VOLUME VII – CHAPTER 3
THE TREND SETTER
Knowing, Doing and Being are three important aspects of Principals – you should know your work well – what you should and what you should not – know the job’s alphabets from A to Z. This you can acquire by extensive reading and intensive observation of seniors at work. Next you must start activating the knowledge you have gathered – putting into practice. All that you have learnt in your B.Ed. or M.Ed. course was not just to help you to clear the examination. Every theory you have learnt can and should be applied to the classroom. This is doing, next and finally, you become.
Like Government bonds and wine, teachers also need and take time to mature. Through the years of your pedagogical journey, you would have faced high and low tides, troughs, rapids, swirling currents, typhoons and hurricanes. The sober, the solemn, the sly and the sludge, the intelligent, the clever, the crafty and the cunning-interactions with all these types of persons would have rounded your corners, shaped and moulded you. When the author started his career as an untrained graduate assistant on 28 August 1951 in the Board High School, Cheyyar, North Arcot District of Tamil Nadu, he felt he had got a job. In 1955, when he was appointed as a Lecturer in the Teachers’ College of Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, Coimbatore, he felt that he had been given an opportunity to do a higher level of work – a position (in teaching) – teaching Teachers. Then in 1962 when he was appointed as Deputy Director, Training, South Zone, in the Ministry of Community Development, Government of India, he felt that he had been accorded a status. Then after retirement in 1992 when he was requested by some schools to be their Educational Advisor, he felt that he had gained – a stature – after a pedagogical journey of 41 years. This is the stage of being, culminating in BECOMING.
Teaching the same lesson in the same way, year after year – You are only aging but not becoming an experienced old hand. Year after year you have to Rethink, Rejig, Recreate your teaching process even if it be the same lesson and thereby make the students look forward to your class. Otherwise your reputation as a repeater will travel before your first class for the year.
The seniors will tell the juniors, what to expect to hear in your class. Then when you enter the class, it becomes second hand. Interest wanes and indifference will set in.
Mrs. G/ Malaiammal, PGT,( Biology) and Mrs. Abdullah, Primary Teacher at K.V., Coimbatore, Mr. Narendran, TGT (Science) and Mr. Shankaran, TGT(Social Studies), Mrs. Bhuvaneshwari, PRT at K.V., HVF, Avadi, Chennai. Mrs. Christella, Mrs. Visalakshi and Mrs. Shyamala, PRTs at KV, AFS, Avadi, Mrs.Fernandes, TGT,(English), Mr. Paul, PGT,(English) at KV, Cochin, Mrs.Amuda, Mrs. Thangam, Mrs. Latha Ramachandran, Mrs. Vasanthi Chari, PRT at KV, IIT, Chennai, Mrs. Jayalakshmi at KV, Ashok Nagar, Mrs. Lakshmi, PGT (History) and Mrs. Uma Sivaraman,PGT (English) at KV 2, Tambaram, Mrs.Bhanumathi Govindarajan,TGT(Science) and Mrs. Chandrika Srinivasan,TGT(English) and Mr. Subramani, Librarian, KV, Kalpakkam were all trend setters.
Mr. Kulapathi S. Balakrishna Joshi, Head Master, The Hindu Theological High School, Mr. K. Kuruvilla Jacob, Head Master, Madras Christian College School, Mr. N. Chinaswami Naidu, H.M., Mani High School, Mr. E. Venkatesalu, H.M., Rajalakshmi Mills High School and Dr. S.S. Rajagopal, H.M., Sarvajana High School at Coimbatore, Mrs. K. Alamelu, Principal, P.S. Senior Sec. School and Sri. S. Natarajan, H.M. of St. Gabriels, Mrs. Saraswathi Srinivasan, H.M., Rani Meyammai Girls School at Chennai were the Trent Setters – PACE Setters, Trail Blazers.
ARE YOU DAKSHA OR SHIVA?
How can you become a trend setter? There is a story in our mythology that Daksha Prajapathi cursed his son-in-law Moon to wane because of his over affection and attention to only one of his 27 daughters whom he had given in marriage to him. Shocked by this, Moon ran to Shiva and sought refuge at his feet. Shiva took pity on the Moon and blessed him that he should wane for 15 days and again wax for 15 days in a month. …..3
Like this we have among Principals both Daksha Prajapathis who cause the staff to wane and wither and also Shiva who encourage the staff to wax and walk into fame. The trend setter is a Shiva who helps the staff to grow to bloom and to scale heights.
