Today is the last day of 2009 and I've been thinking of how I spent most of my New Year evenings.
In the 1990's second half, TV had become the most important part of our daily lives. The new years evenings were spent by watching the performances of stars together with my family. I loved doing it at that time. Don't know how come I don't enjoy such things now. (This was in school till 10th)
Then after S.S.C, I started going around with my newly formed friends and in eleventh and twelfth I went out for dinner parties as a part of new year celebration. One of the most interesting new years was that spent at my home, wherein everyone had gathered on the terrace of my new house. Had a great time making Bhel and stuff on the terrace.
Then after joining my graduate college at Mumbai, I started spending the evening out near the seas. I spent 3 of the new years at either the Marine Drive or Bandra sea face. On one ocassion I spent my new years evening at my relative's place (when everyone from the batch had been to Gorai beach. Don't remember why i hadn't gone with everyone).
Finally when I was at Vashi, I spent the new years with my room mates. We had been to hotels and the streets of Vashi to celebrate the night.
Now am at Pune and am again going to spent the night peacefully at my home (hopefully if I reach home at the right time) else will be in the bus at 0000 hrs of 2010. Lets hope that the bus service doesn't let me down and I reach home before 0000 hrs to celebrate my new years with my family members.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
3 Idiots - An illusion
Last evening, I had the previlige to watch the much awaited and the highly hyped movie 3 - idiots and am truly amazed by the way the director who has come up with an issue after issue in his films with novel solutions. First Munnabhai MBBS where he states that patients should be treated humanely and offers some solutions as in how hospitals should function (forms and stuff). In Lage Raho Munnabhai, the director recreates the Gandhian technique and the way it can be used in in the modern world.
In this movie 3-idiots, he focusses on the education system of our country. He has ably shown the plight the students of elite colleges face yet he fails, in this case, to offer solutions to improve our education system.
In the movie there are only talks that the grading system shouldn't be displayed, and the current system doesn't encourage 'original thinking' ( it is similar to Howard Roark in Ayn Rand's 'Fountain Head' who is said to be first hander) and focusses on mugging up. While this may be true, The movie also states that students should always do what they feel they are good at doing. Agreed that these are the problems that the current education system has been facing since long and the condition is getting worse due to increasing competition. Still I wonder how many original thinkers actually are present amongst us. In my life till now, I've come across only about 15-20 such people (Wish to meet a lot of such people). Others even though encouraged to think take ideas from others and build on them (sort of copy paste and mug it up). Also when I have come across a lot of students who actually do not know what he/she wants to do or what he/she is good at. Due their ignorance, they take up doing what the best in the society take up - engineering, MBA, medicine, etc. (sort of peer pressure).
The movie chiefly works because the movie shows what an original thinker can do which most of us (I mean the non-original thinkers) aspire to do but can't do. It works because people relate to the plight faced by them (or their children) in colleges/workplaces where they have to obey the rules (work compulsorily) of the organizations they are in. Now, isn't it human tendency to not do something they are forced to do?
For me the movie was good and watchable - the fun part was very well executed. The most important thing that worked for me in the movie is the Cinematography. Beautiful locations of Laddakh, Shimla, Delhi have been well shot and projected. This is probably the fourth movie where I've really fallen for the cinematography. (Lakshya, Kal Ho na ho, Swades being the 1st three randomly).
Thus, the movie is a sort of mirage which shows the people what they aspire and what they want to be yet doesn't offer proper solutions. Thus, 3-idiots is an illusion.
In this movie 3-idiots, he focusses on the education system of our country. He has ably shown the plight the students of elite colleges face yet he fails, in this case, to offer solutions to improve our education system.
