सैटेलाइट इंटरनेट कैसे बदलने आ रहा हमारी जिंदगी?

2022 में देश में करीब 70 करोड़ इंटरनेट यूजर्स थे। इंटरनेट एंड मोबाइल असोसिएशन ऑफ इंडिया (IAMAI) की रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक 2025 तक यह तादाद करीब 90 करोड़ पहुंच चुकी होगी। जब तक आप इस खबर को पढ़ना खत्म करेंगे, करीब 500 से 600 नए लोग इंटरनेट के साथ जुड़ चुके होंगे। इंटरनेट की बात चली है तो दो तरह के ऑप्शन दिमाग में आते हैं, पहला है ब्रॉडबैंड और दूसरा मोबाइल इंटरनेट। ब्रॉडबैंड में बीते कुछ साल से ऑप्टिकल फाइबर इंटरनेट काफी पॉपुलर हुआ है तो वहीं पिछले साल 5जी ने भी देश में एंट्री मार ली है। अब टेलीकॉम और टेक्नॉलजी की दुनिया की दिग्गज कंपनियां सैटेलाइट इंटरनेट देश में उतारने की तैयारियों में जुट गई हैं। इसकी मदद से बिना तार और बगैर मोबाइल टावर के सीधे आसमान से इंटरनेट आपके घरों तक पहुंचेगा। देश-दुनिया में इंटरनेट के इतने बड़े नेटवर्क में आखिर कहां खामियां हैं, जहां से सैटेलाइट इंटरनेट के लिए दरवाजा खुल रहा है? क्या है यह और कैसे काम करता है? क्यों आखिर बड़ी कंपनियां सैटेलाइट से इंटरनेट देना चाहती हैं? 5जी के मुकाबले क्या बेहतर होगा सैटेलाइट इंटरनेट और किन के काम आ सकती है यह सर्विस? इन्हीं सवालों के जवाब तलाशने में हम आपकी मदद करेंगे।

सबसे पहले जानते हैं सैटेलाइट इंटरनेट के लिए किन कंपनियों में होड़ होगी?

दुनिया के कई देशों में सैटेलाइट इंटरनेट सर्विस मिल रही है। टेस्ला के सीईओ ईलॉन मस्क की कंपनी स्टारलिंक, रिलायंस जियो और एयरटेल भारत में इसे लाने की तैयारी में हैं। स्टारलिंक ने तो इंडिया में इस सर्विस के लिए बुकिंग भी शुरू कर दी थी, लेकिन परमिशन नहीं मिलने पर इसे वापस लेना पड़ा। हालांकि यह देश में एंट्री के लिए फिर कोशिश कर रही है। कंपनी ने लाइसेंस के लिए पिछले साल फिर अप्लाई भी किया है। इसके अलावा रिलायंस जियो ने सैटेलाइट इंटरनेट के लिए एसईएस कंपनी से हाथ मिलाया है। यह कंपनी ग्लोबली सैटेलाइट कनेक्टिविटी देने का काम करती है। वहीं भारती एयरटेल ने ह्यूजेज कम्युनिकेशन इंडिया प्राइवेट लिमिटेड (HCIPL) के साथ मिलकर एक जॉइंट वेंचर 'वनवेब' बनाया है।

सैटेलाइट इंटरनेट से क्या बदल जाएगा?

कोरोना पीरियड में कितने ही लोग घर से काम करने की सुविधा होने के बावजूद अपने गांव नहीं जा सके, क्योंकि वहां ब्रॉडबैंड अभी पहुंचा ही नहीं। मोबाइल कनेक्टिविटी भी अभी भरोसेमंद नहीं है। कोरोना ने स्कूलों के दरवाजे बंद किए तो न जाने कितने बच्चों की पढ़ाई छूट गई, क्योंकि ऑनलाइन क्लास के लिए इंटरनेट जरूरी था और दूरदराज के इलाके अभी भी इससे अछूते हैं। टेलीकॉम टॉक के मुताबिक भारत में मई 2021 तक केवल 1 फीसदी घरों में ऑप्टिकल फाइबर कनेक्शन थे। मोबाइल नेटवर्क की भी अपनी सीमाएं हैं। सभी जगह टावर लगाने संभव नहीं हैं। मौजूदा इंटरनेट सेवाओं की इन्हीं कमियों के बीच सैटेलाइट इंटरनेट के लिए रास्ता बन जाता है।

