MMM Training Solutions

The morning of June 12th 2010 started off uneventfully. I had not seen my dad for over a month and I waited in anticipation as I wanted to share some really exciting things with him. The day was not going fast enough for me. Suddenly the quiet was interrupted by the harsh ring of the telephone. For some uncanny reason the feeling of anticipation turned to fear. It was a call from one my relatives saying that he had just then seen the news of a bomb explosion on a railway track near Villupuram. In a flash I realized that my Dad was traveling to Chennai on that route. Time stood still…. Instinctively I called my father on his cell but call would not go through. The feeling fear elevated to one of horror. Stress overtook me and I found I was quickly incapable of all rational thinking. We just sat frozen as near the phone as possible.

About an hour later we got the much longed for news – dad was safe. Oblivious of all the confusion and tension that prevailed at home, my dad informed us that his train was right behind the one that bore the explosion. It was close call. I had always admired my dad for his amazing capability to stay calm in crisis. He did just that once again! He got down from the train, walked a kilometer to the nearest highway and boarded a bus to Chennai. He was not perturbed by the explosion rather he was grateful for his safety. I was reminded of this quote:

`Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.”-Corrie Ten Boom

I realized that there was so much I could have done – go to Villupuram (which is only 2 hours away), call the railway help line, send a text message to my dad’s phone….. and many other things that could have saved his life, if there was danger. This could have relieved us of a lot of heartache and tension. I think the moral of the story is that it is not the challenge that causes us the problem but the anxiety and stress generated in our mind.

No matter how tough the situation is, staying calm in a crisis is a key leadership quality in today global work environment.

I recently watched an Oscar nominated 1946 English classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life” , by Frank Capra and starring James Stewart and Donna Reed. The story is set shortly after WW – II, and is about a deeply depressed but good man who gains the attention of his guardian angel. The movie, loosely based on Philip Van Doren Stern’s short story, “The Greatest Gift” is a beautifully woven eye-opener that gets viewers to see the brighter side of life.

Human beings are a progressive lot. We have the inborn nature and ability to succeed in whatever we do. This is why we strive to achieve perfection in our work, life and all that we set out to accomplish.

Take the instance of the golfer. Every golfer tries to drive the ball to a long distance. In the process, errors tend to occur because the game involves the strategic coordination of simultaneous movements. The golf coach always
advises that direction is more important than distance.

This is indeed the same with life. Despite one’s best attempts, there always will be ups and downs. The factors that stand between success and an individual maybe many – family pressure, commitments and work, to name a few. We need to focus upon having a deeper perception about what is occurring around us to be able to rise above our circumstances.

While we are at it, we should remember never to fall into mediocrity and the false feeling of self sufficiency; they are vices detrimental to our growth and success. Constantly endeavour to develop yourself through learning. Enhance your skills through soft skills training. We offer a range of Soft Skills Training to enhance one’s career skills and progress during the economic slump – communication skills training, leadership training, time management training and stress management training, to name a few. Our post training Corporate Programs evaluation have shown a substantial positive increase in organizational productivity (For further reference, please feel free to visit http://www.mmmts.com/softskill_training.htm)

Don’t let the economic recession dampen your spirit of creativity and the fire of enthusiasm – it may look like there is nothing much to look forward to during this dark spell – but take it as a learning period. Things will always look brighter after a while – and when the time comes, you don’t want to be unprepared. It helps to realize that by using one’s potential to the maximum, there is a feeling of achievement, joy and satisfaction. In other words, let success be defined internally for you. When happiness emerges from within you, better satisfaction is gained than trying to gain appreciation from external sources.

In relation to this context, it is worthwhile to remember the saying, “The night is always darkest before dawn.” In today’s age where recession has gripped the global economy with fear, we should smartly and diligently work with the perception that there is hope for the future. Today, we can make the best happen through what we have. Now is the time to work shoulder to shoulder with each other to navigate choppy waters.

Now is the time to look to the future and say, “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

The Obamas’ struggle to achieve victory

A new book called Renegade recounts US President Barrack Obama’s unlikely run for the presidency. An article relating to this book in the Times of India newspaper (dated June 8, 2009) recounts a particularly tense period in the personal lives of the Obamas during the year 2000.

The Obamas’ marriage was supposedly on the brink of collapse because of Barrack’s political aspirations and First Lady Michelle’s experience as a first time mother.

This particular episode is long past. They are now known today, as the most romantic First Couple of America. Which now brings me to my question – is it necessary to dig up the past and exhibit information that has no relevance to the present? Is journalism about reporting relevant facts or has it become about providing shock value to the reader?

In my opinion, I think we should focus on the fact that amidst all the pressures in their life; they were able to rebuild their marriage. In life we all fall down, but the ones who succeed are the ones who pick themselves up, dust themselves off and keep moving without looking back. This shows that Obama is tenacious and is capable of leading a broken down country – it shows that he is a man who achieves his missions. This is what the learnings need to be for the reader.

Let’s not get tangled by the volume of information that hits us day after day. Let us approach daily news not from the perspective of the journalist, who wants as many newspapers to sell, but as a reader who wants to learn from the lives of people; who have reached unimaginable levels in their lives through sheer persistence, focus and vision. This will help us to reach not only those levels but beyond those levels.