Vision / Mission (குறிக்கோள்)

The vital message of the Couplet given at the end of this post, is demonstrated by citing some great achievers  in private sector as well as in government. 

The phenomenal rise of Reliance Industries from a small textile firm to multi-product conglomerate, figuring in fortune 500 firm is credited only to the great visionary Dhirubai Ambani who started his life as an assistant in a petrol bunk. He could achieve all this within a span of 4 decades  surpassing traditional biggroups like the Tata  or Birla. 

Another is Dr. Vikram  Sarabhai who dreamt Indian satellites launched by indigenous developed rockets in orbit, by ISRO the organisation he founded, when ‘pencil’ Rockets developed by it were exploding on ground. He was  the force behind India joining the prestigious club of 6  nations which had the capacity to  launch satellites with their own rockets. The significance of this can be understood only when one traces the history of  failures of technically advanced nations like the UK, after several attempts finally abandoning the project after huge investment. The  achievement is underscored  by the complexity of the technology which even now is  zealously guarded by all developed  countries. ISRO could achieve this feat with 95 percent Engineers qualified in Indian universities, with minimum development cost. 

Similarly, Homi Baba for establishing Baba Atomic Research center and Agricultural Scientist Dr.Swaminathan for Green Revolution in India should be credited for their unparalleled achievement . Our Missile man Dr.A.P.J Abdul Kalam demonstrated that, how a poor boy with lofty from a fishermen family at Rameswaram could come up in life to become the figure head  in  the development of the first Indian made Rocket capable of launching a satellite in space. He went on to head DRDO and became Defense Adviser to Government of India, laid the foundation for development of Modern ballistic Missile and played a commanding role in perfecting underground  nuclear tests. He was awarded Bharat Ratna the top civilian honor bestowed by Government of India. He also became The President of India and the most loved one by all. He inspired young Indians with his walk the talk life. His success can be attributed to single minded devotion, dedication and unwavering hard work to carry out his duties.Incidentally, he is an ardent follower of Tirukkural.

Rajagopal, owner of Hotel Saravana Bhavan started his career as a cleaner in hotel. Today, Saravan  Bhavan has 25 outlets in India   and 22 outlets in 7 countries. Initially, he started a provision store in K K Nagar in Chennai and subsequently,ventured in to Hotel business by purchasing a loss making Hotel. Because of no experience in running a hotel he and his partner Ganapathi worked very hard from 6.00 am to 11.00 pm and incurred loss as he had determined to maintain quality. Still he persisted in his goal undaunted, of providing tasty hygienic food and started breaking even within 6 months. Rest is history.  It is not out of place to quote old saying “ Lack of vision is worse than  Blindness”.

One common factor among these great men is their firm commitment to their set Mission and undaunted efforts towards achievement of it against any odds.

எண்ணிய எண்ணியாங்கு எய்துப எண்ணியர்

திண்ணி யராகப் பெரின் (666)

Ennia Enniyangu Eaithupa Enniyar

Thinniya Ragap Perin

        
தன் எண்ணத்தில் உறுதி கொண்டவரானால் எண்ணியபடியே

நோக்கத்தை அடைவர்

A person, who is steadfast in his ambition, will achieve his

desired goal in life.

Character (ஒழுக்கம் / நன் நடத்தை)

Meaning of the Word “Ozhukkam “ in Tamil encompasses all good qualities like Integrity,Good Character, Ethics, Honesty, Truthfulness, Straight forwardness, Virtue, Discipline and Empathy. A person bestowed with these qualities, will always be consistent in his good thoughts and deeds and never sway from the chosen ideals, whatever distractions they are subjected to. This assumes great significance for a person who occupies the exalted position of power, with authority to make vital decision that can have far reaching impact on large sections of society. He also encounter enormous opportunities to fall a prey for temptations, to get corrupt and amass wealth by illegal means, there by, bringing himself and the concern he heads to disrepute to the extent of destruction. There are so many instance, we come across about top executives with enormous wealth and power getting caught for corruption,nepotism and other scandals. Person concerned falling from grace, driven either to commit suicide or ends up as good as dead in the society. On the other hand, CEO with above good qualities will be able to focus all his energy and becomes effective in discharging his duties dispassionately,like the sun’s ray focused through a lens becomes very powerful.

