Social Networking and Interpersonal Excellence towards Self-Governance

Question on http://www.rediffmail.com/ : October 09, 2007 on URL:
http://www.rediff.com/getahead/2007/oct/09job.htm
There was an article by Mr. AjayJain on "Social Networking can land you in a Dream Job".

Then Mr. Shrikant Sudarshan, asked question on how to build social networking for getting a good job? I quote in his words, (Verbatim) "Such activity of participating on sites can't happen from one's workplace. It has to happen at home... or off work, given the amount of commute one does in cities like Mumbai etc. I am not able to spare time to do any active networking.(I believe the time is ripe for phone based networking... as it used to happen in good old days.) How does one then do the online networking?"

My Answer and Further Research and Publications:
Agreed.
There are various ways of Social Networking and Interpersonal Excellence.
This article is for the MBA students who are interested in good placement/ job and to live work - life balance and become Wise human beings. However, I must warn you all social networking links cannot be used only for particular purpose. Remember, my mother says, "In this world of uncertainty, which entity, in which form, in which shakti/ energy/ force/ person will help you, and that too at what moment will help you, you never know. Hence the crux / the gist are being good to all".
Next step, of course, is "Finding God in everyone and God in every entity" like Swami Vivekanand did, "Shivo Bhutva Shivam Yajet"(Become Shiva and Devote life to Shiva by serving it, who is omnipresent in every entity).
Other side of these networking places are also meant to make life worthy, meaningful, and wise.
Now a day, it has become important for MBA students, as well as Managers and Leaders to keep updated at all fronts and to keep in touch with lot of people of diverse cultures and places so that they can excel and live a worthy and wise life.
Here are some points that can help MBA's grow in their life and help them become wiser.

1. Join or Work for some spiritual organizations, like ISKON, Ramkrishna Mission, Local Church Community, Local Muslim Community, Local Jain community, Local Sindhi community, Local Gurudwara community, or of your own choice irrespective of cast, creed, dogmas, Sampraday, and religion. Go to Temple, Gurudwara, Masjid, Mandir, either regularly or at least once a weak. Work on holidays for some cultural or spiritual event. E.g. some Puja, Havan, Ide, Christmas, Mahavir Jayanti, Jhulelal Jayanti/ Birthday, and contribute and take part. I saw my friend been picked up by one MNC General Manager, as he could find devotion to work in my friend. He was B.Tech. from BITS Pilani and …..he is in the same job since he joined and he commutes from USA to India like we go to Grocery shop from house every day. He is software specialist. He was picked up by the MNC before Campus interview in the First Year itself. In fact my friend was always busy in studies sports, co-curricular activities, every place he went. He wanted experience of life and he always thinks that by participation in multiple activities he gets that.

2. Join Rotary, Lions, Greencity, and such top clubs and take part in their activities. After few months the leadership and job will come to you. One of my other friends was lifted from one world class organization while delivering lecture on Paradigm shift.

3. Join your Alumni of colleges; there is always a whole amount of understanding in one particular school or college as they know the environment over there. They help each other. One of my friends was lifted from SAP course and he is always wandering around the globe on implementing SAP projects.

4. Join functions of your relatives. Though many times relatives find negatives in you, but, when it comes to trust, relatives always put faith and trust in relatives. At least twenty two of my relatives and friends around my locality were "college lifted" in the final year itself when there was no trend of campus placement.

5. Go to National, International Conferences, Seminars, Tech Fairs, Computer Fairs, Gatherings, Education Fairs, Agro-business Fairs, and other fairs and 'Take Active Part' in Events and Functions. Your work is noticed by one and all. At least the experience you gain is noted by seniors, they have keen eyes and they know who you are and what your interests are and what you do and can do. My distant brother was selected by one organization like that now he is Vice-President of one of the IT companies in India.

6. Take active part in Research Activities with your colleagues, peers, subordinates, seniors, students, staff, relatives, friends, at par with cut to cut. Generate ideas and put those thoughts before seniors and in the conferences. Represent yourself on big dais. Organizations always, like people putting their name on big platforms.

7. Make your SWOT Analysis. If you want to know how to do it and how to succeed please go to my Blog. Go to SWOT and read from the blog. http://managementengineering.blogspot.com/ , especially read how to do it and why to do it. My students find it very interesting and are excelling in their work as well as in life.

