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Sunday, February 27, 2011

Essence of Trust

A Little girl and her father were crossing a bridge.

The father was kind of scared so he asked his little daughter,
"Sweetheart, please hold my hand so that you don't fall into the river."
The little girl said, "No, Dad. You please hold my hand."
"What's the difference?" Asked the puzzled father.
"There's a big difference," replied the little girl.
"If I hold your hand and something happens to me,chances are there that I may let your hand go.
But if you hold my hand, I know for sure that no matter what happens,you will never let my hand go."

In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond.
So hold the hand of the person who loves and cares for you rather than expecting him to hold your's.

This message is too short... but carries a lot of Feelings
At Octaware we hold your hand!!!

- Najeeb

The story of Working hard and A Developing Country!!!

An Old Story:

The Ant works hard in the withering heat all summer building its house and laying up supplies for the winter.
The Grasshopper thinks the Ant is a fool and laughs & dances & plays the summer away..

Come winter, the Ant is warm and well fed. The Grasshopper has no food or shelter so he dies out in the cold.


Indian Version:

The Ant works hard in the withering heat all summer building its house and laying up supplies for the winter.
The Grasshopper thinks the Ant's a fool and laughs & dances & plays the summer away.
Come winter, the shivering Grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the Ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving.

NDTV, BBC, CNN show up to provide pictures of the shivering Grasshopper next to a video of the Ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food.
The World is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can this be that this poor Grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?
Arundhati Roy stages a demonstration in front of the Ant's house.
Medha Patkar goes on a fast along with other Grasshoppers demanding that Grasshoppers be relocated to warmer climates during winter.
Mayawati states this as `injustice' done on Minorities.
Amnesty International and Koffi Annan criticize the Indian Government for not upholding the fundamental rights of the Grasshopper.
The Internet is flooded with online petitions seeking support to the Grasshopper (many promising Heaven and Everlasting Peace for prompt support as against the wrath of God for non-compliance) .
Opposition MPs stage a walkout. Left parties call for 'Bengal Bandh' in West Bengal and Kerala demanding a Judicial Enquiry.
CPM in Kerala immediately passes a law preventing Ants from working hard in the heat so as to bring about equality of poverty among Ants and Grasshoppers.
Lalu Prasad allocates one free coach to Grasshoppers on all Indian Railway Trains, aptly named as the 'Grasshopper Rath'.
Finally, the Judicial Committee drafts the ' Prevention of Terrorism
Against Grasshoppers Act' [POTAGA], with effect from the beginning of the winter.
Arjun Singh makes 'Special Reservation ' for Grasshoppers in Educational Institutions & in Government Services .

The Ant is fined for failing to comply with POTAGA and having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes,it's home is confiscated by the Government and handed over to the Grasshopper in a ceremony covered by NDTV.

Arundhati Roy calls it ' A Triumph of Justice'.
Lalu calls it 'Socialistic Justice '.
CPM calls it the ' Revolutionary Resurgence of the Downtrodden '
Koffi Annan invites the Grasshopper to address the UN General Assembly.

Many years later...

The Ant has since migrated to the US and set up a multi-billion dollar company in Silicon Valley ,

100s of Grasshoppers still die of starvation despite reservation somewhere in India,


...AND


As a result of loosing lot of hard working Ants and feeding the grasshoppers,
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
India is still a developing country!!!

Contributed By:
Zakir Chougule,
Software Engineer, Octaware Technologies.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Digital Pen Technology



Digital pens (sometimes known as electronic pens) look and work just like an ordinary pen but capture handwriting and drawings from paper forms and notes.


The digital pen works together with normal paper overprinted with a dot pattern and captures the pen strokes with a tiny camera. Each electronic pen can provide handheld data capture for up to 200 A4 pages of writing and the data can be uploaded by docking it with a PC or via a mobile phone. The electronic data capture system provides the user with an exact image of the handwriting and form. It also translates the handwriting to text which is then used in the back office.

To understand detail working of digital pen, please visit http://www.anoto.com/the-pen-2.aspx. Here is the basic three steps process for demonstrating the working principal of digital pen.

Step 1 – Write on Form

Step2 – Image Creation

Step 3 – Hand writing conversion









More can be explored on anoto web site to understand about the technology.
-Aslam

10 tips to boost your career


This is a very good article forwarded by Mohammed Sufiyan from the development team. The start of a new year offers a prime opportunity for charting a course for career advancement. I am sharing a very good article on how to manage your career. Following article provides 10 tips to boost your career in 2011.

1: Look out for number 1
Take responsibility for your own career development. Many large organizations have scaled back on training and development — a common outcome of the economic downturn — and small companies can rarely provide significant support. Simply put, your career rests in one set of hands: yours.

2: Be strategic
Have a long-term career strategy, or at the very least, a sense of where you’re headed. Ask yourself, “What do I really want to do?” or “Where do I see myself in five to 10 years?” Seek people in similar roles and ask for their advice.

3: Work in step with your company’s goals
Connect the dots from your role to your company’s vision and key objectives. How does your work align with the organization’s goals? What can you do to maximize your contributions?

4: Be customer-centric
Whether your customers are internal or external, know their wants and needs and be fervent about meeting them. Bring the voice of the customer into your day-to-day work and let it enhance your decisions and deliverables.

5: Collaborate
Working with and through others is requisite to innovating, creating, and producing business results. Adopt a mindset for teaming and collaborating and put it into daily practice.

6: Hone your communication skills
Communication skills can make or break careers. Pick one area that needs your attention — considering skills such as listening, presenting, influencing, persuading, or distilling messages — and commit to improvement. Take a class, practice with a trusted friend or colleague, or join a group such as Toastmasters.

7: Cross over functionally
Many successful executives have risen through the ranks by taking cross-functional roles, such as moving from finance to sales or from marketing to IT. Follow their lead and you can grow your skills, your network, and your political capital.

8: Expand your experience
Volunteer for special projects or assignments that are outside your everyday role. Discuss your goals with your boss, an HR representative, or a senior leader and ask for help in finding opportunities to broaden your experience base.

9: Find a guide
Mentors can serve as influential role models and provide important guidance for your career. Reach out to a potential mentor within your company or industry and see if he or she would be open to mentoring you for a specific purpose and timeframe.

10: Network — now
The best time to increase your network is… today. Starting now, get involved in groups such as professional associations, charitable organizations, or even sports leagues. Step into leadership roles and make your expertise known.

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10things/10-tips-for-boosting-your-career-in-2011/2148

Written By: By Kathryn Ullrich

Shared By:
Mohammed Sufiyan,
Software Engineer, Octaware Technologies

Friday, February 25, 2011

7 Disciplines for High Performance


There are seven disciplines you must develop if you want to achieve all that is possible for you. You can learn these disciplines through practice and repetition until they become automatic.