इसकी सबसे बड़ी खासियत है कि यह उन दूरदराज के इलाकों तक भी इंटरनेट पहुंचाएगा जो किसी भी वजह से अब तक इससे अछूते थे। गांवों में ऑनलाइन सर्विस का दायरा बढ़ेगा। स्टूडेंट्स भी डिजिटल एजुकेशन का हिस्सा बन पाएंगे। भूकंप और बाढ़ जैसी आपदा या दूसरी किसी इमरजेंसी सिचुएशन में यह बहुत यूजफुल साबित होगा, क्योंकि ऐसे वक्त केबल या मोबाइल टावर खराब हो जाते हैं। सैटेलाइट इंटर इस दरमियान भी काम कर सकता है। इसके साथ ही सेना के जवानों के लिए भी यह कारगर रहेगा, क्योंकि कई बार ऐसी जगह इनकी तैनाती होती है जहां इंटरनेट के लिए इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर नहीं होता है। ऐसे इलाकों में सीधे सैटेलाइट से इंटरनेट पहुंचाया जा सकता है।

क्या 5जी से बेहतर होगा यह?

इंटरनेट स्पीड के मामले में 5जी सर्विस सैटेलाइट इंटरनेट से ज्यादा तेज है। लेकिन, ऐसी जगह जहां मोबाइल टावर नहीं लगाए जा सकते या जहां केबल बिछाना मुश्किल है। ऐसे दूरदराज के गांवों, पहाड़ों तक इंटरनेट पहुंचाने में सैटेलाइट इंटरनेट गेम चेंजर साबित हो सकता है। हालांकि इसमें भी एक दिक्कत है, तेज बारिश, बर्फबारी और आंधी-तूफान में सिग्नल आने में रुकावट आ सकती है, जैसे डीटीएच टीवी सर्विस में थोड़ी परेशानी आती है।

कैसे काम करता है सैटेलाइट इंटरनेट?

आसान तरीके से समझिए तो जैसे आपका टीवी डिश एंटीना की मदद से चलता है, कुछ उसी तरह सैटेलाइट इंटरनेट भी काम करता है। इंटरनेट प्रोवाइडर कंपनी अपना रिसीवर या एंटीना आपके घर या आसपास लगाएंगे। कंपनी स्पेस में मौजूद सैटेलाइट को इंटरनेट सिग्नल भेजते हैं जो आप की छत पर लगे रिसीवर तक पहुंचता है। इसे मॉडम से कनेक्ट किया जाता है, जिससे वायरलेस इंटरनेट मिल जाता है। इंटरनेट स्पीड की बात करें तो इसके जरिए यूजर्स को 50 Mbps से 200 Mbps की स्पीड मिलती है।

How to Overcome Regret.

Try these tactics for moving on and getting over.

Regrets. We’ve all had a few. In researching how to get over regret, we found three excellent examples of people who did so in such thoughtful, meaningful ways. And there are some general tactics, should you find yourself mired in remorse:

• Own up to it.

Accept your responsibility in the negative experience.

• Move on.

Let go of what you cannot and could not control.

• Apologize.

If you hurt another person—whether intentionally or inadvertently—apologize, mend bridges, or otherwise express how you feel. Then let it go.

• Free yourself.

Decide that you deserve to be free from the negative feelings surrounding the episode.

• Learn from it.

Seek to identify the lessons inherent in the experience.

• Say thanks.

Express gratitude for the experience, as it can and will bring insight, if you allow it.

Danyell Taylor

36; principal of a creative communications firm; Dallas

For years I was hung up on the fact I dropped out of my master’s program at Howard University with only two classes left. In 2008 the job market was poor, and I could secure only internships in my field. I constantly obsessed over the idea that being a graduate school dropout was the reason my career stalled. I complained a lot to my family and friends. Although I tried to journal my feelings, there were days I totally gave up on my chosen career field.

Starting in 2009, I went back to school. I began calling the chair of my graduate program with frequency to tell her I would graduate, and I called on two important people to keep me accountable. I began visualizing myself graduating, living, loving and working in Washington, D.C. I graduated in Spring 2011. I was determined to succeed. I landed a job at a public relations firm, then later an advocacy organization. My life has improved because I see how I loved myself back from the brink and others deeply believed in my ability to live the life I deserved. I had to see the hiatus in my graduate program as an opportunity to grow up more, give more and come back into myself stronger.

Meiyoko Taylor

37; author and personal-development coach; Cherry Hill, New Jersey

I was so focused on trying to understand why I lost myself for seven years in a relationship that I knew in my heart wouldn’t work. The realization that I had buried my passions, aspirations and goals was hard to swallow. I spent day after day thinking of ways I could have been more attentive to what I desired for my life and things I would have done differently to avoid wasting so much precious time.

Depressed, I would deliberately avoid important phone calls or sabotage big interviews because I felt I didn’t deserve to be successful. Due to my own misery, I was negative, defensive and argumentative, and people who loved to be in my company eventually began to separate themselves altogether. I was nearly 100 pounds overweight and had a host of digestive conditions because of the stress. I hit rock bottom.

