IN This Issue FROM THE MANAGING MILESTONES PARETO ...hr.anprakashpmc.com/intranet/common/dimensions/Vol... · • THE POMODORO TECHNIQUE USE ONLINE BANKING SAFELY CONTRACT LAW: Discharge

DIMENSIONS VOL.12, ISSUE 1, JAN 2020

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Pro ject Management Consul tants Pvt . L td

IN This Issue

• FROM THE MANAGING

DIRECTOR’S DESK

• EDITOR’S NOTE

• MILESTONES

• PARETO PRINCIPLE

• THE POMODORO TECHNIQUE

USE ONLINE BANKING

SAFELY

CONTRACT LAW: Discharge

of Contract

WHY ADVENTURE?

SELF HEALING CONCRETE

• APPENDIX Cover page photo: Architect’s impression of

Formulation Facilities at Tumkur for The

Himalaya Drug Co.

THE ISSUE OF DIMENSIONS IS FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION ONLY

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS:

The most important skills that a Project

Manager must possess are interpersonal

skills. What are Interpersonal Skills?

Interpersonal skills are sometimes referred

to as social skills, people skills, soft skills, or

life skills. However, these terms can be used

both more narrowly and more broadly

than ‘interpersonal skills’. On this website,

we define interpersonal skills as:

“The skills you need and use to

communicate and interact with other

people.”

This definition means that interpersonal skills

therefore include: Communication skills,

which in turn covers:

Verbal Communication – what we say and

how we say it;

Non-Verbal Communication – what we

communicate without words, for example

through body language, or tone of voice;

and

Listening Skills – how we interpret both the

verbal and non-verbal messages sent by

others.

Emotional intelligence – being able to

understand and manage your own and

others’ emotions.

Team-working – being able to work with

others in groups and teams, both formal

and informal.

Negotiation, persuasion and influencing skills – working with others to find a

mutually agreeable (Win/Win) outcome.

This may be considered a subset of

communication, but it is often treated

separately.

Conflict resolution and mediation –

working with others to resolve interpersonal

conflict and disagreements in a positive

way, which again may be considered a

subset of communication.

Problem solving and decision-making –

working with others to identify, define and

solve problems, which includes making

decisions about the best course of action.

If one is aspiring to be an effective and a

successful Project Manager, it is necessary

to acquire Interpersonal skills.

Why should one be Bilingual?

The intellectual and neurological benefits

of bilingualism extend from early childhood

to old age as the brain more efficiently

processes information and wards off

mental decline. What’s more, the attention

and aging benefits aren’t exclusive to

people who were raised bilingual; they are

also seen in people who learn a second

language later in life.

In a nutshell, bilinguals go through the

extensive process of unlearning, learning

and re-learning to fulfill their needs of

transitioning into second language. The

process requires tremendous attention,

focus, remembering and analyses which

enhance the cognitive activity of brain

from basic to executive. Hence bilinguals

have an extensive information processing

brain that add efficient feature in their

daily living too.

Furthermore, beyond these cognitive and

neurological advantages, there are also

valuable social benefits that come from

being bilingual, among them the ability to

explore a culture through its native tongue

or talk to someone with whom you might

otherwise never be able to communicate.

Since there are so many advantages in

bilingualism, we thought that we should

have this month’s competition as one of

translation – from Kannada to English.

FROM THE MANAGING DIRECTOR’S DESK EDITOR’S NOTE

DIMENSIONS VOL.12, ISSUE 1, JAN 2020 2

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Pro ject Management Consul tants Pvt . L td

Birthdays in February

SANJAY KUMAR N, Jayabheri

Summit, 5th February

VISHWANATH C, INTEL SRR – 3,

6th February

NAGAMMA R, Head Office,

12th February

SREEVATHSA B R

Head Office

16th February

GURUPRASAD B S, Himalaya

Drugs, 27th February

RAVI KUMAR H P, SHRF, 28th

February

Wedding on 27 Jan 2020

ANPCPMC staff R Prithviraj weds

Nivetha

Birthday Celebrations:

Vamsi Anand S P,

7th Jan

Yogesh Kumar wishing Vamsi on his

birthday.

Always Eighteen!! That’s the answer

Vamsi gave to ANP when asked how

old he was at heart.

Self help is the best help. Since the

Mistress of ceremonies was late, there

was no one to light the candle;

without hesitation Vamsi himself lights

the candle.

Uday S Prakash, 20th Jan

Birthday cake for Uday Prakash

ANP & Vani Prakash joined the

celebration

Uday Prakash cutting the cake

Krishna C & Keerthesh, 27th Jan

Krishna cutting the cake – offline and

at midnight

MILESTONES

DIMENSIONS VOL.12, ISSUE 1, JAN 2020 3

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Pro ject Management Consul tants Pvt . L td

Birthday

cake for Krishna

Official celebrations: Keerthesh

cutting the cake

A piece of the cake for Krishna…

..and another for Keerthesh

Prize for correct answer to

Question asked in the newsletter

SIC Shankara.C.S hands over the cash

prize cheque to Razaik Ahmed

Inauguration of Campus House II

Inauguration of Campus House II at

the CMR University Campus,

Bangalore was on held on 17.1.20

Memento given to M/S ANP

B L Suresh speaking to the Plumbing

Vendor (Flowtech), Shivkumar

From left SIC Shivraj, B L Suresh, Client

Engineer Theerthraj, Plumbing Vendor

Shivkumar, Ajay Deshpande and a

CMR staff member

View of the Campus House at night

Visitors to Head Office: College

mates of ANP visited HO

M N Raghavendra Rao

From right: R S Jayaram, ANP,

Amarnath and a friend of the visitors

Forty Years Later

A N Prakash standing (center) at the

building for which he was the Site

Engineer Forty Years ago

Completion of one year by

Manikant at Nemmadi

L to R, Manikant, Anwar, Venkatesh &

Divya had lunch to celebrate

DIMENSIONS VOL.12, ISSUE 1, JAN 2020 4

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Pro ject Management Consul tants Pvt . L td

News from the Sites:

Flag Hoisting Ceremony & Lighting

with Tri-color at Harsha Developers

The Flyer

The project during daytime

The project lighted up in the tricolor

Aquarelle Samudra, Malavalli

SIC Partheeban in the plant

Wedding: R Suresha’s daughter

The Invitation Card

The couple after the ‘Muhurtham’

Belvadi, Mary, Swathi, Divya &

Basavaraj before start of lunch

Surrounded by friends & relatives

Sridhar, Muniraju, Sadashiv,

Shantkumar, Narasimhan, Natarajan

The Staff at the wedding venue

Reception - 31 Jan 2020

Venue of the Reception

The couple at the start of reception

Greeting the couple at the reception

DIMENSIONS VOL.12, ISSUE 1, JAN 2020 5

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Pro ject Management Consul tants Pvt . L td

Know your Project:

Carl Bechem Lubricants (India)

Private Limited

While reduction of friction and wear

between contacting surfaces is still of

primary concern, modern day

lubricants shoulder more enormous

responsibilities. The lubricant not only

has to contend with extreme

operating conditions such as

excessive temperatures, exposure to

water, dirt and dust laden

environments but also provide long

term or in some cases lifetime

lubrication. Such demanding

applications require special

lubrication technology.