Goal Setting

Every morning, take three to five minutes to write out your top goals in the present tense. Get a spiral notebook for this purpose. By writing out your ten goals at the beginning of each day, you will program them deep into your subconscious mind. This daily goal writing will activate your mental powers. It will stimulate your mind and make you more alert. Throughout the day, you will see opportunities and possibilities to move more rapidly toward your goals.

Planning and Organizing

Take a few minutes, preferably the night before, to plan out every activity of the coming day. Always work from a list. Always think on paper. This is one of the most powerful and important disciplines of all for high performance.

Priority Setting

The essence of all time management, personal management, and life management is contained in your ability to set the proper priorities on the use of your time. This is essential for high performance.

Concentration on your Highest-Value Activities

Your ability to work single-mindedly on your most important task will contribute as much to your success as any other discipline you can develop.

Exercise and Proper Nutrition

Your health is more important than anything else. By disciplining yourself to exercise regularly and to eat carefully, you will promote the highest possible levels of health and fitness throughout your life.

Learning and Growth

Your mind is like a muscle. If you don't use it, you lose it. Continuous learning is the minimum requirement for success in any field.

Time for Important People in your Life

Relationships are everything. Be sure that in climbing the ladder of success, you do not find it leaning against the wrong building. Build time for your relationships into every day, no matter how busy you get.

Action Exercise

These seven disciplines will ensure that you perform at the highest level and get the greatest satisfaction and results from everything you do. Study these seven disciplines and then make a plan for how you can incorporate each of them into your daily life.

-Shared By Haroon

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Nokia joins hands with Microsoft to regain top position

An interested article forwarded by Zakir Chougule which had appeared in Times of India online

Link : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/news/telecom/Nokia-Microsoft-in-smartphone-partnership/articleshow/7475061.cms
Date & Time: Feb 11, 2011, 02.18pm IST


Nokia joins hands with Microsoft to stand top among the rivals (Apple & Google) and to regain the top position again in the world of cell phones.

Nokia and Microsoft have joined hands to take on Google and Apple in the fast-growing smartphone market as the Finnish cellphone maker attempts to regain its leading position in the sector. Nokia said on Friday it would use Windows Phone as the software platform for its smartphones as part of new chief executive Stephen Elop's overhaul of the world's biggest cellphone maker.

Microsoft's Windows Phone platform is widely recognized by industry experts as a leading edge technology but has not yet gained success among consumers. "This is a partnership born out of both parties' fear of marginalization at the hands of Apple and Google but there is no silver bullet," said analyst Geoff Blaber from CCS Insight.

Nokia has rapidly lost share in the higher-margin smartphone market to the likes of Apple's iPhone, and products based on Google's Android platform claimed the top spot from the company last quarter.

"This is a very frank admission that Nokia's platform strategy has failed and underlines the seriousness of Nokia's position. Such a move would have been unthinkable just 12 months ago," Blaber added. In a bid to stem the losses, Chairman Jorma Ollila brought in Elop from Microsoft last September. The 47-year-old is the first non-Finn to head the company. Nokia said 2011 and 2012 would be transition years for the company as it built up the partnership with Microsoft.

Nokia said in a statement it would stick with its current management team, with only one senior executive to leave. There had been speculation of a wider cull at the company.

Nokia joins hands with Microsoft to stand top among the rivals (Apple & Google) and to regain the top position again in the world of cell phones.

Nokia and Microsoft have joined hands to take on Google and Apple in the fast-growing smartphone market as the Finnish cellphone maker attempts to regain its leading position in the sector. Nokia said on Friday it would use Windows Phone as the software platform for its smartphones as part of new chief executive Stephen Elop's overhaul of the world's biggest cellphone maker.

Microsoft's Windows Phone platform is widely recognized by industry experts as a leading edge technology but has not yet gained success among consumers. "This is a partnership born out of both parties' fear of marginalization at the hands of Apple and Google but there is no silver bullet," said analyst Geoff Blaber from CCS Insight.

Nokia has rapidly lost share in the higher-margin smartphone market to the likes of Apple's iPhone, and products based on Google's Android platform claimed the top spot from the company last quarter.

"This is a very frank admission that Nokia's platform strategy has failed and underlines the seriousness of Nokia's position. Such a move would have been unthinkable just 12 months ago," Blaber added. In a bid to stem the losses, Chairman Jorma Ollila brought in Elop from Microsoft last September. The 47-year-old is the first non-Finn to head the company. Nokia said 2011 and 2012 would be transition years for the company as it built up the partnership with Microsoft.

Nokia said in a statement it would stick with its current management team, with only one senior executive to leave. There had been speculation of a wider cull at the company.

Contributed By :
Zakir Chougule,
Software Engineer, Octaware Technologies.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

5 things you should know about IPv6


Last week I was reading Technology section of TimesofIndia and found a very good information about IPv6. As a software engineer, we should know about IP(Internet Protocols) being used nowadays. 

Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is a version of the Internet Protocol (IP) that is designed to succeed Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4). 

Many web surfers don't know it, but the introduction of new internet address standards might change the way they get online.

Since the supply of usable addresses governed by the IPv4 standard (internet protocol, version 4) has been exhausted, IPv6 has now been introduced. This will allow a previously impossible variety of addresses, says Christoph Meinel, a professor at Germany's Hasso Plattner Institute.

But what does this change mean for everyday surfers? Here's an overview.

1-Why are IP addresses necessary?

In order for internet-capable devices to share information, they need a unique machine-readable address. These addresses are assigned based on a standard of internet protocols.

But, since humans have a hard time remembering these strings of numbers, websites are also labelled with domain names, like www.google.com. When these addresses are typed into browsers, special servers translate them into IP addresses for the benefit of the computers.

2- What is the difference between IPv4 and IPv6?
Until now, IP addresses have been assigned in blocks of four numbers with up to three numerals each: 217.79.215.248, for example. The new IPv6 standard won't convert the numbers into the decimal system, rather a hexadecimal system, recognized by its combination of numbers and letters. The new standard can be recognized by its eight blocks, separated by colons -- 2001:db8:0:0:0:0:1428:57ab, for example.

3-Will my PC be able to process new standard?
In most cases, yes. But an IPv6-capable operating system is a prerequisite. Those can be found in any Windows system post Vista. There are ways to install

4-Will my DSL access support the new standard?
In most cases, no. Contemporary routers, like the ones provided by telecommunications companies when DSL packages are ordered, are still set for the old IPv4 standard. In some cases, IPv6 can be added with a firmware update. When purchasing a new router, make sure it supports IPv6.

5-Will there be problems during transition?
Generally, no. Internet use shouldn't be affected after the switch -- at least that's what providers are promising. Those providers have modified their network so that data packets reach all users whether they are using IPv4 or IPv6 standards, a method called dual-stack application. Alternatively, software solutions, like those based on tunnel technology, can be used.

