Sharpening Your Skills

Books I Read in 2014 & Recommend

January 12, 2015 By Nagesh Belludi Leave a Comment

Other than a number of Rick Steves’ books for my summer-long travels in Europe, here are a few books that I read in 2014 and recommend.

Even though I read few works of fiction, I read a number of Agatha Christie’s “Poirot” books, including the enthralling “Death on the Nile”. Christie describes her characters brilliantly with superb detail.

Books on Business, Operations, & Finance

Atul Gawande’s ‘The Checklist Manifesto’ on eliminating errors, improving safety, and increasing efficiency by adapting checklists, standard operating practices, and work instructions.
Steven Johnson’s ‘How We Got to Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World’ explores how seemingly simple inventions cause huge societal shifts through the unintended consequences of collaboration and context. For example, the chapter on “Glass” narrates how the Gutenberg printing press led to lens-making, which in turn led to eyeglasses, telescopes and space exploration, microscopes and biology, fiberglass and fiber-optic cables, mirrors, cameras and the present-day selfie obsession.
Eric Schmidt and Jonathan Rosenberg’s ‘How Google Works’ is a firsthand account of the distinctive ecosystem, culture, people, and decision-making inside one of the world’s most admired companies.
John Mihaljevic’s ‘The Manual of Ideas: The Proven Framework for Finding the Best Value Investments’ describes nine template-themes of value investing strategies along with case studies, checklists, and screening tools.
Cristiane Correa’s ‘DREAM BIG: How Jorge Paulo Lemann, Marcel Telles and Beto Sicupira Acquired Anheuser-Busch, Burger King and Heinz and Revolutionized Brazilian Capital’ discusses 3G Capital’s approach to buying companies (including Tim Hortons in 2014; Coca-Cola, Campbell Soup, or PepsiCo are rumored to be next) and then implementing an aggressive management template that’s obsessive about slashing operating costs and expanding organizational efficiency.

Books on Skills for Success

Susan Cain’s ‘Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking’ on how the world excessively and misguidedly admires extroverts, but should also encourage and celebrate the particular talents, abilities, and dispositions of introverts.
Jocelyn K. Glei’s ‘Manage Your Day-to-Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus, and Sharpen Your Creative Mind’ is a compilation of essays on time management, organizing routines, and work-life balance from various authors.
Russ Roberts’s ‘How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life: An Unexpected Guide to Human Nature and Happiness’ is an interpretation of Adam Smith’s less known book, “Theory of Moral Sentiments”
B. H. Liddell Hart’s ‘Why Don’t We Learn from History?’ on the didactic value of history and on the significance of acting on principles deduced from learning from other people’s experience.
Gerd Gigerenzer’s ‘Risk Savvy: How to Make Good Decisions’ describes the many ways we characteristically misjudge risk and how we make bad decisions because we misunderstand risk.
Garth Sundem’s ‘Beyond IQ: Scientific Tools for Training Problem Solving, Intuition, Emotional Intelligence, Creativity, and More’ on how to develop brain power in competencies such as creativity, willpower emotional intelligence and intuition—skills that are not measured by standardized intelligence (e.g. IQ) tests.

Four Timeless Books I Re-Read Every Year

Benjamin Graham’s “Security Analysis”, Benjamin Graham’s “The Intelligent Investor”, and Phil Fisher’s “Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits” discuss two complementary schools of investment analysis. Graham’s quantitative approach to value investing comprises of buying stocks below what they are worth and then selling them once they are fully priced. In contrast, Fisher’s qualitative approach to growth investing considers the intangibles (products and services, management, competition, growth prospects, etc.) and paying a premium for growth. Graham’s and Fisher’s viewpoints are a significant part of Warren Buffett’s approach to investments. He’s described himself as “85% Graham, 15% Fisher” (I think Buffett is more “15% Graham, 85% Fisher.”)

Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People” is the granddaddy of all self-help books that spawned the self-improvement industry. I discovered that the 2011 update, “How to Win Friends and Influence People Digital Age”, references my blog article on the art of remembering names.