The trend setter is one who is never tired of work. Work will never tire you. What tires you and causes tension is the oscillating mind, the mind that is not concentrated on the work, the mind that jumps back and forth from, what he has done to what he wants to do without caring to focus on the present which demands his attention and help him to achieve. The trend setter knows that his future and that of his school will be the outcome of his present performance. His trend setting depends on 3 factors.
a)He is fully focused on his present work.
b)He fixes a target, a goal and strains himself to the fullest to reach it.
c)He is self-less and quite resourceful.
As Michael Porter of Harvard says, a trend setter creates shared value. He sets his job not in economic terms but looks at it in learning lessons. Every position is the mythological gold container full of elixir. The container-the job gives us a designation to feel proud and salary to take care of our family. But each job has in it the potential, the opportunity to develop mentally, morally and emotionally. We should allow the seed in the job to sprout. If we don’t see the seed, it is not the seeds’ mistake.
The Trend Setter helps every staff to locate the seed of learning, of doing and of Becoming and Being.
The Trend Setter knows the ‘Croesus Effect’ and its reverse mode also – Croesus was the King of Lybia between 560 BC and 540 BC. He did not mind spending any amount of money to reach his objective. His only question was–
“Are there solutions, means to attain this goal” – didn’t care about the cost of it. In one city there were two Principals who were ‘Croesus’. If one conducted an exhibition on the Annual Day in a grand manner, the other one immediately told his staff, ‘Ours must surpass that. Don’t worry about money. We shall use our resources to the hilt.”
But some Principals like the author understood the reverse mode of “Croesus Effect” their only question was, “How to reach our objective with the least expenditure?
In 1969 the M.E.S. gave a huge estimate to the author for getting the school grounds levelled so that a new building can be raised. Since the land belonged to the Air Force, KVS could not spend. As the land was not to be used for the Air Force, Audit said that the AF station cannot incur any expenditure on that work. Then the author decided to touch the Goodness in peoples’ Hearts.
The Author discussed this with an Air Force Parent (Sqn.Ldr.) who said, “Each Officer can get 20 litres.” You please ask the Adjutant, The Education Officer, the two Wing Commanders and finally the Station Commander. Following his advice, the author got 100 litres diesel and got the whole school ground levelled, with the help of the Director, CVRDC who sent a bull dozer for that work.
The Trend Setter always adopts the ‘Croesus Effect’ in reverse mode.
The author was a witness to a beautiful motivation by Sri. C.A.S. Raghavan, Principal, KV, Kalpakkam during his inspection visit. During that period, a large number of turtles came to Kalpakkam to lay eggs. Many fishermen used to remove the eggs. Sri. Raghavan told the students in the morning assembly:-
“Whales in large numbers come to Surat for delivery and feeding when the temperature there is 210 – 25oC. But the local fishermen used to hunt them for meat and oil.” Moran Babu, a spiritual Guru of Gujarat asked the fishermen:
“Do you kill your pregnant daughter, who comes to her parent’s home for delivery?”
The fishermen in one voice said, “No. Moran Babu asked them, “Then why do you kill whale sharks that travel 22400 km. from Australia to your place for delivery and feeding.”
The fishermen said, “Hereafter we will become Whale Na Mitra – friend and Whale Na Veera – Protector.”
Mr. Raghavan asked the students to go to the fishermen’s huts, tell this
The Trend Setters like the Principals / HM – of the past had certain core values / attitudes that guided their lives and work such as:-
- They did not monopolise success.
- They loved learning and books.
- They knew where they wanted to go and achieve.
- Their faith in a superpower and in themselves gave them an inner strength.
- They understood that sustained hard work only will shower Success.
- They believed that achievement is not the result only of superior knowledge but more of perspiration.
- They knew that common sense was their best guide.
- They were never complacent.
- They never went after material rewards, awards or honour. These came seeking them.
- They considered obstacles as opportunities and not as bottle-necks.
- They had a role model for them to start with. Later on they themselves became role models.
- In their younger days they had taken part-time jobs. That experience made them independent and responsible and daring.
- They were good in multi tasking.
- Instead of thinking, “What to do next?”They always thought, “What shall we be a decade from now?”
- They considered developing people (staff) as important as achieving excellent results.
