Lucrative designs
With the growth of commerce and industry all around the world, the demand for product designers is increasing day by day making it a field full of rewarding opportunities, writes Usha Nehru Patel

Design is an important aspect of life. It makes life easier and lively. Nowadays people are increasingly becoming conscious about the designs they use or endorse. Instead of continuing the process of simply consuming identical products, consumers now seek greater diversity and better quality. They opt for selective designer pieces. Product designing, thus, has become an important field nowadays.

Product designing can be defined as idea generation, concept development, testing and manufacturing or implementation of a physical object or service. Product designers conceptualise and evaluate ideas and make them tangible through products in a more systematic approach. It is cross-functional, knowledge-intensive work that has become increasingly important in today’s fast-paced, globally competitive environment. It has become very important as the customers are demanding greater product variety and are switching more quickly to products with state-of-the-art technology.

Role

The role of a product designer encompasses many characteristics of the marketing manager, product manager, industrial designer and design engineer. In the tech savvy era, this evolving role has been facilitated by digital tools that allow designers to communicate, visualise and analyse ideas in great detail.

Skill set

Product designers are equipped with the skills needed to bring products from conception to market. They should have the ability to manage design projects, and subcontract areas to other sectors of the design industry. Aesthetics is considered important in product design but designers also deal with important aspects, including technology, ergonomics, usability, stress analysis and materials engineering.

As with most of the design fields, the idea for the design of a product arises from a need and has a use. It follows a certain method and can sometimes be attributed to more complex factors such as association and telesis. The term Industrial Design Engineer is also used to describe a technically competent product designer or industrial designer.

The ranges of products that fall under “Product Design” are varied and they are as follows: custom-crafted, branded-products, ready-to-retail objects, etc.

Product designers are extensively in demand because of the rising needs of the various sectors like hospitality, retail, commercial segments, residential spaces, etc.

Career prospects

A plethora of opportunities are available to the students in product design. There is huge demand as people are remodeling and redecorating their old things continuously. Career opportunities exist for graduates in design, general management and consultancy, technology, engineering and education. Students become able to demonstrate creative design skills alongside a sound technical knowledge and experience — a balance which employers consider to be an advantage. Since Indian designers are among the most creative and efficient all over the world, India has become a hub for design outsourcing for MNCs and foreign corporates. Indian companies are also increasingly doing research and development for designing their own products and hence are recruiting more designers. But unfortunately, the supply is not in sync with the increasing demand and growth in every sphere of the industry.

Job prospects

Job prospects in product designing are huge and competition for jobs will be keen because many talented individuals are attracted to this field. The best job opportunities will be in specialised design firms which are used by manufacturers to design products or parts of products.

Product designers with a strong engineering and computer-aided design background will have a better chance. As the demand for design work becomes more consumer-driven, designers who can closely monitor, and react to the changing customer demands, and who can work with marking and strategic planning staff to come up with new products will also improve their job prospects.

Remuneration

The salary structure in this industry is lucrative and sky is the limit for hardworkers. Beginners’ monthly salary ranges between, Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000. Hence, if an aspirant is dynamic, hardworking, enthusiastic and ready to ride on a fast moving career, then this profession may be the right choice. Mid-level professionals in products design can expect anything between Rs 60,000 and Rs 80,000.

Product designing is an immensely rewarding profession. Earnings for product designers vary widely depending on the type of design they do and their remuneration depends upon their talent and skills. After getting the required academic qualifications one can also start up his own company and become an entrepreneur.

Eligibility

Minimum qualification required for admission into undergraduate degree in product design is Plus II or its equivalent from any recognised school board. Most of the product designing institutes conduct an entrance test to select candidates for their course. Those appearing in Plus II or equivalent examination can also appear in the entrance examination.

Duration of courses in product design: Product designing courses can be pursued at the undergraduate level as well as at post-graduate level. Apart from the undergraduate and post-graduate courses, some institutes also offer diploma courses in product design at post graduate level.

Diploma courses — One-year duration

Undergraduate courses — Four-year duration

Post-graduate courses — Two-year duration

— The writer is Professor & HoD, Pearl Academy of Fashion, New Delhi.

