Mukkoti Ekadasi is a festival celebrated all around the world. But what is this festival all about? On this day, many people visit Lord Vishnu temples. But how do we truly honor Lord Vishnu? The story of Dokka Seethamma garu and the well-known song ‘Vaishnava Janatho’ can guide us on how to do this.
Dokka Seethamma garu, a respected woman from the Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh, is known for her kindness and generosity. She was born in 1841 and learned the practice of annadaanam, which means food donation, from her father, who was known as ‘buvvanna’. Even after her husband passed away, she continued to serve food to people for more than 40 years.
One of her most admirable qualities was her ability to make guests feel comfortable. She would often say things like “The food is already prepared, and you just arrived. It’s no trouble at all”. She would always downplay the effort she put into preparing meals and never make anyone feel bad about their need for food.
This reminds us of the first verse of ‘Vaishnava Janatho’, which says, “A true follower of Lord Vishnu is one who helps others in their suffering, without letting pride enter his or her heart.” This verse beautifully encapsulates the spirit of selfless service that Dokka Seethamma garu embodied throughout her life. Just as the verse suggests, she alleviated the suffering of others by providing them with food, all the while keeping her heart free from pride. Her humility and dedication to serving others made her a true follower of Lord Vishnu, as described in ‘Vaishnava Janatho’. Thus, by embodying these values, we too can honor Lord Vishnu in our everyday lives, particularly on the auspicious occasion of Mukkoti Ekadasi.
In a video by Chaganti, he talks about the greatness of Dokka Seethamma garu, highlighting her perception of annadanam as a way to worship Lord Vishnu in every hungry soul.
image generated by author and DALL.E-3
Seethamma garu’s life is an embodiment of the spirit of service and Dharmic values, a testament to the spirit of Mukkoti Ekadasi. Her devotion to serving others is a form of worship to Lord Vishnu, a practice that resonates deeply with the principles of Mukkoti Ekadasi.
Tailpiece: I fondly remember a time from my school days when I casually mentioned to a friend that the philanthropic figure, Dokka Seethamma garu, we were studying about in our Telugu class was a relative of our grandfather. This news reached our teacher, Mr. Rao. One day, he announced, “Guys, make room for the great-grandson of Dokka Seethamma garu!” as I entered the class late. It was a moment of embarrassment, but it also led to an enlightening conversation with Mr. Rao about my lineage. He urged me to take pride in my heritage and to follow in the noble footsteps of Seethamma. That day, I learned a valuable lesson about humility and service to others.
Balance of cautious saving and optimistic investing in financial planning.
Establishing a strategic plan for future scenarios is highly beneficial in both our professional and personal lives. Given the ever-changing nature of our environment, unexpected circumstances are inevitable. Therefore, having a well-thought-out plan in place can aid in mitigating stress and circumventing hasty decisions. What, then, is the optimal planning timeframe? Ideally, a horizon of 6 to 12 months is recommended. On a personal level, in today’s volatile job market, maintaining a resource buffer sufficient to sustain oneself for at least 12 months is advisable.
Bill Gates’ approach to money management provides a useful framework for navigating financial decisions. His philosophy is based on a dual perspective of pessimism and optimism. He advises saving like a pessimist, acknowledging that unexpected events or “miracles”, as per Littlewood’s Law, can occur roughly once a month. Therefore, it is necessary to heavily save to cushion oneself against such inevitable setbacks.
Gates also emphasizes the importance of being cautious about assumptions because they can break, requiring financial flexibility. An example of this is his cautious approach when starting Microsoft, ensuring there was enough cash to survive 12 months with no revenue.
However, Gates also encourages investing like an optimist. Despite challenges that may arise, progress tends to prevail in the long run. By continuously solving problems, learning, and innovating, we build upon past achievements. The odds favor progress as more people strive for solutions than create trouble.
Moreover, the principle of compounding can amplify even small advantages over time, leading to significant gains. This balance allows for both short-term risk mitigation and long-term growth opportunities. In summary, this balanced approach, exemplified by Bill Gates, can lead to financial security and prosperity. Therefore, it is advised to prepare for bad times with careful saving, but remain optimistic about long-term progress.
This advice could potentially be extrapolated to various business functions including sales, marketing, business development, research, finance, and strategic planning. For instance, in sales and marketing, this could translate into setting aside a portion of the budget for unforeseen market shifts or new competitor strategies, while also investing in innovative marketing campaigns that have the potential to bring in significant returns.
In business development, it could mean maintaining a robust pipeline of potential partners or acquisition targets for times when existing relationships might not meet expectations, while also investing in high-potential, high-risk partnerships that could significantly accelerate the company’s growth.
In research, this could mean securing funding for projects that are expected to yield results in the short term while also investing in long-term, high-risk projects that could potentially revolutionize the industry.
In finance, this could mean maintaining a healthy cash balance for unexpected costs or downturns, while also investing in profitable but risky ventures.
And in strategic planning, this could mean having contingency plans for various scenarios while also investing time and resources into pursuing ambitious goals that could propel the organization to new heights.