In the movie there are only talks that the grading system shouldn't be displayed, and the current system doesn't encourage 'original thinking' ( it is similar to Howard Roark in Ayn Rand's 'Fountain Head' who is said to be first hander) and focusses on mugging up. While this may be true, The movie also states that students should always do what they feel they are good at doing. Agreed that these are the problems that the current education system has been facing since long and the condition is getting worse due to increasing competition. Still I wonder how many original thinkers actually are present amongst us. In my life till now, I've come across only about 15-20 such people (Wish to meet a lot of such people). Others even though encouraged to think take ideas from others and build on them (sort of copy paste and mug it up). Also when I have come across a lot of students who actually do not know what he/she wants to do or what he/she is good at. Due their ignorance, they take up doing what the best in the society take up - engineering, MBA, medicine, etc. (sort of peer pressure).
The movie chiefly works because the movie shows what an original thinker can do which most of us (I mean the non-original thinkers) aspire to do but can't do. It works because people relate to the plight faced by them (or their children) in colleges/workplaces where they have to obey the rules (work compulsorily) of the organizations they are in. Now, isn't it human tendency to not do something they are forced to do?
For me the movie was good and watchable - the fun part was very well executed. The most important thing that worked for me in the movie is the Cinematography. Beautiful locations of Laddakh, Shimla, Delhi have been well shot and projected. This is probably the fourth movie where I've really fallen for the cinematography. (Lakshya, Kal Ho na ho, Swades being the 1st three randomly).
Thus, the movie is a sort of mirage which shows the people what they aspire and what they want to be yet doesn't offer proper solutions. Thus, 3-idiots is an illusion.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Job of a plant production manager- A tough job mentally as well as physically
I had the previlige to work at Herdilla Chemicals (now SI Group India Limited), one of Mumbai's oldest chemical factories to have survived over years, for around two years and I've been closely associated with the senior manager of one plant there.
He is no MBA or an engineer. He is a science graduate who had joined Herdillia as a plant operator, yet his work, enthusiasm and abilities far exceeded that of an average engineer or an MBA graduate.He was a perfect time manager, people manager, operations manager, contingency manager and a host of other activities.
He worked in a chemical plant which handled chemicals like Benzene, Phenol, etc which are some of the industry's most hazardous bulk chemicals. So, all decisions which he made had to be studied w.r.t safety and a host of other environmental factors.
Let me describe a day in his life.
His day starts at around 0600 hrs when he gets a call from the factory to appraise him of the plant condition. He then gies structions if any are needed and then calls up the VP operations to keep him updated with the plant production level and other details.
Then after spending some time with the family, he goes to the factory at 0800 hrs and reaches the factory at around 0815 am. At 0815, he first has a small cup of tea over which he meets the managers of different departments to know what is going on in their departments. He then goes to check the stocks and other details to check the production quantity of the previous day. He then goes to the Technical Department where he has to report to the GM of the plant. But before going to the GM, he comes to the deputy managers of the Technical department to see to what extent are the various plant modifications are and provides them (people like me who have newly joined) with necessary plant input for their work to be done fast. (Mind you he is no technical person yet he knows the calculations of equipment designs better than most of the people in the technical department). He then reports to the GM of the technical department where discussions related to the requirements of the plant are made. Different schemes prepared by people like me are finalized and we are given specific instructions as in what to do with regards to different projects going on in the factory.
From there, he goes logs on to the ERP system to check the raw material availability and other details related to stocks. Based on production targets, he decided the amount of raw material trucks which are needed in the next 3-4 days and instructs the purchase department to order the raw materials. (Mind you a lot of complex decisions have to be made here. e.g- propylene can be procured from 3 places each having a different purity level and having a different lead time. Depending on the stock and their purity he has to order propylene from one of the source to adequately blend with the existing propylene). After this, he heads towards the plant where he takes a round of the plant which takes around 15 miutes, notes the problems he notices (He carries a diary to keep a track of all his work. No Outlook or blackberry), and then instructs the plant shift managers about the work to be done in the plant. (The plant being very old always required some or the other maintenance activities).
