My objective in having my own blog is to share my thoughts and experiences with all my friends that I meet or don’t meet regularly. There are people I meet professionally or personally who are not exactly friends or just acquaintances, but someone I would like to include in my list of friends on this planet.
When I read other blogs and the comments on the write ups in it, I realize how many people actually respond to various issues.
I do hope that I would be able to transform that response into action... a progressive and proactive action is all that is needed to usher in positive change.
My all time favourite line, “You be the change you wish to see in the world” is what drives me all through!
I want you to respond, discuss, debate or comment and I do hope ( I hate this word ‘hope’ coz it sounds so pessimistic that what you wish for may not happen)
So I change the word hope to...’I am sure’ we will together build an action packed community who will make a difference.
Change.... Resist or Renounce?
What is it people want? Resist or renounce change? Resistance probably comes from the fear of unknown, possessiveness of the known and renunciation of change comes with the sedentary attitude of ‘jo hai, theek hai ’ ! Fear of the unknown is understandable but possessiveness comes from either ignorance or stubbornness.
While change is unpredictable, people’s response to change is that much more unpredictable.
I may end many of my sentences with question marks, that doesn’t mean that I only have questions in my mind. No ! It is my way of sharing my case studies on the ‘selective,reactive or proactive behaviour to change’.
Case Study 1
The Great Indian Political Drama 2009, raised a few questions in my mind. Did they vote for Congress because they are apprehensive of change or did they vote for Congress because they do not want change? Or is it that ‘kuch bhi chalta hai’ attitude?
Case Study 2
a. The news that PM is contemplating to give Nandan Nilekini, the Software giant, a key role in his government is certainly a welcoming change. One has to break this mundane system where votes are the only criteria to make you into a decision maker. You may not have any other qualification except for running around the party heads for recognition and their kindness and you need never know the reality of the constituency you are representing and in fact you may not have the presence of mind or the discerning ability to manage, lead or run an administrative system, but you can be a Minister, MP or MLA.
Diagnosis: Overlooking this need for change, we protest, resist and criticize such change moves even if it is from the wise old ‘Man’mohan Singh. We need to change!
b. The same does not hold good for being an executive in the same government. You need to be suitably qualified, and to earn that qualification you need to be a domicile of that place and then go through series of examinations and interviews, you need to adopt the local language and know the local problems once you are posted to a place.
Diagnosis: We slog and sweat to fulfil these criteria even if it means bribing or burning the midnight oil to get into that holy babudom.
In the previous case, we resist the change and in this one, we don’t even ask for change! Is it to be surmised that resistance to progressive change is one of the chronic ailments of our people?
What are we ailing more with, resistance to change or inability to identify the need for change?
I think...
We resist because we are apprehensive of change. We also resist because we are possessive of the existing system. Change brings in new waves and we have a nagging fear of change. New boss, new house, new place, new neighbours, new system or it may be a new airport. We are so comfortable in our cocoon of familiarity that we are not ready for change.
Familiarity is so comforting that we do not want to risk a change. When I read the news that Shashi Tharoor was contesting the elections I was glad that we are getting more intellectuals into the system.
To my disappointment the suit clad diplomat turned into khadi clad politician proving one thing obviously that he will give people what they want and not what he is capable of giving. And what is it people want? Not change but run the existing system the way it is. Guess his role and experience of being in the UN will be left there and he is changed by the system that wants old wine in an old bottle.
We as a race, may it be Dravidian or Aryan, we have one thing in common: resist change. Ironically this resistance to change could not deter the invaders from outside to bring change.
Or is it that our resistance is in our thoughts only? Imagine the dual personalities we have, we resist change in our thoughts but follow it in our actions. The end result is people following a system fearing punishment and not because they believe in it. We have proactive leader but reluctant followers, regressive combination! It amuses me when I see that people accept change when it is convenient to them personally and resist the same when it comes to larger good.
The Punch or The Big Bang
Episode Punch: My dear friend who is a Director of popular daily soaps on TV, introduced me to this word called ’episode punch’. The last scene with which we give a punching close to that day’s episode is..Episode punch!