Lord Chesterfield on Multitasking: Singular Focus on a Task is not only Practical but also a Mark of Intelligence

January 7, 2015 By Nagesh Belludi Leave a Comment

Our modern technological environment is largely to blame for our scattered attention. This age is saturated with information overload and electronic gadgets, accompanied by a societal expectation that people will respond immediately. As a result, the phenomenon of multitasking has grown dominant.

Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield The meaning of multitasking has evolved over time. Three centuries ago, perhaps it meant dividing one’s immediate attention between various intellectual pursuits or recreational activities, such as socializing and dancing or eating and drinking. At that time, a father who cared deeply about his son’s education wrote to the boy persuading him to maintain singular focus on any task.

The British statesman Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield (1694–1773,) was a renowned man of letters. From 1737 until his son’s death in 1768, the Earl of Chesterfield wrote instructive letters to his son on a wide range of subjects, including history, geography, literature, society, politics, and even conduct. Over 300 of Lord Chesterfield’s letters to his son, full of timeless wit and wisdom, were later published by the son’s widow as “Lord Chesterfield’s Letters” (free ebook at Project Gutenberg.)

Letters to His Son, by Philip Dormer Stanhope (4th Earl of Chesterfield)

On 25-Apr-1747 (the New Style date corresponding to the Old Style 14-Apr-1747,) the 4th Earl of Chesterfield delivered advice that remains especially applicable today: he encourages focus, engagement, being present, and staying in the moment.

I have always earnestly recommended to you, to do what you are about, be that what it will; and to do nothing else at the same time. Do not imagine that I mean by this, that you should attend to and plod at your book all day long; far from it; I mean that you should have your pleasures too; and that you should attend to them for the time; as much as to your studies; and, if you do not attend equally to both, you will neither have improvement nor satisfaction from either. A man is fit for neither business nor pleasure, who either cannot, or does not, command and direct his attention to the present object, and, in some degree, banish for that time all other objects from his thoughts. If at a ball, a supper, or a party of pleasure, a man were to be solving, in his own mind, a problem in Euclid, he would be a very bad companion, and make a very poor figure in that company; or if, in studying a problem in his closet, he were to think of a minuet, I am apt to believe that he would make a very poor mathematician. There is time enough for everything, in the course of the day, if you do but one thing at once; but there is not time enough in the year, if you will do two things at a time. The Pensionary de Witt, who was torn to pieces in the year 1672, did the whole business of the Republic, and yet had time left to go to assemblies in the evening, and sup in company. Being asked how he could possibly find time to go through so much business, and yet amuse himself in the evenings as he did, he answered, there was nothing so easy; for that it was only doing one thing at a time, and never putting off anything till to-morrow that could be done to-day. This steady and undissipated attention to one object is a sure mark of a superior genius; as hurry, bustle, and agitation are the never-failing symptoms of a weak and frivolous mind. When you read Horace, attend to the justness of his thoughts, the happiness of his diction, and the beauty of his poetry; and do not think of Puffendorf de Homine el Cive; and, when you are reading Puffendorf, do not think of Madame de St. Germain; nor of Puffendorf, when you are talking to Madame de St. Germain.

People Have Both Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivations for Doing What They Do

December 23, 2014 By Nagesh Belludi Leave a Comment

People have Both Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivations for Doing What They Do

Motivation is derived from incentives or disincentives that encourage a person to engage in an activity or behave a specific way. These actions are governed by two types of motivation, which is founded either externally or internally, through extrinsic or intrinsic motivation.

A healthy blend of both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation is conducive to success.

Extrinsic Motivation

Extrinsic motivation is the desire to perform a behavior in an effort to receive external rewards or avoid any threatened punishment.

In extrinsic motivation, a person’s primary driving force stems from rewards—a salary raise, bonuses, fame, and recognition—or from constraints, such as punishment or job loss. Thus, averting penalty or retribution, as well as earning such external rewards as recognition, money, or praise contribute to extrinsic motivation.

Examples of Extrinsic Motivation

A child tidies up her room to avoid being chastised by her parents.
After arriving late to work, a bank employee is told he must exercise punctuality and be prepared to serve customers at the proper time or risk losing his job.
A benefactor donates a sum of money large enough for his alma mater to rename its business school in his honor, for which he receives greater recognition and fame.