Pioneering the technology, BECHEM,

has developed a vast array of high

performance lubricants for critical

applications across industry segments.

Equipped with state-of-the-art

production units in Germany, India

and China, BECHEM has the

capability to supply high performance

specialty lubricants across the world.

BECHEM India is a 100% subsidiary of

BECHEM GMBH with its corporate

office and plant located in Bangalore.

BECHEM India is ‘ISO/IATF/16949 :

2016’ certified and manufactures high

quality specialty lubricants for critical

applications in various industries such

as Cement, Steel, Automotive, Textile,

Food & Pharma, Sugar Processing and

Metal Working Processes.

A Unique project at Carl Bechem

Lubricants (India) Private Limited

Front Elevation of the plant

Carl Bechem is a specialty lubricant

manufacturing company situated on

Bidadi-Harohalli main rood.

Area of warehouse building – 1990.57

SQM

Area of office Space added at

second Floor- 123.46 SQM

Cost of the project - Rs. 1.97 Crores

(Inclusive of GST).

Actual Cost Incurred - Rs. 1.52 Crores

(Inclusive of GST).

Time taken for completion - 3 months.

Start Date 19th November 2018,

Handed over Warehouse for internal

works on15th February 2019.

The existing warehouse had a

capacity to store 5000 Barrels & it was

required to increase the same from

5000 barrels to 15000 barrels. It was

also planned to increase office space

of the warehouse.

Warehouse in the plant for storing

barrels

This was achieved by increasing the

height of the building from 8 meters

(Truss bottom) to 12 meters (Truss

bottom) & to reduce the aisle width &

to procure new narrow aisle

equipment for handling of barrels

Client personnel in charge of the

project: Yogesh Kumar, Anil Kumar

Contractor

Gina Engineering Company Private

Limited

ANPCPMC Team

Yogesh Kumar, Ajay Deshpande,

Mahendra S Godbole.

Challenges Encountered

1) Structural Drawings of Existing

Building were not available –

Decisions were taken at site

based on existing

reinforcement after necessary

clearance from the Structural

Consultant.

2) Space Constraint – Use of two

cranes to unload the trusses

inside the ware house.

3) Truss Warping – Welding of

Additional angle to avoid the

same.

4) Time Constraint – Avoided

dismantling of columns, walls,

gutter beam by drilling &

fixing of column rods instead

of dismantling work.

5) Leaving the gutter inside

without dismantling since the

same was not a hindrance.

SIC Mahendra S Godbole (extreme

left) at site with Client staff Yogesh H

G, Anil Kr., Kariyappa (L to R)

Cost saving in the project due to value

addition

a) Saving due to structural steel

revision based on site

conditions. Columns – Steel

Quantity Saved approx. 3.7

Tons @ Rs. 63988; total saving

Rs.2,36,755

b) Walls – Steel Quantity Saved

approx. 1.5 Tons @ Rs. 63988;

total saving Rs.95,982

c) By reducing one beam at

office roof level. Cost Saving

in Quantity of steel saved

approx. 1 Tons @ Rs. 63988

total saving Rs.63,988

d) Cost Saving Quantity of

Concrete saved approx. 4.0

Cum Approx. Cost saving

Rs.25, 000

e) By reducing dismantling works

(Time Saved) –Approx. 15

Days

Erection of truss using two cranes

DIMENSIONS VOL.12, ISSUE 1, JAN 2020 6

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Pro ject Management Consul tants Pvt . L td

PARETO PRINCIPLE The first part of this article by B L Suresh

gives an introduction to Pareto Principle

and the various areas it may be applied to;

the second part by Krishna Chaitanya

dwells on examples showing how the

Principle could be put to practical use.

SURESH B L, HO

Sometime in the late 1800s, a man

named Vilfredo Pareto was fussing

about in his garden when he made a

small but interesting discovery.

Pareto

noticed that a tiny number of pea

pods in his garden produced the

majority of the peas.

Now, Pareto was a very mathematical

fellow. He worked as an economist

and one of his lasting legacies was

turning economics into a science

rooted in hard numbers and facts.

Unlike many economists of the time,

Pareto's papers and books were filled

with equations. And the peas in his

garden had set his mathematical

brain in motion.

What if this unequal distribution was

present in other areas of life as well?

After more study, Pareto concluded

that 80% of all results, whether that be

in business, economics, or gardening,

derive from only 20% of the effort.

If you develop marketing campaigns,

you might notice that 20% of your

marketing messages account for 80%

of your campaign results.

If you’re leading a major marketing

project, you might realize that 20% of

your initial efforts on the project are

responsible for 80% of the outcome.

And if you’re a financial advisor at a

marketing firm, you might feel

bewildered to conclude that 80% of

all your business’s profits derive from

20% of your clients.

If the 80/20 rule is inevitable, shouldn’t

you learn how to use it to your

advantage?

Here, we’ll explore how to use the

Pareto Principle to supercharge your

productivity, and become more

successful while drastically cutting

back on your time and effort. If the

majority of your success comes from

20% of your efforts, don’t you think it’s

time you stop wasting time on that

other 80%?

Examples of the Pareto Principle

Let’s start by taking a look at some

examples of the Pareto Principle, to

make sure you’re firm in your

understanding of the concept:

In customer service, 80% of the

complaints come from 20% of your

customers.

In criminology, 80% of the crimes are

committed by 20% of the population.

In software engineering, 80% of the

program’s functionality comes from

20% of the developer’s efforts.

In the environment, 80% of the world’s

pollution comes from 20% of the

factories.

Essentially, you can apply the theory

anywhere.

Another great example is about your

phone: Typically one has about 60

apps, but of those, only 20% is used.

Now that we’ve covered that, let’s

explore how you can use the Pareto

Principle to supercharge your

productivity.

How to Use the 80/20 Rule to Your

Advantage

The 80/20 rule says 80% of your results

come from 20% of your efforts.

That isn’t to say you should come into

work only one day a week, give it a

fair 20% shot, and leave.

No, the Pareto Principle isn’t

suggesting you work less. It has

nothing to do with time. Instead, it’s

indicating you need to focus your

efforts, and work harder in the areas

that matter most, while accepting it’s

sometimes okay to let the smaller stuff

slide.

How to Apply the Pareto Principle to

Your Life if You Work Alone

If you’re a freelance writer, the Pareto

Principle assumes 20% of your clients

are responsible for 80% of your profits.