The philosophy of saving like a pessimist and investing like an optimist can be applied to all aspects of business, helping organizations navigate uncertainty while also seizing opportunities for growth.
In conclusion, the application of Bill Gates’ financial philosophy to both personal and business strategy planning can significantly enhance decision-making processes. Embracing the duality of pessimism in saving and optimism in investing provides a robust framework for financial resilience and growth. This dual perspective not only prepares one for the unexpected but also fuels the pursuit of progress and innovation. In the business context, this approach can be integrated across various functions, creating a balance between risk mitigation and seizing growth opportunities. Ultimately, this philosophy encourages a mindset that is prepared for challenges yet remains unwavering in its optimism for the future.
‘Value all along’- Image generated by author and DALL.E-3
Usually, we talk about value in terms of others and often overlook it when it comes to ourselves. We also sometimes consider value without explicitly saying so. Moreover, we use phrases like “adding value” or “going the extra mile” without even realizing it. For instance, we tip a waiter when we believe they’ve done a good job, or we don’t mind paying a bit more when a local vendor sells vegetables.
Let’s delve into the diverse applications of ‘value’ within the realms of business, management, and leadership.
In the context of business and leadership, the term “value” takes on a multitude of meanings, often related to how businesses, leaders, or employees contribute to the overall success of an organization or project. For instance, “adding value” typically refers to contributing positively to an outcome or exceeding expectations. This could be anything from a team member who provides an innovative solution to a problem, to a leader who successfully guides their team through a challenging project.
“Value creation” is the process of generating something of worth or benefit. In a business sense, this could mean developing a new product or service that meets a previously unmet need in the market. It could also refer to improving an existing process within a company in a way that increases efficiency or effectiveness.
Another important concept is the “value proposition,” which is a clear statement of why a product, service, or company is desirable. This is what sets a company apart from its competitors and attracts customers. It could be anything from superior quality, lower cost, or excellent customer service.
“Value-based decision making” involves choosing options that align with core values and long-term goals. This means that decisions are made not just based on immediate benefits or costs, but also on how well they align with what is important to the company or individual.
In leadership, “value alignment” ensures that the individual and team values are compatible with the organizational objectives. “Value communication” is about articulating and communicating core values to stakeholders, while “value-based conflict resolution” addresses disagreements in a way that upholds shared principles.
The “value chain” refers to the interconnected activities that create and deliver value to customers. This could include everything from product design and production to marketing and customer service. In the context of a restaurant, for example, the value chain might start with sourcing high-quality ingredients, then preparing and cooking the food, serving it in a pleasant dining environment, and providing excellent customer service throughout the experience. Each link in this chain adds value to the customer’s experience and contributes to their overall satisfaction. By understanding and optimizing this value chain, a business can enhance its offerings, improve customer satisfaction, and ultimately drive success.
How can a person use the idea of adding value in their daily work tasks?
It’s quite simple, this concept can be applied to everything from writing an email to preparing a detailed project report.
Consider the following two questions while performing any task. Firstly, how can I enhance this task before delegating it to others? Secondly, what is the broader process that this task is a part of, and how can I make a meaningful contribution to it? For instance, while drafting an email, contemplate how you can make your message more lucid, succinct, or engaging for the recipient. Are there any pertinent details you could incorporate that would be beneficial? How can you structure your email to facilitate comprehension and prompt a response? These are all potential strategies for adding value to the routine task of writing an email. Even a seemingly simple task such as forwarding an email can be enhanced by adding a note that explains the purpose behind it.
In terms of contributing to a process, consider your role within the larger system. What are the tasks or steps that come before and after your part? How can you make your work more beneficial for the next person in the chain? This could mean providing more detailed information, completing your tasks more quickly or efficiently, or communicating more effectively with your colleagues.
By considering these questions and working to add value in your daily tasks, you can make a significant positive impact on your work environment, your colleagues, and your own personal growth. This is a practical application of the concepts of value creation and adding value, and it’s a small but powerful way to improve your skills and increase your contribution at work.
In conclusion, the concept of value permeates every aspect of our personal and professional lives. It is a multifaceted term that extends beyond monetary worth, encompassing our contributions, our innovations, and our ability to make a difference. Both in business and in leadership, understanding and applying the principles of value can lead to remarkable outcomes.
Just as Carroll Shelby in “Ford v Ferrari” demonstrated, embracing innovation, fostering team collaboration, persevering in the face of adversity, and making data-driven decisions are all ways of adding value. These lessons are not just limited to the racetrack or the automotive industry but resonate across all fields. Similarly, the insights from Peter F. Drucker’s “Managing Oneself” emphasize the importance of understanding our strengths, improving them, and managing our performance to add value to our work and personal growth.
Whether it’s in the context of a high-stakes race, a business strategy, or our daily tasks, the principles of value remain the same. By recognizing our ability to add value and actively seeking ways to do so, we can enhance our performance, our relationships, and our satisfaction in our work and life. The journey towards understanding and applying our personal value may be a challenging one, but it is undoubtedly a race worth running.
