Thursday, 16 January 2014

CONCLUSION (முடிவுரை)



Tiruvalluvar’s epic has inspired and guided millions of people for centuries. I was moved and wonder stuck by Tirukkural the first time I was exposed to it, and continue to be each time I re- read it. My professional career that has revolved around technology, research, management and business operations has for the past several decades drawn me back to the Tirukkural’s timeless teachings as well as the highly relevant and practical concepts it espouses.This work is my attempt at connecting my professional experience in business with teachings of this great work with the hope that it would inspire others to find their own interpretations and meanings from it.




A. Sampath 

Tuesday, 14 January 2014

Candour (நேர்மை)

Justice (நீதி) 

A Chief executive has to maintain his impartiality at any cost if he wants to command  respect from all his colleagues. This advice gains very great significance, as whole lot of people ranging from labour to top executives as well as all sections of public like customers and other interacting business associates relay on his impartial judgement. This goodwill will ensure the success for him in all his endeavours owing to respect and cooperation he will get from one and all, in all situations. Leadership with Trust is the most essential trait of a Leader to ensure good governance of a corporate sector or a government body at any level.  The golden couplet is given below.

சமன்செய்து சீர்தூக்குங் கோல்போல் அமைந்தொருபால்
கோடாமை சான்றோர்க் கணி. (118)

 Samanseithu Seerthookung Kolpol Amainthorupaal
 Kodaamai Saandrork Kani.
     
எடை நிறுக்கும் தராசின் முள் போல, நடுநிலை வகிப்பதே   
நேர்மையாளர்களுக்கு சிறந்த அணிகலன் ஆகும்

To be impartial without leaning to anyone side like a pointer of a
scale is the ornament of the wise.


Thursday, 9 January 2014

Feedback and Counseling (விமர்சனம் கேட்டலும் ஆலோசனையும்)


Absence of Critics (விமர்சகர்கள் துணை இன்மை)

As mentioned earlier,king can be considered as the person holding top post in any organisation and the post is very lonely. He is responsible for taking lot of crucial decisions in many fields. As a human, anyone one is liable to commit mistakes with error of judgement. What is required is sincere well intended councillors to point out any mistakes then and then with brutal honesty. The chief must provide enough freedom and encourage such learned people to voice their advice, without any reservation. Humility to respect expert’s views would help him in understanding all issues and take remedial measures at the right time. In the absence of such support, an organisation, even in the absence of any rival to spoil it, would be in peril on it’s own accord.

இடிப்பாரை இல்லாத ஏமரா மன்னன்
கெடுப்பார் இலானும் கெடும் (448)

 Idipparai Illaatha Eamara Mannan
 Keduppar Ilanum Kedum
     
கடிந்து அறிவுரை கூறும் பெரியோரின் துணை இல்லா அரசன் அவனை கெடுக்கும் பகைவைன் இல்லா விட்டாலும் கெடுவான்.

King not surrounded by learned, criticising his actions with candour coupled with good advice will get destroyed, even if he does not have any enemy to carry out the act.

Forbearance (சகிப்புத் தன்மை)

There is natural tendency for all subordinates  to say ‘yes’ or simply keep quiet in presence of top boss, so as to be in the good books of the chief. Though, it may massage the ego of the top person, he will not get to know true opinions of individuals. On the other hand, if the chief has the maturity to bear with any harsh words thrown by his subordinates, and encourage others to voice their true feelings or thoughts he would find himself to become very popular with his colleagues who would support him for good decisions and boldly express their objections about the wrong ones. As the chief himself encourages healthy criticism, the whole system would tend to adopt the same culture at all levels of management, resulting in great respect for the chief with loyal following.  The thought provoking couplet is given below.

செவிகைச் சொற்பொறுக்கும் பண்புடை வேந்தன்
கவிகைக் கீழ்தங்கும் உலகு (389)
   
Sevigaich Sorporukkum Panpudai Vendan
Kavikaik Keezhthangum Ulagu

 நல்லெண்ணத்துடன் கூறப்படும், காதுகளை குடையும் கடுமையான
 சொற்களையும் பொறுக்கும் நற்குணமுடைய அரசனின் பின் உலகமே இருக்கும்

A king with the patience to bear well intended criticism, though   
very bitter, will find the whole world behind him at all times.


Saturday, 4 January 2014

Danger of High Risk Venture ( உயர் அபாய துணிகர செயலின் ஆபத்து )


Exeeding safety Limits (பாதுகாப்பு வரம்பை மீறுதல்)

This  generic advice, stresses the need for caution against over doing anything in any field. Over expansion, excessive production, excessive inventory, cost overrun, top heavy management etc can be detrimental to the basic health of a company, if not adequately controlled. The idea of bringing analogy of peacock’s feather which is very light in weight,  is to caution people that though individual action seemingly small when accumulated will have deleterious cascading effect ruining company in total.  The couplet is given below.