At around 1015 there is a meeting between the VP, GM and all plant senior managers. Here, issues faced in the plant, the status of activities and other things related to the production are discussed. Day to day working decisions are taken in the meeting which goes on till around 1115 hrs. Then, he heads towards his office where he checks mails and does paper work related to granting ERP permissions, granting leave of absences, deciding on the shift schedules of plant people, etc. Now the Technical department people (ppl like me) are quire inexperienced and have not much idea about how the process designs need to be changed according to the existing conditions and how data related to the data need to be taken to calculate yields of the plant, etc. He therefore checks the work done by all of us, gives his feedback.
Now the VP of the plant is a R&D guy and hence he has no much idea about details. He only instructed GMs as in what to do who in turn pass on the work to the senior manager who has to actually do the work. Hence, he is involved in making presentations to the MD, the directors, etc. Of course, he takes help from youngsters likie me but still the data is rpovided by him. (We do only the designing work).
After all this, he goes for lunch at around 1300 hrs. Then has meetings with managers of offsites, marketing managers to convince them regarding the requirements of his plant and the urgency involved in the purchase of the materials. Later on, he has to supervise the maintenance activity in the plant (a real strenouus job in the afternoon sun). Later on, he has some free time wherein he prepares documents related to compliance related activities with regards to pollution, noise, ETP, etc. Then has an meeting with HR w.r.t issues faced by the workers. He plays a major role in deciding whom to promote and whom not to. So, he has to take sort to a lot of politics within the organization so as not to disappoint the union as well as get good poeple in the plant.
He has a meeting with the VP at around 1730 hrs to appraise him w.r.t the works completed during the day and the work to be undertaken at night. He then goes on to prepare instructions to be given to plant shift managers. (Very detailed instructions as in what temperatures to be kept, what pressures, what production levels, etc are to be given - a tough job). Then if possible, he leaves home at around 1930 hrs.
This is a normal day. In case of any emergency in the plant, he acts as the control officer who co-ordinates the activity of people during emergencies. He also plays a major role in the reports to be prepared to the directors of the company since he knows the plant in and out muchh better then the GM or the VP. Almost all new decisions made in the plant are taken through his consultation. He at times instructs finance managers with regards to cost sheet since ther are a lot of assumptions required by finance accountants.
He undergoes all the major training like Six sigma, HAZOP analysis, etc.
To sum up, I feel that he does a hell lot of job which is both physical as well as mental at the age of 55. In spite of all this work load, he is always cheerful and he talks to everybody with humility. He also has very good relationships at home too.
In my mind he is a perfect manager of things with no major MBA degree. I guess all MBAs should take a lesson from him to learn how to take decisions based on common sense and objectivity.
(The post is quite boring I know but I thoroughly respect this manager and want highlight that there is so much to learn from common people around us who shoulder major responsibilities and yet are not given any credit).
He is no MBA or an engineer. He is a science graduate who had joined Herdillia as a plant operator, yet his work, enthusiasm and abilities far exceeded that of an average engineer or an MBA graduate.He was a perfect time manager, people manager, operations manager, contingency manager and a host of other activities.
He worked in a chemical plant which handled chemicals like Benzene, Phenol, etc which are some of the industry's most hazardous bulk chemicals. So, all decisions which he made had to be studied w.r.t safety and a host of other environmental factors.
Let me describe a day in his life.
His day starts at around 0600 hrs when he gets a call from the factory to appraise him of the plant condition. He then gies structions if any are needed and then calls up the VP operations to keep him updated with the plant production level and other details.
Then after spending some time with the family, he goes to the factory at 0800 hrs and reaches the factory at around 0815 am. At 0815, he first has a small cup of tea over which he meets the managers of different departments to know what is going on in their departments. He then goes to check the stocks and other details to check the production quantity of the previous day. He then goes to the Technical Department where he has to report to the GM of the plant. But before going to the GM, he comes to the deputy managers of the Technical department to see to what extent are the various plant modifications are and provides them (people like me who have newly joined) with necessary plant input for their work to be done fast. (Mind you he is no technical person yet he knows the calculations of equipment designs better than most of the people in the technical department). He then reports to the GM of the technical department where discussions related to the requirements of the plant are made. Different schemes prepared by people like me are finalized and we are given specific instructions as in what to do with regards to different projects going on in the factory.