One day I looked in the mirror and had a conversation with my inner self. I promised that I would never again allow myself to bury my dreams because of a person or circumstance. I gave my life to prayer, meditation and self-discovery. The more I began to focus on bringing more positive people, thoughts and actions into my life, the more everything began to change around me. My emotional eating habits were erased when I cared enough about myself to take notice of my physical health. My mental and physical energy were at an all-time high. I felt absolutely wonderful. There was no room for regret because my new mindset opened me up to a future of unlimited possibilities. Since then I have used that experience to help others transform their lives and journey down a path toward success.

Keisha Blair

40; co-founder of Aspire-Canada, an online platform for young professionals; Ottawa, Ontario

When I was 31, my husband passed away suddenly. I was overwhelmed with grief and regret for not forcing him to go to the doctor sooner, not having spent enough time with him, and for not saying “I love you” much more than I did. Professionally I found it hard to focus at work because of the sudden tragedy, and because I was now a single mom with two young kids and responsibilities to shoulder on my own. All of my new relationships seemed second-rate compared to my old life. I was treating my present like an Option B.

I took a yearlong sabbatical and lived in Jamaica. I hiked, cooked healthy meals, meditated, prayed and wrote. Finally I accepted there was nothing I could have done to change the outcome. I realized I would have to accept it, as it would enslave me and keep me captive forever if I didn’t move on. The results have been incredible. I am healthier physically, spiritually and emotionally. My businesses are now mission-driven and thriving. This journey has allowed me to embrace my new life and to see my experience as a hidden gift that’s made me a better person.

Align Your Business Goals to Multiply Your Success.

How to coordinate your branding, marketing and sales efforts toward a singular vision.

Are your branding, marketing and sales efforts properly aligned? You must carefully and deliberately combine these influential aspects of your business with specific purpose and measurable outcomes. Many leaders don’t clarify with their teams how branding, marketing and sales should work together. But it’s a must! Once individual roles and goals are defined, everyone can pull toward the vision and execute with focus.

Here are some things to consider:

Branding:

Are you clear on your potential customers? Are you narrowing who will buy your services or talent? That clarity is crucial. Sometimes you need to brand for a niche group of customers, not to the entire market. Be clear on who will buy as well as what buying language they speak and understand. Then craft your written, spoken and visual messages appropriately.

Marketing:

Are you tying your marketing to your brand so the connection is clear? Do the two look alike and send the same messages? Every aspect of your communication—web content, social media, news releases, etc.—should move together and be smoothly synchronized. From there, you can create tools for your team to use during sales presentations.

Sales:

Do your sales tools match up with your branding and marketing efforts? Your toolkit should contain pieces that complement one another. Pull out these two pieces for this customer, a different pair to suit a different one. From PowerPoint slide sets to elevator speeches, all of your sales tools should be mined from branding and marketing research.

When you are intentional about your business development and carefully arrange all of the moving pieces, you will see real improvements.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Naming Your Business.

Avoid common pitfalls like double meanings.

Starting a new business is one of the most exciting moments in your career, let alone your life. There are a thousand details to address, so it’s important not to get carried away with your enthusiasm and overlook potential problems.

Your business name is a particular area in which to take care, because it’s such an integral part of your company’s identity. For many customers, it will be the first thing they see. Perhaps you came up with what feels like the perfect name without really thinking it through, or perhaps you’ve struggled to find a name and will just stick something together at the last moment. Either approach can be hazardous because there are many things that can go wrong with a business name.From unintended double meanings to unavailable domain names, you need to make sure to avoid the many possible downfalls that your business name can face. To help you, check out this new infographic with some sound business-naming advice.

Must-Have Traits of Successful Leaders.

These soft skills create hard results.
Leadership styles have shifted steadily over the past couple of decades. This shift has been prompted by the generational evolution of the workforce makeup resulting in a shift of leadership demographics. As the veteran generation and baby boomers begin to retire, so too retires the military style of management in favor of the softer side of leadership that millennials bring to the table.

This more feel-good leadership style has been propagated by many of today’s most prolific authors and leadership advisors. Why? Because we are realizing that leading people, as opposed to leading initiatives or leading projects, ultimately requires soft skills. Not only that, but those soft skills can be developed.In today’s business climate, you are quickly becoming a dinosaur if you believe that the personal side of leadership is unnecessary or unimportant. You are managing people, not robots. In order to be a good people leader, you must recognize that people are human, full of frailties, and swayed by influences and happenings outside of work. Part of being human is making mistakes. The solution is not punishment, but to help them identify areas where they can improve.