Weekend Bang: The same friend also told me that the last scene of Friday should close with such a bang that people look forward for Monday episode.
I hope to give an episode punch to all my ...not daily but alternate day’s musings and the episode punch on Saturdays.
Today’s Episode Punch:
In a brief conversation, a man asked a woman ......
"What kind of man are you looking for?
"She sat quietly for a moment before looking him in the eye and asking.
"Do you really want to know?"
Reluctantly, he said, "Yes.
"She began to expound... As a woman in this day and age, I am in a position to
ask a man what he can do for me that I can't do for myself. I pay my own bills.
I take care of my household without the help of any man. I am in the position to
ask, "What can you bring to the table?
"The man looked at her. Clearly he thought that she was referring to money.
She quickly corrected his thought and stated, " I am not referring to money.
I need something more." I need a man who is striving for perfection in everyaspect of life." He sat back in his chair, folded his arms, and asked her toexplain.
She said, " I am looking for someone who is striving for perfection mentally
because I need conversation and mental stimulation. I don't need a simple-mindedman.
" I am looking for someone who is striving for perfection spirituallybecause I don't need to be une q ually yoked... believers mixed with unbelievers
is a recipe for disaster. I need a man who is striving for perfectionfinancially because I don't need a financial burden.
I am looking for someone
who is sensitive enough to understand what I go through as a woman , but strongenough to keep me grounded.
I am looking for someone who I can respect. In orderto be submissive, I must respect him.
I cannot be submissive to a man who isn'ttaking care of his business.
I have no problem being submissive...he just has to be worthy.
God made woman to be a helpmate for man. I can't help a man if hecan't help himself .
When she finished her spill, she looked at him. He sat there
with a puzzled look on his face.He said,
"You're asking a lot."She replied,
" I'm worth a lot."
18 comments:
Congratulations ! I can see that a lot of effort has gone behind this blog. Yes, all of us are resistant to change, but change is non negotiable. If there is a single constant in life that is change .
Here's a toast to the long life and continued vibrancy of this blog !!!
:) Congratulations! Kudos to the new leaf as well...although I wonder if the term 'change' has become the much used (or abused) buzz word these days...the way I see it...when someone wants to do something they just do it...and i do not think resistance has much to do with it..rather I suspect it has everything to do with the benefits that a said 'change' may bring, a trial balance if you will...people in our country just like people everywhere, act if there is an imminent gain, not otherwise...so am guessing that the question to debate could well probably be 'as a nation what do we look forward to or hope to gain?'
Wow! That's a lot of thinking on change! Do read "Wink and grow rich" a fable that shows how change is to be seen and sought!
This book is written by Roger Hamilton of the XL foundation
I wouldnt quite say that resistence to change is all that bad. Infact every Merger and Acquisition in financial history is inundated with change resistors. However this caution has always proved to be good for the company overall. And i would not seperate the environment of a company from the macrocosm that we function in this world.This period, often referred to as "lull before the storm",is the actual reckoning. Cause after that it is pretty much "light camera and action". You will witness a storm of people ready to plunge into new activities,new definitions,new contemplations and new "them".Change is constant,yet change should be measured and understood lest change leads us to an abyss.Urging people to come out of their comfort zones, invites wrath and breeds rebels.So tackling change is a big part of initiating change itself.Cause,needless to say,change has to be controlled, since nothing in effect is exempt from the erstwhile 4M - Measure, Monitor, Manage and then finally Maximize.
Quite an impressive blog, what I have particularly liked is the style of writing.
The episode punch for me was the line “he will give people what they want and not what he is capable of.” I cannot stop wondering how thru it is, many a times we get satisfied when ppl appreciate what we have done, and we never stop ever to look back asking our self “Was it the best of me , or could I have giver a better knock?”
We often give ppl what they want rather than what we can deliver…. Guess even Ayn Rand argues the same in Fountainhead.
Looking fd for more episode punches.
good job done. luking forward for more.
Winds of change started blowing into the vast community around you too....
Your articles/ case studies are debatable too...
quite interesting...
