Positivity

It is something we take for granted. It’s the most intangible asset an employee can have. It is the most ignored aspect in the world. It’s not just in the professional world, but in life as well.

Its absence is felt much greater than its presence is appreciated. In fact, absence of positivity is dangerous. It can erode teams, individual and the morale of people who work in the team. Lack of a positive outlook in our professional life helps to make us tie over difficult patches. It also helps us look at a problem in a better way looking to solve the problem and not to blame someone else for a problem. People become instruments to solve problems, not the reason for problems. The way we look for solutions change.

This does not mean that only positivity should be there. That would be naiveté. It would be calamitous. A healthy dose of realism and caution is required. Friction, after all, is quite important; else we would all be slipping and breaking our skulls.

Negativity at the work place makes you think less. It’s like a weighty burden on your shoulders. You drag your feet to work. You start talking about ‘other things’ when sitting with your colleagues for a coffee break. A break from work means you talk shopping, friends and which places have vacancies. Thinking about your work and improving in it is a thought that is galaxies away.

Such an employee is simply being there in the ‘now’ as he does not see himself in the future of that company. It even spreads. It’s a virus. Especially when someone in a lead position carries a negative attitude about him/her, then it’s detrimental to the entire team. The team is now different units. They do not function as a team. They are individuals who make up a team and do their different duties. They come to office and think of leaving. Finishing assigned tasks and leaving for the day so they can pursue their other life.

Companies should see to it that they address issues of leaders with negative attitudes.  Companies must introspect if these negativities are founded on fact or if the individual is negative by nature and always looks at a glass half empty. It may be possible, in that case, that there is a reason for all the negativity floating around. If it is because such influencers in the team are by nature negative, then the team may scatter and  the doers of the team will soon find alternate paths or may not perform to their best capabilities. The loss, ultimately, will be felt overall and may create a ripple effect.

Pathankot, Pakistan and the common man

The Pathankot tragedy seems to be quite significant. Pakistani terrorists have started attacking our defense forces. How do they have such an insight into where our defenses are located? Okay fine. Google maps. Common knowledge. Fine. All that is good general knowledge on their behalf. But how come our folks were caught so unaware?

Such laxity on part of the ever vigilant brave Army folks is a little scary to say the least. Especially when these things are about national defense and warfare.

Why are Pakistani folks so intent on travelling to India with such destructive intents? Why such stealth? Why such evil intentions toward their once joined by the hip twin? Is it an inferiority complex? Is it an attempt to deny common history and remove India from the map?

Whatever the reason is, their attempts are hurtful. Their attempts speak of a nation that is so poor that its youth are forced to kill themselves over a couple of lakhs of money for their family. Going to India, destroying some part of the country is like earning the ultimate bonus. Plus you are told you will attain heaven if you become ‘shaheed’ for the cause of your nation and Islamic brothers. If not, you can serve your community in other ways. All of them, definitely, more violent, more destructive.

Such impressionable youth – their lives wasted away in hatred and death. Is a life of peace in our neighbouring country such a rarity? Is it such a foreign concept that parents don’t mind if one son’s life is sacrificed like this? A couple of lakhs at least will come their way and they can sustain the others in the family for a while longer. Is that attitude of the families?

Instead of letting terrorism flourish, why can’t our dear neighbours’  increase economic growth and activities around that region? I am sure more intelligent people than me must have thought about such things. I wonder what is stopping them from taking such steps. Okay, maybe because that means women also must be educated so that would not be palatable for such a male dominated country. But if that is the case, then the men would be more interested in getting educated and earning money through more peaceable ways. Even their parents would encourage such things. They would have money plus their children.

Or is war and infighting in this region more profitable to the powers that be?

People die in the process. So what? Its one of the most populous regions in the world. A couple of poor people die, So what?

Are we so callous in our outlook?

Why is peace and economic growth of places  in the LOC region taking a back seat? Always war. Always fighting. Don’t they really get bored of that? Can no one ever think that enough of all this fighting. Lets try and improve the place where we live. Lets love the place we are born in and improve it for the sake of our children? Doesn’t such positive thoughts not take shape in such regions? Or are they truly god forsaken?

Our dear Prime Minister Modi even gave a surprise visit to his counterpart in Pakistan to ensure peace. This incident is like a mockery to that polite act. Is Nawaz Shariff truly in control of the nation or are the terrorists and ISI and Military of Pakistan running a regime of hate that is stronger and has deeper roots which will always hold sway in that nation’s governance and relationship with India?

I wonder if Pakistan’s people realize how self-destructive this method of governance is. They are being held hostage by violence, terrorists and extremists in their own country. Quite a sad fact to live with about your own country.