The Trend Setter advises, shares insights, discusses and debates with
his staff. Manu Anand, Chairman, Pepsi Co. India , instructs and coaches the besides the above. At the same time he has the humility to say, he learns
“Functional Expertise” from them.
Like Harish Narayanan, Managing Director of Bausch, the Trend Setter helps the staff to formulate thoughts and creates collaborative networks within the school.
Like Muktesh Pant, Founder and CEO of Reebok India, the Trend Setter treats his staff as he would treat his own children.
Harish Goenka, Chairman of RPG Enterprises listens, empathises, influences rather than instructs.
Santrupt Misra, HR Director of Aditya Birla groups says, “There is a beauty and joy in touching peoples’ lives in ways we do not realize.”
Like Atul Singh, President and CEO of Coca-cola India, he acts as a facilitator and sets them on the right path.
The Trent Setter produces an ‘IKEA’ effect. The Dutch furniture company sells furniture which can be self assembled.
It implies that when we create something, where we invest our effort and attention, we get involved in the creations. So when we start valuing their ideas and plans programmes, activities projects thought of by the staff, they will be executed well by themselves.
Pillsbury (cake makers) once left out the dried eggs and asked women to add fresh ones along with milk and oil to mix. ‘Its sales zoomed up. This is called the egg theory.’ Don’t give solved problem. The joy of solving is greater than the joy of having solved the problem as Shakespeare said in ‘Richard II’, “To joy is better than to be enjoyed.” Striving is better than success. Travelling is better than arriving at the destination.
The Trend Setter lets people to tell, tailor, create and build something as Dan Airley, Behavioural Economist puts it. He quotes the life of Edison who became obsessed with Direct Current. His disciple Tesla discovered Alternating Current which is more useful. Edison was keen to stop Tesla from growing and even secretly financed the building of an electric chair on A.C. principles. This was used first to execute William Kemler!
The Trend Setter is not one who creates something, falls in love with it and becomes unwilling to listen to others.
The Trend Setter is a great listener. The Trend Setter will not only create an idea, but also develop people with imagination to spread the world around.
Jesus a Trend Setter developed 12 disciples. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, India’s great secularist moulded 12 disciples.
Trend Setting is a skill that can be taught to any one – can be learnt by anyone.
The Trend Setter prefers to Co-create with staff who self-select into the elite group by making specific commitments.
LEVERAGE THE UNIQUE QUALITIES
Saras D.Saraswathy of Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, U.S.A. says to be a Trend Setter you need to think effectually – leveraging the unique qualities that make you, who you are and work with people who want to work with you. Trend Setter is one with whom people wish to work.
Trend Setter will not over load his staff with a lot of irrelevant information.
The author had the pleasure of observing a Principal who had a unique way of balancing the competing claims for the same assignment of two staff. Two experienced staff members wanted C.C.A. (Co-Curricular Activities) to be allotted to them. The Principal deftly solved the issue by asking the relatively senior teacher to help the other in planning C.C.A. for the year for classes 6-8 and the junior to assist him in the execution of the activities for classes 9 – 11.
In the way both were given parity in prominence and made to work as a team.
In the same way when two staff wanted the examination work to be allotted to them, the Principal made the relatively senior one to allot question paper setting work and invigilation duty schedule and the other one to look into the implementation part overseeing the conduct of the exams, receiving mark lists and cross check of their corrections and check progress reports.
When the author asked him how he could arrive at this wonderful solution, he said a story from Lord Krishna’s life gave him this idea. When Krishna brought the Parijatha tree from Indra, there was a dispute as to in whose house – Rukmani or Sathyabhama, it should be planted. Krishna very cleverly solved the problem. Sathyabhama’s garden was located in the east. So the tree planted in Rukmani’s garden would grow towards the sun and so all the flowers would fall in to Sathyabhama’s garden. Lord Krishna said, “Rukmani takes all the trouble of tending the plant. So the plant will blossom out when I am with her.” This story, the Principal said that it gave him the idea of making both sharing the work.
The author had noticed that great Principals who were the Trend Setters had always:
- Set to their staff clear performance expectation.
- Actively identified high flyers among the staff.
- c) Prepared next line leaders for transition.
- Support new leaders to help them cope with transition.
- Develop potential leaders before their next promotion.
The author had observed these being done.
