The World around me is so unreal...

The world around me is so, unreal,

The world around me is so fake.

The niceness around me is vanishing, at a speedy pace,

All they want is to win this bloody disastrous race,

Their legs are tiring fast; their mind are in a maze

Their dreams are becoming, impossible for them to chase.

All tactics they’ll try, all avenues they will take,

Will kill anyone but to the top they will surely make,

Will they put aside all their differences?

And unite as a team for God’s sake.

The world around me is so, unreal,

The world around me is so fake.

The smiles have no meaning, no feelings they convey,

The tears are to manipulate, to get things going their way,

“Are the hugs for real?” to yourself you seem to say,

“Are they truly my friends or should I keep them away”?

There are no permanent friends, neither perennial foes,

Trusting anyone randomly might well add to your woes.

They want to reach the top, all moolah they want to rake,

In the process they always, forget what is genuinely at stake.

The world around me is so, unreal,

The world around me is so fake.

Sophisticated they’ll are, and call themselves Corporate,

The ladder they want to climb, has more power than fate,

To not slip down from it, they act smarter than a pirate,

Without real effort they want, accomplishments great.

Family, friends, love, life, are cut portions of their cake,

The rungs above are the focus; how many ever hearts they break,

Many careers they’ll destroy, but their conscience will never shake,

They want to achieve all their dreams, even before they can truly wake.

The world around me is so, unreal,

The world around me is so fake.

The smartest among them all, see themselves elevate,

To positions and levels where, negativity achieves a new state,

To keep themselves up there, their teams they will irritate,

Without whom they are as vulnerable, as a fish that bites the bait,

As they move further up the ladder, the experienced take their case,

If they haven’t built a good team, they will be shaken off their base,

It’s bad to experience falling from such height into a shallow lake,

Akin to winning Snake&Ladder, and then being bitten by a snake.

The world around me is so, unreal,

The world around me is so fake.

To move up the ladder fast, fill rungs with talent crate,

Support them all to the core, as if they’re your best mate,

In problems they’ll stand by you, solutions they will create,

In joys you will always have, people around to celebrate.

But Self-interests are sending, all goodness out of the gate.

Lonely times are boldly written, in their very near fate.

Unless they create new leaders who possess abilities innate,

Who are likely to ensure, their names as a mentor resonate.

The ACE and the ACRE! Concept of management

Happiness, if it exists at all, is directly co-related to a person's outlook to a problem. The latter being available abundantly in each person's life. I have observed the happy people around and they seem to have two distinct characteristics:

1. Uncanny knack of maintaining composure and getting around the problem.

2. The optimism required to make point no.1 happen

Those are the people with solutions. And the word "Solution" has an innate charm to it as it addresses the problem.

For a school going student, Mathematics could be the world's most serious problem, to a college going student - attending lectures could be, but in the corporate world - It is the task of handling people.

I have heard most problems in professional and personal life has been due to the inability to adjust with the people around. The two pronged approach to solving this seems to be - ATTACK(A) or ESCAPE(E). If its a sub-ordinate or someone at your level, you go for the former. For someone in an advantageous position, you choose the later (though you desire to take the former route).

The mid-way is almost often never given a thought. The idea is to CONFRONT(C). I have had innumerable people telling me of the problems they have with their bosses, spouses, friends etc.. Solution is to confront the concerned. The best way out, probably, is to CONFRONT before taking the ATTACK or ESCAPE route. This forms the ACE concept... (might make an ACE out of you for handling people/situations).

CONFRONT also might not work if the person you confront isn't giving you a patient hearing. There is no point stopping the process mid-way. A wise idea might be to REASON(R). Add that to the ace and it becomes ACRE. Akin to acquiring ACREs of land, you might win over many people with this approach. This might be the key to handling teams, handling people.

The notion to write this article came to me when I was talking to a manager in my firm who was telling me about the difficulties of handling a challenging team and a difficult boss. During the chat, to raise his morale, this is what I could dish out.

It might seem crap to some and might make sense to some. If it seems crap, I am sure I can apply to make it a MANAGEMENT THEORY because that's what they all are. (This is a personal opinion. I have utmost respect for the Maslow's of the world who make such theories).

I would love to hear comments telling me that this is crap and letting me know that I have it in me to be a Management Guru.

Can't think of a title

A very good friend of mine isn't having a good time of late. He requested me to write a poem to cheer him up. With his permission, I subject you all to the same torture.


There’s a soldier in you, but he never fought,
There’s a professor in you, he never taught.
The lover in you, he never lied,
The professional in you, never cried.
But the doctor in you, ought to cure,
The patient in you, your inner fear.

When life appears to be on the rocks,
And all it gives you seems to be mocks.
Do not feign to look just and kind,
Tide can turn, just speak your mind.
Lock the Pandora ’s Box within you,
You’ll see success, like very few.

Curiosity has always killed the cat,
Reign it in, please ensure that.
A plant with strong roots,
Won’t need support to climb,
A man with substance,
Won’t need help to triumph.

Believe in yourself, no matter what,
Living that way is a great Art.
Keep intact self-confidence and honor,
No one can push you, to the corner.

Make all professionals in the first verse act,
Rise from the ashes; make good use of tact.
Fondly remembered isn’t he , who himself positions,
But the one who demolishes, all oppositions.


What matter’s in life is not what you achieve, it is what you overcome.

The Zoozoo mystery!

One of the most acclaimed advertisement campaigns in recent times was the Zoozoo campaign by O&M for Vodafone. I am sure you all loved that. For those who haven't seen, catch a glimpse.



Here's an interesting insight on this advertisement. One of my colleagues named Sushant Bhosale narrated a story about his 4-year old nephew named Arjun. The inquisitive Arjun asked his mother about the advertisement to enquire about the product that they were trying to sell. The reply he got was that it is a phone. He confirmed if it was a mobile.And on getting a yes, he further probed "The zouzous don't have ears right, so how are they supposed to listen to what is being said."

Imagine a 4-year old saying this. I have been an ardent admirer of O&M campaigns but even Piyush Pandey will have a tough time answering this 4-year old's very valid question.

If there was ever a time when the old adage "Child is the father of man" proved right, it is in this case.

Poetic Injustice

This was written as per a friend's request.He wanted to impress a lady through literature. i am not too sure whether he created an impression or sent her into depression.

"Meet _____", he said, as a formal introducing trend,
How badly I wished you'd be, more than just a friend.
The moment was completely seized by your mere presence,
Always had the gift of Gab, but I couldn't form a sentence.
My senses were captured, what you said I couldn't hear.
As carefree as I am, losing you became the biggest fear.

When I met you again, the very same emotion persisted,
"She's the one for you", my brain and heart insisted.
Never had I observed a girl, in such fine detail,
With genuineness and clarity, that's what I'll entail.

It tied down my vision, your lovely coal black eyes,
Hypnotized me so much that I forgot the premise.
A lovely dimpled smile, accentuated by your lips' curl,
Did definitely give my life, the much needed furl.
Enhancing the charm was, a pointed nose and cascading hair,
I started hating God, for; to the other girls He wasn't fair.

A metamorphosis had happened; I found THE reason to live,
My sole aim in life being that, all this you would believe.
This hadn't happened to me, never once all these years,
It’s my promise to you, with me; you'll never be in tears.


Very True to myself and you, I've penned down all my thoughts,
Expecting an affirmative, my mind's running the rate of knots.
I had to tell this all, there's no way I could resist,
With you I'll have a LIFE, otherwise I'll simply exist.
Please consider my plea; I have no one else to go,
So either you say a YES, or you do not say a NO.