Managing the personal portion of leadership while still achieving goals and hitting deadlines requires the art of leadership, as opposed to the science. As the leader, you’re managing for results and outcomes. But results don’t come without relationships, connections and personal investment.

If you’re not getting the results you want, it may be the soft stuff that you’re lacking. Here are the five soft leadership skills that affect the bottom line the most directly, and how leaders can develop them:

1. They have emotional intelligence.

Leaders with developed emotional intelligence have the ability to sense, appreciate and effectively apply the power and acumen of emotions to facilitate higher levels of collaboration and productivity. Success is the combination of self-awareness—recognizing your own moods and emotion—with self-regulation—the ability to control disruptive emotions—and finally motivation—an intrinsic desire to effectively accomplish your goals.

Acute emotional intelligence allows managers to regulate their own moods and behaviors so that they have a more favorable impact on others. It also helps leaders recognize and draw out personal conflict within their employees—and to help solve the problem by offering empathy and additional resources as needed. Self-awareness is making sure that whatever is bothering you doesn’t become a team problem, and helping others recognize and do the same.

Potential results: increased productivity and camaraderie among employees who don’t allow their personal issues or foibles to rule their workday.

2. They are good communicators.

Under the guise of getting things done, leaders don’t often take enough time to fine-tune the way they interact with others and convey their messages, either verbally or in writing.

People in general tend to be sensitive to the way they want people to communicate with them, but they are less sensitive to recognizing the ways others want to be communicated with. For example, if an outgoing and fast-paced person corners an introverted colleague in the hall for a quick decision on a complicated work plan, chances are that person will shut down and not completely receive the message.

Developing communication skills goes beyond proficient writing or speaking. It is also the ability to adjust how you communicate so that the other person is receiving the message you intend. This creates clarity in communication, which reduces opportunities for misunderstanding.

Potential results: a team that functions smoothly without the distraction of misunderstandings and ineffective communication.

3. They are coaches.

People don’t like to be told what to do, talked at or ordered around. The command-and-control model of management is out of date.

Employee coaching is instead about facilitating and supporting a person’s professional growth, as opposed to giving a directive for a straight line between where they are and what they need to do. This approach requires more skill and finesse than command and control. The leader’s goal as a coach is to help the team learn, grow and create outcomes independently.

Leaders who are coaches will identify what is preventing people from being effective and give them the tools to teach themselves, instead of just telling them.

When a commanding style is used, it almost always sets up a barrier for employee engagement. If you constantly tell your employees what to do, it could prevent them from taking more initiative and a self-starting approach to the job. It is also setting up an expectation in the job that your employees don’t have to think because they will be told what to do.

Potential results: employees who can solve problems, create innovation and eventually lead.

4. They have interpersonal skills.

A leader with effective interpersonal skills is respectful of employees and has the ability to easily build rapport. This leader attempts to see the situation from the other person’s perspective, listening actively to understand ideas being presented and empathizing when needed.

Leaders with developed interpersonal skills can also help their teams cultivate relationships by encouraging understanding and thoughtfulness. These leaders also show sensitivity to diversity issues, celebrate distinctions and help facilitate relationships among those who may be different.

There is team strength in different points of view, varied approaches to problems and ideas inspired by distinctive life experiences. Interpersonal skills develop relationships that add to the richness and effectiveness of the team.

Potential results: enhanced relationships and gelling as a team to achieve group goals and increase performance.

5. They are others-oriented.

Think of the best manager you ever had. Chances are this manager appreciated you. This skill is about being others-oriented as opposed to being self-oriented. A leader who appreciates others will take the time to connect with employees, making them feel important, heard, understood and valued.

Appreciating others also involves recognizing employees for their ideas and contributions to the team or the project. If you make a habit of showing appreciation to each person on your team on a monthly or even quarterly basis, you will see a significant shift in employee loyalty and production.

Potential results: employees who work harder and are more dedicated.

These five skills naturally dovetail with each other, but when you aggregate them and practice them, you will be a better leader—and even a better person. It’s important to recognize that while some may view these skills as “soft,” they are anything but. Strengthening these skills will result in more effectiveness, productivity and stronger results from your team. And that goes straight to the bottom line.

Steps to Get Others Interested In Your Ideas

Steps to Get Others Interested In Your Ideas.

People are always asking me, What's the next step? They have a great idea, cause or issue they're fired up about, but are unsure of what to do next. Well, if you want to start a business, create a new book club or change how your team works together, you can’t do it alone. Any change, or what I call a wave, takes interest from others.

Here are some quick tips for making sure that you are building interest from others in your plans and ideas.
 

1. Remember "What’s in it for us?"– not just "What’s in it for me?"

People get on board when they can see a bigger ‘why’ – the broader impact in your team, the community, or organization. Sharing the financial goal isn’t enough.  First off, make sure you know the bigger why and then then share it often.  And, it will keep you motivated.