BY TO
Sri. K. Rangaswamy Lengar S. Balakrishna Joshi
(Hindu Theological High School)
Chinnaswamy Naidu B. Ekambaran
(Mani High School)
Dr. S.S. Rajagopal Ramaseshan
(Sarvajana High School)
T.P. Srinivasa Varadan T.S. Rajagopalan
(Hindu High School)
Kuruvilla Jacob Michael
(Madras Christian College School)
Mrs. Tara Mrs. Alamelu
(Vidya Mandir)
Mrs. Alamelu Mrs. Vijayalakshmi Srinivasan
(P.S. Senior Secondary School)
Mrs. Y.G. Parthasarthy Pankajam Kailasam
(Padma Seshadri)
Trend Setters are careful to look for petered out staff, the plateaued staff and those on the verge of burn-out due to boredom of work or a person who is so efficient in his teaching that the management does not want to promote him.
Sri. Seshan, PGT (Maths) in Kalpakkam was an excellent Maths Teacher. Sri. G. Balasubramaniam, PGT (Chemistry) in KV, Trichy was an excellent Science Teacher. Mrs. G. Krishnanand then Asst. Commissioner, KVS, Madras Region did not want to lose them as teachers. But the author cautioned her that if they were not promoted as Principals KVS will lose them. Within a year Seshan joined Atomic Energy Education Society as a Principal in one of their Schools and Sri. Balasubramaniam joined Hindu Senior Secondary School as Principal.
Sri Balakrishna Joshi, H.M. of Hindu Theological High School found that Sri. S. Ramiah, PGT (History) had reached the maximum of his scale and could not hope to become H.M. of that school as there were many ahead of him. So he requested the author to help him to get into KVS which he did.
The Author found that a fresh PGT got cent percent results on his subject in the first 3 years of his service. This success goes to his head and in the fourth year his complacency showed up in lesser percentage. The author asked the Asst. Commissioner to suggest him that he should take his slide down to transfer to a school a little away as a challenge and take class IX and build that class in 4 years to an excellent level. She said this exercise will help in his future career development. This plan worked successfully and that batch benefited for 4 years by his expertise.
DEVELOP MENTOR – MENTEE RELATIONSHIP
A management which has a group of schools, Private or Govt. like KVS or NVS can adopt with profit this ‘Shaded Programme’ followed by Nokia – cell phone manufacturers, by seconding a person to a senior and asking him, to observe him throughout the day and learn the ropes. By this Nokia expects the chosen to live up to the four Nokia values – PAVE – Passion for innovation; Achieving together, Very human and Engaging you.
In 1980 the author introduced this ‘Shadow Principal’ concept in the KVS of Madras Region by which new Principals were required to ‘Professionally Live’ with a senior for a month, observe closely how he handled men and matters, situations – mundane, sublime and crisis and submit a report. The senior also was asked to give a report. The ‘Shadow Principal’ sat with him in all discussions and meetings.
When the new Principal takes charge of his school, after six months the senior Principal goes there, sits with him for a week and observes how he runs the school and gives useful and necessary suggestions.
This helped the new Principal to understand the basics of Education Management and for the senior it was a recognition of his rich experience and expertise. A sort of Mentor / Mentee relationship which continued to grow with time and this prepared the new Principal to become a mentor after some years to another fresher. The wheel moves on.
The Trend Setter is not envious of others. He values trust. He keeps his EGO in check. He puts a premium on human decency and not just ones’ mental acumen as Michael D Eisner says in his “Working Together.” He masters and manages the challenge of innovation. He believes that one can create his “own luck” with good planning and preparation. Remembering Louis Pasteur’s words, he is aware of the ideas and opportunities available beyond his realm of knowledge and range of experience. He makes the environment more participative. He triggers his colleagues to start thinking about fresh ideas and new teaching modules. He develops their capability as well as culpability. His success depends on his ability, charisma and strength of character in dealing with men and moments.
The author could confidently and proudly say that he found all these qualities personified in Prof. G. Rajaram who was his second – in – command at the S.E.O’s Training Centre of which he was the Deputy Director during 1962 – 66 Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, Coimbatore.
Mrs. Saraswathi Srinivasan, Head Mistress of Rani Meiyammai Girls Higher Secondary School was a Trend Setter, who never under estimated herself and others and at the same time never over estimated her contributions. Her value addition was visible in the high end impact on her staff. Adding value is no child’s play.
She started with performance improvement of individual staff by slowly changing their attitude, behaviour and style. Then gradually she created a talent mind-set across the school. Then finally she could transform the whole staff into a power house of learning and teaching. This was her real value addition.