Skills required

n Understanding users: Good product designers have great user research, observation, and listening skills to put themselves in the shoes of a user and understand the real, mostly unspoken and latent, needs of the end users.

n Being self-critical: If you are a trained designer, you will stay away from self-referential design, which is the root cause of many failed products. Good product designers are self-critical about their approach and the deliverables and are always open to feedback to iterate on their design.

n Working with designers: If you are a designer, you have great empathy for fellow designers. I have seen products fail, simply because, the product managers can’t work with the designers and don’t share the same mindset.

n A “maker” mentality: Designers are makers. They make things. The product managers typically don’t, the engineers do. For a product manager, it’s incredibly important to have a “maker” mentality. They should continuously be making and refining, by themselves or with the help of the engineers. The product managers, who believe that their responsibility ends when they are done gathering the requirements, are likely to fail, miserably in most cases.

n A “T-shaped” product manager: If you’re a product manager, the vertical line of the “T” is your core PM skill. successful product managers go beyond their core skills, the horizontal line in the letter “T”, to learn more about product design, engineering etc. This ensures that they have a holistic perspective.

Targetting the Ivy League

Q. I have applied to some of the top Ivy League colleges in the US, but I am not very sure of getting in. Would it greatly affect my career prospects if I go to a lesser-known university? — Mridul Sharma

A. The term "Ivy League" first used by a sportswriter in 1933, was a general reference to the older, and therefore "ivy covered," schools in Northeastern America. The Ivy League Athletic Association was formally established in 1954 and now comprises eight schools: Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and the University of Pennsylvania that have high prestige and a reputation for scholastic achievement. The term alludes to the age of the universities reflected in the ivy that festoons the outer walls of the buildings on campus.

For most Indian students targeting the US for higher studies, the big state schools, like the University of Southern California and the University of Michigan, or the ever-popular elite colleges like Dartmouth and Smith remain their top choices.

Often students strive for colleges that carry a lot of weight back home, which can produce some odd choices at times. For instance, they may end up rejecting Amherst, one of the 10 most selective schools in America, in favour of Boston University, because everyone here has heard of the latter.

However, an increasing number of applicants are recognising the benefits of spending four years in the intimate, rural setting of an Amherst or a Middlebury. In fact, some American scholars have debunked the long-held belief that attending a big-name univ is the key to a bigger salary - and greater success in life. A new study strongly indicates that it's the quality of the student, not the lustre of the university name that determines the 'golden' touch (much like our own IIMs and IITs). The C student from Princeton may earn more than the A student from a lesser-known college not because he bears a Princeton stamp, but essentially because he is more capable. And this applies to both undergraduates and graduates alike. All else being equal, another important factor to consider is the "endowment" status of the university. A well-endowed college is more likely to offer financial aid than a larger but less-endowed one.

While most of these schools are certainly capable of providing a good education, it's what you do with your education that counts. That said, employers, like universities, also want the best and brightest. So sure, an Ivy League credential can be a good calling card -- if you can afford the fees, that is. However, if you get a chance to study at an Ivy League institution like Harvard don't mess it up by graduating with a degree in Real Estate or Entrepreneurship. Instead, get a degree that's ultra solid like Accounting or Finance which will help you write your own ticket.

Two degrees

Q. Can I show two degrees which I completed simultaneously in different streams. One as a private candidate and the other as a regular one? At present I am pursuing a diploma in electronics engg. final year from PTU. I have also done my graduation (BA private) through Delhi University this year. — Arvinder Bedi

A. I guess that's fine. It's upto you which certificate/qualification you wish to present for which purpose. If you wish to pursue a postgraduate degree, the BA will be more appropriate, whereas, if you are looking at pursuing a technical job, then your Diploma in engineering is what employers will look at. Also if you wish to pursue a BTech subsequently, you can do so through lateral entry directly in the second year.

Pharma degree in Australia

Q. What kind of degree can I get if I pursue my PG in pharmacy in Australia (MS or M.Pharm or MSc or PGDM)? — Laksman Jatti

A. In many countries, including Australia, the MPharm degree has now superseded the Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) as the prerequisite and primary qualification for being registered to as a practicing pharmacist.

Unlike here, the degree is not considered as an advanced follow-up postgraduate qualification for BPharm degree holders like you. Nor is any credit granted for previous studies undertaken in any undergraduate programme including pharmacy or related fields.

Admission to the M Pharm programme is open to international students who have completed an undergraduate degree in either biomedical sciences, health sciences, science (with a major in physiology, pharmacology or biotechnology), or an Applied Science degree (with a major in Medical Laboratory Sci).

This also gives an opportunity for science graduates from a variety of life biological sciences to enter this profession.

