Article - The Making of An Expert

Well, let us adopt the saying “No one is born a thief, but life makes them so”, to gently modify it to suit our purpose, “no one born an expert, life makes them so”. It takes much more than hard work and determination to become an expert in a field. It takes aid from devoted teachers, great amount of support from the family, and a quality time and energy spend in continuous practice.

Echoing Thomas Alva Edison’s quote, “Genius is 1%inspiration and 99% perspiration.”  :

When the goal is to become an expert in a field, no bother should be given to the sacrifices made or the hard paths traversed. Concern bout the self can never help anyone achieve anything    hence the best option is to lose yourself in your struggle and to become a part of that strife. Endless struggles and continuous stretch of self-assessment and self-correction claims the life of a person determined to become an expert.

So, what is it that you consider to be expertise? Mere knowledge in a field can never be explained as expertise. It is more of a talent or a skill that has been developed overtime. Experience and hard work plays a good factor.    But, in effective words, expertise cannot be claimed by oneself. It is an honor bestowed on us by others. Individual accounts of expertise can never be relied upon and hence it is always best to go with the general idea of the person. This takes not any kind of prejudices, but actual demonstrations of the talent or the skill. The performance of an expert comprises not just the knowledge concerning the field, but also a superior quality performance is expected to be delivered by an expert. One’s expertise in a field is always a measurable entity as the quantum of knowledge reveals.

When you are on the way to preparing yourself to become an expert in a concerned field, the first thing that should be included in your routine is a quality time spend in practice. This practice is to focus on areas you are weak and to gradually develop in you all the qualities that is to be absolute necessity to become an expert in the field. Improving our skills, focusing on improving the range of our performance, and negating any areas of below average performance is another necessity.

The words by  Sam Snead ( Golfing Champion) is well adoptable at this point of the article: “It is only human nature to want to practice what you can already do well, since it is a hell of a lot less work and a hell of a lot more fun.”

The most important thing to be remembered when you are on the run to be an expert is that it takes time, a lot of time. Years put into practice, years of exploration, correction, outstanding performance, earning a reputation, all this can never happen in a day. It takes years; no amount of age is short to become an expert.

The next measure into becoming an expert is to have someone supervise you, to guide you and to correct you on a strict basis. One person may not be able to help you with everything connected to your field; in that case resorting to more guides will not be a bad idea. Expert coaches help accelerate the learning process. They may be harsh at times, but pricking remarks and ruthless criticism is the only thing that can mould out a better you, so accept them seriously. Self evaluation is always a good option, but the knowledge that you are never perfect will be the only things that will keep you going.

Reference [K Anders Ericsson, Michael J Prietula & Edward T Cokely  ; Harvard Business Review, July-August 2007 ]

Further Reading:  Deep Smarts - Dorothy Leonard

Story - Magic Vase

Once upon a time, there was an unlucky poor man. His home was also very poor, a small and empty house, where mice made their nests and spiders made their webs. People tried to avoid coming into his house – why should they stick their noses into those poor ruins? And the poor man thought that poverty is the reason of his misfortunes, his eternal destiny.

So once, the poor man met a wizard and complained to him about his poverty and miserable life. The wizard felt sorry for the poor man and gave him an unprecedented vase. 

And said:

"This is a magical vase that will save you from poverty".

The poor man took the vase and wanted to sell it at first and then spend the money on alcohol, as usual, besides, why would he need such a beautiful thing? But then he started admiring the vase and couldn't take it to the market. He brought the vase home, put it on the table and started admiring it.

'It’s not right for such a beautiful thing to be empty', the poor man thought. So he picked some wild-flowers and put them into the vase. It became even more beautiful.

'Not good, - the poor man though again', - that such a beautiful thing stands next to a spider web.

So the poor man started cleaning his house from spider webs, sweeping out cockroaches and mice, cleaning the dust, washing the floor and the walls, whitening the ceiling.