-Shahnawaz

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Five time management tips that are worth a shot

We all have gone through many time management trainings where we may have seen many time management strategies. In our day-to-day life many times we come across a situation where we have many things to do but less time to do that. This is because we have not effectively managed our time. I was doing a search on internet on some topic. On one site where different articles related to I.T. sector gets published by experts I saw one very good article on Time Management so I thought I should share this with all.

1: Follow through
If you have a choice between working on two projects, choose the one that is nearly finished even if the other one is more fun. When you complete a project, it creates momentum and reduces that long to-do list that haunts your psyche. Every time I complete a project, I feel an immense sense of relief; and it makes me happier and more productive.

2: Don’t answer every call
The wonderful engineers at the phone company invented caller ID and voicemail for a reason: so you do not have to answer every single incoming call. Many people feel the need to answer every call, regardless of what they are doing at that moment. Why break your focus to answer a call that may not be very important? And if you’re working with other people, why make them waste their time sitting around watching you have another conversation? Unless you are expecting an important call (or the person keeps calling back, indicating an emergency), let it go to voicemail if you’re busy and check the voicemail during a break in your work.

3: Focus on one task at a time
It is a common misconception that the conscious mind can process multiple tasks simultaneously. It’s just not possible if the tasks require conscious selection and action. The best multi-taskers may quickly switch from one task to another, but they can still focus on only one task at a time. Experiments have shown that productivity drops when multi-tasking.
It may be in vogue to listen to an MP3 player, text your peers, and work all at the same time, but your work will suffer if attention is placed on that other activity, even if only for a moment. I believe it is possible to listen to music in the background and actually be more productive. However, listening to and comprehending any talk, including the news, commercials, and talk radio, is counterproductive.

4: Don’t waste time on obsolete email
No one’s perfect, and you neglected an email so long that it’s three weeks old by the time you work your way down to it. Don’t reflexively jump on the task. Send an email that says, “Sorry it took me so long! I was on vacation/in medical school/at rehab/doing a special project for the CEO. Do you still need this? I’m still happy to dive in.” In my experience, 75 percent of the time, the issue resolved of its own accord. Mission accomplished.

5: Track your time
Work is an environment that’s most often governed by time. The only problem is, most people can’t seem to manage that time. Applications are available that serve as timekeepers — such as KTimeTracker (part of KDE Pim), GTimeLog, and Time Panic. You can use them to keep track of how much time you spend doing tasks. I strongly suggest you take advantage of one of these tools for a while just to see where your time is going. But to do this, you have to be vigilant about keeping track. Even keep track of the various distractions that take your attention away from work. After a week of using one of these tools, you will get a good idea of how you use your time. Once you have this data, you will be able to figure out what can be optimized, dropped, or added to.

Published on : Techrepublic.com
Author : Jody Gilbert.

Contributed By:
Mohammed Sufiyan
Software Engineer, Octaware Technologies.

10 worst office manners which irritate bosses

Most of the time it is the (poor?) employees who are seen unhappy with their bosses, sometimes bosses start smirking in their nightmares. But being an employee, have you ever thought that some of your irritating manners might also be the source of strife for your boss as well?


The boss-employee story has two sides. While one side tells about the bitter experiences of the employees with their bosses, the other side says that the employees are not the only ones having a beef about their bosses. Bosses too get sick of their employees at times. Listing the Top 10 peeves below:

Arrive late and leave early:
If you one of those who arrive late at the last second, but leave early or first at the end of the day, you're not certainly in your boss's good book. It'll only show your disinterest in your job which your boss doesn't like.

Abuse of sick leave:
You are sick and taking leave, that's fine. You are not sick, but you are taking leave telling that you are sick - a really annoying thing that your boss simply hates. As per recent studies, one out of three employees who calls in sick really isn't. About 32 percent of U.S. employees called in sick when they really weren't in 2009, as per CareerBuilder's annual absenteeism survey of 4,700 workers.

Intolerable cell phone behavior:
You are in a meeting and your cell phone rings again and again. It can be the major contributor to your boss's dislike towards you. Adding to it, receiving multiple phone calls at work is never appropriate. Bosses also hate employees peeping on their cell phones while at work.

Not communicating things properly:
Proper communication between the bosses and employees is the key to success for every organization. Employees should have good communicating skills otherwise chances are there for the boss to get irritated. If you are not able to complete your task within the deadline, rather than ignoring your bosses reminder mails communicate the reason why you are not able to meet the deadline.

Lousy table manners:
Bosses obviously develop a dislike to those employees who display poor table manners during a luncheon meeting with a client. Always be very careful while you are in a meeting as a lousy table can cause embarrassment in front of your clients.

Over eagerness:
Bosses don't like those employees who are overeager. Very often people think that by showing over eagerness they can attract their boss's attention and can impress them with their new ideas. But on the contrary it is likely to generate disliking in their boss's mind towards them.

Unreliable:
Employees who say one thing, but end up doing the other and those who cannot complete the assigned task and give excuses are certainly not in their boss's good book. Very often they create headaches for bosses.

Argumentative to the boss:
If you think you should argue for your right with your boss, think twice. This could be a good incentive for disliking you. Even arguing with your co-workers can also create trouble for you. Being argumentative is a big no-no.

Clumsy appearance:
Always maintain a good hygiene while coming to office. Dress up yourself properly. Bosses don't like those employees who don't maintain proper hygiene.

Talk about personal problems:
Bosses tend to hate employees talking endlessly about their person problems to them or even to the co-workers. Stop doing that or it will create disliking in your boss's mind towards you.

By  Kukil Bora, SiliconIndia

Contributed By:
Mirza Ateeq, Software Engineer,
Octaware Technologies.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Handwriting Recoginition in Windows 7

Microsoft has been working on handwriting recognition for over 15 years starting with the Pen extensions for Windows 3.0. Given the tight integration of the handwriting components available in Windows, we can see increased use of handwriting with Windows PCs. Using keyboard is still found difficult in many areas like schools, hospitals, banks, and government sectors. Microsoft is continuously working on improving the quality of recognition as well as the availability of recognizers in more languages around the world.

Let’s briefly understand how handwriting recognition works. The Tablet PC handwriting-recognition system is neural network. Rather than simply trying to translate ink strokes into letters and words, it uses several information sources to determine intentions. For example, when we write “ing” on the writing pad, the system looks at its dictionary, how we wrote the word, rules of grammar, other words near the cursor, and more. If the “ing” was written with the cursor immediately after “walk” then we may have meant to add the “ing” to create “walking.” If the cursor was immediately after “banana” it would make a different decision because “bananaing” is not a word.