In addition to completing their undergraduate degree, students should be proficient in English, as determined by the University's IELTS standards.

Moreover, pharmacists from overseas have to pass the APEC exam and training process to qualify for registration as pharmacists in Australia.

In Australia MPharm is offered at the Griffith University — School of Pharmacy; Murdoch University —School of Pharmacy; University of Canberra, University of Newcastle — School of Biomedical Sciences; University of Sydney — Faculty of Pharmacy and at the University of Western Australia.

Do make sure that both the school and its MPharm programme are duly accredited by the Australian Pharmacy Council (APC).

MClinPharm is offered by the University of Tasmania for those who wish to develop clinical (pharmacy/ pharmacology) and therapeutics skills.

The PGDBM in Pharmacy is akin to our MBA in pharmacy (should you wish to go into marketing, administration etc.

Law entrance

Q. Is there any other entrance test to get admission to law universities than the CLAT. — Sonakshi

A. With salary packages soaring and foreign placements gaining prominence among law graduates, students have shown increasing interest in legal education in recent years. The Common Law Admission Test 2011, (CLAT), is only for admission to undergraduate (and postgraduate) programmes at 11 national law universities (NLUs), which is scheduled for May 15. The application deadline is April 2. The eligibility for the BA, LLB programme is minimum 50% marks (45% marks for SC/ST/OBC category) in Plus II or equivalent. If you wish to apply to NLU Delhi, you will have to take a separate All India Law Entrance Test (AILET) on May 1, the application deadline is April 11.

Visit www.nludelhi.ac.in for details. 

Lateral entry

Q. I'm a student of final year diploma in civil engineering from Thapar Polytechnic College. I want to take admission in Indraprastha University, Delhi in 2nd year B.Tech. So please help me. — Prince Goyal

A. For lateral entry into second year of BE/BTech programmes at most engineering colleges, domicile conditions apply i.e., you have to be a resident of that particular state. Please check the website of IP university: www.ipu.ac.in for the exact eligibility requirements.

The writer is a noted career expert and director, Career Guidance India (CARING). Please send in your queries with your full name, complete address and academic qualifications to: The Editor, Jobs and Careers, The Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh-160030, or at careers @tribunemail.com 

Sound advice, sound business
The consultancy business is getting big in India, writes Charandeep Singh

In the prevailing market conditions with inflation soaring each day and the expected growth being reconciled with every passing quarter, running a business enterprise is akin to walking a tight rope. The liquidity situation is tight and every single penny counts. In these circumstances every business move has to be backed with sufficient market research along with tangible documentary evidence that gains would be bountiful if investment is made at this juncture or if the growth plans are to be executed.

But who is doing all this market research along with advising the business enterprise about customer preferences and market dynamics? This is a highly specialised job and is done by a group of people who have core competency in a required sector. This is consultancy business. The job is highly specialised, it requires precision and while advising business groups the stakes are high. We have got consultancy monoliths like Mckinsey and KPMG. But with the business having mushroomed in India, there is ample scope for specialised consultants who can make a business boom. “I had originally decided to set up my plant in Jammu, but it was on the advice of my consultants that I shifted the location to Baddi, and after availing tax benefits the new plant has given me an output way beyond my expectations”, says Saurabh Mahajan of Oasis Chemicals.

Let us study what are the different types of consultancies that offer a lucrative option to professionals to enter this field of advising companies.

Legal consultancies

Clients hire a law firm and from then onwards whenever and wherever there is litigation it is the job of the legal consultants to handle it. Some of the big organisations like Shaw Wallace etc. have legal consultancies exclusively devoted to them. At times they even pick up young pass-outs from law schools, groom them and even bear the cost of their further education in the field in campuses abroad. Legal consultancies have also become specialised. In Delhi and Bangalore there is a growing trend of law firms that deal solely with BPOs. Let us say whatever the litigation is happening in America, the entire litigation is outsourced to India. It is over here that these consultancies prepare the case in accordance with the American Law, and also advise on the expected arguments and counter arguments.

Immigration

The craze of Indians for foreign lands is well known. So there are immigration consultancies that cash in on this craze. They guide the people about which course to opt for and for which country. “We give a holistic package to our clients. If a person is immigrating to Canada, we would ensure that his board and lodging is taken care of for a month and we will line up four to five job interviews for him as well”, says Col. Sandhu of WWICS. For this the consultant has to be up to date in his knowledge of immigration rules pertaining to a particular country and should also have thorough knowledge of the academic scenario and university curriculum of that country.