And it became clear that his house wasn't poor, but rather warm and cosy. And the poor man wasn't a poor man anymore, but a hard working host, who had no time for thoughts about misfortune.

Story - The Monkey and the Bird

         

There lived a group of monkeys in the mountains. During one winter, there were heavy rains. Drenched in the rain, they began to shiver in the cold.

They were thinking for a solution and one among them found a firefly, which appeared to them as ember of fire. Hoping to make some fire for themselves, they caught it and began to blow it with some dried leaves. 

A bird on a nearby tree was watching the monkeys from above. Considering the vain attempts the monkeys were busy with, it thought of advising them against it, "What big fools you are. You are blowing at a firefly and not spark of fire. You will never be able to make any fire out of it." 

"What you are doing is a waste of time. The firefly will not help you to protect yourself against the cold. Go and find some shelter instead. You may find a cave or a burrow where you will be protected from the rains and the cold winds." 

The monkeys did not like his advice. One of the old monkeys said, "Go fool yourself. Why are you interfering in our task?" 

But the bird disagreed. Not heeding what the old monkey had said, it flew down from the tree and persisted that the monkeys stop what they were doing. The monkey ignored his chatter but the bird refused to stop. 

In an effort to convince the monkeys, the bird came close to explain that their efforts were useless. 

Already frustrated by their vain efforts, the monkeys became furious. One of the monkeys caught hold of the bird and smashed him against a stone in anger, killing him. 

The wise indeed say: Never give advice unless you are asked for it.

Article - Tips to Enhance Creativity

A common issue faced by a majority of the professional and student groups is that they are deemed as “not creative.” At the very onset let me clarify that no one can be so. Every person is born creative. This, we will understand if we observe children. They are considered to be the most creative group. Give them an absurd painting and they can come up with such wide varieties and numbers of guesses that all the adult minds put together can never surpass them! We are born with the gift of creativity, but, it is ourselves who put a limit to that gift of ours. The theory is similar to the evolution theory of Darwin- the body parts that remain unused either shrink in size or else become negated in the next generation. Here, the more we try to mimic the world and restrict ourselves from broader thoughts, our creativity also stops expanding and starts shrinking overcome by the limitations of the world.

An analysis of professionals revealed that about two-thirds or more were above average in creative talent. All the eminent personalities starting from Shakespeare to Bill Gates to Steve Jobs, their creativity is what aided and nourished their growth. It is said that Einstein used to imagine himself as a ray of light travelling through the space, which enabled him to come up with his path-breaking theories. They were all not extraordinarily creative at the beginning, but gradually developed their talent by constant use of it.

Creativity is not “thinking absurd”, but “thinking new”. It is the ability to think different and to think futuristic. We have a tendency to follow a path that has already been paved by someone or else to start a task only after referring to examples. This is what pulls us back from being creative. When we lack models and lack predecessors, it is the time that our creativity works at its best. With no ideas to modify or restrict our mind, our thought process will simply shoot up to its zenith giving birth to innovative thinking.

You can easily build up your own creative power. How? Here are the ways:-

1)      Experience and expose yourself to new areas of study and to new methods. Experience the world around you more fully and observe it carefully – Staying updated about new areas of study, new technology, new methods, new ways of life etc. can augment to your thought process when you face the need of an idea. There are many things, many people around us that we see every day but never give any importance to. Observing these details can give you more knowledge as well as new ideas. Ideas are within you and come from what you absorb from the world.

2)      Have a purpose, as your mind works best when you have a purpose. A clear vision can assist in the formation of a clear idea.

3)      Write down your ideas as soon as you get them. Ideas are most often products of spur of a moment and may easily escape from your memory. Keep a paper and pen nearby. A few scribbling can help unburden your memory. A crammed up mind is hard to be creative.

4)      When you think that you have an idea, keep away every other work. When you have an idea your creativity will be at work. Keep away every other wok and concentrate in making use of the creativity that has just been kindled. No one is creative at all times. Make use of the time when you have your creativity at its peak rather than pushing it away hoping to rekindle it later.