பீலிபெய் சாகாடும் அச்சிரும் அப்பண்டம்  
சால மிகுத்துப் பெரின் (475)

Peelupai Saagadum Achchirm Appandam
Sala Mikuththup Perin.

மெல்லிய மயிலிரகே என்றாலும், கூடுதலாக வண்டியில்   
ஏற்றினால் அவ்வண்டியின் அச்சு முறிந்து விடும்

Even peacock’s feathers light in weight, if over loaded in a bandy,
will break the wheels.

Over confidence ( அசட்டு துணிச்சல்)

This is the warning given to those who tend to act over zealously throwing caution to winds. One must know his limits and avoid overreaching beyond his capability. While the earlier ‘Kural’ brings out the snowballing effect of small acts mushrooming into uncontrollable proportion, this one advises against over confidence in action that can  endanger his very existence.

நுனிக்கொம்பர் ஏறினார் அஃதிறந்தூ ஊக்கின்
உயிருக்கிறுதி யாகி விடும்  ( 476 )

Nunikkombar Earinaar Akthiran Thookin
Uyirukkiruthi Yaagi Vidum.

ஒரு கிளையின் நுனி வரையில் ஏறியவர், மேலும் செல்ல முற்பட்டால்
அது அவரின் உயிருக்கே ஆபத்தாக முடியும்.

 After reaching the end of a branch, if one attempts to advance   

 further, it will endanger his life. 

Friday, 27 December 2013

Human Relationship (மனித உறவு)


Inter personnel Relationship ( சக ஊழியரிடம் பழுகுதல்) and

Emotional Intelligence. (உணர்வுசார் நுண்ணறிவு )

If one is incapable of working in a team or live in harmony with society in general, though highly learned, is as bad as an illiterate ignorant person. Some people are highly educated, come out with high qualifications in academics. However, they lack team spirit and are incapable of working in a group. As any task needs the cooperative efforts of many interacting individuals, these people will not be productive and in fact be the cause of disenchantment among the subordinates, peers and the boss. A man who is incapable to be good team member can never become a team leader too. They are as bad as totally ignorant person in terms of their performance as their output would also turn out to be nil. Assessment of EI ( Emotional Intelligence )  of employees in performance rating have gained currency in recent times.

உலகத்தோ டொட்ட ஒழுகல் பலகற்றுங்
கல்லா ரறிவிலா தார். (140)

Ulagaththo Dotta Ozhugal Palakatrung
Kalla Rarivilaa Thaar.


சமூகத்துடன் ஒன்று சேர்ந்து கூடி வாழ இயலாதவர்கள், நங்கு
கற்றிருந்தும் கல்வி அறிவில்லாதவருக்குச் சமமே   

Those who are unable to get along in harmony with society,
though highly learned, are as good as ignorant only.   

Anger Management (சின  கட்டுபாடு)

Self Destruction ( சுய அழிவு

Just to save himself at least, one must control anger failing which his anger itself will destroy him. In the course of work, all are confronted with many issues, landing them in situations provoking them to lose their temper. However, It is of paramount importance for everyone to exercise control on his emotions and act with calm and composure. Any hasty act on account of anger can land one in deep trouble and cause irreparable damage to his reputation.

Anger distracts an individual from the main issue. It is termed as temporary madness and decision taken in a fit of anger always turns out to be wrong. Anger in fact, is nothing but manifestation of one’s weakness and of helplessness. One loses his control on his words and acts. His abusive words and violent actions reduce him into an object of ridicule among his colleagues and friends, could also trigger permanent enmity. Gradually he gets isolated from the society as well.

Venting of anger spoils team spirit and demotivates team mates spoiling the healthy ambiance of work place and destroys the motivation of his peers to work with him.

The top management, while evaluating the suitability of a person for higher position, assigns high weightage for maturity and restraint in dealing with highly tricky volatile issues. No boss would like to take a risk of offering a responsible post to a highly volatile person with explosive anger as uncontrolled anger during times of crisis affects decision making. His anger could become a big stumbling block in career advance and sometimes be the cause for one to get fired from the employment itself.

Anger had been found to be the cause of many life threatening diseases like heart attack,blood pressure, nervous break down and mental health in general . Control of anger is a great asset in fostering healthy Inter Personal Relationship. Roger Federer the greatest tennis star and a living legend, during beginning of his career had uncontrollable temper during his formative years and his coach trained him to convert  his negative energy anger to positive energy as focus on the game and rest as we all know is history. He excels in most critical circumstances and never allows anger to affect his concentration. Hence, one must totally desist from anger, which otherwise will destroy him totally. To command respect of his colleagues, subordinates and superiors one has to establish pleasant relationship even under critical circumstances.