If that’s true, then you’ll want to focus

your time and efforts on pleasing and

developing strong relationships with

those clients. Reach out to them first. If

you have a long to-do list, circle your

highest-paying 20%, and write articles

for them before tackling your other to-

do’s.

That isn’t to say you should become

unprofessional, or disrespect your

other clients. But if you’re feeling

overwhelmed or tight on time, it might

be necessary to recognize where

you’re receiving most of your results

(i.e., profits), and dedicate more of

your time and effort to that.

Lesson one:

Don’t expand a list of contacts just to

have a large network. Figure out from

whom you’ll benefit the most, and

focus your time and energy on

developing and maintaining

those relationships.

Speaking of your to-do list, let’s say

you have a list of ten items.

The 80/20 rule assumes that even if

you spend equal time on each item,

DIMENSIONS VOL.12, ISSUE 1, JAN 2020 7

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Pro ject Management Consul tants Pvt . L td

two of those items in particular will

carry the bulk of the results you want.

So don’t make an equal to-do list.

Instead, write a to-do list with your

heavy-hitters first. Figure out which

items are most likely to deliver your

biggest results, and start there.

If you start with what’s easiest or

quickest to accomplish, that might

mean you might run out of time or

don’t have the energy to accomplish

the tasks with the largest return on

investment.

Vilfredo Pareto

Lesson two: Tackle two or three of the

biggest projects, tasks, or

commitments on your to-do list first.

Use your energy and time on those.

Prioritize them, and recognize you’re

doing so because those two or three

tasks will likely give you 80% of what

you want.

It goes one step further than that.

The Pareto Principle states that when

you’re working for a long time on a

task, like an article, you’ve likely hit

most of your goal after you’ve

expelled 20% of your effort, right?

That doesn’t mean you should write

for 20 minutes and call it a day.

Here’s how you should break it down.

The 80/20 rule says you’ll have the

majority of your results from 20% -- can

you guess what that 20% is?

More than likely, writing the draft itself

will give you the biggest return.

The smaller details account for only

20% of your outcome. While they’re

important, they aren’t worth stressing

over or wasting time on.

In economic lingo, this is known as

the diminishing marginal benefit. It

means the longer you work, the less

power your effort will have on the final

result. Quality over quantity … if you

work three hours, most likely, you

made the most significant progress in

hour one.

Lesson three: Make a bulleted list,

identifying each small task required to

complete a goal. Circle or underline

your 80% player, and spend the

majority of your time and effort on

that.

How to Apply the Pareto Principle to

Your Life if You’re a Manager

Lesson one: Brainstorm with your team

and identify the biggest tasks you’ll

need to complete to hit the majority of

your goal. Visualize as if you were

short on time: what would you do first,

and what would you be okay leaving

behind? Start with that #1 item, and

work backwards towards the smaller

details later.

Now let’s apply the 80/20 rule

somewhere else: 80% of the work will

be completed by 20% of your

employees.

While this might seem unacceptable

(“Why did we hire them then?”) it’s

not -- it’s how the Pareto Principle

works, but it’s not set in stone.

More than likely, many of your

employees don’t feel the need to be

part of that 20% because you have

some stronger, more aggressive

personalities in the room. Those

people have already claimed

responsibility for the biggest parts of

the job.

That doesn’t mean your other

employees don’t want to help out.

Tackle this issue by delegating tasks

fairly, or even dividing those “power

players”, if you know who they are,

and assigning one to each smaller

group.

Encourage increased collaboration,

or assign separate tasks to different

people and check in with each

person individually to ensure everyone

feels equally responsible for their part

of the equation.

Better yet, switch up who gets to

contribute to that largest 20% of the

equation. If the same employees on

the team are always in charge of

collecting the information and

creating the graph, maybe spread

the task out: do you have other

employees who are capable of

putting the information into graph

form, and have you asked them if

they’d like to help out?

Your employees will be encouraged

to work harder if they know they’re

contributing to the biggest piece of

the rewards -- not just the smaller

details.

Lesson two: Don’t let 20% of your

employees carry the team. Delegate

tasks, create smaller groups, and

assign those power players

individually to each team. Better yet,

check in individually with each

employee on your team to ensure he

or she feels equally responsible to

reach the team’s goal, or switch up

which employee gets assigned the

“biggest tasks” each time your team

has a project.

Remember, the numbers 20% and 80%

are not exact statistics, just

estimations. The point isn’t the

numbers: the point is, everything in life

is not created equal, and there are a

few things that are weighted with far

greater reward than others.

Spend your time chasing those items,

and you’re likely to increase rewards

while diligently cutting back on

wasted time.

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A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Pro ject Management Consul tants Pvt . L td

Part II:

Krishna Chaitanya, HO

Pareto chart (Pareto distribution

diagram)

A Pareto chart, also called a Pareto

distribution diagram, is a vertical bar

graph in which values are plotted in

decreasing order of relative

frequency from left to right.

Pareto charts are extremely useful for

analysing what problems need

attention first because the taller bars

on the chart, which represent

frequency, clearly illustrate which

variables have the greatest

cumulative effect on a given system.

The Pareto chart provides a graphic

depiction of the Pareto principle, a

theory maintaining that 80% of the

output in a given situation or system is

produced by 20% of the input.

The Pareto chart is one of the seven

basic tools of quality control.

The independent variables on the

chart are shown on the horizontal axis

and the dependent variables are

portrayed as the heights of bars.

A point-to-point graph, which shows

the cumulative relative frequency,

may be superimposed on the bar

graph. Because the values of the

statistical variables are placed in

order of relative frequency, the graph

clearly reveals which factors have the

greatest impact and where attention

is likely to yield the greatest benefit.

A Simple Example of a Clothing Store

A Pareto chart can be used to quickly

identify what business issues need

attention. By using hard data instead

of intuition, there can be no question

about what problems are influencing

the outcome most.

In the example below, XYZ Clothing

Store was seeing a steady decline in

business. Before the manager did a

customer survey, he assumed the

decline was due to customer

dissatisfaction with the clothing line he

was selling and he blamed his supply

chain for his problems.

After charting the frequency of the

answers in his customer survey,

however, it was very clear that the

real reasons for the decline of his

business had nothing to do with his

supply chain.

By collecting data and displaying it in

a Pareto chart, the manager could

see which variables were having the

most influence. In this example,

parking difficulties, rude sales people

and poor lighting were hurting his

business most. Following the Pareto

Principle, those are the areas where

he should focus his attention to build

his business back up.

Another Example – At a Garment

Factory

Suppose the defects at a garment

factory is as given below:

Type of Defect, Frequency of Defect

as a % of Total and Cumulative %

Button Defect 23 39.0 39.0

Pocket Defect 16 27.1 66.1

Collar Defect 10 16.9 83.1

Cuff Defect 7 11.9 11.9

Sleeve Defect 3 5.1 16.9

Total 59

Cumulative percentages indicate

what percentage of all defects can

be removed if the most important

types of defects are solved.