5)      Never wait to value your ideas as soon as they are born. Creativity can come up with crazy ideas as well, but better to wait before evaluating you thoughts. It may just come in handy.

6)      Give yourself a break. Often ideas flow into your mind when you are not thinking about your problem, when you have almost forgotten about it a new idea hits your brain. So give your head a little rest and it’ll never let you down; over heat it and you’ll end up being crazy.

7)      Be well aware of your purpose. Narrowing and defining your purpose after gathering maximum facts about it can help in focusing your mind. This will also help in concentrating your creativity on your particular goal and coming up with more focused ideas.

8)      Find the drawbacks first. Coming up with creative remedies for the drawbacks is a better option. Finding solution to a given problem will become much easier if the drawbacks are found and rectified first. Then think of innovative plans to improve it.

9)      Associate more with children. As mentioned above, children are the most creative group. They have a new way of looking at things and in questioning things. Their curiosity, their wild guess works, their very genuine, but often unsolvable questions, all push our limits into thinking more. There can be no better exercise for your imagination.   

10)   Engage in rhythmic tasks like knitting, playing instruments, horseback riding, dancing etc. it helps to stir up creativity. Even crossword games or games like chess or Sudoku can help to keep your mind alert for creative ideas. 

11)   Keep yourself Motivated. Unless you believe that you have the potential to be creative, you are bound to kill your innate creativity. 

Article- Team Management

A team is a group of individuals who come together for a single goal. They possess complementary skills and are committed to a common purpose. A team differs greatly from a group as a group is just a gathering of people and it is not necessary that they share the same motive. But in a team, a task is at hand and the team members contribute one’s share to achieve the goal. A team always works more effectively than individual performances as there is a sharing of ideas and intermingling of personnel. The expertise, the knowledge, the experience, the skill and the perspectives are better off shared and analyzed in a team that set on a goal individually. It is conflation of many brilliant minds melting down a single task and moulding it desirably. This brings about to the co-mingling of wisdoms and experiences in a single go, producing the most effective outcome possible.

 

The building of a team is as essential as ingredients to a tasty dish. Every person has his/her own trait that may or may not be suitable for a team and this depends greatly upon the task.  So the preliminary step in making a team is to identify the purpose of the team and to employ an able leader who can handle all the personality types and situations very well.

The selection of a team is very important. Hence, the team members should not be of a random choice, but a result of careful analysis of each person, their style, manners, experience, skill and effectiveness. Both existing and potential skills are to be considered and also blend of problem solving and decision making talents and interpretational talents are weighed dearly.

 The goal determines the team size as a great team may create more fuss. Hence, a smaller team is to be assigned for complex tasks and a large team is better off bestowed on with simpler tasks that demands straightforward measures.

Before the team begins to pour upon a task, it is necessary to prescribe the leadership roles and to define the goals well. This also includes a briefing up on other such teams that specialize in areas related to their tasks. This will help in inter-team relations. The norms and guides of team behaviors is also set up in the early stages, while building a team so as to limit clashes and confusions. The rules are to be clearly drawn out right at the beginning.

When leading a team, it is necessary to pick up certain break points. The goals should be set at the onset to give a clear cut idea of what is to be done. The goals should also be communicated clearly without any scope of confusions. Every achievement is to be valued and celebrated. Individual contributions are to be brought to the forefront.

Participation from each and every member is to be ensured and the team members are to be delegated special roles so that no further tension would arise in the group later. Decision making should be more of a contributed effort rather than an individual act. The leader is to ensure group participation during decision makings and everyone is to have a say. This is possible only if the leader approach the team mates with an open mind, free of prejudices. Unity and participation in the group decides the team efficiency.