Taxation and Insurance

The fields of taxation and insurance are overlapping in India, since insurance is also an instrument to save taxes. Most of the commerce graduates venture into this profession. These taxation consultants take care of the computation of income tax as well as advise clients on the tax-saving instruments. The income tax lawyers as well Chartered Accountants usually hold the fort in this consultancy. This is a good part-time occupation also provided one is good in numbers and has social networking skills.

Consultancies on skill development

“Catch them young” has been the winning policy of the British, who believe in moulding a worker according to an employer’s standards. This maxim is the nodal point of the skill-development business. Various consultancies conduct workshops in schools where they tell students about the importance of effective communication, time management, goal setting etc. “I conduct workshops in B-schools where we teach young business students about the systems and tools which are used in industry like, pivot, standard and non-standard filters. I also make them get acquainted with real-life situations in the form of case studies”, says Sharat Pathak, Director of 5th Quarter which is into skill development consultancy. This trend has caught up with the industry also where professional trainers are hired to have refresher sessions with the executives. A person with command over language and good analytical mind with industry know-how is an ideal resource for a skill-development consultancy.

Real estate consultancy

With the real estate graph going up, these consultants are much in demand. “We give our client a holistic package. We do the market research as per a client’s fitment, and then advise him about the kind of property that he should buy, search the property for him and at times even arrange for the loan. We are practically by his side till the deed gets registered”, informs G.P.S Waraich of B.N Habitat, a consultancy that has builders as well as end-users as clients. A person with good knowledge of local geography as well as the Property Acts and Rules of the area has a fairly good chance in the field.

HR consultancy

They are basically head-hunters. They fill the requirement for corporates. “We give our client the apt fitment of human resource. The need may arise out of expansion plans or it may because the existing resource has left and we need to find a replacement”, says Rashmi Sethi, a Partner in Mango Solutions, an HR solutions firm. This business was severely hit in recession but now with companies on a hiring spree the happy days are back again for HR consultants.

Marketing & advertising

These consultants take care of the most important traits of brand value and brand image. When a company is launching a new product or is expanding at a new location, marketing as well advertising consultants pitch in. Prior to the launch, the market research done and the analysis of customer preferences also come in their domain. In layman’s language we can say that they polish the image of the company and devise the tone and tenor of an advertising campaign for a product so that it is a hit with the target clientele.

Public relations

After the launch of a product and the advertising campaign, comes the role of PR consultancies. “Basically we devise ways and means to have a picture painted which sways the public opinion towards our clients. This we do through media campaigns in print and electronic media as well by organizing press conferences. At times we also organize live demonstrations for media”, says Alice Guram a Ludhiana based PR consultant. This is a very strong field where the pass-outs of journalism schools find fitment.

Accounting and finance

The most relevant and the most prominent of all the consultancies are the ones dealing with Accounting and Finance issues. Their services are utilized by all of the other consultancies mentioned above as well. How to maintain the books, which expenditure has to be curtailed, how many funds to pump and which should be the source of the funds, is all handled by them. Their ambit is very wide. Hardcore finance professionals like CA , ICWA as well passouts of M.Com and MFC have a scope in finding fitment in these consultancies.

First person
Right time to enter finance arena

Amit Goyal, Director, TKWS Institute of Banking and Finance

Banking and finance has become one of the fastest growing fields in the country with almost 85,000 vacancies in public sector banks and myriad opportunities in the private sector. This makes it an ideal career choice for students. The banking sector requires and demands people who are quick learners, extremely professional, have an ability to think and analyse things accurately and know the nuances of the banking sector, says Amit Goyal, Director of TKWS Institute of Banking and Finance. In an interview with Fazle Ghufran he talks about career opportunities in the sector. Excerpts:

What is the scope for students in banking and finance?

India is expected to become the third largest banking hub in the world by 2040. With a large workforce likely to retire in the near future, there will be ample opportunity for freshers in this field. As far as private banks are considered there are 1.5 lakh vacancies awaiting freshers. Right attitude, confidence and thorough knowledge are the key skills for those wanting to enter the field of finance.

What are the opportunities that are provided to the students apart from core banking area?

