ego

Thanks giving – Gratitude

ego, Gratitude, Happiness, Human Brain

When I was a kid my mother was always insisting that whenever I interact with people, I use two phrases always …..’thank you sir & if you please’. I had taken them to heart and it is something that I have used with everyone from bell boys to CEOs and the guys who serve me coffee in front of the CEO when we meet.

In the US people will be celebrating Thanksgiving this weekend and I would also like to thank my readers and especially those who follow my blog. I know you’ll have a lot of options and limited time, so the fact that you share that time on my blogs is very critical to me. I hope I live up to your expectations.

My mother was a very intelligent lady, but I am not sure if she knew the impact those two statements have on us, when we speak them from a neuro science perspective. When in a state of gratitude / thanks keeps you happy. When you are in that state, you can’t be having negative thoughts because in a state of gratitude your brain feels safe. It doesn’t have survival at stake.

With the second phrase, by saying please you do two things. One you don’t let your brain bring your ego into the picture. Also the moment you say please, the other person’s guard is also let down, because you are requesting not ordering.

In today’s world our egos have become so fragile that we get into a rage at the slightest indication of someone even making a statement let alone ordering us. So when we start with ….can you please, if you can please….you are also helping the other person relax and listen to your request. She still may say no. But because she is relaxed she will not react in defensive manner.

By being in gratitude and saying thanks many times a day and requesting versus ordering also keeps you happy. So thank you all .

Enjoy your Thanksgiving.

Till next time then.

Carpe Diem!!!

Technology Adoption  – You are the challenge

ego, mindset, Product Management

I have written about multiple challenges in the adoption of a technology product or service from the marketplace.

However in a lot of cases its product management team who are the challenge.  This happens when they are so much in love with the product that they don’t see the signals that the market is sending.

Or a lot of times we get blinded by our ego and don’t see the changes that the market is undergoing. This is very critical in the technology space because there so many changes happening simultaneously in different layers of the fabric.

A typical case is that the cloud is bringing even high end computing in a consumption model and driving costs low.

Now someone with a unique idea can test a high end application at almost no cost from his home and release it in the market while your company has spent so many man-months.

If you think that no one will look at the application from the individual only because your company has a big money or brand, then you are letting your ego come in the way.

If you don’t have the humility to accept that the market decides what it likes then you are going to be shocked a lot.

Till next time then.

Carpe Diem!!!