In the example above, solving just the

two most important types of defects

— Button Defects and Pocket Defects

– will remove 66% of all defects.

In any Pareto Chart, for as long as the

cumulative percentage line is steep,

the types of defects have a significant

cumulative effect. Therefore, it is

worth finding the cause of these types

of defects, and solving them. When

the cumulative percentage line starts

to flatten, the types of defects do not

deserve as much attention, since

solving them will not influence the

outcome as much.

A Pareto Chart is a quality tool: it helps

analyze and prioritize issue resolution.

The idea behind a Pareto Chart is that

the few most significant defects make

up most of the overall problem. We

have already covered two ways in

which Pareto Charts help find the

defects that have the most

cumulative effect.

One, the first bars are always the

tallest, and they indicate the most

common sources of defects. Two, the

cumulative percentage line indicates

which defects to prioritize to get the

most overall improvement.

Reference: Posted by: Margaret Rouse

WhatIs.com

Watch this Video on ‘Concept of Pareto

Analysis’ to understand it in simple matters:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFiYI6

w5hQg

DIMENSIONS VOL.12, ISSUE 1, JAN 2020 9

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Pro ject Management Consul tants Pvt . L td

THE POMODORO TECHNIQUE

Thejesha MM, HO

Why is Effective Time Management

Important?

Do you know about a simple truth

called Parkinson’s Law. It states:

Work expands so as to fill the time

available for its completion.

Put succinctly, this rule means that the

more time you “give” a project, the

longer you’ll take to complete it.

Have a deadline a week from now?

Odds are you’ll take the full week to

do it.

The best way to combat Parkinson’s

Law is to manufacture strict deadlines

with yourself and to literally have a

ticking clock in the background as

you work on each task. Not only will

this help you become more

productive, you’ll also “get more

time” that can be spent doing the fun

things in life.

Think of it this way:

There are only 675,450 hours in the

average human life. Every hour that’s

wasted is an hour you won’t get back.

If you’re working hard every day but

not getting measurable results, then

you’re wasting your life—one hour at

a time.

The solution is simple:

Stop randomly working on projects.

Instead, create a plan for the

important tasks and work on each

with a completely focused mindset.

And the best tool for doing this is

through the Pomodoro Technique.

As professionals, we struggle to

balance our time and energy to

make sure we get our tasks done. Yet,

there are days when we push

ourselves to exhaustion just to discover

we’ve accomplished little at the end

of the day. This makes us feel anxious

and stressed, sometimes even close to

burning out. In situations like these, the

Pomodoro Technique can be a useful

tool to help us buckle down and get

more things crossed off our to-do lists.

What is the Pomodoro Technique?

The Pomodoro Technique is a simple

yet effective way to manage your

time and improve your work habits. It

helps you break down your workload

into small, manageable chunks. This

technique helps you stay focused on

tasks that require long periods of

concentration.

What does the Pomodoro Technique

do?

The Pomodoro Technique is a time

management system that

encourages people to work with the

time they have—rather than against it.

Using this method, you break your

workday into 25-minute chunks

separated by five-minute breaks.

These intervals are referred to as

pomodoros. After about four

pomodoros, you take a longer break

of about 15 to 20 minutes.

The idea behind the technique is that

the timer instills a sense of urgency.

Rather than feeling like you have

endless time in the workday to get

things done and then ultimately

squandering those precious work

hours on distractions, you know you

only have 25 minutes to make as

much progress on a task as possible.

Additionally, the forced breaks help to

cure that frazzled, burnt-out feeling

most of us experience toward the end

of the day. It’s impossible to spend

hours in front of your computer

without even realizing it, as that

ticking timer reminds you to get up

and take a breather.

Who invented this technique?

The Pomodoro Technique was

created by software developer and

entrepreneur Francesco Cirillo. He

named the system after a tomato-

shaped kitchen timer that he used to

keep himself focused and productive

when he was a university student.

“Every day I went to school, attended

classes, studied, and went back home

with the disheartened feeling that I

didn’t really know what I’d been

doing. The exam dates came up so

fast, and it seemed like I had no way

to defend myself against time. I was

easily distracted and unable to focus.

So I decided to give myself a

challenge: study without interruption

for 10 minutes” Cirillo said.

How does it work?

Each 25-minute work block is called

a Pomodoro. The principle behind it is

to have you focus for a short period of

time, then take a break afterwards.

Most sources suggest linking four

Pomodoros together, and then taking

a longer break.

The Rules:

A Pomodoro can’t be

interrupted; it marks 25

minutes of pure work.

A Pomodoro can’t be split up;

there is no such thing as half

of a Pomodoro or a quarter of

a Pomodoro.

If a Pomodoro is definitively

interrupted by someone or

something, that Pomodoro

should be considered void, as

if it had never been set; then

you should make a fresh start

with a new Pomodoro.

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You are not allowed to keep

on working “just for a few

more minutes” even if you’re

convinced that in those few

minutes you could complete

the task at hand.

When the Pomodoro rings,

mark an X next to the activity

you’ve been working on and

take a break for 5 minutes.

How to Use the Pomodoro Technique

We begin by creating a list of the

things we want to accomplish. Then,

estimate how much time it would take

us to accomplish each task. Cirillo

suggests we call this list the Activity

Inventory Sheet. Then, sort all these

tasks according to priority and put

them in a separate sheet called the

To Do Today list.

Each time the Pomodoro rang (which

marked the end of a 25-minute limit),

place an X on those activities that you

worked on. After every 25-minute

block, take a 5-minute break.

Taking Breaks

After completing a Pomodoro, take a

short break to “disconnect” from your

work. Stretching, brewing coffee, or

getting the mail in are some options

for your breaks. Never engage in

activities that call for heavy mental

effort during breaks.

Cirillo explains that tasks like talking to

a colleague about work-related issues

or writing important emails will reduce

alertness at the start of the next

Pomodoro.

Dealing with Interruptions

Experience shows interruptions can

happen when you’re in the middle of

a task. Cirillo designed an effective

strategy for minimizing unhandled

interruptions while increasing the

number of Pomodoros that can be

accomplished consistently.

There are two kinds of interruptions:

internal and external.

Internal interruptions occur when you

initiate the interruption. These actions

are often associated with having little

to no concentration to focus on the

task at hand. Standing up to look for

something to eat, or checking your

Facebook feed are internal

interruptions.

Meanwhile, external

interruptions happen when others

disrupt your workflow. External

interruptions can be very common if

you work in a social environment.

These can be an incoming phone

call, or a colleague asking for your

help.

Cirillo recommends the Inform,

Negotiate, Call Back strategy:

Inform effectively — Politely

tell the person that you’re

busy at the moment

Negotiate quickly to

reschedule the interruption —

Tell the person that you’ll get

back to him/her after you’re

finished working.

