Do You Want to Become a Leader?

Over the course of my career, I have come across, seen and heard many management people. For some strange reason, some of them really inspired and motivated me. If you are working in User Experience (UX) domain, then leadership really becomes an important trait for you. Selling and champion UX in the organization is part of our day-to-day job for all UXers.

Therefore, I decided to pen down my thoughts and definition of leadership. Here is my definition of true leader with which you may agree or disagree.

Mahatma Gandhi once said, "A true leader is someone who creates new leaders." This holds true for today's corporate context also.

1. A true leader mentors and provides exciting opportunities to others.


2. A true leader is never afraid of losing his position because he is continuously growing and educating himself with others.


3. A true leader is devoid of any ego, proud, or superiority complex.


4. A true leader understands the power of one-to-one human bond and believes in life-long personal relationships that go beyond professions.


5. A true leader knows you as a person and not as an employee/worker.


6. A true leader treats everyone equally and fairly.


7. A true leader is both a great listener and speaker.


8. A true leader does not command respect because he earns it.


9. And lastly, a true leader brings smiles, joy and hope.

As true User Experience professionals it is important for all of us to instill these leadership values to grow ourselves and the organization.

(Photo Courtesy: http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumb_416/1246919002m7z0lD.jpg)

Unpredictable Life - My Ice Breaker Speech at Toastmasters

Mr. Toastmaster, fellow toastmasters and welcome guests…

I think all of you will agree that life is unpredictable. You may plan life for every hour but cannot stop it to take its own course.

I never planned standing here and speaking in front of you but it just happened.

Abraham – A jewish theologian and philosopher – said “The course of life is unpredictable. No one can write his autobiography in advance.”

This is so true. They were those unpredictable moments that shaped us in what we are today. Today, I would like to share some of those unpredictable moments from my life. Hopefully, you will know me better from today onwards.

Year 2000. I am a junior student of my 4 years degree program. I somehow survived 3 years of chemical engineering. Like a junior, I am also worried about my future. I hate chemical engineering so much that I do not want to become a chemical engineer. What else do I do? I want to become a computer engineer but it is too late. Today, my friend Tim will go to meet his cousin in the evening in his new Mercedes. Yes, his parents are doctors. Man, life sucks! Irrespective, I will get a ride in the brand new car. Jack, Tim’s cousin is 2 years older to us and has just returned from Germany. We all go to a bar. Jack sponsors us because he is making good money and has a great job. Jack introduces me about the Industrial Design course that he completed last year in his graduate school. Design? Designers? Ummm….So are you a designer? Hmm…Designers are cool. Oh Yea, I want to be one of them. Jack explains everything to me and I also become a designer. I never had planned to meet Jack. But it happened and changed me so much.

Year 2001. I am in design Graduate school. Online chatting is in vogue. All my friends spend days and nights chatting in their dorms and never go to college. The concept of finding a girl online is interesting and fascinating. You do not have to look like Leonardo DiCaprio to seduce her or you don’t have to have guts like Arnold Schwarzenegger to ask for a date. Anyway, like others, I go online one day and search for chat sites on Google when I land up with Smashhits.com. After hours of persuasion and denials, I end up finally with a girl that has interests like me. We talk and talk and talk and talk, and Oh yea, I can feel my heart pumping hard. Online friendship, online flirting, Online breakup, Real world meetings, Real world proposal, Real world marriage. Yes, Jan 29^th 2010 I got married to the same girl who I met 9 years ago. Again, I never predicted to be on smashhits.com, never predicted to go in that chat room, and never predicted to have found her there. But it just happened.

Jan 2010. Kellogg Apartments; Saint Paul: After a tiring day at work and a fight with my boss, I sit on my study desk and open my laptop again. Yes again! I cannot live without it for more than 60 minutes. I start to tweet, read news, visit face book, etc. Oh there is a Netflix move also sitting on my desk which I just picked on my way upstairs. I open it to see the title “Office Space”. I play it and get glued to my desk. Oh my! How do they know my frustrations about timesheets, bosses, and everything else? They must be spying on me. What a movie? I am so happy that I have not even looked at the pile of clothes waiting to go to the laundry room. It is kinda stuffy to watch a movie in shoes and office clothes so I get off my chair. Finally, I saw the pile. Oh god! I have no choice but to pause the movie and go to the laundry room. I throw my clothes in the washer and am about to leave the laundry room with the beaten face. Before I reach the door, somebody else pushes the door with such a force that it helps this paper on the notice board to dangle and grab my attention. I read about toastmasters for the first time. Being a glutton, I always wanted to join a food club. Yes, I want to master the toast - the voice comes from the deepest corners of my heart. Alas! I read more and find something else about the club. Despite of it being a personality development club and not a food club, I like the idea and decide to join it that very moment.

Once again that unpredictable moment has changed me a bit more. Perhaps, to become a better person.

Life will keep on surprising us with many more unpredictable moments. It does not give us a choice to accept or reject them, so embrace them with your widest smile.

Mr Toastmaster!

Image reference: http://www.thingsihavelearnedinmylife.com/files/imagecache/preview/files/UNPREDICTABLE1.jpg

Guitar Made Simple

Often I find difficulty remembering guitar notes on the fret board. Yesterday, I decided to prepare a chart to make it easier for me to play it. Hope it would be useful to others also.

Take a print, paste it, and start jamming. What are you waiting for?

Lets JAM!!!