It is necessary to build a consensus within the team and every conflict is to be resolved as quick as it arose. Once an agreement is made, it is safe not to ponder more upon it and to move quickly to catch up the pace. Setting expectations for the team boosts up its overall performance and also keeps them pressurized so as not to wander into petty conflicts and time killers but helps them stay on track. Whenever it is necessary intervene immediately rather than waiting for things to go beyond control. The team’s cohesion is a strong factor.

The easiest way to improve the team’s performance is to establish a clear purpose and to issue proper directions. The selection of the team members greatly affects the performance, so the most suitable personality types are to be gathered as a team. Clear rules of behavior and clear work space are deciding factors when it comes to a team’s performance. All possible feedbacks and reviews ( peer review, customer review, self appraisal, team leader review and management review) are to be considered seriously and dealt with, rewarding or warning the person accordingly.

It is always easy avoiding clashes in a team and slowing paces and it all depends on the bringing together of a team that can withstand clashes and problems from both inside and outside the team.

Story - Sticking to habits can limit our potentials

There lived a King who loved birds. His fascination lay mainly in falcons. Once he was gifted two beautiful falcons by a friend and he was pleased beyond limits. He immediately hired a trainer and expressed his deep desire to see them soar into the heights.

 After a few months of training the trainer went to the King, “Your Majesty”, he said, “I have trained both the Falcons equally well with all my skills and knowledge. One of the Falcons can now fly to heights, where even the eyes may fail to track him”, he paused.

“This is excellent news for me Trainer, bring him fifty gold coins”, ordered the King.

“Wait, but what about the other Falcon?” he asked quizzically.

“I am extremely sorry Your Majesty but I am helpless in his case”, the trainer’s face fell. “He simply sits glued to a branch and shows no sign of flying at all. I have taught him all that I know. He knows how to fly, but he just doesn’t do it.” The trainer looked frightened thinking how the King would accept this news.

“It just might not be your fault”, spoke the King after a thought. “You did train them and one of them did achieve what I wanted”, he paused. “We’ll put up the problem in the council”, he declared.

Next day the problem was presented in the council and the word was sent throughout the kingdom announcing the problem with the King’s Falcon. At the end of the day an old man turned up in the court claiming that he can fix the problem. The King allowed the old man to leave with the trainer to the Falcon.

Next morning, the first thing the King saw upon waking was his two Falcons soaring into the sky. He was overjoyed and rushed to the old man and the trainer who stood in the garden watching them.

“What magic have you worked upon my Falcon?” he questioned with a wild excitement ringing in his voice.

“Your Majesty”, began the old man slowly, “I simply cut down the tree that the Falcon always sat on” was the reply.

The quality and tenure of the training you undergo is never the deciding factor. There are always habits or negatives in you that keep you chained into your previous, undeveloped and crude self. The only way to express your true potential and to soar into heights is by breaking away from certain traditions and believes as well as habits that thwart your progress. Once you break free and sever away from that which chains you, you are ready to fly high, unbridled and intimidating. 

Article - “To be or not to be, that is the question”- The Psychology of Procrastination.

Procrastination is a term we are all well aware of. The attribute itself is not unknown to us. It is a feeling that is mutual but its degree differs in every individual. Procrastination, i.e. putting off one’s work or task to be done later, has always sucked out our time, pushing us to a mad sprint at the nearing of a deadline. Is procrastination a big issue that has to be checked in an early stage? Well, the answer depends on you, whether you want to get things done or not. But, if you really want to finish off things rather than hurrying at the last hour, it is better to chain this attribute before it uproots you entirely. The tragedy of Prince Hamlet penned by the mastermind of Shakespeare still exists before as an excellent example of the ill effects of procrastination. 