Call back the person who

interrupted you as agreed. —

Get back to the person when

your Pomodoro ends

Make sure when you write to include

interruptions in your To Do list

1. At the moment that terrible

urgency comes to your mind,

add a symbol. Cirillo proposes

using an apostrophe (‘) for

internal interruptions and a

dash (-) for external

interruptions on the same

column where you score your

Pomodoros. Then, add the

interruption (which could also

be a task you needed to pay

attention to immediately) to

the end of the sheet under

the title: Unplanned and

urgent

2. Ultimately, strive to finish the

current Pomodoro.

Remember the rule: If a

Pomodoro begins, it has to

ring.

In both cases, we reverse the nature

of these interruptions. Simply, we are

no longer dependent on interruptions,

rather, interruptions depend on us. The

best way to measure your productivity

is to protect the Pomodoro and

complete your task.

Aim for Progress, Not Perfection

The Pomodoro Technique is a good

way to organize your workflow

efficiently. It helps maintain the

delicate mental balance between

discipline (finishing a task) and

flexibility (dealing with interruptions). It

also promotes a healthy sense of

urgency to keep you focused on the

work, without making you feel

pressured. Over time, you become a

better judge of how much time it

takes to accomplish a task.

Thanks to the blog by Denise Foz for inputs

for this article.

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USE ONLINE BANKING SAFELY

LIJESH P, HO

Top 7 Tips to Use Online Banking Safely

Digital disruption has made our lives

much easier, so much so that ordering

food or purchasing daily necessities

are now possible just a click away

through devices such as smartphones

and laptops. The banking sector is no

exception. These rapidly evolving

advancements in the digital space

have tremendously transformed the

banking and financial sector in India.

Be it transferring funds, paying bills or

applying for a personal loan,

digitization is enabling customers to

do so in a more efficient manner.

Number of users opting for Internet

banking is expected to double by

2020, making India an important hub

for financial innovation.

However, while Internet banking is

definitely very useful, it does come

with its set of limitations. If not done

with utmost precaution, it can turn out

to be risky. Although banks and

financial institutions are introducing

innovative measures to protect its

customers from banking frauds and

other cyber-related crimes, sometimes

it is our very own negligence

regarding online banking that makes

us fall prey to such thefts.

So, to help you out in this process here

is a gathered list of seven tips for safe

Internet banking:

1. Change your password regularly

This might sound like a tedious task to

many, but changing passwords at

regular intervals is the best way to

protect yourself from online banking

fraud. And needless to say, do not

share your one time password (OTP)

with anyone. Stay away from any

message or email asking for your

password as banks or financial

institutions will never ask for any

personal information via phone,

message or email.

Whenever you are changing your

password always makes sure to

choose strong characters and avoid

using popular phrases.

2. Avoid using public Wi-Fi

A public VPN is a very useful facility

provided by many service providers

free of cost at public places such as

theatres and shopping malls. But

sometimes this facility can become

the reason behind an information

leak. It is very easy for someone to

trace all your data while you are on a

public Wi-Fi. Hackers perceive an

unsecured server as an opportunity to

install malware on your device, which

can later extract all your personal

information.

The best way to tackle this problem is

to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

It is a set-up that can help create a

safe and encrypted network while on

a public Wi-Fi. While on a VPN

network, the hacker will not be able

to trace your IP address, thus,

protecting your personal information.

3. Do not share your login details with

anyone

Banks or financial institutions will never

ask you to fill-in details over phone or

email. If you receive an email or

message from your respective bank

asking to fill in your personal details,

immediately crosscheck as someone

might be phishing you.

Also, keep in mind to never login with

your credentials through a suspicious

link. Always use an authentic web link

or URL.

4. Use genuine antivirus software

There are several types of viruses that

a hacker can install with their target

prospects without them ever knowing

about it. Viruses such as Trojan gets

installed when you surf through an

unknown website or install something

from it and later used to extract your

personal information. Once a Trojan is

installed on your device, it becomes

very difficult to remove it from the

device. Thus, it is always advisable to

install authentic software for

protection against such viruses.

5. Go for a two-factor authentication

A two-factor authentication, provided

by most banks and financial

institutions these days is the best way

to protect your personal information

without going through much hassle.

Two-factor authentication provides an

additional layer of security. And

makes it difficult for an attacker to

enter into a foreign computer. It will

immediately notify you when

someone tries to login with your

credentials.

6. Avoid signing in to your Internet

banking accounts through random

mails

What if one fine day you receive a

sudden mail asking you to sign in to

your net banking account through a

follow-up link? You might think of it as

an authentic one; after all it looks like

your personal banker has sent you.

But hold on before clicking on that link

because it might not be an authentic

one and it could be someone who’s

phishing you. Such types of links might

look original but they are not and one

should never login as the hackers will

have access to the personal details

and passwords.

7. Check your accounts at regular

intervals

Keep checking your accounts at

regular intervals for a safer Internet

banking experience. If you find

something fishy happening, then

immediately change your password

or contact your respective bank. It’s

imperative to monitor each and every

transaction made through your

account.

Thanks to Blog by Gaurav Chopra - 20

November 2018

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CONTRACT LAW: Discharge of

Contract

MADHUSUDHAN N,

HO

CONTRACT LAW: Discharge of

Contract

In the article “Contract law: Offer and

Acceptance”, it was about formation

of contract with offer and

acceptance, agreement which are

legally enforceable by law.

In continuation to that, as contract

has been formed by the creation or

sometimes transfer of enforceable

rights and obligations arising out of

agreement between or among

parties, the legal relationship can be

brought to an end only by the

“Discharge of Contract”.

Discharge of Contract terminates the

legal tie that became the binding

element between the parties.

Discharge of Contract may take

place in various ways as follows, by

1. Performance

2. Attempted Performance or

Tender

3. Impossibility of Performance

4. Agreement and Novation

5. Breach of Contract

6. Operation of Law

7. Lapse of Time

When contract is discharged fully, the

original rights and obligations get

extinguished.

However, different consequences

follow the different modes of

discharge of contract.

There is cessation of legal ties in the

more natural ways of discharge. There

is nothing more to it between the

parties.

But when discharge takes place in

certain other ways, the original rights

and obligations no doubt will

terminate, but other rights and

obligations arise between the process

out of very process of discharge.

The law has to follow the logical

consequences of the new rights and

obligations that have arisen even

though the original contract is at the

end.

An overview of the various ways in

which discharge of contract may take

place:

1. Performance is the logical

fulfilment of contractual

obligations. It is doing what

the parties intended to do

when they entered into

contract and what they are

bound to do under the

Section 37 of Indian Contract

Act.

Performance is actual

performance when the

contractual obligations are

fully and properly carried out.

Then the contract is

discharged.