C. Mahalingam, Vice-President of Symphony Services wants every Trend Setter to remember the Chinese proverb:-
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago and the next best time is now.”
A Trend Setter like Sri. E. Venkatesalu, H.M. of Rajalakshmi Mills School knew well that if he appreciates the view point of other staff there will be a dialogue. Otherwise only arguments will fly back and forth.
He developed a Healthy Relationship based on Trust and Respect with his Bosses (The Management) his peers (Other Headmasters) and his juniors (Staff).
What made him stand out was his open consultation attitude with his peers, ability to collaborate positively with his staff and his emotional quotient.
The Trend Setter encourages “Submarines” – The staff who on their own ignite a spark, try out something new without telling him, the author was privileged to work with such ‘Submarines’ like Dr. Mrs. Jagannathan, Mr. S.R. Sankaran, Mr. S. Shanmugam, Mr. R. Udayamurthy, Dr. B.P. Sharma, Mrs. Neela Dorai, Mrs. Bhuvaneswari, Mrs. Padmini Joseph, Mrs. Fernandez,Mrs. Sharada Krishnamurthy etc.
The author had seen a Trend Setter in Mrs. Y.G. Parthasarathy, Dean and Director, Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan group of Schools. She dares to Dream, is prepared to take risks, does the right thing, understands the meaning of failure and provides leadership. When she fails in anything she picks herself up and starts moving forward. She is always focused on the solution and not on the problem. The sheet anchor of her leadership are important values like integrity, respect for staff, expecting excellence, setting standards by herself and fine team work.
She introduced a programme of training mothers (at home) in teaching and took them into her faculty later. She has started an out bound, adventure program in collaboration with the British Council. In co-operation with the I.I.T. – Madras, she has started a research program for students. She receives students from U.S.A. on an exchange program. She provides her staff opportunities to go to abroad for visits/studies. She has started a cultural wing under the banner, “Yuva Kalachar.”
A Trend Setter like Mrs. Lakshmi Swaminathan, Prinicipal has been observed by the author to sit across with a colleague and say “these are the four areas I expect you to work on and this is what I expect from you or these are the aspects in your work that have not developed as they should have done.”
Another Trend Setter, like Principal M. Rama Srinivasan used to match an assignment with the specific ability of a staff and help him to succeed. It became a win-win situation for both and she used to say “I want my students to get the best out of their teachers.”
Another Trend Setter, observed by the author Principal M.T. Srinivasa Iengar helped each staff to expand their capacity and create the future they desire.
Principal Rajguru was very good in helping a teacher bring thoughts and ideas hidden in his subconscious to the conscious level and place it at the service of the school.
A great Trend Setter that Principal K.G. Ramakrishnan had been, he could create a linkage between teacher’s work and the learning acquisitions he has to make and help.
L.Veeraraghavan, PGT (Maths) at KV, Coimbatore (whom the author teased and tickled often to get the best out of him) set up a trend of making the students love Mathematics by thinking deeply about problems. “No one asked better questions or came up with more intriguing answers” to use Malcolm Gladwell’s words about Prof. Sheena Iengar of Columbia Business School.
A Trend Setter puts before the staff, less number of choices so that they can be choosy about their collects and thus improve the quality of their decision. This was adopted by the author in the brain storming sessions he used to have with his staff and students.
The Author before starting the Inplant Experience program in KV, Coimbatore told the students one day in the assembly the story of William Wallace who fought for the rights of the Scots, against the mighty English. But in his death the Scots got a new sprint and courage to stand together in their fight for freedom. He told them, “Your Commitment and Loyalty should not be to an individual but to the cause he helped to inspire. The cause outlived their hero.”
Four years of the inplant experience program run successfully. But when the author was transferred, his successor tried to shelve it. The students pleaded with him to continue that useful programme but in vain. The scheme was given a quiet silent burial (ask the students to see the film Brave Heart or get it and screen it).
Contrast this with Tim Cooks email to Apple employees after Steve Jobs stepped down as C.E.O.
Team:
“I am looking forward to the amazing opportunity of serving as C.E.O. in the most innovative company in the world, joining Apple was the best decision I have ever made and it has been the privilege of a life time to work for Apple and Steve for over 13 years. I share the Steve’s optimism for Apple’s bright future.
I want you to be confident that Apple is not going to change. I cherish and celebrate Apple’s unique Principles and values. Steve built a company and culture that is unlike any other in the world and we are going to stay true to that. It is in our D.N.A. We are going to make the best products in the world that delight our customers and make our employees incredibly proud of what they do.”
