6WH for Decision-making

 

Decision-making is part of our day to day life. Quality of life depends on quality of our decisions. It will not be wrong to say that our decisions drive our destiny. It’s strange that we do not get formal education about how to take effective decisions. Though quality of our decision depends on quality of our thoughts, knowledge and wisdom; however, if we follow 6WH method, we can improve quality of our decisions. 

 

6WH is nothing but 7 types of questions. What, Why, Where, When, Whom, Who and How. The most important questions we need to answer before taking any decision is - What we want to do? And Why we want to do? All 7 type of questions are not important in all circumstances. However, one should try to write down all possible questions and probable answers before taking final decision. When we write, our thoughts become clearer and quality of decision becomes better. 

 

Since every situation is unique from the perspective of time, person and circumstances. It is better not to apply previous decisions in current situation without rethinking with zero base. Quality of thoughts, words and actions differentiate 2 persons and proper answering of 6WH will determine quality of thoughts, words and actions. 

9 Points of HL SCALE about Human Relationship

You must be wondering what this HL stands for. It's not Hemant Lodha. LoL. H stands for HATE and L stands for LOVE. This is same as Hedonic scale. 

http://www.sensorysociety.org/knowledge/sspwiki/Pages/The%209-point%20Hedonic%20Scale.aspx

Our relationships can be broadly divided in 2 categories. One, we obtain during/after our birth in a particular family and another, we create as we grow. Relationship can be with friends, relatives (at home) or peers/colleagues (at work). At any stage of life, relationships can be placed at various points on HL scale. 9 points of hedonic scale are as follows: 

 1. Hate

2. High Disliking

3. Average Disliking 

4. Low Disliking

5. Neutral

6. Low Liking

7. Average Liking 

8. High Liking

9. Love

The secret of peace and happiness is to keep our relationships on the scale more towards L-Love rather than towards H-Hate. It is easier said than done but once we know at what point particular relationship stands than one can make conscious efforts to move towards L. Our ego, anger, jealousy, irritation etc. are major cause of holding or pushing the relationship more towards H but sacrifice, let go, maturity, caring, helping kind of attitude can push relationship more towards L. Every relationship needs to be tackled consciously. 

5 steps to know how to move towards Love on HL scale:

1.  First check where your relationship stands on scale from Hate to Love. 

2.  Depending on the importance of relationship set the target where you want to take your relationship on that scale. 

3. Consciously analyze what are the factors from your side and other persons side is holding your relationship to move forward.

4. If possible talk to the other person candidly that you are genuinely interested in strengthening relationship with him/her. 

5.  Even if that person is not responding positively, you keep making efforts which are in your control. 

Enhance Your Wisdom

 Ignorance is bliss. What you do not know cannot hurt you. Not knowing something is often more comfortable than knowing it. All these quotes suggest that less you know, happier you are. However all great philosophers, scientists and successful people had knowledge and wisdom as a great asset. Whether you talk about Buddha, Mahavir, Christ or Mohammad, all had great wisdom. Kabir and Rahim are still remembered for their wisdom.

Knowledge is power and wisdom is respected. To live a successful life one need to take right decisions at every step of journey and wise decisions are outcome of thorough knowledge and deep wisdom. Formal education helps in enhancing knowledge but lifelong learning is needed for continuous enhancement of wisdom. It is not necessary that a wise person always earn more money but certainly he leads a happy and satisfactory life.

 5 tips to continuously enhance your wisdom:

 1. If you have 8 hours to chop a tree, spend first 6 hours in sharpening the axe. Same way if have to speak for 2 minutes, spend minimum 6 minutes in contemplating what would be the right words. Meditation & deep thinking are the best tools to enhance wisdom.

2. Education is not limited to school/college. Rather education is a continuous process. We must have thirst for learning till last breath of life. We should do reading and writing on continuous basis as they help in gaining clarity of thoughts.

3. Keep the company of enlightened people. Listen them, question them and understand them.

4. Nature is the best teacher. Every plant, every animal, every human being and every non-living thing can teach us if we are ready to be a student.

5. Every religion, every philosophy has something good to offer. Keep your all senses alert for learning.

Let the kids learn value of money!

 

If someone asks me, which are the 3 most important things forleading a successful life; I will answer relationships, work and money. Most of the education is to train for work but maintaining relationship and value of money needs to be learned from parents. Money is one of the most sought after commodity in our life. Value of money is well understood in lower and middle class families but children who are raised in higher middle class and rich families sometimes do not get proper opportunities to understand the value of money. It is nature’s rule that things which are abundant in nature are not valued much. A person living in desert knows importance of water so well that we cannot expect the same level of consciousness from a person who is living near river which is flowing with fresh water all the 365 days. 

 

Teaching the value of money is prime responsibility of parents and grandparents. We cannot expect this from teachers. Most critical age is between 5-10 years when parents should be more careful in handling money matters in front of children. Fulfilling all reasonable and unreasonable desires of the child without any conditions, buying child's attention and love through expensive gifts, spending money recklessly in front of children are few practices which create an impression in child's mind that money is freely available. And those impressions and experiences becomes great hurdle throughout his/her life to overcome. 

 

5 Tips to teach value of money to children particularly when you have abundance of it:

 

1. There is no problem in living in a big house, having all comforts, owning luxury cars etc. Important is to develop a habit of avoiding wasteful expenditure. 

 

2. Be strict about unreasonable demands of the children and do not bend against emotional blackmail. What is unreasonable is one’sown wisdom. 