2. Attempted Performance or

Tender will also discharge the

contract. It is the legitimate

attempt on the part of the

promisor to perform his

obligations under the

contract at the proper time

and place and

unconditionally.

But if the promisee

unjustifiably either does not

allow or accept the

performance, the law treats

the attempted performance

or valid tender as equivalent

to actual performance and

deems the contract as

discharged.

3. Discharge of Contract may

take place by Impossibility of

Performance. Impossibility of

performance in when

impossibility apparent on the

very face of the contract,

intrinsic or absolute

impossibility, as for example,

an agreement to discover a

treasure by magic, which

certainly must be taken to be

known to the parties

themselves, so that the

agreement is void.

4. Discharge of Contract by

Breach will be treated in

separate article in detail as it

has many ramifications

5. A contract may be

discharged independent of

the intention or wishes of the

parties by operation of law.

This happens in the following

situations:

a. Death:

Death of party in a

contract involving

personal skill or ability. It is

only in other contracts

the rights and liabilities

can devolve on the legal

representatives,

b. Merger:

Merger takes place

when rights accruing to a

party under a contract

get absorbed into certain

other rights accruing to

the same party under the

same or some other

contract.

c. Insolvency:

In insolvency, when an

order of discharge has

been obtained from the

court, the insolvent is

discharged from all debts

and contracts subject to

certain exceptional

debts.

6. Discharge of Contract by

lapse of time:

A Contract should be

performed within a specified

period, failing which, if no

action is taken by the

promisee within the period of

limitation, the remedy at law

is deprived. This, in effect

amounts to discharge of

contract. The period of

limitation for simple contracts,

in India, is three years. Section

5 of Limitation act provides for

extension of time in proper

cases.

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WHY ADVENTURE?

By Manikant Shet

This article contains photographs sent

by entrants to the last month’s

competition, since the article and

photos are on the same topic.

Manikant Shet (on the right) near Unchalli

falls, located near Sirsi, Karwar, in the year

2017

Most of us know the importance of

exercise. However, with increasingly

busy lives, it is vital to prioritize the

activity that gives us the most

significant health benefit. Working out

at a gym might appear less than

desirable after a day of sitting at a

desk in the office. It is not surprising

that an increasing number of people

are beginning to ditch the gym and

have started hitting the trails to

enhance their health. Moreover, the

great news is that just half an hour of

walking or hiking can make a

fantastic impact on your health.

Trekking in the mighty Himalayas or

any of the mountainous areas offers a

wide range of benefits to our mind,

body and soul. The breathtakingly

picturesque views, the serene and

quiet moments of self-reflection.

Trekking and backpacking in the

outdoors give so many health benefits

that, range from the physical to

mental and the spiritual. There is

something naturally majestic,

gratifying, which eventually provides

an abundance of confidence as you

increase your habit of trekking in the

lap of Mother Nature.

1. When you get outside,

you’re Improving Physical Health.

Stress and lower oxygen levels

increase acidity within the body –

resulting in serious illness, impaired fat

loss, poor endurance and more. The

natural fresh air we breathe –

especially mountain air – reverses this

harmful state and has an alkaline

effect on the body, protecting it from

disease and making it healthier and

stronger. Going on adventures

means dramatically improving your

health!

Research has shown that just hiking for

8 kilometers at a slow pace is sufficient

to reduce the risk of strokes, heart

failures, and heart attacks slightly

above 30%. 8 kilometers is estimated

at around 10,000 steps. You can

monitor this in one of the several

modern smart gadgets (Lijesh has one

such device and could advise you).

Studies have also shown that

remaining active is a significant way

to reduce that risk of cancer. Working

out lowers the estrogen in your

bloodstream, which can be the main

reason why breast cancer in active

women is less likely.

Sankav Setty, scuba diving at Phuket,

Thailand in the year 2018

2. Outdoor physical

activity Regenerates and Rejuvenates.

We obtain energy by combining the

oxygen we breathe with digested

food so that our body can burn fat,

increase endurance and more! When

we combine this energy with physical

activity outdoors, we release

endorphins (the happy

neurotransmitter), improve blood flow

and increase exposure to Vitamin D,

which helps protects our DNA. This

combination makes us healthier and

happier but also regenerates AND

rejuvenates the body! True story. This

is why Doctors actually hand

out “park prescriptions” for conditions

ranging from heart disease to obesity

to attention deficit disorder.

3. Adventure Travel brings you a sense

of Accomplishment. Regardless of

age and size, taking on a wild

adventure helps you with personal

achievement, especially when you’re

taking on new challenges or using

your adventure as a personal goal –

this can be quite uplifting. The sense

of being closer to mother-nature, as

we were designed to be, is an

accomplishment on its own and

provides a euphoric feeling – ask

anyone who has sat in front of an

ocean landscape.

Sridhar KE, at Shivagange, Dobbaspet, 26

Jan 2020. Red arrow points to Sridhar

climbing up the hill.

4. Adventure allows for Self-

Awareness. Most people just don’t

meditate enough – or at all! We are

referred to by some experts, as

“doers”, meaning that we “do so

much” or “think about doing so

much.” This habit of always doing,

impairs our inward awareness and

over-exposes us to “doing.” The result

is a progressive onset of fatigue

and suppression of self-awareness and

self-experience. Adventures bring you

closer to your “inner self” and allow

you to challenge the everyday “doer”

way of thinking. Forget about the

cameras, cell phones, folding of

clothes or getting dressed up and just

LET GO!

Uday Prakash diving near the Raja Ampat

Islands (an Indonesian archipelago), 2019

5. Adventures help you Cope with

Uncertainty. Anytime we place

ourselves in situations where things

don’t necessarily “go our way”, we

learn and we grow as individuals.

Adventures are full of uncertainties,

alternate routes and challenges that

DIMENSIONS VOL.12, ISSUE 1, JAN 2020 14

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eventually help us cope with the

uncertainties we face in life.

6. Adventures Bring Back Lost

Childhood. David Suzuki once

wrote “Healthy Kids Need Time In

Nature.” I couldn’t agree more. We

are living in a time of lost childhood,

as many other writers in today’s

society have noted, and rightfully so.

Kids have much less free time, as it is

now replaced with structured

activities, which inhibit their

connection to the outdoors and

increases levels of stress.

Lijesh P climbing Chembra peak,

Wayanad, Kerala in 2015 with friends

Parents are simply over-exposing their

children to these activities and insist

on being involved in every one of

them – as opposed to letting them

“play off the land.” If parents

consistently hover over their children’s

actions, a child’s desire to explore is

extinguished and the spark for

wanderlust goes out, permanently!

Resting while climbing Nandi Hills by steps,

waiting for friends to catch up (2019)

7. Get a “Better Brain” with

Adventure. Research indicates that

hiking, rock climbing and rafting will

help increase activity in the

hippocampus, the brain’s main

“storage unit.” Typically, your

hippocampus will decrease with older

age, leading to memory loss, but

physical activity outdoors leads to a

chemical reaction within the body

that allows for an increase in

hippocampus – by over 2 percent –

keeping you mentally sharp for years

to come!

