the positives in U.S

I held a small survey with my friends who have been in USA to find what is good about US culture.
The points I got are

1. positive attitude
2. dignity of labor
   
3. common courtesy to all
4. planning and punctuality
5. realistic deadlines
   
6. civic sense
7. openness in discussion
8. simplification of complex issues to make them easy to understand.
   
9. Physical activity/sports
   
10. Importance for family life.

many people have wrong ideas about US culture and these points are really an eye opener

20 Project Management Proverbs

20 Project Management Proverbs

1. You cannot produce baby in a month by impregnating nine women.

2. The same work under the same conditions will be estimated differently by ten different estimators or by one estimator or by one estimator at ten different times.

3. The most valuable and least used word in a Project Manager’s vocabulary is “No”.

4. You can con a sucker into committing an unreasonable deadline, but you can’t bully him into meeting it.

5. The more ridiculous the deadline, the more it costs to try to meet it.

6. the more desperate the situation, the more optimistic the Project Manager

7. Too few people on a project can’t solve the problems – too many create more problems than they solve.

8. You can freeze the user’s spec, but he won’t stop expecting

9. Frozen specs melt when enough heat is applied.

10. The conditions attached to a promise are forgotten, and the promise is remembered.

11. What you don’t know, hurts you

12. A user will tell you anything you ask about – nothing more.

13. Of several possible interpretations of a communication, the least convenient one is the only correct one.

14. What is not on paper has not been said

15. No major project was ever installed on time, within budget, with the same staff that started it.

16. Projects progresses quickly until they become 90% complete, then they remain at 90% complete forever.

17. If project content is allowed to change freely, the rate of change will exceed the rate of progress

18. No major system is ever completely debugged, attempt to debug a system inevitably introduce new bugs that are even harder to find.

19. Project teams detest progress reporting because it vividly demonstrates their lack progress

20. Parkinson and Murphy are alive and well – in your project

Mr.CEO- how not to kill your organisation.

dear CEO
OF LATE I see in many organizations, certain diseases which are likely to affect their very survival .PAST SUCCESS IS THE ENEMY OF FUTURE SUCCESS.The symptoms are

1. complacency - we are the best,we already are doing well and nothing more is needed to be done, always highlighting past glory.
   
2. lack of listening to customer - we know what is best for the customer.
   
3. aversion for data- going by " feel" rather than data
4. meeting decisions are not followed up - minutes of meeting sleep in the files.
   
5. Poor execution and monitoring- accepting excuses, always working on fait accompli .Lack of comprehensive reviews and feeling of accountability
   
6. Firefighting for most of the time - put off things till they become emergencies
7. lack of capacity for accepting criticism- nobody points out problem issues to the management, maybe except to blame others .wrong decisions are vocally supported till they become untenable.

Dear CEO pl look at yourself and your organization and try to rectify before it is too late.

identifying essentials and desirables

I recently accompanied a friend to have a look at the family of a prospective bride groom( for his daughter). I realized that many people are not clear in their decision making . Marrying off a daughter is one of the most important duties of an Indian parent.
As the alliance had come through the internet , the father wanted to authenticate the contents of the profile and also the get to know the family before processing further.

1. horoscope matched.( both were manglik)
   
2. Caste and region from which both families hailed was the same.
3. the girl is an MA (unemployed) and now doing teacher training and the boy is a B.com(accounts executive in apvt co) now doing MBA

In the end, he dropped the alliance after the visit due to the boy's job nature (unknown private co) and also due the monthly salary of the boy(Rs11,000 ).
This could have been done even without a visit.
The job security and future prospects of the boy and also the family status were cited as reasons.
what are the points to take as desirable in this decision and what are points which are essential?
I feel as follows(practically so)
some people still prefer govt job as an important factor in this decision but I disagree ,since now there are many avenues to growth in pvt sector also and job security lies in the merit of the person.
Essential

1. good family
2. caste /social status
   
3. horoscope matching
4. educational level of the boy and parents
5. job and future prospects of the boy
6. antecedents of the family/boy
   
7. economic situation of the families matching
8. boy and girl seeing each other and accepting
   

Desirable

1. nearness to native place in the boy's posting
   
2. property/assets of the boy's family
3. etc etc

if the essentials 1 to 7 are not cleared, do not even meet the people.
what do you feel?
have i left out anything?

comments ?

dear Visitors

pl give your feedback and comments so that I can improve my POSTS

veera

The Essence of Management 15 Points

1. Feedback Is The Essence Of Communication
2. Anticipation Is The Essence Of Planning
3. Thoroughness Is The Essence Of Execution
4. Followup Is The Essence Of Co-Ordination
5. Definiteness Is The Essence Of Decision Making
6. Verification Is The Essence Of Control
7. Prioritization Is The Essence Of Resource Management
8. Credibility Is The Essence Of Leadership
9. Responsiveness Is The Essence Of Customer Service
10. Practice Is The Essence Of Training
11. Competence Is The Essence Of Performance
12. Insight Is The Essence Of Learning
13. Unity Of Purpose Is The Essence Of Teamwork
14. Trust Is The Essence Of Empowerment
15. Sensitivity Is The Essence Of Empathy

iso consultant

I am an iso9001 consultant.
also doing iso14001,ohsas18001,sa8000 etc
pl mail me at n.veerabaghu@gmail.com
all the best
veera

