The Art of Sowing

Credit: Capitol Hill Outsider

There is a famous saying in the Bible, "As you sow, so shall you reap". What is the exact meaning of this proverb? It is very simple. The proverb means that if you sow a grain of wheat, you will reap wheat cereal. If you sow unhealthy seeds, the plants that grow may be weak and spoilt. The Art of Sowing is important in any phase of life.

In the Art of Sowing, one has to keep in mind that just 'sowing' a seed is not everything. Where you sow the seed, what are the conditions it is sown under, and how you nurture it are also vital to the plant you reap in the end. You must be wondering, what has this proverb and talk about sowing and reaping seeds have to do with your business. Well, it has everything to do with your business.

In a company, people are hired to perform specific roles and duties. An employee is chosen based on his skills, experience and knowledge of that particular field. After a few months or years, the employee is promoted. It is a happy occasion for most. The employee might have been eyeing that promotion since a long time, trying to beat his competitors, and trying to do his best at every step to earn it. However, in this race and euphoric moment, the Boss and the Employee tend to ignore, or miss a vital aspect - the ability to responsibly handle the new role.

This one aspect can lead you to a loss, in terms of talent, time, investment et al. Both the Boss and the Employee think about the promotion in terms of Profit and Economics. The power and talent of the employee is sidelined. An employee cannot metamorphose overnight into a pro at the new designation.

There may be an exception, where an employee takes to the promotion with the utmost ease, however, a majority of employees feel burdened, nervous, helpless, and unprepared to deal with the new situation they are propelled into. This is where, you as a senior and their Boss can help them out.

You were the one who hired them, you are the one who promoted them. You are the one who 'sowed' this 'seed'. Now, you are the one to nurture them. It is your responsibility.

You need to work with them to pick up the reigns of the new position. In the first few stages, you need to help them with their responsibilities. All they need is your support and guidance. If you sowed them to be a certain professional, you have to nurture them for them to be the Professional they can be.

This applies even for the employees who are not promoted. You need to communicate, reach out, understand and help your employees to make use of their talent that made you hire them. As a Boss, you need to help your people grow. Your business grows, when your people grow. Your people grow, when YOU help them grow.

Remember, "As you Sow, so shall you Reap".

A Leader for the People

After a hiatus of five years, the population of India once again witnesses and participates in the dramatic decision of voting for a leader who will represent their spirit and needs through the General Elections 2014. India looks to a leader who will be there, for them! A point that arises is, that just like in matters of politics, the same applies to business, corporate offices and companies - of having a leader for the people.

An excellent figure who has set an example of being an exemplary leader is Lord Ram. He existed for Ayodhya, and not the other way around. This is why the citizens of Ayodhya loved and respected their King Lord Ram to such a high extent. When he returned from exile, Lord Ram's subjects lit the way with lamps - which is how the festival of 'Deep'avli gets its name - 'deep' meaning 'lamps'. In contrast, one can see the King Ravana whose kingdom exists for him - Ravana is busy in pursuit of placating his selfishness. A ruler, a leader is looked up to by his subjects. The power to make or break a community, morals, traditions and day-to-day life resides in the leader's hands.

A leader leads from the front, guides his people wisely, sees to the fulfillment of their interests, learns from his people, and puts their needs in front of his own. In simple terms, a leader does things for others with a willing and open heart without harbouring grudges, condescension or ideas of personal gratification.

In an organization too the above qualities in a leader earns him the respect and esteem of his employees. Growth of a business happens where a leader in power shares his power with his employees, empowering them and not snatching their power away from them.

As John C. Maxwell once said, 

"A Leader is one who knows the way, shows the way, and goes the way."

Switch Off... Save On

A Dark Night that brings Light... Contradiction right there, don't you think? Flashback to the year 2007, when the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) at Sydney organized a 'switch off' event to drive awareness on the issue of climate change. What started as an environmental event in a city, soon catapulted into the international sphere, reaching the interiors of almost every single nation on the globe. This event was no other than 'Earth Hour' - a day marked with people switching off their power for an hour.

This initiative is to gear people to become more responsible and thoughtful citizens of Earth. Earth gives us plenty of resources that help us live. However, we have been depleting the planet's resources at an alarming rate. While environmental issues like deforestation, pollution, animal cruelty, among others, power consumption is one issue that is escalating with furious abandon. We, as children of Earth, need to learn to save power to save Earth.