Procrastination has proved its existence in us when we failed to submit our projects or assignments or when we have lost golden opportunities putting off work for a later time.  According to Ferrari, Johnson, and McCown, there are some major cognitive distortions that lead to academic procrastination. These reasons (listed below) have at some point of time discouraged every individual from performing a task on time:

1. Overestimating how much time is left to perform tasks
2. Overestimating the result of the action in the future
3. Underestimating how long certain activities will take to complete
4. Mistakenly assuming that we need to be in the right mood to work on a project

Procrastination is not a problem; it is a tendency that is very hard to overcome. It almost becomes a lifestyle, which Dr. Joseph Ferrari refers to as a maladaptive lifestyle. In an interview with the American Psychological Association, Dr Ferrari explains on non-procrastinators that "Non-procrastinators focus on the task that needs to be done. They have a stronger personal identity and are less concerned about what psychologists call "social esteem" - how others like us - as opposed to self-esteem which is how we feel about ourselves,"

Studies have shown that the people who procrastinate mainly belong to the intuitive personality type.  It is almost logical why they tend to procrastinate. Procrastination is simply the integral part of their behavior. They remain submerged in thoughts, deriving pleasure from thinking alone. They experience the continuous and non-stop queuing up of ideas and they fail to take action at the right time, often due to their inability to prioritize. This directly affects their social relationships as well as health.

 The pressure that is experience during the final days of deadline, when we will be racing past time to finish off the task can negatively affect your mental as well as physical health. It has been proved that people who tend to put off their work for later notice experience far more health problems, mental and physical, compared to people who engage in their tasks early on (non-procrastinators). In a group, by putting off a task, a large burden falls on the members of the team which negatively affects the person’s social relationships. Failing to complete tasks, or even failing to at least start one, can seriously affect our social image as well as relations.

According to Tuckman, Abry, and Smith, there are 15 key reasons why people procrastinate:

1. Not knowing what needs to be done
2. Not knowing how to do something
3. Not wanting to do something
4. Not caring if it gets done or not
5. Not caring when something gets done
6. Not feeling in the mood to do it
7. Being in the habit of waiting until the last minute
8. Believing that you work better under pressure
9. Thinking that you can finish it at the last minute
10. Lacking the initiative to get started
11. Forgetting
12. Blaming sickness or poor health
13. Waiting for the right moment
14. Needing time to think about the task
15. Delaying one task in favor of working on another

Procrastination lends us a false sense of security that is sure to crumble sooner or later, which is mostly later. The right time we expect to do a task simply never comes the more we wait for it. But, once we start acting, everything will fall into its place almost magically aiding our efforts.

 The only way to overcome the tendency of procrastination is to start working without wasting time. The best way that can help you in this is to calculate the time required for the task and to prepare a deadline of your own which is at least 5 days ahead of the real deadline and work dedicatedly on it. There is not shortcut or medicines that can save you from procrastination, other than yourself. Don’t forget, hard work (at the right time) is the key to success.

Story - Always Be Prepared For the Worst

One day a fox, while roaming for food, saw a boar sharpening his tusks rubbing it against a tree. The fox panned the area and found no imminent danger. There was no wild animal around and nor were any humans. “Why are you sharpening your tusks boar? I see no danger around us”, inquired the fox nearing the boar.

“Well I see no danger as well fox”, replied the boar, “but who knows what the next moment will bring upon us”. He continued sharpening his tusks and said, “It is not possible to dig a well when the fire breaks out. In a fore

st enemy lurks everywhere and you don’t suppose me to sharpen my tusk when I am about to be killed, do you? It is better to be prepared than to run havoc at the face of danger” he concluded and seeing that his tusks are ready for combat, prodded away into the forest.

It is always wise to keep oneself polished and ready to perform at every stage. Though the story speaks of mortal dangers, in a human society we should always be careful of unexpected situations. To face them we are to be all-time ready in looks, character and in wits. 

Story - Two Wolves

Two Wolves

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside

He said, "My son, the battle is between two "wolves" inside us all. One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

We choose our own attitudes and outlook on life.

Story - Apache Seasons

Apache Seasons

There was once a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall. When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.

The first son said “the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.”