In Jim we see a Trend Setter who goes with the flow and also makes indirectly known the intention to improve.
SOW THE SEED FOR A BANYAN TREE
The Trend Setter frames information in such a way that it can make a big difference. The author asked his staff to do this with their students by citing the example of Coca Cola and Pepsi. Coke has used advertising to embed itself into the minds of American Consumers by associating Coke with Freedom America and Christmas. He said, “Put ordinary water in one bottle and another bottle (with same tap water) labelled as Len due robinet in French. Your students will take the second bottle because of the name but those 3 words simply mean ‘Tap water’.”
Devdutt Patnaik, Chief Belief Officer of the Future Group gives a beautiful example. Putting the question, “who is responsible for a grain of rice?” The seed, the soil, the rain, the sun light and the farmer- each claimed responsibility. But it is really the farmer who is responsible who takes all the initiative and labour to make the seed sprout into a crop.
So also who is responsible for the success, name and fame of the school – The chairman who started the school, the staff, the students, the office, the management committee, the department and the Principal-each one is responsible but finally it is the Principal, a Trend Setter who is responsible for it – because he articulates the vision of the management, motivates the staff, encourages the students, co-operates with the community, liaisons with the department and media- in short he is the face of the school. Balakrishna Joshi, Kuruvilla Jacub, T.P.S. Varadan, Saraswathi Srinivasan, Chinnaswami Naidu, E. Venkatesalu, S.S. Rajagopal and E. Parameswaran. All these were faces of their schools. The schools were known by them only.
To conclude, the author could not think of a greater Trend Setter than his mentor, Rev. Ayya Avl. (Sri. T.S. Avinashilingam), Founder – Director of Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, Coimbatore. The author had the unique good fortune of sitting and learning at his feet, enjoying his affection for 45 years (1946-1991). He announced on the Annual Day of K.V., Coimbatore on 1974, “All these years I have treated him like my own son”- be Beaten, Battered, Hammered, Buffeted, Badgered, Educated, Trained and Moulded by him into a teacher and a leader.
Sri. T.S. Avinashilingam – A great institution builder, a great patriot, a great innovator, a great organizer, a great resourceful mobilizer of resources, a great planner, a great realist, a great host, a great humanitarian, a great fighter for noble causes, a great lover of children, a great mentor, a great multitasker, had a great penchant for perfection, precision and punctuality, a great leader and a sanyasi without the saffron robe and above all a complete person.
The author was lucky to be blessed with his sacred touch.
One who has born with a silver spoon in his mouth, having no need to work, Sri. T. S. Avinashilingam started a school with a single Harijan student and to start this in his own home way back in 1930 required lot of courage. He got the foundation stone laid by Mahatma Gandhi and affiliated it with Sri Ramakrishna Mission. Then one by one he started the Teachers’ College, the Training School, the Arts College, the Maruthi College of Physical Education, the School of Engineering, the School of Agriculture, the S.E.O.’s Training Centre, a Printing Press, a Work Shop and a Day School – only this is non residential – 1000 acre campus – 4000 students and 400 staff residing in the campus!
In 1955, he started the Avinashilingam Girls High School. In 1957, the Avinashilingam Home Science College, then the Women’s Teachers College, the (M.S.T.C.) Mukhya Sevekas Training Centre and then got it developed as Sri Avinashilingam Deemed University.
In both institutions a child can join in the K.G. class and leave the campus after 25 years completing M.A./M.Sc./M.Ed./Ph.D. in Education. One man’s achievement of Himalayan Magnitude – a person guided by the Divine! A great TREND SETTER!
~~~~~~
ONE WHO KNOWS (VOL VII – CHAPTER 3)
– Dimensions of the Life and Work of a Principal –
650) One who knows that:
“Ego craves for attention.
Ego thrives on attention.
Eco drives one to do anything.
Ego survives on getting noticed.
Ego can be a source of motivation.
Ego needs feeding.
Ego, fed, makes one feel superior.
Ego, starved, makes you feel inferior.
Ego’s price is your peace of mind.
Ego filled heart always walks on fire.
Ego and ease never go together.
Ego makes one struggle to win over a situation.
Ego forces one to try to get the better of others.
One gains enormous freedom in letting it go.
Transcend ego – You shall realise your potential.