To live a better life

To live better is the desire of all human beings. The desire is not followed by action in that direction. Shortcuts are preferred to hard work.
The choice of living contentedly with what one has is rare nowadays, and the social evils and negativism we see around us are results of that. We see fear, jealousy, greed and selfishness all around us. The media creates consumerism by activating these triggers. Alcoholism and suicidal tendencies are on the rise.
Ultimately how many people are happy? But, if there is a better way, what is it?
1. Limit your desires for materialistic requirements, satisfy your minor desires.
2. Try to help others who are less fortunate than you.
3. Live within your means of income.
4. Avoid reading sensational news in the news paper.
5. For every rupee you are paid, try to provide the maximum value to the one who pays you. Save at least 10% of your income. Avoid easy loans and misuse of credit card.
6. Do not look for perfect people, look for people with more goodness, (they will also have their warts.
7. Do not carry tales of scandals, instead find something good to share with people you meet.
8. Watch T V for less than ½ hr a day.
9. Set goals for self improvement and have a plan of action for achieving it. Regularly check your progress on the plan.
10. Learn to keep a balance between your life and work. Mr. Jack Welch was a great manager of General Electric, but his wife left him due to his negligence of family life.
11. Read at least 1 hour a day about new ideas/ self improvement/biographies of great people etc.
12. Guard your reputation scrupulously, there is no way to repairs it.
13. Everyday live fully as if it is your last day in the world.
14. Be considerate to others in all your activities, do not create pain & anguish around you due to your actions. Already there is enough pain in the world.

Good executives 21 action points

21 Action Points For Good Executives.

1.Never say ‘I forgot’. Have a system to note down things. Be a walking database.
2. Never say “I thought it was not important”. Nothing is unimportant. Never give excuses.
3. Be fully committed to whatever you do that makes you a reliable person.
4. Pay attention to details. Leave out nothing .God is in the details.
5. Follow-up immediately on the instructions you receive. Do not postpone things endlessly.
6. Give prompt feedback to your boss regularly on progress of your work.
7. Find out how to make things happen, rather than wait for things to happen. Be proactive.
8. Never go to your boss with only problems. Have 2-3 solutions ready with you as suggestions. Don’t be a cry baby.
9. Never assume .Ask questions and clarify matters.
10. If there is bad news, do not hide it from your boss. Be upfront.
11. Do not blame others for any problem, try to help to identify and implement solutions. Especially do not let down your subordinates to your boss.
12.Anticipate what your boss and colleagues require, and act swiftly to fulfill those requirements. Do not wait.
13.Analyse, Improve & update yourself every day and make yourself more valuable to your organization and yourself. You will always be in demand.
14.Be punctual. Do not waste other people’s time (waiting for you)
15. Keep an accurate journal to note down and keep track of what you are doing every day. Somebody is likely to ask.
16. Never lie. Always be honest. Habitual liars are hated by everybody.
17. If you don’t know about something ,do not bluff. Say you will find out and reply.
18. Plan your day in advance. Do not allow routine matters to detract you from the day’s purpose.
19. Be prepared for emergencies. They do not give advance notice when they come.
20. Develop your subordinates. Do not solve problems for them, allow them to grow by finding solutions and implementing themselves.
21. Be a master in at least one subject in your field of activity. You should be approached as an expert by others for answers.


If you allot 10 marks to each point the maximum mark is 210.
How many marks would your executives score?
If 140 is the pass mark, How many will PASS?
Please give me your feedback.

