Hello all....
This is one of the emails I received....thought of sahring with you all...
5 lessons for IT pros from Team India
A 6-1 series win over the feisty Sri Lankans; squaring
the one-day series 2-2 against the South Africans --
Indian cricket has brought a lot of cheer to the
enthusiasts of the sport.
It seems almost incredible that just a month ago there
was debate among various camps of cricket pundits
about the future of Indian cricket team's coach Greg
Chappell (a fallout of the Ganguly-Chappell spat in
Zimbabwe), the future of Sachin Tendulkar, and the
probable outcome of a fractured team challenging the
Sri Lankans' might.
But today the script reads different. And as an IT
professional, one who is also an ardent follower of
cricket, I realised that our community of young IT
engineers could learn a few lessons from the new Team
India.
Following are the five lessons that young IT engineers
can learn from Team India.
Lesson #1: Discover yourself when on the 'bench'
For six months Tendulkar was forced to sit out of
international cricket, nursing his injured elbow.
Finally when he returned, he scored a measly few runs.
The naysayers wrote him off completely -- his career
was over, they agreed in unision. Then the maestro
with a couple of feisty innings proved them wrong.
I believe Sachin used this time (the 6 months that he
was away from cricket) to reflect on his past,
identify his weak spots and prepare himself for the
new innings.
Now compare Sachin's absence with someone from the IT
industry. If an IT engineer was not being productive
or billable for a project, he would be labeled as
someone on the 'bench.'
Bench time, in the IT industry, is generally
associated with lack of productivity. Is there a
lesson for us from Sachin? Of course, yes. When you
are on the 'bench,' utilise the time to reflect on
your past and identify your weaknesses.
Attend that soft skill training that you have always
wanted to. Take up that IT certification that you feel
will boost your career. Sharpen your tech skills.
Bench time can thus be utilised effectively to improve
the competence of an employee.
Lesson #2: Be flexible
During the India-Sri Lanka one-day international
matches, Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Mahendra Singh
Dhoni, on certain days, was asked to accelerate the
scoring rate in the early stages of the game. On other
days, he came lower down the batting order to provide
stability. Irfan Pathan is a bowler who can bat.
Gautam Gambhir scored a century and was yet made to
sit out of one of the matches.
While it may have left a few cricket pundits totally
dismayed and out of their depths, the fact remains
that flexibility played a key role behind the success
of Team India.
The cricketers were brought out of their comfort zone
and were asked to be flexible in their mindset. The
instructions were given at a short notice and one was
expected to complete the task.
The result: The team was winning and the young players
looked more confident and assured of their place in
the squad.
Shouldn't this too be the case with the young IT
engineers? Your first project could involve the
challenges of a development project. Next you maybe
asked to work on a maintenance project.
If the work involves doing quality reviews, there is
many a reluctant person. Here is where we need to
learn from Team India. We must understand that being
flexible and working in different projects will
provide us exposure to the software development life
cycle, or SDLC.
This does not only look good on our resumes, it also
plays an important part in furthering our careers. You
must remember that early days are for you to learn,
explore and innovate.
Lesson #3: Work on the weakness or be replaced
Few would doubt that Sourav Ganguly was an outstanding
leader -- probably one of the most successful cricket
captains that the Indian continent has produced. But
as his batting got from bad to worse, questions were
raised about his place in the team.
The result: A man, who a lot of us thought was
irreplaceable, was dumped from the one-day side,
stripped of captaincy and India under a new captain
did exactly what was expected of it: win matches.
IT engineers might have strong technical skills. You
might be an asset to the team but if there are
specific areas that you need to work on, do address
them.
The technology in the IT industry is always changing.
One should always be open to learning new technology
and be ready working on one's weakness. Else, you'll
be left out.
Lessons for IT professional: It is great to have some
skills that are your strengths, but don't assume that
you could just survive through them.
Lesson #4: Believe in the leader who has a vision
Was Greg Chappell experimenting? Perhaps he had a
strategy for Team India. Did he know what he was
doing? Perhaps, he had a vision in his mind. He had
the required credentials. He knew the rules, he knew
the game.
The Indians were asked to have faith in the new coach.