Tiruvalluvar elevated the “ Good Character above One’s own Life” as good reputation once lost can never be reprieved. Further, while death turns out to be  the end of the journey, after falling from Grace one has to live with the humiliation and put up with the agony every minute of his life time that would be much  more agonizing than the death by itself. People who are very brilliant and knowledgeable come up in life, with hard work and attain top position. However, due to lack of wisdom, fall a prey to momentary indiscretion like indulgence in sex or succumb to other corrupt deeds to amass wealth through illegal means, landing in deep trouble when the scandal is brought out in public loosing everything in a moment.

Honesty falls in to following three categories

1. Pure Honesty  unwavering to any temptation what so ever
2. Due to lack of opportunity
3. Fear of being caught

Even for an individual who had been very honest, a single act of misdemeanor can land him in destruction of his long hard earned reputation. Greater the height, heavier the fall. That is why, the Great poet had placed Honesty above one’s own Life itself. Mr. Ratan Tata ex chairman of Tata group in Indian Subcontinent, a multi billion dollar, multi product, Multi national conglomerate is a towering personality and is a true icon of Indian Industry. He is the embodiment of all  virtues highlighted in the couplets given below. 

  ஒழுக்கம் விழுப்பம் தரலான் ஒழுக்கம்

  உயிரினும் ஓம்பப் படும் (131)

   Ozhukkam Vizhuppam Tharalan Ozhukkam

   Oyirinum Ombap padum

      
  நன்நடத்தை  எல்லாவித நன்மையும் கொடுப்பதால்

  ஒழுக்கம்  உயிரினும் மேலாக கருதப் படும்

   As good conduct ensures all good things, it is valued more  

   than one’s life itself. 

Leadership (தலைமை)

The true worthiness of an individual, company or a nation is influenced by the basic principles on which the  entity is built and its legacy. IBM’s founder Thomas Watson laid down the motto of his company that his company is formed not for selling the machine but service as a whole. IBM became most famous for its customer service and focused on development of not only computer hardware but also software and services. Similarly, Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard started HP with basic innovation as the main driving force and it had helped it to achieve great heights. The Tata group, as we have already discussed kept their prime focus as service for the society and launched many programs to aid society in general and their employees in particular. Their group advertisement highlighting their many philanthropic ventures ending with “We also make Steel” has become legendary. GE’s former CEO Jack Welch took the company to dizzying heights and departed from the company as most respectable and best in terms of revenue and profitability as well as huge canvass of business domains GE had entered into. Ford Motor launched as the first commercial auto manufacturing company with an objective to manufacture cars affordably available to even entry-level staff within their own company. This initiative had led to Ford inventing the assembly line production concept and thus became the forerunner in efficient manufacturing thus driving down the production costs. There cannot be better example than to quote the present status of Singapore. Single man’s determination, Lee Quan Yew – first PM of the city state had transformed an underdeveloped fishing hamlet in to a throbbing economic giant in a short span of 40 years and to make it   the vibrant economic hub of Asia. Here, the greatness of above personalities are recognised  by the results they had achieved. Hence, it is mandatory that the top man in charge, has to exercise maximum caution and take innovative decision that  will  not only result in benefits the company or nation in the long run, but also bring laurels to him even after his departure from the scene. This aspect is extensively brought out in the book” In search Of Excellance”  by Modern Management Guru Mr. Thomas J. Peters along with Mr. Robert H. Waterman. In this, they had analyzed companies like IBM, HP and the good management traits inculcated by their founders, which had become the characteristics of the company itself.