Intrinsic Motivation

In sharp contrast to extrinsic motivation, its intrinsic complement involves the desire to perform a task for its own sake.

In intrinsic motivation, the foremost reasoning behind a person’s actions includes his or her involvement in or commitment to work, or even the expected satisfaction with the work’s results. Intrinsic motivation reflects the desire to do something because it is pleasant or fulfilling, regardless of any additional benefits.

More specifically, behavior that is intrinsically motivated comes from within an individual. (Maslow’s “hierarchy of needs” is an intuitive and potentially convenient theory of human motivation.) That is, the person possesses determination or is naturally interested in a particular activity. An intrinsically motivated person does not require any external rewards or punishments in order to act. Often, the behavior or effort is a reward in itself.

Examples of Intrinsic Motivation

A career counselor refuses to help a well-heeled client embellish her resume and practice interview answers that exaggerate her previous accomplishments because the career counselor feels that deceiving his client’s potential employer is ethically wrong.
A teenager continues training himself to run long distance so he can compete “against himself” in marathons. He aims to improve his time, not win awards or become a professional athlete.
A volunteer offers her services just because “virtue is its own reward,” with no hope of recognition nor desire to avoid punishment.
An anonymous donor bestows a large sum of money to a charity because he believes in its cause.
A housewife starts a neighborhood bakery because she loves baking and cooking. Though she intends to build a profitable business, she seeks just enough money to compensate for her time and basic costs. Her main motivation lies in a passion for baking, in creating a business she can be proud of, and in serving her community.
A lawyer, coming from a low-income family herself, works pro bono to help the less fortunate since she understands their struggles.
Though it may prove inapplicable to his own industry, a software engineer learns a new programming language because of the fulfillment he gets from working with numbers and applying logic.

Situational Awareness: Learn to Adapt More Flexibly to Developing Situations

December 15, 2014 By Nagesh Belludi Leave a Comment

As humans, we are each a product of our habits. Much of our behavior is automated. This behavior—often reflexive and natural—is usually shaped by our mental models. These models or “behavioral scripts” that are ingrained in our minds influence how we process stimuli and act. As a result, our mental models influence not only our actions but also how we perceive and interpret various situations.

Mental models are very convenient: they simplify our comprehension of the world around us, streamline decision-making and help us get things done efficiently. At the same time, our reliance on these scripts comes at a cost: we tend to generalize into the future what has worked in the past. This dependence can compel us to overlook important information from the current environment. In addition, our biases often prevent us from considering factors that contradict these models. Mental models sometimes lead us to cling stubbornly to the “this is how I have always done it” mindset, which overlooks the realities of a new situation. We make mistakes when we rely on a model that doesn’t account for real-world situations.

Those mental models and behavioral scripts that we’ve grown so dependent on are the antithesis of adaptability: the characteristic of being adaptable, of being flexible under the influence of rapidly changing external conditions.

Idea for Impact: Learn to sharpen your ‘social antennae.’ Make every effort to read the circumstances and adapt more flexibly to a developing situation.

Parable: “Don’t Become Somebody”

Occasionally, it pays to feign ignorance, as exemplified by the following parable.

Once upon a time, there was a master and his pupil. The master was renowned for his esoteric teaching style. As part of a discussion regarding the self and ego development, the master advised, “Never become somebody.”

The master and pupil set out on a pilgrimage. After an exhausting trek, they stumbled upon a wilderness camp. There were no occupants or attendants around. The master and disciple assumed they could rest there. The master entered one of the cottages and immediately went to sleep. The pupil, emulating his teacher, stepped into an adjacent cottage and fell asleep.

After some time, a royal entourage returned to the camp fatigued from a hunting expedition. The monarch was furious when he glimpsed two strangers sleeping peacefully in his cottages. He dashed to the pupil, roused him and demanded, “Who are you? How dare you rest in my camp?” The pupil rose and noticed the king’s fuming countenance. Bowing respectfully, the pupil exclaimed, “I am a hermetic monk!” Incensed, the monarch ordered that the pupil be beaten up and thrown out.