The Gem started as one of the first juice bars in Dallas. Since then it has grown to include much more.  It first began when one of their founders, Leslie Needleman, used healthy eating in her treatment and recovery from breast cancer. Their ‘why’ has always been about being healthy, and as a result, they share more than juice. They offer nutritional counseling, classes and information. Their purpose is based on ‘what’s in it for us’ – not just ‘what’s in it for me’.
 

2. Find your idea partners.

In my research on those who start changes, big and small, I learned that the very first sparks of the idea usually began on the back of a napkin, in a cab or over a glass of wine.  Those important discussions can help your idea take shape and also understand how others see it. These early idea partners will also be so important in spreading the word.

In writing my new book, I relied on several idea partners and I learned where I had blocks, what wasn’t clear and learned too. My friend Kristi Erickson was an important one for me and she came in with a fresh perspective that helps so much when you have worked on your change for a long time. These same idea partners have been wonderful advocates for me as the book became a reality.
 

3. Think small and bite-sized.

We are busy people! Our attention span is now about seven seconds and about 30% less than it was just ten years ago. We are connected to multiple devices and multi-tasking has become an art form. This means you have to get others’ attention quickly.

Don’t aim for everything at once. Many of the Wave Makers mentioned in my book, Make Waves: Be the One to Start Change at Work and in Life, didn’t ask for everything at once. They were incrementalists.

Julie Porter, of Front Porch Marketing, asked her close network over for dinner a few years ago to brainstorm the launch of her new business. She didn’t ask for too much, just come to dinner and share ideas. After a fun night of conversation, we all left thinking, How can we help her get her business started? But, she didn’t ask us for that much at first.4. Go retro and rely on conversations.

We communicate so much through technology that it’s the norm these days. It’s fast, efficient and we have several devices that make it easy to do so.

Yet, when we receive an email that includes 30 other people or see a post asking for ideas or input, we often assume that someone else will respond and move on. Contrast that with when you receive a call or have a personal conversation with someone asking for your ideas and participation. It’s different. You are much more likely to engage. And, it shows that your participation matters.
 

5. Get some points on the board.

Quick momentum can help your new idea take off. This is more than just good buzz. Be strategic about the kind of momentum that will help you.

If you watch the ABC hit show Shark Tank, you know that if you want investors, you need some proven sales history and a commitment for future sales. If you have an idea to try a new technology at work, involvement and support from an expert or key influencer may be your momentum builder. Know the momentum builder that fits your need and situation and that will propel you forward to your bigger goal.

Make waves. Start the change or calling you can't stop thinking about and make an action today. Yet, remember that waves build through interest from others one by one. You can’t do it alone.

John C. Maxwell: How to Become an Idea Catalyst

John C. Maxwell: How to Become an Idea Catalyst.

Start crafting innovative ideas with these seven tips.

Mike Duke spent 16 years working for retailers that competed with Wal-Mart. So when he joined Wal-Mart’s executive team, Mike had a pretty good idea of what made the discount retailer so tough to beat.

“When you thought you had Wal-Mart pegged,” Duke once said in a magazine interview, “they’d be evolving into something else.”

Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart, instinctively knew that great leaders create ideas that are the key to organizational growth and success. And while the leadership has changed since Mr. Walton’s death, Wal-Mart maintains its industry leadership position because its leadership maintains its commitment to new ideas.

Such a commitment goes beyond merely coming up with ideas. Sure, leaders come up with ideas. That’s part of the job description. But if no one else generates and improves ideas, then the leader is only leading one person—himself. Great leaders are the catalysts for great ideas.

So how do you become a catalyst for ideas? Here are seven ways:

Think about the business. 
Ideas come at the strangest of times, but they never come when our minds are closed to them. Great idea people always have at least one eye on the boat dock, just in case opportunity sails up for a visit.

Ask questions about the business. 
Great idea people are great questioners. They strive to understand the people around them and the processes that make their organization run. They embrace what works, but they challenge the system.

Focus on potential and problems. 
Great idea people focus on two areas of the business: ideas that develop more potential and ideas that reduce problems.

Know your idea people. 
INJOY has an “idea room.” But we don’t invite all our employees when we want to have an idea meeting. Instead, we call 12 to 15 idea people—those who understand the particular topic and who consistently come up with great ideas.

Include your idea people. 
When great idea people have an idea, the first thing they do is bring other trusted idea people together for their opinions. Don’t try to make it better yourself. The fact is, you probably already hit your limit by getting the idea! Get other like-minded people and let them jump on that idea, too.