Opportunities are available in the core banking services like lending, depositing money, liason with various banks and institutions. Apart from this there are other jobs like easy credit, corporate credit, project credit, finance credit and consumer credit. Several banks like American Express, Max New York Life Insurance, ING Vyasa, India Bubs and Birla Sunlight have multiple vacancies currently for financial managers, tellers, bill and account collectors.

What is the eligibility for joining a PG diploma in banking and finance?

Basically the age limit should be between 21 and 27 and the candidate should have scored 50 per cent marks in graduation in any discipline. The candidate should also have basic knowledge about the banking sector. In order to get admission one has to undergo an aptitude test and a personal interview. The test is usually meant to gauge a candidate's English language skill, numerical ability, reasoning ability in the written test.

What about the salary that the students will receive after the completion of a diploma course?

Several MNCs, private banks, and financial companies are on a lookout for these professionals. The beginners can get a minimum package of Rs 10,000-15,000 per month and it keeps on increasing with experience.

Common sense key to success
Bernd Debusmann Jr.

Practical intelligence, or common sense, is key to success in business, according to a new study that highlights the importance of hands-on experience and learning by doing.

Researchers from American University in Washington D.C. and the University of Maryland found that entrepreneurs who learn from experience and experiment have an edge over those who acquire knowledge through reading and observation.

“Entrepreneurs, especially during the early stages of their start-ups, have to think on their feet,” said Professor Barbara Bird, of American University’s Kogod School of Business, whose findings will be published in the Personnel Psychology journal.

“They have to make the best decisions possible in the least amount of time. They need to act. Practical intelligence empowers them to act quickly and confidently.”

In their study Bird and her team focused on the printing and graphics industry because it includes new companies as well as the already established ones.

To compare levels of practical intelligence, the researchers asked 283 entrepreneurs to rank 10 types of decisions in order of importance in specific business scenarios. They then compared the answers to responses from 22 established CEOs in the printing industry who had started their own businesses.

The answers showed that the entrepreneurs who were most likely to run rapidly growing ventures had relevant experience in printing and graphics, learned through hands-on experience and experimentation. They also honed their practical intelligence by pursuing specific growth goals.

Although the researchers focused on one industry, Bird said practical intelligence is of universal importance for success of a business.

She added that Microsoft’s Bill Gates and Steve Jobs of Apple are prime examples of people who have displayed practical intelligence in achieving their entrepreneurial goals.

“One notion of practical intelligence is expertise. Bill Gates is an expert coder, which molded his approach to software. Steven Jobs is an expert in esign. Practical intelligence can be applied to any field,” she explained.

“Teachers and mentors involved in development should say ‘go do it’, and tell their students to go practice their craft, and make mistakes,” she said.

Bird added that many entrepreneurs say that they don’t fail. They make mistakes which gives them practicable knowledge that they can use. — Reuters

Diploma in real estate marketing
Course to tackle manpower shortage
S. C. Dhall

There is a huge manpower shortage in almost all functional areas of real estate, including property sales, marketing and brokerage. The situation is becoming worse day by day, especially in the functional area of property sales, marketing and broking, since there is no system of real estate education in India. The situation is becoming worse since there is no system of real estate education in India.

Considering the scenario, the National Institute of Real Estate Management (NIREM) has devised a specialised course which will not only enhance the knowledge and skills of the existing real estate professionals but also prepare freshers for a career in real estate sales, marketing and brokerage.

The course offers a step-by-step learning curve to understand the real estate business with particular emphasis on property sales, marketing and transactions. Course objective is to provide comprehensive knowledge and develop practical property business skills that traditionally take years to acquire. With this knowledge and practical business skills, participants would be able to manage complex property transactions with confidence and success. Those enrolling for the course would not be required to leave their job to pursue this course as the flexible class timings allow them to study as well as work.

The course is tailored to enable participants to continue with their routine with flexible class timing to enable study and work. This course is also ideal for people planning to start their own ventures. Candidates must have passed Plus II. Admission shall be offered on first come first served basis. The details can be obtained from www.nirem.org.

With course curriculum crafted to address the evolving needs of the Indian real estate sector while adhering to NIREM’s high academic standards, participants would experience a programme characterised by intellectual rigour, professional relevance, and have access to an extensive network of industry professionals.

NIREM is planned as a dedicated Centre for Real Estate Education, Training, Consulting & Research and offers degree, diploma and certificate level courses in addition to MDPs, Consulting and Research in different functional areas of real estate.