In the words of Mr. Subroto Bagchi, founder and chairman of Mindtree, on of India’s most admired software companies and best selling business writer.    “ Success is not about what you consume. It’s what you leave behind a legacy. To achieve extraordinary things with ordinary people.

This couplet can also be considered as a warning to top executives to run the concern with prudence with long range benefits for the establishment and not to risk his reputation, as the result or outcome (good or bad) of his deeds will be attributed to him long after he relinquishes his position.  

தக்கார் தகவிலர் என்பது அவரது

எச்சத்தாற் காணப் படும் (114)

   

Thakkar Thagavilar Enbathu Avarathu

Echathar Kaanap Padum

ஓருவருது உண்மையான தகுதி அவர் விட்டு சென்ற பிறகு  இருக்கும் நிலையிலிருந்து வெளிப்படும்

One’s true worth is known by the legacy he left after his departure from the scene.

Benevolence (கருணை)

In couplets that follow, The sage elevates rich with benevolent attitude towards the society to that of common pond and fruit bearing as well as medicinal trees which help the villagers without expecting anything in return. It helps not only in upliftment of the standard of living but also eradicating ills that stems from poverty.

ஊருணி நீர் நிறைந்தற்றே உலகவாம்

பேரறிவாளன் திரு (215)

Oruni Neer Nirainthatre Ulagavaam

Perarivalan Thiru   

   
 உலகம் நன்றாக வாழவேண்டும் என்று நினைக்கும்  பேரறிவாளர்களின் செல்வம், ஊரார் நீருள்ளும் குளம் நீரால் நிறைந்தற்கு ஒப்பானது

பயன்மரம் உள்ளுர் பழுத்தற்றால் செல்வம்

நயனுடை யாங்கண் படின்  (216)

 Payanmaram Ulloor Pazhutharral Selvam

 Nayanudai  Yaankan  Padin

 
உலகத்திற்கு உதவ வேண்டும் என்ற நோக்கமுடையவரிடம் செல்வம் சேர்ந்தால், அது  ஊரின் நடுவே உள்ள பயன் மிகுந்த மரம் பழுத்தாற் போன்றது.

மருந்தாகித் தப்பா மரத்தற்றால் செல்வம்

பெருந்தகை யாங்கண் படின்.(217)

 Marunthagi Thappa Maraththarral Selvam

 Perunthagai Yankan Padin

 எவ்வாரு மருந்து குணங்கொண்ட மரத்தின் ஒவ்வொரு பாகமும்

 உதவுகிரதோ, அது போல வள்ளல் மனம் கொண்டவரிடம் சேரும்

 செல்வமும் சமூகத்தின்  துயர் துடைக்கும்.  

Though, above three Kurals seem to convey the same meaning, there is subtle message passed by the great poet. The pond while helping the villagers, also makes itself so indispensable that villagers take care of the pond to maintain it in neat and tidy condition. In the same way, people who get the benefit will always support the Philanthropist and help him in times of need. 

On the other hand,the fruit bearing tree gets the benefit of propagation when seeds are thrown around by people after eating the fruit.

Regarding the medicinal trees, the beneficiaries take particular care in growing and maintaining the medicinal plants.    

As the saying goes 'Rich men are safest when there is minimum poverty around them"

Social Responsibility (சமூக கடமை)

Following couplets stress the basic duty of rich to have compassion to help the needy, in time. All great persons give back to the society which made them wealthy, not as benevolence, but as duty. Here, the stress is on the wealth earned by honest hard work. The sage not only advises distribution, of wealth but also earning it with rightful means. If the wealth was earned by unethical ways, then, even the benevolent act can not be considered as noble. The same message was delivered by Mahatma Gandhi who declared that ‘end cannot justify means’.