When Ego comes – All else go.
When Ego goes – All else come.”
- Mahatria Ra.
651) One who allows the staff to celebrate certain occasions (like reception) in the school premises, to develop a sense of belonging.
652) One who knows that he should not tell another “You are wrong,” because he may look back and tell him, “You are wrong in saying, I am wrong.” And that he cannot get his life right by convincing others that they are wrong.
653) One who has learnt, “Not only to accept himself, but also most Important to others, as they choose to be.”
654) One whose eyes always radiate smile warmth, cheer and compassion and reaches out direct to the hearts of all those he loves.
655) One who knows that he needs to know five professional skill which his stay in a College of Education would not have equipped him with:
a)How to write a good resume.
(State University of New York has a course).
b)E-mail Etiquette.
(University System of Georgia has a course on “Writing professional e-mails and memos”).
c)Leadership
(University of Michigan has a course on “Leading Teams”)
d) Public speaking.
Organising thoughts
Clarity of speech
Speaking succinctly
Right tone and style
suited to audience
e) The management.
Goal setting
Prioritisation
Scheduling
Delegation
These are essential to provide an extra edge
but
No substitute for profession specific knowledge.
656) One who knows that how he sees himself is more important than how the world sees him.
657) One who knows to increase his emotional quotient and decrease his ego quotient.
658) One who knows that life will be dull without surprises and also knows how to surprise his staff.
659) One who asks the parents to follow the advice of Dr. Anthonhy.P.Witham.
“Too much love never spoils Children. Children become spoiled when we substitute “presents” for “presence!”
660) One who advises parents not to tell children to always be happy, but to tell them to have a purpose.
661) One who has the maturity to understand that there are no perfect relationships.
662) One who knows to Accept the changeable, Change the changeable, and Remove himself from the unacceptable.
663) One who knows which relationship come, serve a purpose and disappear and which will come till the end even after his retirement. And know the difference to hold on and to let go.
664) One who knows that he should hold no bias or prejudice or a grudge against anyone.
665) One who knows that, when writing appraisal reports, he should leave room for update, because persons do change for good or bad.
666) One who knows that when a staff does not know what he knows, it only means, that person knows something which he does not know.
667) One who knows that his calibre and capacity to perform depends on the faith he has in his decisions.
668) One who knows that decision transformed into a verb will give him an enriching or a mind-blowing experience than decision as a noun. And so great care must be bestowed on “DECISIONING.”
669) One who knows, it is better to face outstanding failures than to face mediocre successes.
670) One who has an aura which he carried with himself, an effort less walk, confident voice, strength in his eyes and created in everyone a joy in knowing him.
671) One who chases his dreams and makes them come true.
672) One who knows that there is no sun rise without sunset and no success without failures and that when God denies something now will deliver something bigger later.
673) One who knows that tomorrow is the Eldorado where his motivation, productivity and achievement lay.
674) One who tries everyday to scale the heights of his destiny.
675) One who has created space for his personal God, embraces HIM in his life, personalizes HIM for HIM alone and never lets HIM go away.
676) One who knows to wait for something, knows the agony of rejection, knows to endure the absence of something, knows that to-day’s difficulties will multiply the joys of tomorrow, knows to be grateful for everything he has not got and has faith that one day everything will be fine.
677) One who knows that he can see his face only in still water and so unless he is still he can’t instill stillness in others.
678) One who knows when he understands the real beauty of a limpid pupil corning running to seek him.
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EMINENT THINKERS (VOL VII – CHAPTER 3)
(Whose ideas have been adapted for Education Management
Kumaramangalam Birla
449) Robert Noyo
450) Gordon Moore
451) Andy Grove
452) Dr. Kevin J Kennedy
453) Prof. Marc Schoen
454) Aditya Birla
455) Kumaramangalam Birla
456) Anand Mahindra
457) Kirloskar
458) Hrishikesh Mukherjee
459) Nicholas Epley
460) K.P. Chigurupati
461) Reto Wittwer
462) R.V. Raman
463) Dennis .P. Carmody
464) Michael Lenis
465) Avinoam Nowogrodski
466) David Rosenblatt
467) C. Mahalingam
468) Robert
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IF you live on the level of the Body and the Individual, you will be entangled in food, fun and frolic, ease, envy and pride. Forget it, ignore it, overcome it. You will have peace, joy and calm. In the Divine Path, there is no chance of failure; it is the Path of Love. – Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba
