at others, forgetful of the newness. Yes, kids are always growing up...(Heck I grew up! Although my grandmother does not believe such an event occurred and has me at 21 still and does not think that's very grown up anyway; another 5 years and I will be grateful for that courtesy). But for my baby bbb to have grown up! No!!! It cannot be. She says so though, every chance she gets, that she's a near adult. (I only hear the near, mind you). She will be in college soon, moving away from home, getting a bank account, moving into an apartment... taking charge of her affairs, as she calls it. Affairs, my foot!
And so, I insist upon her talking to me everyday, for hours, if I could have my way (how wonderful that would be!) as if that way I could arrest this onward march somewhow and hold it where it is. Right here. Right now. I will have to get as much of her, in this child-like state now. Tomorrow it will be no more. She will be a child to me, ever. But in her own mind she will cease to be.
If I could only protect that precious wonderment within her, if I could give her that magical mix of feeling liberated as a child and self-reliant as a young adult, if I could preserve the child in her and nourish the woman in her...:) I shall say a prayer for her.

On reading ‘Dreams from My Father’

I picked up this story of Obama's mixed inheritance to read on my flight to India. The longest transit of my life notwithstanding, I only managed to read half the book. That, however, is not the point; I had resolved to read nothing more intense than Calvin and Hobbes and perhaps a Wodehouse or two, just to recover from the trauma of back-to-back reads of first the God of Small Things (yes a decade late) and The Kite Runner. (Don't get me wrong; reading, I love. Human misery and the darker side of life, depicted in excruciating detail, leaves me reeling and yearning for balloons and blossoms) And so, I was half expecting to give up after the first chapter under the weight of the matter and could see myself desperately reaching for an escape- book when I packed this one into my carry-on. But that didn't happen. I am not making any claims as to to the read-worthiness of the book, nor to my skills on reviewing such. But I did feel the irresistible urge to share some (his) words of wisdom, all too familiar, but lost somewhere in the crevices of our memories, with anyone who might chance upon this blog.

In the last weeks leading up to the conclusion of the Democratic primaries, the media was cashing in on every aspect of the protagonists' public, publicly private and privately intimate lives. Not to be left behind, Costco had slashed the prices on 'Dreams...' and 'The Auacity of Hope...' Between his dreams for himself and America, and the dreams handed down to him from his father, I picked the latter. And I'm glad I did. What struck me was the ease and simplicity with which he peeled away the layers of human emotion underlying inexplicable behaviour, his understanding of the veneer of arrogance for what it was; a shroud covering fear and diffidence deep beneath it. But mostly his empathy and above all his honesty were deeply moving. This paragraph in particular hit a nerve somewhere and made me sit up straight as I read through. It hit hard especially because I had just returned from India, with a million thoughts about home, family, the ever-widening gap between between those reaping of the burgeonining economy and those to whom it made the mockery boom louder, flitting in and out of conscious thought; mingling with observations of common courtesy that was indeed quite common to see aboard Caltrain and wondering why it was painfully lacking back home on a similarly sweltering day, on a very similar train. It had captured in a few words the essence of what had happened to the many many faces that we collectively label 'bureaucracy'; it had summarized the resignation that we categorize as indifference, the same indifference that we were ourselves sucked into at one point, I was for sure, and that freshly shocks me everytime I return.

But before I rant on and on, the passage mustn't be lost, and here it is. The context, if you had not guessed already: his observation of the apathy that preachers, aid workers, men and women in public service, and sadly those needing the service themselves, inevitably slip into.
'....The three of them reflected the attitudes of of most of the people who worked in Altgeld: the teachers, drug counselors, policemen. Some wre there only for the paycheck; others sincerely wanted to help. But whatever their motives, they would all at some point confess a common weariness, a weariness that was bone-deep. They had lost whatever confidence they might have once had in their ability to reverse the deterioration they saw all around them. With that loss of confidence came a loss in the capacity for outrage.'

A loss in the capacity for outrage is a great loss indeed. A loss that can strip one of accountability, the accountability for our own complicity in having stood by.

However, as I am prone to, I searched for hope to make a comeback soon and that probably increased, briefly, my average reading rate (which in the last decade has fallen appallingly). And I arrived at this passage. Again, for context: it describes a scene at a public elementary school.
'... As the teacher tried to direct them up the stairs, I thought how happy and trusting they all seemed, that depsite the rocky arrivals many of them had gone through- delivered prematurely, perhaps, or delivered into addiction, most of them already smudged with the ragged air of poverty- the joy they seemed to find in simple locomotion, the curiosity they displayed toward every new face...'

Ah! Isn't that joy the birth right of every infant born into this world? And to keep that smile on every child's face from fading not a worthy cause to strive for? It reminds us of why we are here, why we cannot resign as if it were a day job and what purpose we have been called upon for; It reminded me that there is always hope, when there is a willing spirit.

ps: technically this should have been my second post since the Rising...just for the record.

All for some good coffee...

Yes, it was almost so good that it prompted me to consider blogging after a 2 year hiatus! Hi blogger! :)

A month ago, I was so excited to be flying back home after more than a year that nothing, not weeks of 12 hour days at work, banking glitches, car trouble, an impending dinger from b-school, no nothing, could take away the spring from my step nor wipe the silly grin off my face. And then came 9th evening, the evening I'd been waiting for ever so eagerly. It was supposed to be a simple affair: go to the bank, withdraw some cash, go home and check luggage and apartment one last time, and be on my way to the airport !!!...Sure!

Step 1, bank. Got the cash, easy enough. Backed car out of bank, and BANG!!! Not me!!! (not this time!) (As a side note, it always fascinates me how the human mind conjures up a zillion vivid images and thoughts within seconds and then springs right back into present time! Dear God! Exchange numbers, call insurance, won't be in town for 3 weeks? Great! Then don't count on insurance! Another trip to Auto Body repair....wait!) The pleasant pat on the back was from a gentle old lady whose spectacle rim got in the way of her clear sideways vision and a blinding glare completely eliminated my car from her view! Was this a fore-runner of things to come??? I'm not normally superstitious...but you'll see...The good part, if one might call it that, was that there wasn't so much as a scratch on either of our cars and the poor grandma was so nervous and apologetic, that I got moist-eyed. Phew, thank God for small mercies. Anyway, slightly distracted, but back on track to simple town...

Step 3: A breeze to SFO international? Uh huh. It did seem that way initially, but 15 minutes into the ride, traffic on the left lane of 101 N had suddenly built up out of nowhere and we were barely moving. There'd been a 3 car crash close to San Mateo and CHP had the lane completely blocked. News suggested we might enjoy the balmy breeze for close to an hour. Not panicking! We were still early. But you know how one hour can become 3...At any rate, a small miracle happened and we were able to inch out on to the right lane after half an hour and were finally cruising to the airport...And nothing of import really happened for the next several hours as I flew from SF to HK to Singapore. I even took the customary city tour and, sadly, slept through all of it. I briefly awoke and remember thinking how very alike the commotion outside a temple there was to its Chennai counterparts! (It's a small wonder that I actually slept through every single hour of every flight until I reached Singapore! Just as well, it was.)

Where's the coffee, you ask. Well, it's coming.

The flight to Chennai was to leave at 9.00pm. And waited, we did till 9.40, IST and all. What else can one expect with Indian Airlines. The transformation from international travellers to fish market- mongers took place within seconds of boarding IC558. After what seemed like an eternity, the captain warmly welcomed us aboard and wished us a very pleasant journey with IA. I was duly thrilled. But nothing happened. We were served some apple juice and asked to remain seated with our seat belts fastened. Not that anyone paid attention to that, least of all to the request to keep cell phones turned off. A few minutes later, we were once again told we would be taking off in just a few moments. This time the wheels started to turn. As we taxied out and picked up speed, the engine to my right shuddered and sighed, the pilot braked with all his might, till the wheels nearly burst sending sparks flying. Completely rattled as I was, I reached out to steady myself against the seat in front, only to find it wasn't tightly bolted to the floor and was now rocking back and forth! Horrors! This time round, my mind couldn't nearly conceive of every possible consequence of what might have been that it just went blank.

After many agonizing minutes, we came to a standstill. Out came the cell phones and a dozen voices narrated the story of the failed take-off to anxious spouses and families, peppering it with their vivid imagination for good measure. In the midst of this mayhem, the PA crackled to life and the kindly captain announced that there may have been a slight issue with the engine and they were looking into setting it right and we would be on our way soon!!! Nobodoy was convinced. Twenty minutes later, the captain once again introduced himself and this time announced that we would we would be served dinner, at Changi. Just what I'd hoped for.

Now that it was official that the flight was in dire need of repair, people were in a mad hurry to exit the cursed boeing...in case it should go up in flames all of a sudden eh? One wonders, at least, seeing people elbow one another in the narrow aisle. In the chaos that ensued, a neat little package was delivered onto my nose from above. There was no time for apologies, you see, this was an emergency!

At any rate, an hour or so elapsed. After some comic relief provided by fruit thieves at the dinner party, an urgent voice beckoned us all back to terminal C21, or some such. This had to have been a record of sorts. The IA engine repaired in under 2 hours?!...Ah! The real story emerged; the engine had failed, the damage irreparable, and the solution? Spare parts to be flown in from Chennai! (It should've made us proud. No spare parts to the rather state-of-the-art air craft in all of Singapore...) Better yet, no flights in the forseeable future to Chennai. I sincerely regretted taking the city tour already, asleep or not.

We were then read out our rights and privileges; We could request seating on the already over-booked early morning flight out, we would however not be guaranteed any space! Not to be disheartened- a luxury suite in the aiport lounge awaited us till kingdom come. I am not entirely sure what I was thinking, but I believe I agreed to the luxury suite option and trudged out of the boarding area. I was half aware of some passenegers, 3 in particular, employing all means of persuasion, in turns, to convince the now weary Mr. Suresh of why they absolutely deserved to be on that flight to Chennai. In fact one of them had now taken on the role of that gentleman in fending off irate passengers to the lounge to end all distraction from his immediate goal, and I must admit did a much better job at it.

As I sat down to fill in my immigration forms, a strain of conversation from the babel came back to me and I realized an option to fly to Bangalore instead had been offered. What in heaven's name was I signing up to the airport lounge for?! I ran back to the boarding area and managed to get assigned to that flight just in time. While s1 and s2 came out beaming with me, relieved to be on a flight headed anywhere in India, s3 , our very able public relations cum logistics expert lingered behind to make his final pitch...

Our altered itinerary demanded an additional 6 hours at the airport. I spent the first two making frantic calls to my parents, already perplexed after a 3 hour wait at Anna International to no avail, and then rousing from sleep my uncle and aunt in Bangalore. Very pleased with the way things had turned out (it could have been much worse, you know. Much.) I emailed the adventures to my friends back in the BA. Finally exhausted from all the action, and with no clue as to what time zone my body was operating on, all I knew was if I had to be awake to get on that fated flight, I would need a ton of caffeine. And starbucks won't do.

At that precise moment, s3 strode out into the transit lounge, looking very smug. I knew it couldn't have been the thought of Bangalore that was having this effect, there had to more. Cautiously I asked him if he had managed to get on the flight to B'l anyway. Of course, he said. Now that the flight is re-scheduled and everything, we have plenty of time get some coffee and toast as well. In fact that little coffe pub called Toastbox over by the kiosks serves some excellent coffee, he added. Re-scheduled?! Doesn't matter. Excellent coffee- a more pressing matter. I unceremoniously ended our conversation right there and made a bee line to the Toastbox.....

Words cannot adequately describe the exquisite aroma and the rich flavour of the gourmet coffee made from freshly ground beans, foamed with full cream and condensed milk, and sugar to top it off. The boy serving at the kiosk even had the accent intact (likely a Singaporean one, but to my ears, it rang like music from the land of filter coffee) when he said 'kopi-ya?' and whisked out this incredible intoxication, with a side of thick toast buttered on both sides, nay, soaked literally and yet crisp...I believe the very act of sipping into that manna set things right with the world; as s3 came and sat down at my table, and narrated the story of how he'd badgered Mr.(another) S (I'm afraid) into summoning an IA representative out of bed and into re-routing the flight to B'lore via Chennai, it confirmed my belief. This called for celebration. The news was relayed to s1 and 2 and a third set of boarding passes made for the night (or morning or who cares!). And what better way to celebrate than over another cup of kopi! :).... Bliss- served in a cup.