A video on basic feature of using handwriting recognition on a Tablet PC with Windows 7 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0izeC1yP0HA&feature=related

For more reading on patent filed for handwriting recognition using neural networks http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7428516.html

-Aslam

Thursday, February 17, 2011

The Laws of Time Management


Everything you are today and everything you become in the future will be determined by the way you think and the way you use your time. Your attitude toward time is a critical factor in all you do and everything you accomplish.

The Law of Clarity

The clearer you are about your goals and objectives, the more efficient and effective you will be in achieving them. Clarity accounts for probably 80 percent of success and happiness. People with clear, written goals accomplish far more in a shorter period of time than people without them could ever imagine.

The Law of Priorities

Your ability to set clear and accurate priorities on your time determines the entire quality of your life. To achieve great things, you must always be concentrating on the small number of activities that contribute the greatest value to your life and your work.

The Law of Posteriorities

Before you start something new, you must discontinue something old. You can gain control of your life only to the degree to which you stop doing things that are no longer as valuable or as important to you as other thing you could be doing.

The Law of the Most Valuable Asset

Your most valuable asset is your earning ability. Your ability to earn money is the most valuable asset you have. Your earning ability is a depreciating asset, like a car or a piece of equipment. You must continually maintain and upgrade the quality of your earning ability to keep yourself at the same high level of productivity, performance and output.

The Law of Planning

Every minute spent in planning saves ten minutes in execution. The purpose of "personal strategic planning" is for you to increase your "return energy," and return on the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual capital you have invested in your life and career.

The Law of Rewards

Your rewards will always be determined by your results. You will always be paid in direct proportion to what you do, how well you do it, and the difficulty in replacing you. The fastest way to get paid more and promoted faster is for you to achieve a greater quality and quantity of results for your company and yourself.

The Law of Sequentiality

Time management enables you to control the sequence of events in your life. Your entire life today is the sum total result of the quality of your choices and decisions to this moment. If you are not happy with any part of your life, it is up to you to begin to make different choices and better decisions.

Action Exercise

Analyze the way you spend a typical day or a typical week. What are the things you need to do more of, sooner, in order to improve the quality and quantity of your output and results?


-Article By - Brian Tracy
-Shared By - Haroon

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Useful tips on communication while Dealing with Client (Part-III)


This is the last series on useful tips on communication with Client. There are more good useful tips to remember and practice.


13- Do Not use of word "Today Evening",  "Today Night", "Yesterday Night" and "Yesterday Evening".

Int’l Clients Context: These are not correct; "Today" means "This Day" where the Day stands for Daytime. Therefore "Today Night" is confusing.

The correct usages are: "This Evening", "Tonight”, "Last Night" and "Last Evening".


14- There is no word called "Updation". Avoid saying "Updation".

Int’l Clients Context: You “update” somebody.
Eg:-“You wait  for updates to happen to the database.”

15- Do not say "Sir". Do not call women "Madam".

Int’l Clients Context: When you talk to someone for the first time, refer to them as they refer to you.
In US, the first conversation usually starts by using the first name. Therefore you can use the “first name” of a client.

16- Avoid using back,     instead of "Back“  try to use "ago"

Int’l Clients Context: Use "ago". Back is the worst word for American.
(For Days use "Ago",For hours use "before")

17- Avoid using….“BUT" "YESTERDAY" "TOMORROW"

Int’l Clients Context: Use…"However" for BUT... "Last day" for YESTERDAY… "Next day" for TOMORROW

So by practicing few mentioned points in my blogs on this subject will obviously help to improve at communication side. So Improve at English, I would suggest following exercises in daily life.
-       Read English News Papers
-       Watch International English News Channels
-       Communicate in English with your colleagues while at work
These medium will help you to improve your English language as well as confidence.

-Shahnawaz

Monday, February 14, 2011

Four Parts of Visualization


There are four parts of visualization that you can learn and practice to assure that you use this incredible power to its best advantage all the days of your life.


How Often?


The first aspect of visualization is frequency, the number of times that you visualize a particular goal as achieved of yourself performing in an excellent way in a particular event or circumstance. The more frequently you repeat a clear mental picture of your very best performance or result, the more rapidly it will appear as part of your reality.

How Long?


The second element of visualization is the duration of the mental image, the length of time that you can hold the picture in your mind each time you replay it. When you deeply relax, you can often hold a mental picture of yourself performing at your best for several seconds, and even several minutes. The longer you can hold your mental picture, the more deeply it will be impressed into your subconscious mind and the more rapidly it will express itself in your subsequent performance.

How Clearly?


The third element of visualization is vividness. There is a direct relationship between how clearly you can see your desired goal or result in your mind and how quickly it comes into your reality. This element of visualization is what explains the powers of the Law of Attraction and the Law of Correspondence. The vividness of your desire directly determines how quickly it materializes in the world around you. Here is an interesting point. When you set a new goal for yourself, your image or picture of this goal will usually be vague and fuzzy. But the more often you write it, review it, and repeat it mentally, the clearer it becomes for you. Eventually, it will become crystal clear. At that point, the goal will suddenly appear in your world exactly as you imagined it.

How Intensely?


The fourth element of visualization is intensity, the amount of emotion that you attach to your visual image. In reality, this is the most important and powerful part of the visualization process. Sometimes, if your emotion is intense enough and your visual image is clear enough, your goal will immediately come true.

Of course, the elements of frequency, duration, vividness, and intensity can help you or hurt you. Like nature, the power of visualization is neutral. Like a two-edged sword, it can cut in either direction. It can either make you a success or make you a failure. Visualization brings you whatever you vividly and intensely imagine, whether good or bad.

Action Exercise
Continually feed your mind with clear, exciting, emotional pictures. Remember, your imagination is your preview of life's coming attractions.


Article by - Brian Tracy
Shared by - Haroon

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Leap Talk at VJTI Mumbai

I was invited by Leap India Foundation to give a motivational talk to VJTI, Mumbai Engineering students on Thursday 10th Feb 2011. LEAP Talks, is a platform where 4-6 speakers share their knowledge, excitement and inspiration to drive the audience to excel and outperform.


It was a great moment to share the dais with IAS officer, BARC scientist, VP of Kingfisher and a successful Astronomer. I planned to talk on my views and thoughts on “SUCCESS” and “How it was achieved by us” which I would like to share with you all in this week’s blog post.

The moment we think about SUCCESS, immediately imagination of MONEY, NAME/FAME or POWER comes into mind and that’s how most of the people define the success. When an engineering graduate from reputed institutes like IIT or VJTI starts his career, he chooses his career based on the best offer received during the campus hiring. Absolutely there is nothing wrong. Money is required to fulfill our “NEEDS”. The basic needs of every human being is food, clothing and housing. We need money for food, for our dresses and for shelter. Once we cross this stage, now we move on making more money to become “STRONG” – Financially STABLE. This makes complete sense. We should have additional money for stability/Strength to cover any sudden incidents. Unless we are strong enough, we cannot think about others. Next we try to acquire more wealth for LUXURY/ASSETS. We are looking forward to build homes for our children, holiday homes for summer vacation of our children – though we are not yet married but still building assets for the future.


