Author: Ganesh Venkatraman

The year is coming to a close. Now is the time to mull over the life lessons learnt over the past year. And also think over the priorities and goals for the coming year. Some valuable insights were gained from experiences throughout this year. The life is rolling in its own pace. It is not…

Next few weeks proceeded without much events. Routinely, I went about working on various sales leads. Some time in October, I had proposed to CEO that I would like to travel to France for an upcoming Food exhibition, perhaps the biggest trade fair in our line of business. My proposal listed out the customers whom…

There was a good development. The Spanish company which had floated tender for the products that we offer returned with a favourable news. Our company was number 2 in the tender status. The buying manager of the Spanish company was saying that he is prepared to allot major volume of business if we could reduce…

The tea-drinking Director called me one-day. It was a surprise. He usually does not interact with me directly. The few times that I had met with him were always in the company of CEO. The CEO and the Director had returned from a month-long overseas trip. Immediately on return, the CEO took a vacation and…

In the last couple of weeks, I am seeing some different trends emerging. The VP who was least interested in having any interface with me started responding to my emails. A few times he called up on phone too. The VP’s activism is matched with complete silence of the Cartel. Production guy who was friendly…

I remember going to circus when I was a kid. After a show, I was returning home along with my Dad. Asked him “wish there are more than two jokers in a circus…infact all players should be jokers only..no ring master..no motor-riders..no acrobats etc…only jokers”….Dad remarked “if there are only jokers, it wont be called…

The work has not been going right for me. I sense a lull in flow. The passion with which I went about eliciting enquiries seems to have subsided now, mainly due to lack of any major success so far. Apart from the savoury company which bought a small volume and a trader in Hyderabad who…

 The two days that I spent in the factory have revealed few more things of which I was not aware so far. The finance manager who is one of the cartel member is a complex personality. I have noticed his closeness to CEO. CEO considers him his man in the factory. I saw his different side…

One day, it was decided that I and CEO would travel to the factory and interact with the staff there for a couple of days. I was not clear why I should be visiting the factory. I did not particularly ask the question and just decided to go with him. On the way to the…

The CEO is very inventive on how to defer avoiding taking any decisions.  I have been seeing  this from the beginning itself. Of late, his indecisiveness has reached peak proportions. On one particular deal, he tested my endurance so much by being unreasonably rigid about extending a small credit terms to a good customer. I…

Negativity that we undergo from time to time is like a Theatre Screen. It obstructs the show while preparations are on in the other side. If the viewer gets impatient or restless about the closed screen and leaves the theatre mid-way, then he will miss the joyous show ahead. The internal mood during negativity can…

Mostly people start invariably from the bottom – except for a blessed few!  From my own experiences so far, I have seen and observed that the concept of respect keeps changing at various levels. Twenty years back, I started working with an ice-cream brand. I used to address everyone “sir” – the immediate supervisor (who…

I had had a minor tiff with Mala for some 2-3 days. Actually, the issue was very petty. The kids’ annual leave had started. So the family wanted to go to some hill station. I would love to take them on a vacation, but getting my leave sanctioned is going to be next to impossible.…

Many times, we find it convenient to do or to move restlessly rather than contemplating. If one does not want to be responsible, one can just be on the move or go without any deep thought or questioning one’s action consciously. Thinking or contemplation involves assuming responsibility for the situation one finds himself in ;…

8 hours and 30 minutes – that’s the duration I am required to spend in the office. I have always been curious to know how this duration is spent by all corporate executives on an average – how much percentage of real work, work related thinking, personal chores, reading news papers, browsing entertaining websites, following…

I had to travel to Mumbai on a Friday. Did not realize that I can’t go alone! The boss insisted on accompanying me for this visit, as he wanted to use this pretext to visit his family in Mumbai and spend the weekend. He is living on his own in this city. His wife did…

Philosophers say that life operates at two levels, external and internal. Our internal world comprises of our thoughts, perceptions, turbulence, dreams, fears, mind’s dialogues etc. The external world makes up all things physical, titles, political power, possessions, wealth, designation etc New age guys tell us that it is essentially our internal world that gets extended…

Whether to keep up the equanimity of emotions and act silently? Or to make some noises to be heard? This has been the main question that has dodged me always. In the past, I have seen that making noises usually does not work. It only puts off people. It does not make the shouter to…