And he is delivering as expected.
Consider the IT industry. Often the projects in the
Indian IT industry have time and budget constraints.
The command is given to the project manager and the
project leader. A new team is set up and the leader
makes a few quick decisions, which we might not
understand or like.
But we should realise that here is one man who has a
plan in mind and will chalk the path for us to
execute.
Lessons for IT professional: A leader is chosen by the
management based on his experiences, abilities and
potential. Have faith in him.
Lesson #5: It's all about teamwork
When a television channel sought Greg Chappell's views
on the key factor behind India's success, he said,
"everybody shared the work load." A good team is worth
more than the sum of the individuals. We had the same
bunch of players, but there was a BIG difference in
the results this time.
The concept of teamwork has been constantly repeated
to us. The IT industry comprises of ordinary people
delivering world-class software. Teamwork holds the
key to success.
The biggest lesson that the new team Indian has
taught: There is no 'I' in teamwork and together
everyone achieves more.
Regards
Subhash.RV
From India, Hyderabad
6This is one of the emails I received....thought of sahring with you all...
5 lessons for IT pros from Team India
A 6-1 series win over the feisty Sri Lankans; squaring
the one-day series 2-2 against the South Africans --
Indian cricket has brought a lot of cheer to the
enthusiasts of the sport.
It seems almost incredible that just a month ago there
was debate among various camps of cricket pundits
about the future of Indian cricket team's coach Greg
Chappell (a fallout of the Ganguly-Chappell spat in
Zimbabwe), the future of Sachin Tendulkar, and the
probable outcome of a fractured team challenging the
Sri Lankans' might.
But today the script reads different. And as an IT
professional, one who is also an ardent follower of
cricket, I realised that our community of young IT
engineers could learn a few lessons from the new Team
India.
Following are the five lessons that young IT engineers
can learn from Team India.
Lesson #1: Discover yourself when on the 'bench'
For six months Tendulkar was forced to sit out of
international cricket, nursing his injured elbow.
Finally when he returned, he scored a measly few runs.
The naysayers wrote him off completely -- his career
was over, they agreed in unision. Then the maestro
with a couple of feisty innings proved them wrong.
I believe Sachin used this time (the 6 months that he
was away from cricket) to reflect on his past,
identify his weak spots and prepare himself for the
new innings.
Now compare Sachin's absence with someone from the IT
industry. If an IT engineer was not being productive
or billable for a project, he would be labeled as
someone on the 'bench.'
Bench time, in the IT industry, is generally
associated with lack of productivity. Is there a
lesson for us from Sachin? Of course, yes. When you
are on the 'bench,' utilise the time to reflect on
your past and identify your weaknesses.
Attend that soft skill training that you have always
wanted to. Take up that IT certification that you feel
will boost your career. Sharpen your tech skills.
Bench time can thus be utilised effectively to improve
the competence of an employee.
Lesson #2: Be flexible
During the India-Sri Lanka one-day international
matches, Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Mahendra Singh
Dhoni, on certain days, was asked to accelerate the
scoring rate in the early stages of the game. On other
days, he came lower down the batting order to provide
stability. Irfan Pathan is a bowler who can bat.
Gautam Gambhir scored a century and was yet made to
sit out of one of the matches.
While it may have left a few cricket pundits totally
dismayed and out of their depths, the fact remains
that flexibility played a key role behind the success
of Team India.
The cricketers were brought out of their comfort zone
and were asked to be flexible in their mindset. The
instructions were given at a short notice and one was
expected to complete the task.
The result: The team was winning and the young players
looked more confident and assured of their place in
the squad.
Shouldn't this too be the case with the young IT
engineers? Your first project could involve the
challenges of a development project. Next you maybe
asked to work on a maintenance project.
If the work involves doing quality reviews, there is
many a reluctant person. Here is where we need to
learn from Team India. We must understand that being
flexible and working in different projects will
provide us exposure to the software development life
cycle, or SDLC.
This does not only look good on our resumes, it also
plays an important part in furthering our careers. You
must remember that early days are for you to learn,
explore and innovate.