I strongly believe in a saying of a philosopher who defines success in very beautiful way - “Success is not what you gain or possess, its making others successful in the society.” During one of my meetings with HOD of IDC (Industrial Design center) - IIT Mumbai, the topic of discussion was why these talented brains who develop innovative solutions for the entire society (e.g. Award winning Wheel Chair for handicap which climbs over staircase) do not start their own business to fulfill the need of millions of handicaps in India and across the globe. After completion of the research, when one gets Rs 50 - 80 lacs offer, instead of taking the risk and challenge of converting ideas into business, they prefer salaried job with hefty packages. Why? In my opinion not for fulfilling NEEDS or STABILITY but for building Assets so that we become SUCCESSFUL. We rush behind building Assets. Our goal becomes acquiring assets. That’s where the problem is. Instead of trying to acquire the assets, we should try to become the asset for the society. Instead of earning a Diamond, become the Diamond for nears and dears, community and to the society. The society which has given value system to us, which contributed to our life and made us a better person. When we lose our materialistic assets, we feel pain, sad and sorrow. Similarly we need to become asset for the society in such a way that when we depart from this world, the people should miss us and they should feel that they have lost an important asset from their life. This we can achieve by reverting back to the society by helping others, contributing and adding value and making the difference in the life of people in the society and hence we become SUCCESSFUL.


When we talk about reverting back to the society, we always think about helping poor. Society does not only comprise of poor. I see society with three important layers of a pyramid. At the top of the pyramid, highly intellectual and smart experienced people but few, in the middle layer of the pyramid young educated people and last but wide layer is under-privileged.


Now we understand the real meaning of SUCCESS - helping others in the society to become successful. With the platform of Octaware, we are able to accomplish this goal. Today society has got six (6) entrepreneurs who were well experienced and talented with high ambition. The young engineers associated and employed in IT services division of Octaware and initiative of creating opportunity for non-engineers in IT industry serves the middle layer of pyramid of the society. The principle of utilizing a fixed percentage of gross profit every year, we are able to help under-privileged families. Last year alone, 65 families were helped in October 2010. On the similar model of Octaware in IT industry, the Central Hospital in health care has given 2 entrepreneurs to the society, 35 medical professionals job employment and free/subsidized treatment to under-privileged families by utilizing 30% profit of the hospital. These philanthropy work are on self-sustainable model where the goal is to contribute the value in every class of the society.


So success is all about helping others in the society, touching their lives, making them successful which will earn you satisfaction and peace of mind.

-Aslam

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Useful tips on communication while Dealing with Client (Part-II)

This blog is continuation of previous blog. I will describe next tips on dealing international client.


7- DO NOT INTERRUPT when they are speaking
Int’l Clients Context: As a general matter of form, Indians interrupt each other constantly
in meetings - DO NOT INTERRUPT a client when they are speaking. Over the phone, there could be delays but wait for a short time before responding.

8- When explaining some complex issue, stop occasionally and ask "Does that make sense?". This is preferable than "Did you understand me?"

9- Do Not use of word “mailed” in email writing.

India Context: "I have mailed the information to you", it means you’ve sent an actual letter or package through the postal system.”

Int’l Clients Context: In American English, a mail is a posted letter. An email is electronic mail.
The correct usage is: "I have emailed the information to you"


10- Do Not use of word “prepone” in email writing.
Indian Context: To "prepone" an appointment is an Indian usage.

Int’l Clients Context: There is no actual word called prepone.  You can "advance" an appointment


11- Proper Pronounce for word “tier” used in software design

Indian Context: In the term "N-tier Architecture" or "3-tier Architecture", the word "tier" is NOT pronounced as "Tyre".

Int’l Clients Context: The correct pronunciation is "tea-yar". The "ti" is pronounced as "tea".

12- Usage of Month End

Indian Context: The usages "September End", "Month End", "Day End" are not understood well by Americans.

Int’l Clients Context: They use these as "End of September", "End of Month“ or "End of Day".

I will brief more in next series. Little precaution will help us lot in project management communication part.

-Shahnawaz


Monday, February 7, 2011

The Worth of A Teacher!!!


A school principal 's speech at a graduation..
He said " Doctor wants his child to become a doctor, engineer wants his child to become engineer......businessman wants his ward to become CEO....BUT a teacher also wants his child to become one of these..!!!!
Nobody wants to become a teacher BY CHOICE" ....Very sad but that's the truth.....!!!
This is the unfortunate fact but then do we really know the value and worth of a teacher?

A Teacher Answers……!

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life.
One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"
To stress his point he said to another guest; "You're a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?"
Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied,
"You want to know what I make?

(She paused for a second, then began...)
"Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.
I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor winner.
I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5 without an I Pod, Game Cube or movie rental.

You want to know what I make? (She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table)
I make kids wonder.
I make them question.
I make them apologize and mean it.
I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.
I teach them how to write and then I make them write. Keyboarding isn't everything.
I make them read, read, read.
I make them show all their work in math. They use their God given brain, not the man-made calculator.
I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know about English while preserving their unique cultural identity.
I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.
Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life.

( Bonnie paused one last time and then continued.)
Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, with me knowing money isn't everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant. You want to know what I make?

I MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN ALL YOUR LIVES,EDUCATING KIDS AND PREPARING THEM TO BECOME CEO's ,AND DOCTORS AND ENGINEERS..........

What do you make Mr. CEO?
His jaw dropped; he went silent.

THIS IS WORTH SENDING TO EVERY TEACHER, EVERY CEO, EVERY PERSON YOU KNOW.
Even all your personal teachers like mother, father, brothers, sisters, coaches and your spiritual leaders/teachers.
A profound answer!!!

Thus each one of us can become a teacher, not necessarily to teach in school, but then we can take life as one school and whoever we come across as students to teach them some or the other wonderful lessons we have ourselves learnt in our lives both professional and personal. Let us be the torch bearers of knowledge and spread the light of wisdom. The knowledge that we have gained need not be buried in the echelons of our heart but it has to be spread. Let us know for a fact that Love, Kindness and Knowledge are three things which actually increase when shared.
This is the kind of spirit we follow at Octaware and would be a pleasure to see all the Octaware Family members imbibing the same spirit!!!

- Najeeb

7 predictions for open source in 2011


This is an excerpt from an article by Katherine Noyes in PC World predicting the open source in 2011. This is just to bring to your notice the various views floating around the market regarding Open Source.

1. Android, Android, Android
This feels like a no-brainer at this point, but Android is clearly going to continue on its upward path throughout 2011. Holding nearly a quarter of the smartphone market in October, it's widely expected to become the number-one mobile operating platform in the world in the next few years; I predict that will happen sooner rather than later, possibly even by the end of next year.
iPhones, meanwhile, will increasingly be a niche choice among a relatively small set of Apple fanatics, much the way Macs are.