Next the monarch approached the master, demanding his identity. The master quickly realized he had mistakenly helped himself to the royal cottage. Reading the monarch’s fury, the master did not answer. He feigned cluelessness, babbling, “Hmmmm.” The monarch was livid: “Can’t you understand? I want to know. Who are you?” Yet again, the master did not speak and babbled, “Hmmmm.” The monarch concluded, “He is clearly a dimwit. Take him out of here.”

Soon thereafter, the master and pupil reunited. The pupil was groaning in pain and lamented his stay in the royal camp. The master reiterated, “I told you, don’t become somebody. You ignored my advice, became somebody and suffered for it. You became a monk in that royal lodge and were punished. I did not become anybody and escaped unscathed.”

Looking for Important Skills to Develop?

November 26, 2014 By Nagesh Belludi Leave a Comment

Whether you need to take on a new challenge, prepare yourself to become promotable, or enhance your performance at work, undertaking learning and development can help. You must continually be on the lookout for new talents to add to the vast fund of knowledge you’ve accumulated over the years and add to the reservoir of experiences from which to draw.

Some skills are critical to your success throughout your career and life. Chris Anderson recently suggested a set of vital topics that must be taught in school. Anderson is the founder and curator of the Ideas-Worth-Spreading TED conferences.

TED’s Chris Anderson propunds a “Syllabus of the Future”

How to nurture your curiosity.

How to Google intelligently and skeptically.

How to manage your money.

How to manage your time.

How to present your ideas.

How to make a compelling online video.

The secret life of a girl.

The secret life of a boy.

How to build a healthy relationship.

How to listen.

How to calm an argument.

Who do you want to be?

How to train your brain to be what you want to be.

100 role models for the career you hadn’t thought of.

How to think like a scientist.

Why history matters.

Books that changed the world.

Why personal discipline is key to future success.

How your reflective self can manage your instinctual self.

How to defend the rights of people you care about.

10 hours with a kid on the other side of the world.

The keys to a healthy diet.

Why exercise matters.

How generosity creates happiness.

How immersion in nature eases stress.

What are the questions no one knows the answer to?

Use his “Syllabus of the Future” list to evaluate your needs in development and educate yourself in a few selected topics. Design a development plan involving regular discussions, reading articles and books, watching instructional videos, attending courses offered by a professional association, and observing and apprenticing with a mentor proficient in the skill you seek.

Viktor Frankl on The Meaning of Suffering

November 13, 2014 By Nagesh Belludi Leave a Comment

The Austrian existential psychiatrist Viktor Frankl suggested that, generally, the need for meaning is a crucial force in people, from the time we’re born until our last breath. He continued to feel this way when his family was murdered by the Nazis and he himself was sent to Auschwitz. Frankl frequently quoted Friedrich Nietzsche’s remark that “he who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how.”

In “Mans’ Search for Meaning”, Frankl describes suffering as a potential springboard both for having a need for meaning and for finding it:

We must never forget that we may also find meaning in life even when confronted with a hopeless situation, when facing a fate that cannot be changed. For what then matters is to bear witness to the uniquely human potential at its best, which is to transform a personal tragedy into a triumph, to turn one’s predicament into a human achievement. When we are no longer able to change a situation—just think of an incurable disease such as inoperable cancer—we are challenged to change ourselves.

Frankl also suggests that the one freedom allowed in us, irrespective of our circumstances, including his horrid subjugation at a Nazi concentration camp, is the freedom to pick our way of thinking in accepting our suffering. This might mean that meaning can be found in becoming a role model for others dealing with similar problems, or utilizing our suffering as a channel for changing for the better in particular aspects of our lives:

It is one of the basic tenets of logotherapy that man’s main concern is not to gain pleasure or to avoid pain but rather to see a meaning in his life. That is why man is even ready to suffer, on the condition, to be sure, that his suffering has a meaning.

Frankl’s story is worth the read: (1) as a reminder of the depths and heights of human nature, and the nature of hopes and despairs that rule our existence, (2) for the idea that life is primarily about the search for meaning and the kinds of choices we can make to establish significance in our lives (logotherapy technique.)

No Duty is More Pressing Than That of Gratitude: My Regret of Missing the Chance to Thank Prof. Sathya

February 12, 2014 By Nagesh Belludi 1 Comment

I’d like to relate an incident that reiterated the value of human relationships and genuine outreach.