 

3. Try to develop a system of give and take. Child gets reward for whatever good acts he does. Nothing should be easily available except basic needs. 

 

4. Take him to charity trips. They must realize that they are fortunate to have luxuries in life. 

 

5. Right, relevant and proper education must be top agenda for theparents. 

 

5 Tips to use emotional intelligence before forwarding messages:

Think Before Forward

 

Whatsapp has become an essential part of our life. It has several advantages but few disadvantages also. To be a member of any group has become more of pain than pleasure. I salute those who strictly avoid becoming a member of any group but for most of us it is not easy to avoid groups. The pain is more severe when one ismember of several groups and receives the same message several times a day. Problem is aggravated by the people who are experts in creating fake and spicy news and then posting on the social media platforms. Sometimes an emotional stuff is circulated long enough where it has already lost its significance and relevance long back. Most disgusting is when post is to demean any particular religion, community; political party or social group and when that group has few members who belong to such backgrounds. 

 

My appeal is to follow a minimal discipline before forwarding messages. Let us be emotionally intelligent while posting messages in the social media groups. 

Tips to use emotional intelligence before forwarding messages:

 

1. Rotary's THE FOUR-WAY TEST of things we think, say or do is very useful. 

A. Is it the TRUTH?

B. Is it FAIR to all concerned? 

C. Will it build GOOD WILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? 

D. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

2. Never ever forward messages which may hurt anyone’s religious, communal or political sentiments. 

3. Do not forward messages without checking it. 

4. Groups are formed with specific purpose. Your message may be very good but if it is not in line with the purpose of the group, refrain yourself from posting. Or at least take permission of admin before posting it. 

5. Think before forwarding. Messages should be forwarded when they are absolutely necessary. 

How can management avoid wasteful thinking hours of employees?

 

An employee’s thinking process may not be controlled by management. But what management gives employees to think is in the control of management. No organization and its management can guarantee that employee just thinks about organizational growth, if not all the time; then at least during office hours. Probably we all read/know that thoughts direct the words, words drive action, action leads to habit, habit develops character and character decides destiny. I am not sure whether only thinking approach of employees can build the destiny of organization. But I am sure that in some or other way performance of employees is affected their thought process. And employee’s performance is the major factor that decides organization’s fortune. 

 

Few reasons for employees wasting their thinking hours are as follow:

 

1. Employee is having some serious domestic problem and he/sheis unable to concentrate at work place. Though such situations are not in the control of management but empathetic management will sense the problem and try to help employee to overcome so that their productivity remains unaffected.

 

2. Roles and responsibilities are not defined. Employees always wonder whether he/she is doing the duty properly or not. 

 

3. Management keep procrastinating important issues without communicating appropriate reasons for the same and employees waste their productive hours thinking and gossiping. Clear communication solves the issue. 

 

4. Lack of systems, procedures, processes & SOP’s leads to difficulty in handling even routine and repetitive issues. Employees keep wondering why management is dumb about such simple things.

 

5. Management is not pursuing inclusive growth where growth of employer and employees both go hand in hand. Management is concerned and bothered about their own growth but when question of employee’s growth arises, they either ignore it or exploit it. In such environment, employees may keep working because of no option but their mind and soul is not in unison with the body/organization. 

 

There can be several other reasons where employee’s thinking maynot be in line with organizational thinking. The responsibility of management is to be alert to such mismatch and take appropriate action so that employee’s thoughts are always working in the interest of organization.

Emotions Ignite Destiny

Previously I wrote 2 blogs "Dreams Drive Destiny" and "Actions Decided Destiny". Now, I am writing on "Emotions Ignites Destiny". You may get confused, whether it is emotions, or dreams or actions which decides destiny. Destiny is a destination and to reach destination we take up journey. Emotions, dreams, thoughts, actions are various processes which are required while having a journey. Most of you might have read that thoughts leads to actions, actions converts into habits, habits make character and character decides destiny. However, journey does not start from our thoughts; rather it starts from our emotions. 

 

As soon as, our senses receive something from our surrounding environment, emotions are generated and are processed by ANTAHKARAN. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antahkarana.ANTAHKARAN has 4 inner organs as per Hindu mythology:-

 

1. Ahamkāra (ego) – identifies Atman (self) within our body as 'I'

2. Buddhi (intellect) – controls decision making

3. Manas (mind) – controls sankalpa (will or resolution)

4. Chitta (memory) – deals with remembering and forgetting 

 

Thoughts are generated and firmed up by processing emotions in ANTAHKARAN. So emotions are basic raw material for creating destiny. For example, you see Sachin Tendulkar playing marvelous cricket and you get mesmerized. So in this case, your emotions are basically generating thoughts that you should become like Sachin. You form dreams and to materialize those dreams, you take actions and your journey started towards your goal.

 

Emotions are just starting point. One wrong step and your destination changes hence management of emotions is extremely important. If you analyze all successful people, you will find that they have analyzed and managed their emotions in their area of success very effectively. In a day we develop thousands of emotions pertaining to various aspects of our life but we get result in the area where we take forward our emotions to thoughts, actions and so on. 

 

5 tips to manage emotions:-

 

1. Be conscious about your emotions. Watch them carefully. 

2. Use your mind and intellect carefully to process your emotions. 

3. Emotions may be negative or positive. Both types of emotions need proper analysis and thought process before taking any action. 

4. Imagining the consequence of action is pre-requisite for having proper fate of emotions. 

5. Do not allow emotions to control you, control your emotions by utilizing 4 organs of ANTAHKARAN.