2. Again, on Tablets
Android is going to give Apple a serious run for its money in the tablet arena as well, mirroring to a slightly less dramatic extent its rapid ascendancy on smartphones. I've lost count of just how many Android tablets are expected in the coming months, but there's no way the solitary iPad can continue to dominate in the face of such diverse choice.

3. Ubuntu and Linux
Ubuntu is going to continue the strides it made this year and finally give Linux some of the brand recognition it needs on the desktop and maybe some mobile devices as well, making it a serious contender in the mainstream, even among nontechnical consumers.
In particular, the combination of the new Unity interface and the Wayland graphics system promise to make upcoming Ubuntu versions what may be considered the first true "Linux for the masses." Canonical's research and development in such areas as context-aware computing, meanwhile, could push it ahead even further, and its debut on the tablet will give it a whole new arena to compete in.
In short, I predict big things for Ubuntu next year, even as Linux continues strong on servers and as Windows continues to fade in a cloud of malware.

4. Dual-Booting

Along with these relatively new contenders in the operating system arena and the increasingly blurred lines that separate form factors, I think we're going to see an increasing number of devices sold with two operating systems. More often than not, at least one of those will be based on Linux.
One of the first things people did to Google's Chrome-based CR-48, for example, was to install Ubuntu on it, and we've already seen tablets from the likes of Acer and Augen offering the dual-boot option too.
Choice is always a good thing, and I believe manufacturers will increasingly recognize that in their operating system decisions.

5. More Open Drivers
This year saw the announcement of Broadcom's new open source wireless driver, and it also saw the debut of an open source driver for AMD's Ontario Fusion chip. As Linux becomes increasingly mainstream, this is a trend that will continue. No manufacturer wants to exclude an increasingly significant market.

6. ARM
With mobile devices expected to outpace PCs in the next 18 months, the low-power, open source-friendly ARM architecture will continue to shine. Microsoft and Intel may both now be trying to catch up in this arena, but such efforts promise to be too little, too late.
I predict that ARM chips will become commonplace in PCs and even servers as well, particularly given the growing popularity of Ubuntu and other Linux distributions, which don't require the expensive horsepower that Windows does.

7. Oracle and OpenOffice.org
Oracle had a very bad year in 2010 when it comes to open source, making it clear that it has no desire to play any role that doesn't involve significant profit. In addition to suing Google over Java, the company has pulled the plug on OpenSolaris, caused the launch of numerous forks, precipitated the Apache Software Foundation's resignation from the Java SE/EE Executive Committee, and targeted the Hudson project with more ownership claims.
OpenOffice.org, of course, is one of the projects that has now been forked, and I'm betting that the result -- LibreOffice -- is going to take over in the open source productivity software world. Many Linux distributions have already pledged to include it instead of OpenOffice, and the Document Foundation has exciting plans.

Author: Katherine Noyes, PCWorld


Contributed By:
Mohammed Sufiyan
Software Engineer, Octaware Technologies.

An analogy of life!!!

True success in life is not just about achieving materialistic things in life, it is the purity of ones soul. Live up to your values and principles and have a clear conscience be it in your family or at your workplace, be it your personal life or professional life. This is the true measure of success as a human being. So that tomorrow when we look into the mirror we can look into our own eyes with confidence and say, "Yes I have led a successful life as a Human Being!"
Below is a beautiful story which reflects our way of life (most of the time) and this calls for some good  introspection.

Once upon a time...
There was a rich King who had 4 wives.
He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to the finest of delicacies. He gave her nothing but the best.
He also loved the 3rd wife very much and was always showing her off to neighboring kingdoms. However, he feared that one day she would leave him for another.
He also loved his 2nd wife. She was his confidante and was always kind, considerate and patient with him. Whenever the King faced a problem, he could confide in her to help him get through the difficult times.
The King's 1st wife was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and kingdom. However, he did not love the first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her.

One day, the King fell ill and he knew his time was short. He thought of his luxurious life and pondered, "I now have 4 wives with me, but when I die, I'll be all alone.
Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I have loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?"
"No way!" replied the 4th wife and she walked away without another word.
Her answer cut like a sharp knife right into his heart.
The sad King then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?"
"No!" replied the 3rd wife. "Life is too good! When you die, I'm going to remarry!"
His heart sank and turned cold.
He then asked the 2nd wife, "I have always turned to you for help and you've always been there for me. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?"
"I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!" replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most, I can only send you to your grave."
Her answer came like a bolt of thunder and the King was devastated.

Then a voice called out:
"I'll leave with you and follow you no matter where you go." The King looked up and there was his first wife. She was so skinny, she suffered from malnutrition.
Greatly grieved, the King said, "I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!"

In Truth, we all have 4 wives in our lives ...
Our 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it'll leave us when we die.
Our 3rd wife is our possessions, status and wealth.
When we die, it will all go to others.
Our 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how much they have been there for us, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.
And our 1st wife is our Soul,
often neglected in pursuit of wealth, power and pleasures of the ego.
However, our Soul is the only thing that will follow us wherever we go.

So cultivate, strengthen and cherish it now!
It is your greatest gift to offer the world.

Contribute By: Talha Khan
Executive - Accounts & Administration

Love is the true wealth and success.

Hello Friends, Success and wealth is not the only thing in life, we need to treat everyone with love, infact that is the true wealth and success.

Here is a wonderful story depicting the same.


A woman came out of her house and saw 3 old men with long white beards sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them. She said "I don't think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come in and have something to eat."

"Is the man of the house home?", they asked.
"No", she replied. "He's out."
"Then we cannot come in", they replied.

In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened.
"Go tell them I am home and invite them in!"
The woman went out and invited the men in
" We do not go into a House together," they replied.
"Why is that?" she asked.
One of the old men explained: "His name is Wealth," he said pointing to one of his friends, and said pointing to another one, "He is Success, and I am Love." Then he added, "Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in your home."

The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was overjoyed. "How n ice!!", he said. "Since that is the case, let us invite Wealth. Let him come and fill our home with wealth!"
His wife disagreed. "My dear, why don't we invite Success?"
Their daughter was listening from the other corner of the house. She jumped in with her own suggestion: "Would it not be better to invite Love? Our home will then be filled with love!"
"Let us heed our daughter's advice," said the husband to his wife.
"Go out and invite Love to be our guest ."

The woman went out and asked the 3 old men, "Which one of you is Love? Please come in and be our guest."
Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other 2 also got up and followed him. Surprised, t he lady asked Wealth and Success: "I only invited Love, Why are you coming in?"
The old men replied together: "If you had invited Wealth or Success, the other two of us would've stayed out, but since you invited Love, wherever He goes, we go with him. Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success !!!!!!"