Have high expectations. 
Great idea people leave team meetings charged up, not drained, because the people around them took an idea and improved it. But if they didn’t improve it, then the team needs some changes. Your idea people need to know that you expect them to improve the idea. If they can make an idea much better, they get to come to the next meeting. If they can’t make it much better, they don’t come to another meeting.

Give credit where credit is due. 
When someone makes an idea better, they deserve the credit. This is huge! People are motivated when their good work is acknowledged. Tom Peters had it right when he said, “Weed out the dullards and nurture the nuts.”

Clearly, there’s more to creating great ideas than just coming up with ideas. Creating great ideas is a process that involves many people, and those people need a leader—a catalyst who ensures that ideas, like people, mature into something special.

The Power of Asking Questions

The Power of Asking Questions.
You can learn something from everyone—if you’re curious enough.
Have you ever had a conversation with someone who only responded in two- or three-word sentences, and you walked away feeling like you learned very little? The person might not have been intentionally giving you short answers; perhaps you could have phrased your questions better. A lot of people fail to understand the power of asking quality questions.One effective tip for asking stronger questions is to frame questions in a positive tone. For example, ask, “How can I help with that?” instead of, “What do I have to do?” Framing things positively assures the direction of the conversation and leaves others with a pleasant memory of the exchange.

Listening matters. When we ask good questions, we are more likely to get responses worth listening to and answers that have valuable information for us personally or professionally. If you want to increase your impact and accomplish even better results, become a master at listening.

Curiosity is key. A few years ago, I participated on a panel about success with Zig Ziglar and Denis Waitley. The three of us were interviewed in Zig’s studio by our friend Gerhard Gschwandtner, founder and CEO of Selling Power Inc. At one point during the interview, I reversed the question to Gerhard: “What do you think is the key to success?” He surprised me with his response: Curiosity. He suggested that curiosity allows a person to ask questions, learn and truly grow.

You can learn from everyone.

Why Do You Do What You Do?

Why Do You Do What You Do?

When I was growing up, I remember reading a story in Reader’s Digest about a young woman preparing a holiday meal. It went something like this:

As this young woman was preparing a holiday ham to go into the oven, her new husband watched as she cut both ends off of the ham before putting it into the pan. This struck him as odd, so he asked, “Why do you cut off the ends of the ham?” She paused for a moment and then replied, “I’m not sure. That’s just how my mom always did it.” They immediately called the young woman’s mother to find out why she cuts the ends off of her ham before putting it into the oven. The mother, too, paused and then replied, “I’m not really sure. That’s what my mother always did so that’s how I’ve always done it.”

Their sparks of curiosity were now fanned into flames, so the young woman called her grandmother to get to the bottom of this mystery. As she shared the reason for her call with her grandmother, her grandmother burst into laughter. After she had finished laughing, the young woman asked what was so funny. “Oh my dear,” the grandmother said still chuckling, “the reason I cut the ends off of my hams was that my pan was too short and I couldn’t fit it in otherwise.”

The lesson I took from this story when I first read it was to always know why I did everything. Later in life, I realized this story is a cautionary tale about how blindly we fall into the trap of best practices at the expense of ourselves and our organizations.

The story of the ham illustrates some key flaws about best practices:

Best practices, by requirement, are old practices.

For a practice to elevate to the status of “best,” it requires that some person or group of people originally created a new practice, often in a large company, and documented the results of the practice over time.

Eventually they share their work with others. People at other organizations hear about the practice and decide to start convincing their own organization to implement this practice. This takes time. Sometimes a lot of time. And this usually happens several times before we even hear about it.

In a business climate where an organization’s ability to adapt and respond to change is a critical competency to survival, turning to “best” practices is like looking to the past for solutions to problems that only exist in the future.

The value of a practice is situational and depends on context.

For Grandma, cutting both ends off of a ham was effective given that her pan was too small to fit the whole ham—a clear best practice for her. As soon as her daughter (who likely had access to a larger pan) began copying this practice, it became wasteful and unnecessary—hardly how we would typically define “best.”

Journals, blogs and conferences highlight “case studies” of success for others to emulate. We hear the stories of what Southwest Airlines, Zappos or Google did to achieve their remarkable success. And our instinct is to take what an organization did and apply that to our own organization without understanding why they did it. This is the equivalent to seeing Grandma cut the ends off of her ham and deciding that’s what I should do, too.

The problem, of course, is that we rarely understand the complex situation in which these practices were designed and implemented. The true value in case studies is to understand the thought process and approach used to arrive at an effective solution, not the solution itself. To do this implies using a strategy most effectively employed by 3-year-olds—to ask “why” over and over and over again.

The Victoria Memorial story...