Lesson #3: Work on the weakness or be replaced
Few would doubt that Sourav Ganguly was an outstanding
leader -- probably one of the most successful cricket
captains that the Indian continent has produced. But
as his batting got from bad to worse, questions were
raised about his place in the team.
The result: A man, who a lot of us thought was
irreplaceable, was dumped from the one-day side,
stripped of captaincy and India under a new captain
did exactly what was expected of it: win matches.
IT engineers might have strong technical skills. You
might be an asset to the team but if there are
specific areas that you need to work on, do address
them.
The technology in the IT industry is always changing.
One should always be open to learning new technology
and be ready working on one's weakness. Else, you'll
be left out.
Lessons for IT professional: It is great to have some
skills that are your strengths, but don't assume that
you could just survive through them.
Lesson #4: Believe in the leader who has a vision
Was Greg Chappell experimenting? Perhaps he had a
strategy for Team India. Did he know what he was
doing? Perhaps, he had a vision in his mind. He had
the required credentials. He knew the rules, he knew
the game.
The Indians were asked to have faith in the new coach.
And he is delivering as expected.
Consider the IT industry. Often the projects in the
Indian IT industry have time and budget constraints.
The command is given to the project manager and the
project leader. A new team is set up and the leader
makes a few quick decisions, which we might not
understand or like.
But we should realise that here is one man who has a
plan in mind and will chalk the path for us to
execute.
Lessons for IT professional: A leader is chosen by the
management based on his experiences, abilities and
potential. Have faith in him.
Lesson #5: It's all about teamwork
When a television channel sought Greg Chappell's views
on the key factor behind India's success, he said,
"everybody shared the work load." A good team is worth
more than the sum of the individuals. We had the same
bunch of players, but there was a BIG difference in
the results this time.
The concept of teamwork has been constantly repeated
to us. The IT industry comprises of ordinary people
delivering world-class software. Teamwork holds the
key to success.
The biggest lesson that the new team Indian has
taught: There is no 'I' in teamwork and together
everyone achieves more.
Regards
Subhash.RV
From India, Hyderabad
Hi Subhash, Good analogy between Cricket and IT teams. Kudos to the one who wrote the piece. Most of it applicable to non IT industry also. Thanks Bala
From India, Madras
From India, Madras
Hi Bala,
Yeah I too feel the same. It applies to all the working faternity.
Thought of the day
Freedom of attitude
When you wake up in the morning, you are completely free to choose whatever attitude you wish to have. And the attitude you choose can have an enormous impact on the way your day unfolds.
Each time you encounter another person, you are completely free to choose your attitude toward that person. And the attitude you choose will most certainly determine how well the encounter goes.
For every event or situation that comes along, you are completely free to choose the attitude with which you respond. And the attitude you choose will determine how much positive value you gain from whatever is going on.
With many aspects of your life, there are restrictions and limitations imposed upon you from outside forces. Yet with your own attitude, you have total, unlimited control.
And your attitude can make a big difference, with people, with events, with what you get out of the moments that make up each day. Your attitude exerts a powerful influence, and it is yours to direct as you wish.
Choose not to allow your attitude to merely follow you along. For you are free to choose an attitude that will lead you to ever higher levels of achievement and fulfillment.
-- Ralph Marston
From India, Hyderabad
Yeah I too feel the same. It applies to all the working faternity.
Thought of the day
Freedom of attitude
When you wake up in the morning, you are completely free to choose whatever attitude you wish to have. And the attitude you choose can have an enormous impact on the way your day unfolds.
Each time you encounter another person, you are completely free to choose your attitude toward that person. And the attitude you choose will most certainly determine how well the encounter goes.
For every event or situation that comes along, you are completely free to choose the attitude with which you respond. And the attitude you choose will determine how much positive value you gain from whatever is going on.
With many aspects of your life, there are restrictions and limitations imposed upon you from outside forces. Yet with your own attitude, you have total, unlimited control.
And your attitude can make a big difference, with people, with events, with what you get out of the moments that make up each day. Your attitude exerts a powerful influence, and it is yours to direct as you wish.
Choose not to allow your attitude to merely follow you along. For you are free to choose an attitude that will lead you to ever higher levels of achievement and fulfillment.
-- Ralph Marston
From India, Hyderabad
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