Kannan A (who cannot even swim) looking

at a wrecked ship (not in picture) while

scuba diving with friends in Jan 2018 at

Hulhumale, Maldives

8. Adventure travel makes Dreams

Come True! The editor of National

Geographic Traveler Magazine once

suggested that the “Cycle of Travel”

went like this: 1) dream, 2) plan, 3) go,

4) share. These steps allow any

adventure traveler to live out their

dreams every time, and from personal

experience, the adventure always

surpasses any expectation of the

dream. Each adventure brings a

newfound challenge, knowledge,

enlightenment, friendships, emotions

and confidence within oneself. It is a

dream come true every time. Live as

many dreams possible!

Akthar Saifudeen diving with wife at

Havelock, Andaman, 2019

9. Going on adventures creates Life-

Lasting Memories. Adventures give us

pleasant memories, often required for

reminiscing. Reflectiveness is so

important in our lives today, especially

in this fast paced world where time

passes you by in a flash and is gone

for good, without warning or any real

meaning. Taking the time to relive

adventures allows us to reminisce on

life, learn from our past and teach

others for their future.

10. Increase focus and productivity

It has been proven that a meager ten

minutes of movement can increase

productivity and mental focus. It is

good to go out and walk during the

lunch break. One can improve your

attention by the reduction of stress

and increasing physical fitness by

going on extended hikes during the

weekend breaks. You will benefit from

some of the best ideas that come

when hiking on the lap of mother

nature away from your work desk.

11. Adventure travelers can Save The

World!

Mother-Nature provides us with the

gift of life and the ability to live out our

travel experiences. However, through

global warming, our environment has

become ill and in need of a

desperate change. That change

includes the preservation of our

world’s finest rivers and ecosystems.

The preservation of land becomes

very difficult in poorer countries,

where most of the natural land is still

“untouched.” The money from

Ecotourism helps these countries in

their efforts to save our land, through

organizations that ultimately strive to

“save the world” from self-destruction.

Mark Twain once wrote, “Twenty years

from now you will be more

disappointed by the things you didn’t

do than by the ones you did do.”

Roy Zacharias (see arrow), climbing Nandi

Hills with friends, 1980

Thanks for inputs for the article: 10 Reasons

Why Adventure Travel Is Good for You - A

Look at the Benefits Behind Adventures. By:

Brad Edelson

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SELF HEALING CONCRETE

Vamsi Anand S P, HO

Definition of Self-healing

A self-healing material is described as

something that is capable of repairing

itself back to the original state.

It can be observed in many old

structures which have remained

standing for long periods of time (see

The Pantheon below), in spite of the

limited maintenance.

The Pantheon, Rome, built 126 AD

This observation concludes that the

cracks heal when moisture interacts

with non-hydrated cement clinker in

the crack. In present-day

constructions the cement is lowered

as a result of modern construction

methods. Hence, the amount of

available non-hydrated cement is less

and therefore, the natural healing

effect is reduced.

Two methods of Self-Healing Concrete

(SHC) are discussed below - Bacteria-

Based Healing Process & Shape

Memory Polymers

Bacteria-Based Healing Process

Also known as Bio-Concrete; this kind

of concrete uses a simple process to

close the formed crack. The main

mechanism is achieved by making a

concrete mixture that contains (i) a

precursor like calcium lactate

(Ca(C3H5O2)2) and, (ii) bacteria

planted in micro capsules (or just

added to the mixture) that will later

germinate, once the water reaches

the crack.

As soon as the bacteria germinate,

they produce limestone (CaCo3)

caused by the multiplying bacteria.

Incorporating bacteria in concrete

adds a double layer shield in order to

prevent corrosion in steel. Not to

mention that it employs oxygen

present which would then benefit the

process of steel corrosion.

The bacteria which are applied in this

kind of concrete are Spore-forming

and alkali-resistant bacteria. Bacteria

from this group are the most suitable

as they are spore-forming and can

live for more than 200 years in dry

conditions. Therefore, using bacteria

as a healing mechanism is one of the

best mechanisms to produce this kind

of concrete because of its sustainable

organic properties.

Shape Memory Polymers

New smart materials (SMP) that are

capable of returning to their initiative

state by changing back their form

upon applying a stimulus. This

mechanism employs both the

autogenic and autonomic principles.

It uses a man-made system to

increase the natural autogenic

healing and seal cracks in concrete.

This kind of polymers is semi-crystalline

polymers that have a predefined

shape memorized in their structure

that later helps the polymers to go

back to their original state.

When a crack occurs, the system will

be triggered, hence, the shape

memory polymer within the crack gets

activated through heating which can

be in the form of direct heat, or an

electrical current. As soon as it’s

activated, the shape memory effect

or shrinkage takes place, and due to

the restrained nature of the tendon, a

tensile force is generated, hence the

crack closes on itself. After that, the

autogenous healing starts taking

place.

Factors That Affect the Use of Self-

Healing Concrete

There are many factors that

determine the usage of this kind of

concrete.

Cost: It is obvious that the initial cost of

construction using SHC is higher.

However, in the long run, durable

concrete is much more cost-efficient

due to the low cost of maintenance,

durability and the long life-span of the

construction.

Durability: According to research and

experimentation bacteria-based SHC

is denser and more durable than

regular concrete.

Availability: As it is still under

development, this kind of concrete is

used on a limited scale and still not

commercially wide-spread.

Environmental impact: Cement

industry is one of the main two

producers of carbon dioxide (CO2)

emissions, which is directly harming

our planet. Therefore, by using SHC

the carbon dioxide emissions are

reduced significantly due to the long

life.

Conclusion

By comparison of SHC with regular

concrete, we notice that it has more

advantages than disadvantages and

will transform concrete from an Eco-

harming into an Eco-friendly material,

as it reduces the CO2 emissions

significantly. There are currently many

undergoing studies using different

approaches to produce SHC; the

most promising approach being the

bio-concrete which is bacteria-based,

due to its simplicity in comparison with

other mechanisms.

To learn more, watch the video:

Building for the future with Self

Repairing Concrete: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9BxMRBac9Q

The 'living concrete' that can heal itself –

An invention by Delft University

microbiologist Hendrik Jonkers

Reference: Research paper by Alhalabi

Z.Sh., & Dopudja D. Postgraduate students,

Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia.

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APPENDIX

Good Manners and Etiquette: Sixth in the Series

Customer Service Etiquette

Megha Muppadi, Nemmadi

“Politeness goes far, yet costs

nothing.” – Samuel Smiles

There might be a huge number of

companies offering the same

products or services. The critical

difference is ultimately how you make

people feel when they do business

with you and interact with your brand.