ISO 9001:2008

i am starting with a brief on the iso9001:2008 version. pl give your views

ISO 9001:2008 IN A NUTSHELL

Sl. No.	ISO 9001 Clause	ISO 9001 Clause Title	Stipulation in simple words
1.	4.1	QMS (Quality Management System)	Define your working system as a series of processes and identify the criteria to measure the effectiveness of each process. (E.g Timely delivery etc)
2.	4.1	QMS (Quality Management System)	Proper controls like supervision, inspection, training, documentation etc. should be exercised on outsourced (Subcontracted) processes to ensure acceptable results.
3.	4.2	Documentation Requirements	Say what you do – in your documents. (E.g. methodology, Procedures, Drawings, Specifications)
4.	4.2	Documentation requirements	Document your working system as quality manual, procedures and work instructions.
5.	4.2.3	Document Control	Only approved current documents should be made available for work. (Eg. Drawings, Specification, Procedures etc.)This includes external standards also. The organisation will need to control other external origin documents necessary for planning and operation of QMS. This can even include excise regulations.
6.	4.2.4	Control of records	Prove that you are following the system by maintaining appropriate records.
7.	5.2	Customer Focus	Set targets to enhance customer satisfaction. (E.g. better products, better delivery) Ensure that everyone focuses on satisfying customer needs (both internal and external).
8.	5.3	Quality Policy	Express your overall intention and direction towards Quality Improvement and customer satisfaction.
9.	5.4.1	Quality Objectives	Set measurable objectives & targets for improvement. (E.g. reduce complaints, reduce inventory) It should cover relevant functions
10.	5.4.1	Quality Objectives	Targets for improvement should be time bound. (That is “before 31.03.200--)
11.	5.4.2	QMS planning	Prepare your system so as to meet the requirements of 4.1 and also your quality objectives. In case you make changes in your system also ensure the above. Do not change your actual practise in ad hoc basis.
12.	5.5.1	Responsibility & Authority	Communicate limits of responsibility and authority what is expected from each post in your organisation.
13.	5.5.2	Management Representative	Appoint an internal co-ordinator for implementing & following up ISO 9001 QMS. MR shall be a member of the organisation’s own management
14.	5.5.3	Internal communication	Activate top down and bottom up communication. Discuss about effectiveness of the organisation.
15.	5.6	Management Review	How is your organisation performing as per your declared system? – Check. Make decisions for improvement
16.	6	Resource Management	Identify and provide necessary resources. (Manpower equipment & other facilities)
17.	6.2.2	Competence awareness & training	Identify the education skill training and experience needed for each job. Put the right person on the right job. Ensure that everyone is aware of improvement targets. Competence requirements shall be relevant for any personal who are included in implementation of QMS.
18.	6.2.2	Competence awareness & training	Identify training needs based on skill gap, carry out training, verify effectiveness of training
19.	6.3	Infrastructure	Give necessary building, work space, utilities transport, information system and communication facilities and maintain them properly
20.	6.4	Work Environment	physical, environmental and other factors such as noise, temperature, lighting or weather Sanitation, dust free conditions, ventilation, humidity control, safety etc as needed for the work to be done properly
21.	7.1	Planning of product realisation	Define your SPECIFICATION, MANUFACTURING METHODS, And TESTING METHODS.
22.	7.2.2	Customer requirement review	Query your customer at your threshold. Do not accept impossible orders.
23.	7.3	Design control	Plan, review, verify and validate your product design.
24.	7.4	Purchasing	Select suitable suppliers and subcontractors. Carry out rating of subcontractors /suppliers. Ensure that they are informed about the controls they are expected to follow while executing your requirements.
25.	7.5.1	Control of production	Do what you say – follow your documents while doing your work
26.	7.5.2	Validation of processes	Carry out special processes (whose results are difficult to verify immediately) under controlled conditions.
27.	7.5.3	Identification & Traceability	A place for everything and everything in its place. Allot batch number for traceability
28.	7.5.3	Identification & Traceability	Templates, Jigs & fixtures should bear proper identification. Use tags labels and boards to show inspection status of the material
29.	7.5.4	Customer property	Take care of customer’s belongings. (E.g. tools, packing material, labels, personal data (for BPOs & IT companies) etc.) servicing items also
30.	7.5.5	Preservation of product	Ensure conformity to requirements, Proper handling and storage practices otherwise defects will arise.
31.	7.6	Control of monitoring & measuring equipments	Are your instruments telling the truth? (Proper Instrument Selection & Calibration). Calibrate your instruments against gauges that are traceable to national and international standards.
32.	8.2.1	Customer satisfaction	What does the customer think / feel about us? Does the customer feel satisfied? Listen to your customer’s voice. What are the changes in customer needs?
33.	8.2.2	Internal audit	Are procedures / defined processes followed and objectives achieved? Report lapses in audit report.
34.	8.2.3	Monitoring & Measurement of process	Monitor and control your processes to achieve desired results. In case results are not ok, take action for improvement
35.	8.2.4	Monitoring & Measurement of product	Is the material / product acceptable? (As per our own specifications or as agreed with the customer) Check against the quality plan and record it. Do not allow non-conforming product to the next stage.
36.	8.2.4	Monitoring & Measurement of product	Product / service delivery should be carried out only after ensuring that all specifications are met.
37.	8.2.4	Monitoring & Measurement of product	Only authorised persons should inspect and certify product’s / service acceptance.
38.	8.3	Control of non conforming product	Segregate & REGRADE, SCRAP, ACCEPT CONCESSIONALLY OR REWORK defects where practicable. Market returns are also to be treated in the same way
39.	8.4	Analysis of data	How well (or how badly) are we doing? Measure your performance (timely delivery, productivity, customer complaints etc), as an aid for improvement Is the level of defects increasing? Monitor supplier and subcontractor performance trends.
40.	8.5	Improvement	Improve your performance through systematic analysis and action. Make improvement time-bound
41.	8.5.2	Corrective action	Find out why you have failed and ensure that it is not repeated. Take action on the root cause of nonconformities, which have occurred. ... .Verify effectiveness of corrective action.
42.	8.5.3	Preventive action	Find out how you may fail and ensure that failure is avoided. Take action on the root cause of probable nonconformities. ... .Verify effectiveness of preventive action.

Note:

1. Remember the PDCA (PLAN ,DO CHECK,ACT) cycle in whatever you do on the above steps .
2. The ISO9001 standard is not a replacement of the code of practice and industry standards to be followed by the industry
3. It is an enabler to do things in a systematic manner in a better way.
4. The process approach is to be followed