When was it built: Built between 1906 to 1921

Who built it: Conceptualised by George Curzon, Viceroy of India

Where is it located: Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Why was it built: To commemorate Queen Victoria 

Architectural Style: Indo-Saracenic revivalist style

Visiting Hours: 10am-5pm (Monday-Sunday)

How to Reach: Located in the metro city of Kolkata which is well-connected with several national and international cities.

Image Credit:

The Victoria Memorial, a huge monument made of white marble located in the heart of the City of Joy, Kolkata (erstwhile Calcutta) in West Bengal, India is one of the most famous monuments in West Bengal that has become a museum and popular tourist spot of the state. A brainchild of George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston and Viceroy of India, this monument epitomising beauty and elegance was dedicated to the memory of Queen Victoria (1819–1901). This grand and exquisite memorial not only stands as reminiscence to the rule of British Crown in the Indian subcontinent but also stands out as an excellent architectural gem in Indo-Saracenic revivalist style. It is a must visit tourist destination for first time visitors to experience the essence of Victorian era in the midst of the bustling metro city of Kolkata.

History

Queen Victoria who remained Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland since June 20, 1837 and Empress of India since May 1, 1876 passed away on January 22, 1901. Following her demise, Lord Curzon conceived the idea of constructing a colossal and grand building with a museum and gardens where one and all can have a glimpse of the rich past. The foundation stone of the monument was laid on January 4, 1906 by the Prince of Wales George V who later became King George V on May 6, 1910. In 1921, the memorial was opened to public; however it became part of a provincial city instead of the capital city as by the time its construction completed, the capital of India was transferred from Calcutta to New Delhi under the instruction of King George V. An appeal made by Curzon to fund the construction of the memorial saw many including royals, individuals as well as the British government in London to come forward and contribute voluntarily. The total cost of building the memorial came to Rs. 105, 00,000.

 Construction & Architecture

William Emerson, the then president of the Royal Institute of British Architects was the chief architect of the memorial that was designed in Indo-Saracenic revivalist style. The style encompassed a blend of British architectural style with that of Egyptian, Venetian, Deccani, Mughal and other Islamic styles. Build of Makrana marble brought from Jodhpur, Rajasthan, it measures 103 m by 69 m with a height of 56 m. Scottish physician and botanist Sir David Prain and Lord Redesdale were entrusted to design the vast garden areas covering 64 acres while garden gates and the bridge of the north aspect were designed by Vincent J. Esch. Messrs. The garden is presently maintained by a group of 21 gardeners. Martin & Co. of Calcutta carried out the construction work of the memorial. Certain additions were made to the memorial post independence of India.

Image Credit : Wikipedia.org

Attractions

There are 25 galleries inside the memorial including the royal gallery, the sculpture gallery and the Calcutta gallery among others. Several portraits of Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and oil paintings portraying different moments of their lives are displayed in the royal gallery. The newer addition was the Calcutta gallery, concept of which was advocated in the mid 1970s by the then minister for education, Saiyid Nurul Hasan. He became Governor of Bengal and Odisha as also Chairman of the memorial’s Board of Trustees in 1986 and in 1992 the Calcutta gallery was opened. One can have a sneak peek of the yesteryear Calcutta and its gradual development through the visual displays of the gallery starting from the days of Job Charnock during the 17th century to 1911 when New Delhi replaced Calcutta as India’s capital. Another addition, the National Leader's gallery displays relics and portraits associated with Indian independence.

It is a house of remarkable collections of paintings, artefacts, weapons, textiles, coins and stamps among others and maintains few possessions of the Queen like her writing desk and chair and scrapbooks. Rare collection of books is preserved here like the Rubaiyat by Omar Khayyam and masterpieces of William Shakespeare.

On the marble staircase at the entrance of the memorial is a bronze statue of Queen Victoria seated on a bronze throne wearing robes of the Star of India. Other statues around the building include that of Edward VII, Curzon, Dalhousie and Hastings among others. Another attraction of the memorial is the Angel of Victory, a black bronze angel placed atop its dome. Fixed to its pedestal with ball bearings, the Angel of Victory with a bugle in her hand rotates as wind blows strongly. Several allegorical sculptures like Justice, Motherhood, Architecture, Learning and Prudence in and around the dome enhance the British aura of the place.

Events

It holds regular Light & Sound (Son-et-Lumiere) shows except on Mondays, Holi, national holidays and during July to September. Rate of tickets are Rs. 10/- and Rs.20/-. The show timings are as under:

March-June – From 6.45 pm to 7.30 pm in Bengali and from 7.45 pm to 8.30 pm in English
October-February – From 6.15 pm to 7.00 pm in Bengali and from 7.15 pm to 8.00 pm in English

Image Credit:

Visiting the Memorial
 
Over the years the memorial has not only emerged as one of the most famous tourist destinations of Kolkata but has also remained a favourite spot for family and friends apart from holding a special place for lovebirds. As night falls, lighting of the Victoria Memorial makes it look even more mesmerizing.  