From there, he goes logs on to the ERP system to check the raw material availability and other details related to stocks. Based on production targets, he decided the amount of raw material trucks which are needed in the next 3-4 days and instructs the purchase department to order the raw materials. (Mind you a lot of complex decisions have to be made here. e.g- propylene can be procured from 3 places each having a different purity level and having a different lead time. Depending on the stock and their purity he has to order propylene from one of the source to adequately blend with the existing propylene). After this, he heads towards the plant where he takes a round of the plant which takes around 15 miutes, notes the problems he notices (He carries a diary to keep a track of all his work. No Outlook or blackberry), and then instructs the plant shift managers about the work to be done in the plant. (The plant being very old always required some or the other maintenance activities).
At around 1015 there is a meeting between the VP, GM and all plant senior managers. Here, issues faced in the plant, the status of activities and other things related to the production are discussed. Day to day working decisions are taken in the meeting which goes on till around 1115 hrs. Then, he heads towards his office where he checks mails and does paper work related to granting ERP permissions, granting leave of absences, deciding on the shift schedules of plant people, etc. Now the Technical department people (ppl like me) are quire inexperienced and have not much idea about how the process designs need to be changed according to the existing conditions and how data related to the data need to be taken to calculate yields of the plant, etc. He therefore checks the work done by all of us, gives his feedback.
Now the VP of the plant is a R&D guy and hence he has no much idea about details. He only instructed GMs as in what to do who in turn pass on the work to the senior manager who has to actually do the work. Hence, he is involved in making presentations to the MD, the directors, etc. Of course, he takes help from youngsters likie me but still the data is rpovided by him. (We do only the designing work).
After all this, he goes for lunch at around 1300 hrs. Then has meetings with managers of offsites, marketing managers to convince them regarding the requirements of his plant and the urgency involved in the purchase of the materials. Later on, he has to supervise the maintenance activity in the plant (a real strenouus job in the afternoon sun). Later on, he has some free time wherein he prepares documents related to compliance related activities with regards to pollution, noise, ETP, etc. Then has an meeting with HR w.r.t issues faced by the workers. He plays a major role in deciding whom to promote and whom not to. So, he has to take sort to a lot of politics within the organization so as not to disappoint the union as well as get good poeple in the plant.
He has a meeting with the VP at around 1730 hrs to appraise him w.r.t the works completed during the day and the work to be undertaken at night. He then goes on to prepare instructions to be given to plant shift managers. (Very detailed instructions as in what temperatures to be kept, what pressures, what production levels, etc are to be given - a tough job). Then if possible, he leaves home at around 1930 hrs.
This is a normal day. In case of any emergency in the plant, he acts as the control officer who co-ordinates the activity of people during emergencies. He also plays a major role in the reports to be prepared to the directors of the company since he knows the plant in and out muchh better then the GM or the VP. Almost all new decisions made in the plant are taken through his consultation. He at times instructs finance managers with regards to cost sheet since ther are a lot of assumptions required by finance accountants.
He undergoes all the major training like Six sigma, HAZOP analysis, etc.
To sum up, I feel that he does a hell lot of job which is both physical as well as mental at the age of 55. In spite of all this work load, he is always cheerful and he talks to everybody with humility. He also has very good relationships at home too.
In my mind he is a perfect manager of things with no major MBA degree. I guess all MBAs should take a lesson from him to learn how to take decisions based on common sense and objectivity.
(The post is quite boring I know but I thoroughly respect this manager and want highlight that there is so much to learn from common people around us who shoulder major responsibilities and yet are not given any credit).
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