The philosophy of this Kural is reflected in the present movement by Bill Gates and Warren Buffet who have not only committed their enormous wealth to the poor and are also on the campaign, to exhort other rich people to donate at least half of their accumulated wealth. They have succeeded in convincing more that 50 wealthy people in the USA to follow their foot steps. Mr. Bill Gates once in lighter vein, remarked that while in the morning he attends meetings to earn money, in afternoons he attend meetings to spend it usefully. I believe he has eloquently summarized the whole philosophy of his life with these golden words! Even in India, many companies and founders of companies like Narayana Murthy of Infosys and Aziz Premji of Wipro have established trusts to help the poor. Reliance Industries have taken positive steps to improve many villages by adopting them. Tata Steel from the very inception adopted the principle of serving the society in all possible ways like establishing hospitals, schools and instituting scholarships for the bright students.

The couplet insists on the wealth distributed to reach the most deserving rather than just throwing largesse to all and sundry. An important point to be noted here is that these people take care to ensure that the amount is spent for a specific purpose like, say eradication of polio,AIDS, or malaria in developing countries, education and nourishment for the poor students and establish a system of monitoring and control to ascertain the progress to prevent leakage of wealth reaching undeserving corrupt hands. Benevolence is the hallmark of their motto. Corporate philanthropy and inclusive growth by government have gathered momentum in recent times.

தாளாற்றி தந்த பொருளெல்லாம் தக்கார்க்கு

வேளாண்மை செய்தற் பொருட்டு ( 212)

 Thalatri Thantha Porulellam Thakkarkku

 Velanmai Saithar Poruttu

  
  பெரிய மனிதர்கள், நேர்மையான, கடின  உழைப்பால்  தேடி அடைந்த  பொருளை,   தகுதியான தேவைப்படுபவர்கு உதவுவதர்க்காக மட்டுமே பயன்  படுத்துவர்.

 All Benevolent people earn wealth by working hard in righteous

 ways and consider themselves as custodian of it to help the needy

 (and not to amass it for selfish interests)

Business Ethics (தொழில் கோட்பாடுகள்)

This aspect assumes great significance in the light of scandals and scams that afflict today’s governments and businesses the world over. Corrupt practices in private and public sector undertakings have become order of the day. Integrity should be the basic necessity, even to enter business. There can not be any compromise in this fundamental requirement, as this forms the foundation on which any institution can be built. Following couplet brings out in a nut shell salient responsibility and code of conduct of a business man in carrying out his function. The sage advises that he should treat other stack holders’ wealth also as his own to ensure no loss to them.

Integrity (நேர்மை)

வாணிகஞ் செய்வார்க்கு வாணிகம் பேணி

பிறவும் தமற்போற் செயின் (120)

   

Vaanikanj Saivarkku Vaanikam Peni

Piravum Thamarpor Seyin

       

பிறர் பொருளையும் தம் பொருள் போல் போற்றிச் செய்தால்

அதுவே உரிய வாணிக முறையாகும்

A good Business man while performing his trade, should treat

other’s wealth as his own and ensure no loss to the investor.

 Excellence (சிறப்பு / மேன்மை)   

In this ‘Kural’, The sage brings forth the concept of Excellence. For an individual or a company, the goal should be to excel in the selected product or service. Excellence is the hallmark of competency, quality, discipline and maintaining the exalted position without slippage. For a company or individual, the motto should be to attain the top rank in its chosen field and should practice zero tolerance for any deviation. Half hearted attempts will not bear any fruit. Jack welsh , CEO of General Electric (GE) stipulated a corporate dictum that GE should be either first or second in the field or get out once and for all.

Indian Space Organisation stands out in pursuit of excellence. The technical giants  like Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, Prof. Sathish Dawan and Prof. Bremprakash have lead the organisation with set goals and inculcated values to achieve excellence without any compromise in the chosen objective of making India self reliant in the challenging field of Rocket and satellite development.