No matter what your business,

excellence in customer service

etiquette will always set you apart

and give you the edge over your

competition.

In fact, customer service agents can

be the first and only contact point for

customers and are therefore the face

of a company. Yet many of them are

very often blind to the fact that they

are losing business every day by not

knowing or simply ignoring the

essential service etiquette.

By following customer service

etiquette tips, a customer service

associate can establish a professional

tone to the call, help calm an angry

customer, get customers to be

cooperative and persuade customers

to accept a solution that is beneficial

to the company as well as the

customer.

Be Cheerful

When a customer service

representative answers the phone, the

customer should be able to hear a

smile in the representative's voice.

Maintain a cheerful demeanor

throughout the call.

Be Professional

Refer to customers as sir and madam.

Ask if it is OK to put the customer on

hold and apologize if the customer

was on hold for more than 60

seconds. Refrain from using slang

words or obscenities, and do not refer

to the customer by the first name

unless he insists that you do so.

Use Honesty

Tell the truth to the customer at all

times. Let them know what you are

authorized to do to help in a situation,

and if the situation gets beyond your

authority then let the customer know

that you need to transfer to a

manager.

Be Empathetic

Listen to what the customer has to say

and then let him know that you

understand his situation. Empathize

with the customer by telling him how

you would feel if you were in his

situation. This will help the customer to

believe you are on his side, and that

you are going to work to offer a fair

solution.

Be Complete

A complete call file can help the next

customer service representative serve

the customer if that customer ever

calls in for service again.

Customer Service Etiquette: The Basic

Rules

Many customers say that friendly

customer service reps can keep them

using the company’s product or

service. Consequently, the customers

would likely switch the brand because

they have a bad experience with

rude or unhelpful customer service

agents.

So, you need to understand some

basic etiquette when interacting with

your customer.

Always think before you speak or type

Begin and end every encounter on a

positive note

Keep your customers informed

Treat the customers with respect and

empathy

Learn how to handle angry customers

Stay professional no matter what

Make the customers feel valued and

appreciated

Say Thank You and Please graciously

Customer Service Etiquette: What to

Say and What to Avoid

Choices of words is very important.

The customers can get a very bad

impression when the customer service

agents use certain phrases.

Phrases to avoid: “Sorry about that:”;

instead say: “My apologies.”

You should not say: “I don’t know”;

what to say: “I may not know now, but

I will find out for you.”

Phrases to avoid: “Unfortunately no”;

you should tell the customer: “I’m

sorry, that’s not something that we

can offer. However, what we can

offer is ____.”

Phrases to avoid: “Please calm

down.”; what to say: “I can

understand why you’d feel that way.

Let’s see what we can do now.”

Phrases to avoid: “No problem”; what

to say: “You’re welcome”

Reference document: Blogs by Mary

Shulzhenko, Tony Yeung, George N. Root III

DIMENSIONS VOL.12, ISSUE 1, JAN 2020 17

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Pro ject Management Consul tants Pvt . L td

Question (Competition) of this Month

As mentioned in the editorial, since

there are several advantages in being

bilingual, this month’s competition will

be to translate a very short poem from

Kannada to English (apologies to

those who do not know kannada). This

was sent by Guruprasad B S who is

presently stationed at Himalaya,

Tumkur. The best translation will win

the prize. Remember that this is a

poem and so the translation should

be poetic also.

ಹಾಳು ಬಿದ್ದ ಜಾಗವ ,ಸುವರ್ಣ ಸೌಧ ಮಾಡುವ

ಊರ ಊರ ಸೇರಿಸೋ ಕಾರ್ದಂತ ಬಾಂಧವ

ದ್ಟ್ಟ ನದಿಯ ದಾಟಿಸ ದಿಟ್ಟ ನಾದ್ ಮಾನವ

ಭಯಾನಕ ಕಡಲಲು ಕಟ್ಟ ಡವ ಕಟಿಟ ತೋರುವ

ನಿನಗಿದೋ ಜೈಕಾರ ,ಕಾಮಗಾರಿ ಅಭಿಯಂತರ

Result of the previous Month’s

competition:

While couples who don’t travel

together worry about the future, and

build their relationship with doubts,

couples who traveled together were

not worried about what was going to

happen next because they were

consumed and captured by the

intensity of the wonderful moments

experienced with each other.

Traveling together didn’t give them

the opportunity to over-analyze their

situation but made them appreciate

the present moment (says Casey

Imafidon who specializes in motivation and

personal growth advice).

Traveling together offers room for

mistakes to be made and flaws to be

revealed; there are challenges all

along the way and couples who

travel together understand the need

for forgiving each other quickly and

moving on.

Those who travel and adventure

together remain friends forever. And if

it is with your life partner, then there is

nothing to beat that. They would stick

with each other through challenges

and differences, to provide each

other with the companionship each

other need.

Considering that one of the staff has

taken advantage of all such benefits,

we have decided to award the prize

to Akthar Saifuddeen.

The ant story and what we can do to

improve management

by Mary A

Every day, a small ant arrived at work

early and starting work immediately,

she produced a lot and she was

happy. The boss, a lion, was surprised

to see that the ant was working

without supervision. He thought if the

ant can produce so much without

supervision, wouldn’t she produce

more if she had a supervisor!

So the lion recruited a cockroach who

had extensive experience as a

supervisor and who was famous for

writing excellent reports. The

cockroach’s first decision was to set

up a clocking in attendance system.

He also needed a secretary to help

him write and type his reports. He

recruited a spider who managed the

archives and monitored all phone

calls.

The lion was delighted with the

cockroach’s report and asked him to

produce graphs to describe

production rates and analyze trends

so that he could use them for

presentations at board meetings. So

the cockroach had to buy a new

computer and a laser printer and

recruit a fly to manage the IT

department. The ant, who had been

once so productive and relaxed,

hated this new plethora of paperwork

and meetings which used up most of

her time.

The lion came to the conclusion that it

was high time to nominate a person in

charge of the department where the

ant worked. The position was given to

the cicada whose first decision was to

buy a carpet and an ergonomic chair

for his office. The new person in

charge, the cicada, also needed a

computer and a personal assistant,

whom he had brought from his

previous department to help him

prepare a work and budget control

strategic optimization plan.

The department where the ant works

is now a sad place, where nobody

laughs anymore and everybody has

become upset. It was at that time the

cicada convinced the boss, the lion,

to start a climatic study of the office

environment. Having reviewed the

charges of running the ant’s

department, the lion found out that

the production was much less than

before so he recruited the owl, a

prestigious and renowned consultant

to carry out an audit and suggest

solutions.

The owl spent 3 months in the

department and came out with an

enormous report, in several volumes,

that concluded that “The department

is overstaffed.”

Guess who the lion fired first?

Editorial team

Roy Zacharias, Editor

Editorial Board: R Suresha, Divya K

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