Contributed By:

Talha Khan
Accounts & Administration Exec.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Visit to Microsoft IDC Lab - Surface 2.0

During my last month’s visit to Microsoft IDC at Hydrabad, I got a chance to visit Microsoft lab and could experience the newest innovation of Surface Computing which Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer talked about in his keynote at CES in Las Vegas on 6th Jan 2011. I would like to share with you the next evolution of Surface computing – Version 2.0. Surface unit is no more a bulky box but just a few inches thick and can be placed on table, hung on a wall or clubbed with other furnishing. Here is a brief list of improvements and new capabilities of Surface.

Slim device. The new hardware is 4 inches thin.
A richer visual experience. With the rich color saturation from a full HD display and a larger screen, Surface offers a compelling, immersive visual experience that draws people in.
A vision-based touch experience. With PixelSense™, Microsoft Surface sees and responds to touch and real world objects.
Touch-enabled from start to finish. With Windows 7 and Surface 2.0 , there is no need for a keyboard and mouse for setup and configuration.
New Quick Controls. Venue staff can adjust basic settings like volume, brightness, and input source.
More customization options. An improved configuration utility means you can quickly make changes to background images, configure applications, and modify settings without getting into code.
Easier remote administration. Power shell scripts are easy to use and create, so Surface can be deployed in an enterprise setting.
Streamlined development for touch. The Microsoft Surface 2.0 platform makes development easier with applications that run on Microsoft Windows 7 touch devices and with enhanced capabilities on the Samsung SUR40 for Microsoft Surface.

Here is video on Surface 2.0 in healthcare where clinicians collaborate with patient information:
 
http://www.microsoft.com/showcase/en/US/details/ff29de21-b598-45ed-8f70-6f3029821dc4
 
-Aslam

Friday, February 4, 2011

How to Break Out of a Motivational Slump

“Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice”
Wayne Dyer



If you are setting a new goal or establishing a new habit then it’s pretty likely that you’ll run into a motivational low point. A point where you just feel like giving up, like it really doesn’t matter if you continue. What to do then?

Here’s what I do instead of giving up and going home.

Reconnect with optimism.

How you perceive what you are doing or are about to do makes a huge difference. The positive and constructive way of looking at things energizes and inspires you. It makes it easier to keep going even when you hit roadblocks.
The negative and defeatist way of looking at things will on the other hand suck the motivation out of you and you’ll probably quit just as soon as you hit a roadblock or two. It is essential to develop a more constructive and optimistic way of looking at things to keep the motivation up until you have reached your goal.



Ask Right Question
A very practical way to become a more optimistic person is to ask the better questions that will empower you.
Ask the right questions that will focus on the good such as:

What is awesome about this situation?
Ask the questions that will focus on the lesson or opportunity in a situation such as:
What can I learn from this? And what is the opportunity in this situation?
And ask the questions that focus on how to solve a problem. Instead of complaining, blaming or asking why you have the problem. Ask action oriented questions like:
How can I solve this? And what is the next small step that I can take to do so?



List the positives.

List the positives of getting this thing done or reaching your goal. Do it on paper, on your computer or just in your head.
When you feel unmotivated and don’t feel like doing something it’s very easy to get stuck and just focus on the negative aspects such as it being hard work or the risk of pain or failure.
So you need to change what you are focusing on to motivate yourself to take action. Making a list of positives like benefits, possible opportunities and simply reasons why you want to do this can be very effective for turning your focus around.



Remember how far you have come and to compare yourself with yourself.

Comparing what you have and your results to what other people have and have accomplished can really kill your motivation. I believe this is one of the most common motivational mistakes people make and it can make you feel really bad even though you may be doing quite good.
So keep in mind that there are always people ahead of you. Most likely quite a bit of people. And a few of them are miles ahead. So focus on you. On your results. And how you can and have improved your results.

Reviewing your results is important so that you see where you have gone wrong in the past to avoid similar missteps further on. But it’s also important because it’s a great motivator to see how much you have improved and how far you have come. Often you can be pleasantly surprised when you do such a review.



Work out.

This is one of the most effective ways to change how you feel. I like it because even if you feel too frustrated and down to do ask yourself the right questions you can still drag yourself to the gym or wherever you go to exercise. And if you just do your pretty mindless repetitions then your body will do the rest. Endorphins, testosterone and other chemicals will be released. Inner tensions will loosen up and leave your body. Your negative emotional pattern will be broken.

After the workout you’ll be in another emotional state than you were before. Plus, you’ll probably get a boost of new energy.



Talk about it.

Sometimes you just need to let it out and talk to someone about your motivational low point.
Letting it all out can release a lot of pent up emotion and let you get a new, more positive and healthy perspective on things. Often we build our own small or medium-sized problems into big scary monsters in our minds. Letting the monsters out into the light and letting others see them can make us realize that we were making a too big of a deal of all of it. It allows us to lighten up a bit, to not take things too seriously and to start moving out of the self-created slump.

So talk to a friend or family member. Or try an anonymous internet forum with likeminded people. Perhaps you’ll even get a few pieces of great and free advice.



Remember to have fun.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the seriousness of a task and the stress and tension of completing it. So remember that you are allowed to have fun when you are working on it. There is no rule that says you have to be all serious about it all the time.

When you can, create fun in a task. Compete with yourself to finish it even faster than you did the last time, whistle a nice tune while working or have fun and joke around with your co-workers and class mates. Then, with a lighter frame of mind, you’ll stay motivated to keep working and finish it.



Take a break.

Yeah, sometimes you just need to take a break. Perhaps your time-plan for your goal or new habit is just too optimistic?

Maybe you have worked harder than you can manage right now.

Then take a break. A few hours or days of rest and recuperation can change how you feel in a remarkable way and recharge your batteries.

- Haroon


How To Be An Effective Team Member!!!

Working on teams can be rewarding, but at times it can be difficult and downright frustrating. If there are poor communicators on your team, you may often feel left in the dark, confused or misunderstood. To create a successful team, effective communication methods are necessary for both team members and leaders. Even though some people understand their communication skills need improving, many aren't certain how to improve them. So, in the following article, it is outlined how to avoid some common team blunders as well as some helpful advice on how to be a better teammate or leader overall. 

If You're a Team Member
Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
If you have a problem with someone in your group, talk to him about it. Letting bad feelings brew will only make you sour and want to isolate yourself from the group. Not only does it feel good to get it out, but it will be better for the team in the long run.

Don't Blame Others
People in your group lose respect for you if you're constantly blaming others for not meeting deadlines. You're not fooling anyone, people know who isn't pulling his weight in a group. Pointing the finger will only make you look cowardly. Group members understand if you have a heavy workload and weren't able to meet a deadline. Saying something like, "I'm really sorry, but I'll get it to you by the end of today." will earn you a lot more respect than trying to make it seem like it's everyone else's fault that you missed your deadline.