One can visit the museum of Victoria Memorial Hall from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm on week days excluding Monday. It remains closed on Republic Day, Holi, Independence Day, Id-ul-Fitr, Gandhi Jayanti, Dusserah and Christmas. Entry fee per person to the museum is Rs. 10/- for Indians and Rs. 150/- for foreigners. Entry is free for uniformed school children up to 12 years of age and for uniformed army personnel. 

Garden area of the memorial remains open for visitors round the year from 5.30 am to 7.00 pm. Entry ticket per person is Rs. 4/- (Daily), Rs. 100/- (Monthly) and Rs. 1000/- (Yearly). However visitors may be restricted entry to the garden by order of the authority.

Tips Mental Techniques to Improve Your Time Management

Mental Techniques to Improve Your Time Management.

Get more done faster and easier.Beneficial time management is something most of us struggle with. In a world that certainly has no shortage of distractions, it becomes all too easy to waste away hours or even days on activities that are neither useful nor really all that enjoyable.If you would like to start getting more value out of the hours you’ve been given, check out these seven mental techniques for improving your time management.

Visualize your daily goals.

When you wake up each morning, decide then and there what you want to do with that day. What tasks do you want to accomplish? What activities do you want to enjoy? (It’s important to note that daily goals don’t necessarily have to be work related. Perhaps your goal for the day is to spend time with your family or enjoy a day on the golf course.) Then take a few minutes to visualize these tasks as already completed. How would you feel if they were already done? This sense of fulfillment will renew your drive to complete your tasks that day and not put them off any longer.

Make a to-do list.

One of the best time-management tools you can use is a to-do list. Something about writing out the tasks you have to complete on a piece of paper makes them feel more doable. It provides you with a visible, tangible way to see how much you have still to do and keep track of the things that you’ve already done. As an added bonus, marking an item off your to-do list is a feel-good reward in and of itself.

 Stop multitasking.

There are a lot of people who feel as if they are really good at multitasking, but very few of us actually are. Studies have shown that we are almost always less productive when we are trying to accomplish multiple tasks at once. By learning how to prioritize, you’ll be able to get much more done than if you were multitasking. In fact, not only are we less productive when we multitask, it can also increase your chances of getting burned out, as it is both more difficult and more stressful than focusing your efforts on a single task. Instead of trying to get everything done at once, start checking things off your to-do list one task at a time, focusing all of your attention on that single task until it is complete.

Avoid putting off tasks.

We as humans have this unfortunate tendency to spend more mental energy worrying about the tasks we have to do than we spend actually doing them. When you put off tasks, they’re always going to be in the back of your mind. It’s difficult to enjoy leisure time when you’re always either consciously or subconsciously thinking about the work you are putting off. To avoid wasting mental energy worrying about these unfinished to-do’s, always complete tasks as they come up.

Set deadlines.

Few things are more motivating than a deadline. Some tasks given to you will inherently come with a deadline, but for tasks that don’t, you stand to benefit a lot by setting one of your own. Deadlines have a way of breaking procrastination and can motivate you even when you have no desire to complete the task. It’s important, though, when you set deadlines for yourself that you actually stick to them. If you start ignoring the deadlines you set, then soon they will have little value to your time management efforts.

Reward yourself.

When you complete a task, reward yourself! That doesn’t mean you have to throw a huge celebration every time you check something off your to-do list. For many people, the reward for finishing a task is something as simple as going outside for a breath of fresh air or getting a can of soda from the refrigerator. Just make sure that whatever rewards you give yourself are healthy and don’t take up too much of your time. For example, eating a box of donuts every time you finish a task probably isn’t a good idea, and neither is taking the next two hours off. When done right, though, small rewards can have a big effect.

Take time to relax.

If you’re like most of us, no matter how much you do, there will always still be tasks that you could be working on. Sometimes this feeling of never really being caught up can be overwhelming, and you may find yourself trying to compensate by working even longer and harder. There almost always comes a point, though, when you will burn out. From that point forward, no matter how hard you try, the work you do is not going to be the same quality as it was before, and the time it takes you to do it is going to be increased. What’s worse, burning yourself out certainly isn’t healthy.

It’s important to know when to take a step back and relax—for example, working breaks into your daily goals and rewarding yourself with short periods of relaxation. However you make the time for it, just know that taking that time for yourself is every bit as important for good time management as taking the time to complete your tasks.

By following these mental techniques to improve your time management, you’ll be able to get more done faster and easier than you ever thought possible.