Earth Hour that is mostly scheduled in the month of March, is a day that focuses on the issue of conserving power to help in reducing the issue of Climate Change around the world. Our consumption of power increases radiation that causes climate as we know it to undergo dangerous unbalance. Global warming, ice-caps melting among the rest are some of the few examples of how our irresponsible behaviour toward power can bring destruction to our planet and to us.

It's never too late to join in a noble cause. You can pledge your support for Earth Hour by visiting the following links:

Earth Hour Website

Earth Hour - FB Page

Earth Hour India - FB Page


Team Ogma Robur have pledged our Support to Earth Hour... not just for today, but for everyday. Are you joining too?

Photo Courtesy: Earth Hour India

Embed Value in Appraisal

Appraisal is one of the company features any employee looks forward to. His annual performance is taken into account, weighed and analyzed to determine his future. This system is fraught with tension, awkwardness and frankly, a lot of dilly-dallying by the employers and the employees. Most are familiar with this routine, but have you ever thought of changing it? Have you thought to embed value in appraisal?

Esteemed Mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik once narrated a story about Hanuman and his mother. In this story, Hanuman’s mother asked him why he went through the trouble of building a bridge to Lanka when he could have struck the demons with one swipe of his tail and save Sita from Ravana. Hanuman answered saying that, no one asked him to do that, whatever Ram told him to do, he did that. He said that it was after all, Ram’s story, not his own.

In the above story, you can see that Hanuman carried out the duties set to him. His abilities were kept in the background while he fulfilled the role set to him. Also, since it was Ram’s story, it would be inappropriate of him to take liberty with Ram’s mission.

An appraisal should be simply that. An assessment of the assignments delegated to the employee, and the performance of an employee in doing justice to them should be considered in the appraisal. It is a measure of the appropriate usage of resources to achieve the results or goals set down. If an employee has performed effectively to meet the requirements – then no question should arise on his capability or efficiency – the fact that he has delivered what was asked of him should be enough to determine his appraisal.

One also needs to take into account that an employee does not work on his own on a project. He is aided and assisted by a team, juniors, subordinates and seniors. In an appraisal, one needs to look at the growth, qualities, and development of the employee himself, rather than seeing how the employee has contributed to a company’s growth. Wondering why so? Well, when you appreciate a person for their self-growth, it builds a sense of higher self-worth that reflects in the performance, which leads to… the company growing. Avoid making an employee feel like he’s doing a favour to the company, it will never work. Instead, appreciate and acknowledge his inputs, as well as failings, give him an honest, balanced feedback that will help him help you.

Inculcate value in the organization by valuing the good qualities of the employees. They are not just a means to the company’s end. They are the company – they make the company what it is, which is why it is extremely essential to value them.

On a Lighter Note - Dilbert

What Goes Around Comes Around

You might have come across the phrase 'What goes around, comes around'. Have you ever wondered why exactly is this phrase uttered? Consider the circular path of life and the world.

In our Galaxy, the planets revolve around the Sun on the path of their Orbits. They go all around the Sun and come back to the same point. A similar circular path is found in the Food Chain - the plant grows in soil with the help of the sun, a grasshopper eats the plant, a frog then eats the grasshopper, followed by a snake that eats the frog, the snake is then consumed by a hawk, the hawk is a top predator - that is, it does not have a natural enemy - so the top predator (hawk) dies and decomposes back to the soil. The Food Chain therefore completes a whole circle. The Circle of Life too has the four stages of Birth, Growth, Reproduction, and Death. The process of Birth - Death - Birth creates a Circle of Life in the World. This process is expressed beautifully in the famous animation movie 'Lion King'

The Circle of Life - The Lion King

Every minute action brings about a chain of incidents that make one go through a cycle of emotions and changes. There is no real end, as a circle denotes motion. Think of the wheel - a circular invention to help in the movement of machines and vehicles.

In business too we have departments, designations, and processes that at the very basic level follow a circular path. A system is set in place in order to process the work in an organized and methodical manner. This circular process follows a steady rhythm and helps in the smooth functioning of the company.

The movement in a circle is never stagnant. When there is movement, there is experience, and when there is experience, there is learning, with learning comes knowledge, and knowledge helps us to 'move' forward. So, there you see, we are back to 'move'ment! The Circle continues. It only takes a pint of goodness to begin the chain of positive experiences.

What are you waiting for? Start the Circle of Goodness now!

Master Your Attitude

You are the master of your attitude. Your attitude is decided by you. Do you choose your attitude wisely?