Support Group Member's Ideas
If a teammate suggests something, always consider it – even if it's the silliest idea you've ever heard! Considering the group's ideas shows you're interested in other people's ideas, not just your own. And this makes you a good team member. After all, nobody likes a know-it-all.

No Bragging
It's one thing to rejoice in your successes with the group, but don't act like a superstar. Doing this will make others regret your personal successes and may create tension within the group. You don't have to brag to let people know you've done a good job, people will already know. Have faith that people will recognize when good work is being done and that they'll let you know how well you're doing. Your response? Something like "Thanks, that means a lot." is enough.

Listen Actively
Look at the person who's speaking to you, nod, ask probing questions and acknowledge what's said by paraphrasing points that have been made. If you're unclear about something that's been said, ask for more information to clear up any confusion before moving on. Effective communication is a vital part of any team, so the value of good listening skills shouldn't be underestimated.

Get Involved
Share suggestions, ideas, solutions and proposals with your team members. Take the time to help your fellow teammates, no matter the request. You can guarantee there will be a time in the future when you'll need some help or advice. And if you've helped them in past, they'll be more than happy to lend a helping hand.

- Najeeb

The Race

Ones Upon a Time there was a Indian Rowing team

India and Japan agree to do an annual rowing race. Each team should contain 8 man

Both teams worked really hard to get in a best shape. The day the race started both teams were in similar condition. Although the Japanese won by 1 mile.

The mood in the Indian team was really close to the freeze point. The top management decided to win the race next year. So they established a team of analysts to observe the situation and recommend an appropriate solution.

After several detailed analysis the team found out that Japanese had 7 rowers and only one captain.

Of course the Indian team had 7 captains but only one rower. 

Facing such critical scenario the management showed an unexpected wisdom: they hired the consulting company to restructure the Indian team.

After several months the consultants came up with the conclusion that there were too many captains and too few rowers in the Indian team. A solution was proposed based on this analysis: the structure of the Indian team has to be changed!

As of today there will be only 4 captains in the team led by 2 managers, one top-manager and one rower. Besides that, they suggested to improve the rower’s working environment and to give him higher competencies.

Next year the Japanese won by 2 miles.

The Indian team immediatelly displaced the rower from the team based on his unsatisfactory performance.
But the bonus award was paid to the management for the strong motivation the team showed during the preparation phase.

The consulting company parepared a new analysis, which showed that the strategy was good, the motivation was O.K. but the used tool has to be improved.

Currently the Indian team is designing a new boat.

Contributed By:
Talha Khan
Accounts & Administration Exec.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Self-Discipline & Persistence


Action is everything

If learning about success was all that it took to do great things with your life, then your success would be guaranteed. The bookstores are full of self-help books, each one of them loaded with ideas that you can use to be more successful. The fact is, however, that all the best advice in the world will only help you if you can motivate yourself to take persistent, continuous action in the direction of your goals until you succeed.

Self-Discipline is the Core Quality

The single most important quality of success is self-discipline. Self-discipline means that you have the ability, within yourself, based on your strength of character and willpower, to do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not. Character is the ability to follow through on a resolution after the enthusiasm with which the resolution was made has passed. It is not what you learn that is decisive for your future. It is whether or not you can discipline yourself to pay the price, over and over, until you finally obtain your objective.


Persistence is Self-Discipline in Action

Perhaps the most important demonstration of self-discipline is your level of persistence when the going gets tough. Persistence is self-discipline in action. Persistence is the true measure of individual human character. Your persistence is, in fact, the real measure of your belief in yourself and your ability to succeed.


The Common Quality of Success in History

The history of the human race is the story of the triumph of persistence. Every great man or women has had to endure tremendous trials and tribulations before reaching the heights of success and achievement. The endurance and perseverance is what made them great.


Your Guarantee of Eventual Success

Calvin Coolidge, a president who was so reluctant to speak in public that he was given the nickname of “Silent Cal,” will go down in history for his simple but memorable words on success. He wrote, “Press on. Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education alone will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”



Action Exercise

Identify the biggest challenge or problem facing you today on the way to achieving your biggest goal. Imagine that it has been sent to test your resolve and desire. Decide that you will never give up.

Article By - Brian Tracy
Shared By - Haroon

And the battle for supremacy in the tablet market continues...


Google recently launched “Honeycomb”  the first Android OS specifically designed for Tablets. This seems like a good alternative option for people looking to buy for tablet in near future. The OS was demoed by Google yesterday at an Android event. The OS really looks compelling looking at the videos.
LG has already announced it tablet G-Slate based on Honeycomb.

Have a look at below links to get more information.

http://mashable.com/2011/02/02/google-unveils-android-honeycomb-live/


Siraj

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Useful tips on communication while Dealing with Client (Part-I)


My last two previous blogs were on Email etiquettes, so I thought to continuing and providing some tips on improving communication in writing and speaking with client. As an Indian we are used to use some specific words while writing email or talking to clients who are belongs to America and European countries. Use of those words should be avoided in our professional communication.

If we will not improve then there will be worry whenever we have client call or dealing with customer.

Dealing with Clients/Customer:
Dealing with any clients in services is an art. In the case of IT, we usually deal with American  and UK  clients. It is useful to know how English language works with them. Some of us may hesitate to speak to the client, because we are not confident. ‘Practice makes you confident’

Tips with examples:

1- Do not write “the same” in an email- it makes little sense to international client.

India Context: “I will try to organize the project artifacts and inform you of the same when it is done”

It is better written simply as below.

Int’l Clients Context: “I will try to organize the project artifacts and inform you when that is done”


2- Do not write or say, "I have some doubts on this issue"

We use this term because in Indian context  the word for “doubt” and a “question” is the same.

Int’l Clients Context: The term "Doubt" is used in the sense of doubting someone  The correct usage (for clients) is: “I have few questions on this issue”

3- The term "regard" is not used much in American English.

Int’l Clients Context: They usually do not say "regarding this issue" or "with regard to this".
Simply use, "about this issue".


4- Do not say "Pardon" when you want someone to repeat what they said.

Int’l Clients Context: The word "Pardon" is unusual for them and is somewhat formal.
Therefore you can use “kindly repeat”

5- Try not to use shortcut terms such as “Can’t” or “Don’t”

Americans do not understand most of the Indian accent immediately, therefore try not to use shortcut terms.
They only understand 75% of what we speak and then interpret the rest. J
Int’l Clients Context: Use the expanded "Cannot" or "Do not".

6- Do not use the term "screwed up" liberally.

Also If a situation is not good, Do not use words such as "shucks“ or "pissed off". 
Int’l Clients Context: It is better to say "The situation is messed up".

I will continue with some more useful tips in next blog. I hope that this will be useful to us while writing or speaking to client.

-Shahnawaz