The second son said “no, it was covered with green buds and full of promise.”

The third son disagreed; he said “it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing I have ever seen.”

The last son disagreed with all of them; he said “it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfilment.”

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life. He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up. “If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, the fulfilment of your fall.”

Do not judge others by just one event or "season" in their lives.

Article - “A society is defined not only by what it creates but by what it refuses to destroy.”

“A society is defined not only by what it creates but by what it refuses to destroy.” - John Sawhill

The place I come from is a very secluded village, quiet and hidden away safely from the mechanic clutches of the city; or maybe it was, once.  My childhood was spent lavishing on the boundless and sincere love of the village life, its soul and nature pure and pristine, innocent like new born. This reflected greatly in our relations where minds and life were not “divided by narrow domestic walls”. Everyone enjoyed a free and close relation with each other, and the bonds made there were always strong, lasting for a lifetime.

I must have been eight or may be ten when I went with my father on a journey to the celebrated ‘Guruvayur Temple’. We happened to come across a vehicle inspection procedure enroute and though we could have passed without stopping for it my father pulled to the side spotting someone. I craned my neck to see who it was and recognized David Uncle, a close friend of our family.

“Its David Uncle” I jumped up elated.

He was a Motor Vehicle Inspector and was busy verifying some paper works. I comprehended that he hadn’t yet seen us and so, though my father left me back in the car, I ran after him to meet David Uncle. There was a small gathering of people waiting to clear their paper works and my father approached him from behind.

“We’ll give him a surprise”, I thought and calculated how I’d give him a start showing an abundance of joy at meeting him and looked at my father who was about to speak.

He signaled me to calm down and in a very calm and composed manner began,

“Sir?”

 “What!” was my first mental response and I stood there confused as David Uncle turned. His face lit up but he did not lose deportment,

“Yes, where are you heading to?” he asked in very formal tone.

“Off to visit the Guruvayur temple Sir”, my father maintained his modesty.

“Why are they acting so weirdly”, I stood there unable to comprehend the situation. I thought at first that my father was teasing David Uncle for his strict and bossy behavior. But then I realized that their exchange was quite genuine. David Uncle excused himself from others for a while and came away with us to the side. The two were normal again talking like usual inquiring each other’s well-being and all. My father took extra care not to detain him from work for long and we were back in the car. When we were leaving, my father slowed down the car in front of him and took a formal leave resuming his respect and addressing him as “Sir” once again!

“Why are you calling him “Sir?””, I finally voiced myself unable to bear all this contrasting behavior.

 “Because, he is a respected person”, he replied calmly.

“But why? You never behave to him that way, why such modesty now?” I felt that I was losing patience.

“ Son”, he was calm, “ He has a position among the people who were around him. He is an officer and has his own dignity to preserve. Being his close ones it falls upon us as our duty to preserve it for him”, he paused. “If we were to behave freely with him then he would have lost his power in front of those people.”

The realization dawned upon me and I realized the immense duty of maintaining relationships. My father and Uncle David shared that special bond of the heart enjoyed by true villagers- the free and unreserved relation that was fully informal. It is that true relation which formed the basis of this great responsibility. My father just couldn't destroy the power and respect commanded by his friend.  The power of dignity and respect is something to be well-maintained and when the person enjoying these has strived hard to get them, it gravely rests on us that we should be careful to preserve them. Our honor comes from preserving other’s dignity.

 It would be very easy if we put ourselves in their shoes. How would we feel when we are commanding a group of people, mortifying them and establishing our power, when out of nowhere a friend comes and pats on our back shuffling out in a very informal language? The feeling is the same. It is our duty to respect the position of our near ones careful not to embarrass them.