8. Never underestimate any job/ work, any opportunity to work in different environment, different and contrasting cultures, almost juxtapose working situations, working with negativity or and opposing personalities. The major reason being bogging down for some time, or making some adjustment, teaches you how to put you in the high trajectory even if you are down but not-out. For example, I always go to office by my office bus, as it saves my time and as I reach on time. My colleagues have status and esteem attached to them in my last organization and hence could not do that as they wanted to keep distance with other colleagues and students and staff so as to maintain status. Man time is more important than anything else. Another advantage is like this. In the bus along with my students, we generated three research papers and ideas for putting papers in the conferences. With few students developed business plan that won the first prize in the national level event. All my students who worked on such Research and Business Plans like crazy Researchers are now working in Top Three Information Technology Organizations of India. The networking developed was so great that they are still in touch with each others and are producing miracles for the organizations they joined. At the end of the day, not where you spoiled your cloths is counted, but what you did.

9. Network with everybody essentially at the humane level. Don't underestimate what other professionals or non-professionals say. E.g. Some times what driver says or pan shop owner says or Grocery shop owner says can also become important as they have their experience of life and are in business due to networking only. Even automobile mechanics, electricity fitters, contractors, housing agents, Insurance agents, sports players, celebrities, childhood friends, and childhood enemies come to help. Yes, one of my friends is working with his childhood enemy. Now they laugh at that childhood enmity.

10. One of my friends used to go for the buying grocery, vegetables, household needs every week end. One more top guy from top notch organization noticed it. He was GM and he also liked to go to buy green vegetables in that vegetable market. Down the line my friend was picked up for having down to earth personality.

11. Never, Never, Never, underestimate Mother, wife, sister, brother, Father, relatives, neighbor, yourself, your young brother/ sister, even children. One of my friend got job as he helped his sister's friend in getting some nominal stuff and he improved his networking later with her father. That girl child wanted a chocolate and my friend helped that millionaire getting all important chocolate for his child in the traffic jam. The friend was on the Bike and that child was crying in the Merc...

12. Orkut, Yahoogroups, MSN groups, college groups, alumni groups, social groups, community groups, religious groups, management groups, sports groups, like minded groups, conferences in your field, government conferences, to name a few are possibilities. People have helped across the boundaries, across cultures, across religions, and in extreme conditions and situations. E.g. During 9/11 you will find a case when a Palestine boy was lifted and saved by a person from Israel, a Pakistan citizen helped Indian, an Indian helped Pakistani, Russian helped American, American helped Russian, .... Thus, human relations and interpersonal excellence and belonging-ness always have brought miracles in the world.

13. Remember the most famous poem in UK in medieval age. "I envy nobody, no not I and nobody envies me". "The miller of the dee" who happens to be the Hero in the Poem, believed that there is absolutely no competition in this world, everybody gets his share once he reaches the Wisdom of achieving that particular pinnacle position. Hence, ethics, values, honesty, truthfulness matters in this transparent and hyper communication explosive world.

14. Join some Self Help Groups (SHG) or Non Governmental Organizations (NGO) like CRY, SEWA, which help orphan children, poor and needy or to physically challenged people in their various activities. Know how good conditions you are placed in as compared to them. The organizations of repute like Green Peace, Salvation Army, Health Service Department of some Missionaries, or even you may join Government's some task force, and do the job/ work. The exposure and contacts you develop is great. Many have developed contacts beyond getting job.

15. Join some Political Party and take part in their activities. One of my friends Dinesh did this. He is sticking to one party and one man. He has become now treasurer of one big politician. Consistency matters. Follow their ideology. It could be Indian National Congress, CPM, BJP, SP, BSP, TDP, AIADMK, DMK, Shiv Sena, or any party to which suites your ideology. I hope you know how they have contacts and how they all help each other. In fact I have seen people from different parties helping each other AFTER the WAR called ELECTION. They know their ideology is different but at the end of the day all are human beings and needs and wants of all the human beings are similar.

16. Join Professional Group. If you are engineer then join The Institution of Engineers (India), SAE, etc. If you are Management Graduate join AIMA, AMA, etc. If you have Commerce, Arts, background join some organization of your choice. Taking parts in Event and professional activities develop solid contacts. In fact working with them should start in the student age in the college itself. It exposes you to future of you work and life. Many of my friends and I had been part of the Institution of Engineers (India) since our second year of graduation. Later we became member.