தன்னைத்தான் காக்க சினங்காக்க காவாக்கால்
தன்னையே கொல்லும் சினம் (306)
      
Thannaithaan Kakka Sinankakka Kaavaakkaal
Thannaiye Kollum Sinam


தன்னை காப்பாற்றிக் கொள்வதற்காகவாது கோபத்தை அடக்கியாக
வேண்டும்,  தவறினால் அவனையே அக்கோபம் அழித்து விடும்.

To save himself atleast, one must guard against anger;
 if not, his  anger itself will destroy him.           

Ill  Effects of anger ( சினத்தின் துர் விளைவுகள்)

This ‘Kural’  highlights the adverse effect of anger during interaction with superiros and subordinates. If one vents out his anger towards his superiors it will have no effect on his boss,while he is sure to get destroyed in  his career completely. At the same time, if one gets angry with his subordinates, not only it will affect them, it will spoil his good name affecting his good relationship forever. He will loose all cooperation of his mates and can no longer command the respect making his position untenable. Some are good servants (very obedient to the superiors) but bad masters (ill treatment of subordinates). The message here is anger towards anyone is equally destructive.

செல்லா இடத்து சினந்தீது செல்லிடத்தும்
இல்அதனின்  தீய  பிற ( 302 )


Sella Idaththu Sinamtheethu Sellidaththum
Ilathanin Theeya Pira


பலிக்காத இடத்தில் காட்டும் கோபம் தீங்கு விளைவிக்கும் பலிக்கும் இடத்திலோ அதைவிட ஊறு விளவிப்பது எதுவும் இல்லை.

Getting angry with superiors (more powerful) is bad; however nothing could be worse than anger towards vulnerable people liable to get affected.


Anger Strategy (சின  வியூகம்)

Wise men do not exhibit their anger openly when they get hurt by enemy. They keep it in mind and wait for the best opportunity to win over.  The strength of a person is strategy in tackling his adversary. This is very true in corporate politics and need for a long term strategy to beat rivals. In fact, an appearance of matured nonchalance would be very effective as it would throw the rival off guard and leave him guessing about his rival’s further course of action to be taken. Further, it exemplifies the strength of character and superiority over his rival. On the other hand, instant reaction could become wrong or ineffective as no time is available for carefully analyzing the pros and cons of the action.

There is a saying in English that no one should attempt to “win the battle and loose the war”. The  couplet below conveys the same meaning in a positive fashion.

பொள்ளென ஆங்கே புறம்வேரார் காலம்பார்த்து
உள் வேர்ப்பர் ஒள்ளியவர் (487)      
     
Pollena Aange Purmverar Kalampaarththu
Ul Verpar Olliyavar.       
 
 எதிரி தீங்கு செய்தவுடனேயே அறிவுடையவர் தன் கோபத்தை  
 உடனேயே  வெளியே காண்பிக்க மாட்டார். மனதில் அதை நிலை நிருத்தி அவரை  வெல்வதற்கு ஏற்ற தருணத்தை நோக்கிக் காத்திருப்பார்.
    

Wednesday, 25 December 2013

Investment Decision (முதலீடு செய்ய முடிவெடுத்தல்)

 Cost Benefit Analysis ( செலவு பயன் பகுப்பாய்வு )

This has connotation in many ares of management like conceptual Planning, expansion, Risk analysis under uncertainty, and Return on investment in the long run . The ‘ Kural’ itself is so concise and self explanatory and can be expanded to any length.

அழிவதும் ஆவதும் ஆகி வழிபயக்கும்
ஊதியமும் சூழ்ந்து செயல் ( 461)  
  
Azhivathum Aavathum Aagi Vazhipayakkum
Uthiyamum Soozhnthu Seyal.
நஷ்டம், ஆதாயம், நிலையாக வரக்கூடிய வருமானத்தையும்
ஆலோசித்த பின்னரே ஒரு செயலில் ஈடுபட வேண்டும்     

Risk of loss, possible gain, and long term return on investment
Should be considered before embarking upon any action.   
Risky Investment (ஆபத்தான முதலீடு)

Maximum caution must be exercised before taking any new investment decision. There are many instances where in, huge high risk investment is made in a hurry, coveting  attractive return, driven by greed, leading to total loss of  evan the invested capital . Here, the sage warns against such misadventure and cautions against taking undue, unwarranted  risks. In short the sage warns against irrational exuberance during decision making.
   
ஆக்கம் கருதி முதலிழக்கும் செய்வினை
ஊக்கார் அறிவு டையார் (463)       
Aakkam Karuthi Muthalizhkkum Seivinai
Ookkar Arivudai Yaar   

 வரப்போகும் லாபத்தை எதிர்நோக்கி, கைமுதலையே இழக்க செய்யும்
  செயலை அறிவுடயவர் மேற்கொள்ள மாட்டார்
 Aspiring possible gain, a wise man will not indulge in action    

 risking loss of his basic capital..