Article - ‘Clothes Make The Man’

‘Clothes Make The Man’

On 18^th of this month (September 2014) I was to engage a Belbin Team Role Workshop for Emircom at Abu Dhabi and had to reach there by 9’O Clock (UAEST) in the morning. I usually pack up my executive suit in which I have to appear for my sessions and smarten up just before the sessions to look my best. But this time it almost seemed impossible given that I’d reach there only a few minutes before the session. Any delay on the way can gravely rob me off my time and patience. So I decided to deck up in my formal outlook rather than opt for casuals for the journey. My only relief was that I’d be in AC throughout the journey and took extra care that my outfit remained crease-free. My apparel was a perfectly coordinated array of expensive suit and tie topped off with a highly expensive Swarovski pen, which was gifted by my friend Mr. Shaji George from Ahmedabad, India, shining in my pocket; a very palatable appearance on the whole.

When I arrived the Airport at 3.00 am (IST) for my 04.20 am flight the crowd at the airport was far enough to deflate me. The Hajj season was on and there were almost six flights ready to take off that morning. The airport was a sea of travelers and visitors and the length of the queue was a thunderbolt on me. Lacking options I moved up to the end of the line dragging my two trolley bags after me incessantly praying for a miracle. I did a mental calculation of the time I’d lose on this everlasting line and peeped through the side to inspect the progress.

Did I pray for a miracle? Because here it was! I saw the security guard, a Sardarji, signaling me to advance to the counter and I got entry bypassing that outstretched queue. “May be they were all in a single group and might take a long time”, I justified to myself.

Inspecting my surroundings I realized that there were only a few people clad up for business and the majority was off to Hajj. This came to my advantage again when I got through two other sets of such enormous lines. It wasn’t long before an officer from Air India approached me with high respect and inquired which flight I was going to travel in. When I replied I was to take the Etihad, he signaled a lady who helped me evade all other possible hurdles that would have swallowed my valuable time. “This isn’t about the Hajis flooding the airport, this is my guise!” I realized with a shock. My outfit and deportment had done the trick, I was a well-preferred customer. What swept me away was the humble behavior of a security guard who has once had a clash with me. He was desperate to offer his help.

The magic cast by my attire was not yet over. After all the security checks were smoothly and pleasingly dealt with, the personnel from the Etihad approached me inquiring if I’d like to upgrade from the economy class to the executive class. I’ve always preferred the economy class to the executive for shorter journeys and so I declined the proposal.  The lady who had help me escape the grueling crowd now came to me with the most pleasing news,

“Sir, we are taking the privilege of upgrading you to the executive class, a superior version. We are happy to do this for you free of cost”.

“Not bad”, I thought and readily accepted the offer. And to think, all this was because of my impeccable grooming! This impeccable style of grooming, we term as “Power-Dressing” and my experience serve as a perfect example to define the term. Quoting from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, “the apparel oft proclaims the man”.

 I intend to extend this post to elaborate on the science of “Power-Dressing”.

A WELL GROOMED MAN

One should dress to convey a feeling of strength and dignity. It is a business tool and skill, which sets the emotional and physical climate for success. The way we dress affects the way people perceive and treat us. Dressing has long been a symbol of the role of status that an individual enjoys in a particular society, obtaining for them the rewards of recognition, approval and identification. By understanding impression management through appearance you can begin to plan your appearance and package yourself to generate an automatic positive response from those you meet in business and social situations.

Hair

·         Clean, neatly cut, not extending below the ears

·         Always well combed

·         Frequently shampooed

·         Kept in place and not oily

Face

·         Clean shaven

·         Moustaches well-trimmed- above the lip level and not drooping

·         Teeth: clean and white. Free from foul odour

Hands

·         To be washed regularly

·         Must wash with soap after every meal

·         No marks or stains

·         Nails: short, even length and clean

• Wrist watch should be a formal one and with appropriate size

Personal Hygiene

·         Bath daily and use a deodorant under arms

·         Brush twice and use a mouth freshener to keep your breath fresh

·         Avoid use of cheap perfumes and colognes.