தோன்றின் புகழோடு தோன்றுக அஃதிலார்

தோன்றலின் தோன்றாமை நன்று  (236)

Thondrin Pugazhodu Thondruga Akthilaar

Thonralin Thondramai Nanru

 ஒரு துறையில் ஈடுபட்டால் அதில் புகழோடு நிலைபெற வேண்டும்  

 இயலாவிடின் அதில் புகாமல் இருப்பதே சிறந்தது  

 If one enters the field, he should attain the fame in the chosen

 one; otherwise it is  better, not to enter in it at all.   

Role of  experts (வல்லுனர்களின் பங்கு)

The CEO is constantly confronted with various issues pertaining to wide ranging aspects of the company’s operations. As an individual he can not be an expert in all areas. Hence it is imperative to seeks the counsel of trusted experts before making  decisions. Sometimes, these experts don’t have a consensus view to solve the problem at hand, so it will be responsibility for CEO to make the final decision himself after triangulating these expert opinions. Here, the accountability for making the final decision is pinned upon the CEO, though he is advised to consult experts. For anyone going through this process, the great sage Thiruvalluvar asserts emphatically in the kural below ‘nothing is impossible to achieve’.

தெரிந்த இனத்தோடு தேர்ந்தெண்ணிச் செய்வார்க்கு

அரும்பொருள் யாதொன்றும் இல் ( 466 )

 Therintha Inaththodu Therthenni Seivarkku

 Arumporul Yathondrum Il.     

    
 தேர்ந்தெடுத்தவர்களுடன் கூடி நங்கு ஆராய்ந்து செயலைச் செய்பவர்க்கு

 அடைய முடியாத குறிக்கோள் என்று ஒன்றும் இல்லை

 For one, who embarks on a task, after detailed consultations with

 chosen persons of knowledge in that field, there is no objective 

 that cannot be  achieved.

Innovation (புதிய / அரிதான செயல்)

The top man must be able to recognize an opportunity and identify a novel way to address it. The poet emphasizes the saying “Successful people don’t do different things but do things differently “. The success story of founders of Microsoft, Google and Apple are testament to this fact. This holds good in the case of Sabir Bhatia’s Hotmail - world’s first mass-adopted free E mail service which in addition to making him a wealthy individual also revolutionized the concept of communication. The technology legend and co founder of “Apple” Steve Jobs single-handedly took his company to great heights by delivering highly innovative blockbuster products such as the iPhone, iPod and iPad which brought true delight to customers the world over and made Apple the most valued company in the world. Ths disruptive technology had completely changed the way people use the internet for business or entertainment and made the ubiquitous desktops and Laptops in the endangered list. The list is incomplete without the mention of the great search algorithm written by the founders Larry Page and Sergy Brin of Google which revolutionized the industry and made them young billionaires ($24.9 and $ 24.4 Billion respectively as of September 2013). Social networking phenomenon Facebook and Twitter have made this planet a much smaller and highly connected one. Facebook with 1.1Billion active members as on March 2013 has made the founder - 27 years old Mark Zuckerberg the youngest billionaire with $16.8 billion as of 2013. It is clear that whoever dares to be different and risk taking uncharted route is rewarded. In the present highly competitive environment, survival of any business depends only on it’s capability to Innovate. “Thinking out of the box”, ‘lateral thinking’, ‘Innovation’ have become great qualities of successful managers in corporate sectors to keep them ahead of their competition.

This important asset to be possessed by CEO was enunciated in the ‘Kural’

எய்தற்கரியது இயந்தக்கால் அந்நிலையே

செய்தற் கரிய செயல் (489)

Eaitharkariyathu Iyanthakkal Annilaiye

Saithar Kariya Seyal

     
கிடைத்தற்கரிய காலம் வாய்குமானால் அந்த வாய்ப்பை பயன்படுதிக்கொண்டு அப்போழுதே அரிய செயல்களை செய்ய வேண்டும்.

When an opportunity arises, one should grab it and carry out a rare task not carried out previously by others.