Guruswamy Sathyanarayanan, Lehigh University and Indian Institute of Science

Prof. Guruswamy Sathyanarayanan was a Fulbright scholar at the Indian Institute of Science, where I worked as a research assistant in the year 1999. “Sathya,” as he was fondly known, was a visiting professor from Lehigh University, Bethlehem PA.

Upon our acquaintance, I had observed that Sathya seemed stressed out from his work and had struggled to get his computer programs to run. I had offered to help him with computer programming and research on manufacturing processes. Our interaction had quickly evolved into a bond of mentorship. He was not particularly joyful, but was always genial and inquisitive. Over coffee breaks, we had many an interesting conversation about the relevance of Eastern Philosophy in the modern world.

At that time, I was applying for graduate school in the United States. Sathya had advised me on the schools to which I should apply based on my specific interests, the nuances of the application process, and the many components of the applications. On a particular day when my applications were due to be dispatched, he had me revise my personal essay repeatedly until he felt it was succinct enough to reflect my academic ideas and interests. When I thanked Sathya, he asked me to thank him only after receiving an admission and to keep him updated on my applications.

Three months later in March 2000, one late night, I received a call from a prestigious school. The school had admitted me to its graduate program with a 100% tuition waiver and a generous stipend for research in my area of choice, a precursor to 3D Printing. I was extremely delighted, but did not call Sathya because it was late at night.

The next morning, I learnt that Sathya had died the previous night of sudden heart attack. When I visited his home that afternoon, Sathya’s wife informed me that he had complained of uneasiness after a heated debate with a fellow-researcher on the progress of their research work. Sathya’s death came as a shock to me since he was only 47 years old and had a six-year old son.

I profusely regret not having called Sathya on that fateful night to express my gratitude for his mentorship of my application process. I am given to wonder if my success could have cheered him after his tense conversation with the research colleague—I’ll never know.

I never thanked Sathya in person, but I dedicated my master’s thesis to his memory.

Thesis Dedication: To the memory of my mentor and a great friend, Dr. Guruswamy Sathyanarayanan, Lehigh University

Call to Action: Practice Gratitude

There’s plenty of anecdotal and empirical evidence that practicing gratitude can considerably increase our sense of social well-being and happiness, yet we fail to acknowledge our blessings and thank people who’ve made a difference in our lives.

“The learned have prescribed penance for the murderer of a pious man, a drunkard, a thief or for one who has violated a solemn vow. But there is no pardon for the ungrateful,” asserts the Panchatantra, a collection of animal fables from ancient India.

Dear readers, there is no excuse for not conveying your feelings to your loved ones today. There is no excuse for not expressing your gratitude and appreciation today. There is no excuse for not taking a few minutes of your time to check-in on somebody who has influenced your life with his or her gift of kindness.

NOW is the time to appreciate the people who have helped you. This is your opportunity to do it—RIGHT NOW, while there is time.

Book Summary of Viktor Frankl’s ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’

May 31, 2013 By Nagesh Belludi Leave a Comment

In “Man’s Search for Meaning,” Austrian psychiatrist Viktor Frankl makes the case that the primary motivation in one’s life is neither pleasure (as proposed by Sigmund Freud) nor power (as proposed by Alfred Adler), but meaning and purpose.

Viktor Frankl is the pioneer of “logotherapy,” a psychotherapy system that carries out an existential examination of a person and consequently helps him/her discover purpose and meaning in his/her life.

Principal ideas from “Man’s Search for Meaning”:

Based on his experience as an inmate at many Nazi concentration camps during the Second World War, Viktor Frankl observed that those who survived the longest in the Nazi concentration camps were not those who were physically strong, but were those who maintained a sense of control over their environment by finding meaning in their existence and their torments.
Even in the toughest of circumstances, life can be given a meaning, and so too can suffering. A person can learn how to cope with suffering and move ahead with a renewed sense of purpose and meaning.
Meaning in life can be discovered by taking responsibility and through “right conduct” by,

Contributing meaningfully to the world through self-expression and resourcefulness,
Experiencing the world by connecting meaningfully with others and with our environment, and
Probing our attitudes and changing our approach meaningfully when we face situations that we have little control over.