·         Use a light perfume during the day

·         Wash face frequently to look fresh

·         Adequate rest at night adds to your good looks

Basics of Dressing

·         Dress should be clean and not crumpled

·         Your clothes should suit your body

·         Dress should be appropriate to the time, place, occasion and age

·         Fabrics, fit, quality, style and the like should be carefully considered

·         Latest fashion trends should always be kept in mind

Details

·         Well-coordinated, conservative colors

·         White/blue shirts with navy blue, grey or black trousers

·         Cream/beige/light brown shirts with dark colored trousers

·         Light colored shirts with dark colored trousers.

·         Well ironed and proper fitting should be ensured

·         No loose ends, threads open seams or missing buttons at the cuffs and on the shirts; the stitching below trouser pockets need special attention

·         Well colour coordinated and well knotted ties

·         Shirt pockets should remain empty

Shoes

·         Colour coordinated with the clothes

·         Conservative styles-Oxfords/brogues

·         Clean polished

·         Well repaired heels

·         Laces tied neatly and Socks clean and colour coordinated

A WELL GROOMED WOMAN

 

Hair

·         Long Hair

o   Should be left open only if it is shoulder length. It should not come on the face while at work

·         Avoid the following

o   Elaborate coiffures, knots or coils

o   Low loose knots tied at the nape of the neck

o   Oily hair

·         Short Hair

o   Should be cut in an elegant contemporary style which is manageable and looks neat throughout duty hours

Personal Grooming

·         Arms and under arms should be kept hair free

·         Always s use a deodorant

·         Perfumes should be of light and pleasing odour. Light eau-de-colognes are appropriate at work

Face

·         Eyebrows should be neat and well-shaped

·         Skin should be well cared for

·         Facial hair should be bleached or removed regularly

·         Use small and pleasing studs instead of ear rings

Make-up (Light and carefully applied)

·         Day makeup

o   Light subtle and carefully applied using shades like pink, peach and russet

·         Eye makeup

o   A light application of mascara, a light shade of eye shadow or alternatively a kohl application

o   Dark shades of eye shadows should be avoided

o   Dark circles should be covered with under-eye makeup

Blush on

·         Blush-on on the cheekbones along the neck is a must as it enhances your best features

·         Medium shades of pink and rust should be used during the day. Darker shades of blush-on e.g. red should be saved for the night. A soft orange looks beautiful on Indian colouring

·         If you are using a Bindi, it should be a small and simple (no designs and not oversized)

Hands

·         To be washed regularly and manicured

·         Must wash with soap after every meal

·         No marks or stains, henna designs are out

·         Arms should be hair free, with regular routine to ensure this

Nails

·         Should be well shaped with a light to medium color application of nail polish

·         Extremely long nails with enameled with very bright or dark shades of nail polish should be avoided

·         Nail polish should never be chipped. A good rule is to remove nail polish every three days. Of course nail polish need not be used at all, but nails must be well filed and clean at all times

Feet

·         Heals should appear clean and not cracked

·         Toenails should be well shaped and if you like, polished

Shoes/footwear

·         Low/high heeled shoes or sandals

·         Heals should not be more than 1.5 inches

·         Shoes and sandals should be in good condition. Foot wear in poor condition spoils entire image

Jewellery

·         Light authentic jewellery like a thin gold chain, a light gold bangle, small earrings (gold/pearl/diamond)

·         Artificial or costume jewellery in oxidized silver or plastic should be strictly avoided

·         Bangles should not jangle

·         Wrist watch should be a formal one and with appropriate size

Clothes (for Indian environment)

·         Saris must be well ironed. For cotton saris add a little starch.

·         The falls must be well stitched. Fabrics like kota-doria and organdy stay crisp all the day and need almost no starch

·         Avoid pompous and extravagant fashion dress.

·         Salwar Kameez should be of good fabric and well stitched

·         Western trousers suits or skirt/jacket of coordinated colors

There are many ways to groom and stylize yourself. I hope some of these guidelines will help you in some ways.