17. Take part in local and domestic festivals. Lokmanya Tilak and Mahatma Gandhiji literally moved the world through these activities. Ganesh Puja, Durga Puja, Pongal, Dasera, Diwali/ Deepawali, other village festivals. Take part in the most major festival of local communities. E.g. In Nagpur Shobhayatra of Ram on the Lord Ram's birthday is the biggest festival next only to Diwali and Dasera. People develop their own buggies and send the message. One million crowd watches that yatra. If you are in Saudi join Id festival, if you are in USA, UK take full devoted part in Christmas, if you are Sindhi take part in Jhulelal festival, if you are ….. thus, stick to your community and develop with you others as well. Tilak literally moved Maharashtra. Gandhiji moved the nation. Festivals are great contact builders.

18. Join your own community and bring others to the world map.

19. Call friends to your birthday and go to their, but decide the limitations and your aims in life while you do that.

20. Go to trip together with likeminded people. One of my friend had hobby of watching stars in the night, he had spent his pocket money in buying telescope and he used to go alone. Later one group was formed by one Astro-physics Professor in Nagpur called Kutuhal. My friend joined that group. Now he is working in USA on Astro-Physics project of his interest.

21. Join health club, yoga club, and library, go for walk every three days in a week, and see the change. You meet friends in diversified life styles. Talk to them, don’t make faces. Remember the tree which is loaded with fruits of Wisdom looks always down to earth (Tamil, Kannad, Marathi, Sanskrit-Proverb). Few words and you are friends forever. Ex. Mr. Ambani goes to walk in the morning with one young friend, they generate contact while jogging only.

22. At least once in a year contact every one you know well. One of my Grandfather used to bring 365 post cards and write a post card each day to each relative in a different families, to friends, to Prime Minister (yes one of the PM was his student), that too at the age of 90 years. Thus, he kept himself busy and people used to get Fatherly advice on important matters/ issues.

23. One of my Grand Fathers had a fantastic habit. He used to eat fruits every day, and later he used to collect properly the seeds of those fruits till the monsoon arrived. At that time we stayed in the heart of Nagpur. In the monsoon, he used to travel in a train from Nagpur to Delhi, then Nagpur to Chennai, then Nagpur to Kolkota and then Nagpur to Mumbai. He used to keep those bags of seeds near him. He was freedom fighter, thus he enjoyed journey for no tickets or ticket for less price. Always he used to seat near the window and door both. Thus, whenever the Ghats/ Mountain range arrive he used to drop the seeds at proper places. Whenever the train stopped he used to get down or used to tell young people from the train to plant those seeds at the place he wanted where he thought to be cultivable. Once I was with him he told me "Ashish that is the plant I planted in 1982, that is the plant I planted in 1979", etc. Soon, he developed so much great youthful contacts that he never was alone in his life till end. He had youthful friends in Bhajani (Spiritual Hymns) Mandal, in the Independence day celebration at his locality, at grocery shop, at vegetable market, in all political parties, in nearby schools (as he was past Principal) , everywhere, at least one in a crowd of 1000 in Nagpur knew him due to his positive contributions everywhere. Above all he was freedom fighter, and he also had worked with Dr. C. V. Raman in one of his projects in 1919 when Dr. C.V. Raman worked with the Institute of Science, Nagpur. Those were really great people who kept themselves always busy and that too in Humane and Positive activities. In fact, you could locate my grandfather at particular time at particular place every time in week. That was the reputation and discipline he had. Great contribution towards nation, and towards world at large.

24. Even your habits, likes, and every moment task can fetch you million friends. My friend developed a fantastic Web-log (Blog) and now he has at least thousand new friends who could be useful any time he wishes.

25. Where ever you go, help others. My friend ABC used to help others. Once he helped a patient in the hospital. It was ABC's down time in his life. The patient, Mr. XYZ to whom he helped was alone in his life. Later it was discovered that XYZ was a big shot in Mumbai/ Bombay. After his recovery XYZ called ABC and thanked him. ABC at that time was going to market with his mother. Suddenly his mother cried and told XYZ that he is jobless. The person immediately called his assistant and got a place created for him. He is working in the hospital owned by that big shot person-XYZ, to whom my friend helped. Thus, god helps them who help others and who also help themselves.

26. In USA there is Harley-Davidson Fan club, Elvis Presley Fan club, UFO club, this club and that club, this group and that group, and people share vision, life's experience in those meetings and huge gatherings.