The attitude you decide to adopt determines the way you think, act and behave for the rest of the time. When you wake up in the morning, wake up with a good strong attitude. If the day turns bad, your good attitude will help you solve issues and tackle matters much more skillfully than if you decided to don a bad attitude.

In business and work, it is of essential importance to have the right spirit to handle office matters appropriately. You might have noticed that one mail, feedback or hitch in your workday seems to have a multiplication effect. Right after you get a mail from your boss asking you to pull your socks up, than you receive a critical feedback from your client, followed by a disagreement with a colleague, and then a call from the printer saying that the banner ads you asked for that day would be ready only after three days.

What do you do in such a situation? Does your blood start to boil? Does the frustration get to your head? Do you lose your cool and express it through rage, rude words, sarcasm etc.? Or do you take a step back, decide to take things one at a time, and confront each issue with effective solutions?

It is your attitude at such times that determine the outcome. A positive attitude will forge more positive events to follow. Maintain your positive attitude throughout, believe in the strength of them, and keep moving forward, confident that what seem like issues are actually challenges to be overcome.

Adopting a Bad Attitude will only lead you to set-backs, disappointments, and anguish. The Right Attitude in Life will help you grow and go ahead in Life.


So, tomorrow when you wake up, which attitude will you choose to wake up with?

How to Attract What You Want in Life!

In our last post on 'The Universe Wants to Give You Everything' we spoke about how you have the power to get whatever you want in your Life with the Universe's help.

In today's post we tell you 'How to Attract What You Want'. You can get what you want in life for your personal,  academic, career or business needs.

Follow these basic steps to have a good life!

Be Positive

We know, you have heard this one too many a time but here's a fundamental truth: Like attracts Like. Good attracts Good. Bad attracts Bad. Our Universe is filled with energy fields, these energy fields are around us too. So when we think something good, we send out good vibrations along these energy lines around us. Since the energy lines are universal, it transfers your positive energy around the Universe and brings back to you positivity.

Visualize

When you meditate, you concentrate and focus on your breathing or keep your mind clear. The same works with Visualization here. Focus on what you want. Keep it consistently in your mind, visualize it as a whole. While you visualize, focus on it confidently, like you already have it with you.


Forget the Past

The Past is just that - The Past. Leave it behind where it belongs - in the Past. You ask why. Well, the past is laden with baggage which drags you down and prevents you from moving forward in life. Reconcile with your past, forgive the mistakes, learn from them, and then move away from them. If you want something to enter your life you need to make space for them. You can only make space when you cleanse yourself of the luggage of yesterday.


Be Truthful

When you are truthful to yourself, you keep yourself clean, pure and clear. Good can enter where there is good. If you live in deceit and falsehood you automatically deny the goodness of life to enter your life. If you make mistakes, learn from them and forgive yourself. Own up to your errors and failings. Accept them as a part of you. Always learn that failings and mistakes do not mark who you are, it is how you grow from them that determines you.


Well, these were the four base points on which you can lay your foundation to a life that welcomes everything good that you deserve.

One last thing, always remember to believe and have faith in yourself! All things are possible then.

The Universe Wants to Give You Everything!

From centuries, people have looked up into the limitless sky and wondered about what lay beyond that 'limited' sphere of their minds. The sky represents an open mind, open to changes, discoveries, evolutions and possibilities. Why then, do we restrict our minds to the traditional modus operandi of daily life?

The Universe is out there, waiting for you to explore your potential inside you. All you have to do... is Think Clearly about What You Want!

You may feel that this is quite immature, but what is immature is living a life that does not credit the power you hold within you. If you look deep inside, you will find that you are the one halting your progress. You hesitate to step forward confidently in your strength.

This is where the Universe helps you.

Trust yourself. Trust the Universe. Believe in what you want. Believe that the Universe will give you what you want. You Will Get It!

Look out for our next post on 'How to Attract What you Want'

Introducing Ogma Robur

Ogma Robur is a Contract Sales and Marketing Company that provides creative ideas for your marketing needs.

Our elements/attributes of Creativity, Concept, Ideation and Eloquence are embedded in every service we render you. Theapplication of these elements is targeted at taking your business to the upper echelons/highest level of the corporate world.

Ogma Robur sets a solution path marked by milestones for every business step. We lead/guide you from the start – from the inception of an idea, market research, concept, and marketing to lead generation, branding and sales.