Scholarship

Carnegie Mellon University, an internationally renowned American university with campuses in USA, Doha, Qatar and Australia, is offering 12 scholarships to Indian students for a special May 2011 intake at its Adelaide campus in Australia. Each scholarship will be valued at approximately AU$38,000(approx Rs16 lakh), or higher for exceptional applicants.

Carnegie Mellon University is currently ranked 20th in the Times Higher Education rankings. It is also been ranked amongst top 10 universities in the USA by US News & World Report . While admissions are usually conducted in January and August at its Adelaide campus, Carnegie Mellon has created a special May intake for Indian students under this scholarship scheme.

James Jancu, Director of Marketing and External Relations, Carnegie Mellon, says, “This intake allows us to cater for the overwhelming interest we have received from India in our new two-year Master of Science in Information Technology (Information Technology Management) programme. The scholarships are also available to Indian students applying for our Master of Science in Public Policy and Management two-year track programme.”

Students can find more details about the scholarship on the website www.cmu.edu.au

Drop in real wages

Almost one-fourth of the companies surveyed in India have opined that real wages to their managerial-level employees have either been flat or declined over the last five years, a study has said.

The clerical, administrative and employees, who are compensated on an hourly basis, have actually been hit harder with over 25 per cent of the firms surveyed reporting that real wages had either been flat or declined, said Towers Watson’s Global Talent Management and Rewards Study 2010.

However, the incidence of real wage decline or stagnation for managerial-level employees over the past five years for Japanese, US and Chinese companies is higher at 71 per cent, 59 per cent and 47 per cent, respectively, it said.

This interesting revelation is in stark contradiction to the acknowledged fact, which the survey also endorses, that economic growth continues to drive increases in the real value of rewards in Asia, including India.

“While India has an impressive growth rate which is second only to China, the reason for the real wages being flat or declined is the high inflation rate that the Indian economy has been grappling with,” the study said.

It also stated that the drop or the flattening in real value of wages to the managerial staff in almost one-fourth of the companies surveyed is “disturbing” since a majority of the firms surveyed believe they offered opportunities to earn significantly higher levels of compensation to their professional/managerial cadre. — PTI

Happiness @ work
Gems of ancient wisdom
Listen to juniors

Grey hair or senior rank may not always be an indication of wisdom. Intelligent inputs could also come from a newcomer or a junior.

Once, young Nanak had taken his cattle to graze. An angry peasant came and complained to village chief Rai Bular that the cows had destroyed his crop. “Please inspect the field first,” the young Nanak said. On checking, the crop was found untouched.

Years later, a jealous officer in Daulat Khan Lodi’s court complained that Guru Nanak had distributed the entire grain in the granary to the poor. Again on inspection, everything was found to be in order.

Sikh soldiers caught worker Kanhaiya giving water to wounded Mughal soldiers and brought him before Guru Gobind Singh. “You told me to serve all those in need,” Kanhaiya just said in defence and the guru complimented him on having understood the word of the masters truly.

Instead of accepting little Prahlad’s belief that Vishnu is the Almighty, Hiranyakashyap continued to think of himself in that exalted position. Finally, the Lord emerged from a pillar as Narasimha to convince him of the truth.

Not paying attention to Prime Minister Rakshas’ advice not to disrespect learned persons, King Dhanananda of Magadha continued with his practice. This made ministers like Shaktar, scholars like Chanakya and warriors like Chandragupta gang up against him and finally oust him.

Despite being just a grocer’s son, Hemu had great military skills. Sultan Muhammad Adil Shah took his advice and Hemu led the forces under him to victory over Daulat Khan, Junaid Khan and Taj Khan. Had not a chance arrow killed him, he might have sent the young Akbar into political oblivion.

When Bhima told his son Ghatotkacha to carry the tired Draupadi to the top of the Gandhamadan mountain, he suggested that he and his companions would take the entire team to the top. By listening to Ghatotkacha’s advice, the Pandavas saved on a lot of effort and time.

Lord Dattatreya once told King Yadu, “My supreme knowledge has come from 24 gurus who are the earth, wind, sky, water, fire, moon, sun, pigeon, python, sea, moth, bee, elephant, beekeeper, deer, fish, prostitute, bird, child, unmarried girl, arrow maker, snake, spider and chameleon.”

As boss, one might be conversing with senior-ranked officials daily. To get a fresh perspective once in a while, risk listening to some opinions of the junior staff.