27. In India there are so many social clubs and activities happening since last few thousand years that this page will be short to mention.

28. In case you are father, (For Ex-PGP/ Executive MBA students), go to the annual gathering of your child at least once and develop contacts with teachers, and your child's friends. …..see miracles. One of my friends is developing software for the Hospital of his child's friend’s Father, the contact started like this only.

29. One of my uncle staying in Mumbai, he uses his traveling time in reciting hymns of God for first half an hour, then next half an hour he contacts at least one friend every day. On every last Sunday of the Month he appears for an interview of at least one company/ organization and gets experience of what are the requirements of the day/ job/ higher posts/ different domain. In 12 years he has worked for only 3 companies as he selected the best in the lot. He always has the choice. He never has been bitten by the bug called status or esteem; though he is General Manager (GM), he travels by Local Train and reaches within time to his office every day, except for some un-towards incidences. Man, time is more important than status, esteem, and furthers other useless thing, is what he claims. He feels that he is more than self-actualized person due to this interpersonal excellence and belongingness he has developed over the years.

30. One of my PhD students is businessman. Along with PhD, he is also pursuing MA from one distance learning institute and MA from other. For PhD survey he uses his every day business contact keep the record of every person he meet, right from Hon. Mr. Anil Ambaniji, Hon. Mr. Lalkrishna Advaniji, Hon. Mr. P. Chidambaram, Hon. Mr. Prafulla Patel to other Professors and he sends greetings to them on their birthdays and on special occasion. He finds time out from his busy schedule whenever any stalwart he likes comes in his city. As I told you these people also respond him positively. He is person to observe, watch and to be learned. At 27 he has so many achievements in business and he is holding more than five degrees. He says, "Contacts always help me to keep my ethical foundation intact and also to build my life and business." Once he uttered these words, I realized that these are next generation MBA's.

31. One of our neighbors (An Aunty) had a knack of getting address of the people with whom her maid-servant worked. Then she used to call these all ladies for kitty-party and then the contacts used to grew to any extent. Somehow this always hurt the maid-servants as they could not bunk any day. Hence, within a year all maid servants used to quit the job. Thus, every year Aunty used to get new maid-servant and new contacts. The fact is Aunty was living in Industrial Belt of Maharashtra. Slowly her popularity grew and she became the President of top women association in that area. Slowly, Rotary Club, Lions Club, local schools called her to talk on "How to build interpersonal excellence through good relationship with every one". Finally she became Head HR in India's one of the top ten blue chip company in 1990. Thus, every link at house and from house is very important. That is why in India family and associates including maid-servant became integral part of decision making in some classical houses, where one maid-servant serves for three generations. Yes, don't laugh, we have one Gangamai, who had changed the nappies of few billionaires, ministers, and we all still treat her as our real grandmother and ask her for advice on some household medicine, etc. We are all children before her. No Billionaire, no Minister, no Doctor, no Professor, no this or that. That's interpersonal belongingness she has generated through time and her self-less services to all of us.

There are umpteen possibilities for social networking and cohesive, synergistic way of living.All these build our Self-Governance as well. Wise people say that you become good to you and to all.

Come on, Life is short and let us give it for great, greater to the greatest cause. Let us develop our wisdom and become wise human beings on the earth, universe, and Multiverses.

Hope MBA students will make their MBA as a real next generation MBA that is Master in Behavioral Excellence Applications.

All the best.

You also may have some thoughts I know, hence you may put it over here or on my blog: http://managementengineering.blogspot.com/

This article of mine is published on following websites as a Research Paper or Free Study Material, may be with or without permission but they have kept my name and email hence I know. Let world get benefitted from thsi article. Let friend ship grow among across the boundries and cultures and nations and religions and castes and creeds and among multiple Universes and domains.
As a Research Paper: www.indianmba.com/Faculty_Column/FC692/fc692.html
A2ZLearning:
http://www.a2zlearning.org/
123Eng:
www.123eng.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=34202
IndianMBA.com:
www.indianmba.com/Faculty_Column/FC692/fc692.html
New York Times:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/11/08/online-socializing-safer-than-you-think/?scp=3&sq=ashish%20urkude&st=cse
Some blogs:
www.karinainbollywood.blogspot.com/

Hoping coming more. Let everyone get benefitted.

Dr. Ashish Manohar Urkude
ashish.urkude@gmail.com