Congratulations! good to start this blog where many people will learn new things and see things differently. one who r with u are learning every day one r more new things but now chance has come open for everyone. It is not so eassy to do things different but it is possible for you.
Its a well written and thought provoking blog.Two of the well known problems for people are "fear of unknown" and "fear of failure". These fears are stumbling blocks of success or desirable change in our society.
I wish you success in new endeavour and look forward to more of such blogs.
Congrats!
Coveyan takes the new stance to change the world.
Once again congratulations for the blog with a purpose of change.
I will be clutching tightly to the feathers of Covey habits in my hands since they work like magic wands.
Chaiti
One interesting remark "
Once upon a time God come to earth and nobody recognised him because he come as a naked child speaking the truth. The holy man come to know about this and prayed O! Lord Please appear in the costume in which people know you.
In indian political scenario people are used to identify grat leaders in khadi and tyrants in suits.
By wearing khadi also one can give what he wants to share with others for bringing the change.
"First listen to the peopleand then help others to listen" may be this is the line Shashi Tharoor has taken.
i m with u mam.i might be a student but i have got to know what is life in a very early age.
i do agree there is a need of change and i m always with you.
i m very happy my guider has come out with her idea in fact a true dilemma in many minds.
i wish you all the best and i will strive to get people to read this where they can change and know the the need of 'change'....
Sandeep.
headboy
silveroaks....:-)
Congrats for punching the golden lines of Silver Oaks on the blogosphere. Well this blog is really thought provoking which rightly questions why we the same people or group of people react differently to different changes.
Always our reaction to any change is any of the following four i.e. resist or renounce or accept or adapt to it. It all depends upon the perception of the individual or a group and their attitude or behaviour. If we perceive a change as threatening to our beliefs and believe that it's going to pull us from our comfort zone, then we resist. If we are 'Jo bhi hai chalta hai' type then we renounce. If we perceive that a change is going to bring us many more benefits then we accept it. When it becomes compulsion then we adapt to the change. Different factors influence the individual's perception under different circumstances at different timings, with different impact. Remember, it is a human quality and we cannot control it in a mechanised way. If the change advocator rightly identifies these factors and rightly presents change at right time, clearing all the apprehensions, highlighting the benefits and instilling the confidence that the change is going to give many benefits for the individual or group or society than certainly every human being loves to change, of course for good.
-Satyanarayana Grandhe
I, being part of "Team @ Silver Oaks" , have been interacting with you on a daily basis and have had interesting interactions with you on various issues. It is good to see that you have now started sharing your reflections with the rest of the 'unknown' community through the WWW medium. I am sure this will invite a lot of points and counter points which will help you as critiques in proving or disproving different hypothesis for your case studies.
Change is a way of life it is inevitable if there is no change there is stagnation this world becomes boring. But what matters is the process, was the transition forced if so, it would lead to a turmoil and impede growth or was it with a free will which would be an harbinger of better times. Resistance to change is human to come out of your cocoons and see things in a different light needs courage and confidence , a mind empowered with knowledge effortlessly accepts change so who better than an educator to usher the change. Congratulations!
It's a good write up about resisting change. But one thing every one of us need to remember is that there is onlyonthing in this world that is constant and that is CHANGE !!! The problem comes when one forgets this.
But most of them resist change for two reasons 1. Fear of criticism 2. Fear of failure. In order to accept change one need to give up these two .
Your Episode punchline is excellent. Very heart touching. One needs to understand the women. As women we know what we expect from men.It's not the moniterysupport ,it is the moral support .Once again Congrats !!!
hello madam
I Think you have the art of relating everything with the real life.
I never even knew that a person could think so much on a subject "change". I will be looking forward to more blogs madam.
hope you liked the book which I gave you.lets hope that India will "change" into what Mr Raghunathan had hoped it would.
congragulations , mam hey samhita luved ur information. kodos and hats off to u. i am sure 1 single day tis world will change. mam this is awesome. why dont u make a book on this. the team at silver oaks or the acorns of silver oaks r with u.
luv the episode punch...gr8 work!! luk forward to more! :D
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