51 Practical Lessons for a Lifetime

May 24, 2013 By Nagesh Belludi Leave a Comment

Practical Lessons for a Lifetime

One of my coaching clients recently turned 51 and, upon my encouragement, prepared a list of lessons he’d learned in the “school of hard knocks.” With his permission, I present below a distillation of his wisdom.

Measure twice, cut once
Learn to see the extraordinary in the ordinary.
Life is not about finding yourself, it’s about creating yourself.
The best vengeance is living life well.
Don’t smoke. Don’t abuse alcohol. Don’t do drugs.
Love your country and fellowman.
Don’t let misfortune steal your dreams.
Things could always be worse.
Don’t be afraid to fail. Keep in mind that mistakes are stepping stones to triumph.
Don’t worry. Everything eventually works out.
Don’t be resentful. Don’t take anything personally.
You can always get more money, but you can’t get more time.
Ask not for an easy life. Ask for the vigor to endure a difficult one and persevere.
If you risk nothing, you risk even more.
Never underestimate yourself or take your abilities too lightly.
Don’t take things that aren’t yours.
Never say die. Never say never.
Don’t worry about what people think, they don’t do it very often.
Live within your means.
Give people the benefit of doubt.
Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth
Clean up your own mess.
Develop a healthy cynicism.
If everyone says you’re out of your mind, you just might be onto something.
If you have extra, give.
With sorrow comes the opportunity for growth.
Don’t let time pass. Grab hold of it and make your mark.
Don’t overestimate or overstate your ability to influence.
There’s nothing wrong with being mediocre in something as long as you become an expert at something else.
If you don’t have anything nice to say about someone, don’t say it at all.
You are not that good, they are not that bad.
Hold your head high and look the world straight in the eye.
Be as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are of your own.
Believe in yourself
Have a good time. All of the time.
Believe that everybody has the power to change the world.
Do something that they don’t expect you to do.
Friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on.
Don’t be reckless with other people’s emotions.
Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults.
Speak the truth in love.
Learn something new every day.
Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. Find it.
Never underrate the power of accessibility.
Acknowledge those who have helped you.
Sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind.
Pardon your enemies, don’t forget their names.
Just start. Just take that first step and get started.
Don’t expect of others what you don’t demand of yourself
Don’t expect anyone else to support you.
Friends may come and go, but enemies accumulate.

The only thing that matters: The Relevant Results

May 15, 2013 By Nagesh Belludi Leave a Comment

Consider the following parable.

In New York City, a taxi driver and a priest die on the same day and knock on Heaven’s door.

At the pearly gates, St. Peter receives them and shows the taxi driver and priest around. The taxi driver’s eternal home is a lavish new castle equipped with butlers and fancy stuff. The priest’s new home is a meager hut of a dwelling with neither electricity nor water.

The priest complains to St. Peter: “It’s I, not him, who dedicated my life to faith. I sacrificed much in life, worked hard, and delivered thousands of sermons to the faithful in New York. All I get is a mere hut when this taxi driver gets a castle?” St. Peter responds: “Yes, but when you did your work—when you preached—people slept. When the taxi driver worked—when he drove people around New York, people prayed hard.”

Idea for Impact: Your strategies, vision and mission statements, business plans, purposes, determination, ambitions, intents, ideas, resolutions, goals, hard work, sleepless nights—none of these matter if you don’t deliver the results that are relevant to your boss, your customers, and your stakeholders.

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Sharpening Your Skills

Books on Business, Operations, & Finance

Books on Skills for Success

Four Timeless Books I Re-Read Every Year

Wondering what to read next?

Wondering what to read next?

Extrinsic Motivation

Examples of Extrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic Motivation

Examples of Intrinsic Motivation

Wondering what to read next?

Parable: “Don’t Become Somebody”

Recommended Reading

Wondering what to read next?

TED’s Chris Anderson propunds a “Syllabus of the Future”

Wondering what to read next?

Wondering what to read next?

Call to Action: Practice Gratitude

Wondering what to read next?

Wondering what to read next?

Wondering what to read next?

Wondering what to read next?