Prakash Iyer, Managing Director, Kimberly-Clark Lever and Executive
Coach shares two important management lessons he learnt from a
500-rupee note. Read on: -
It happened some years ago but I can recall the evening like it
happened just last week.
I was in an audience listening to a motivational guru. The speaker
whipped out his wallet and pulled out a five hundred-rupee note.
Holding it up, he asked, "Who wants this five hundred rupee note?"
Lots of hands went up. Including mine.
A slow chorus began to build as people began to shout "Me!" "Me!" I
began to wonder who the lucky one would be who the speaker would
choose. And I also secretly wondered - and I am sure others did too -
why he would simply give away five hundred rupees.
Even as the shouts of "I want it" grew louder, I noticed a young woman
running down the aisle. She ran up onto the stage, went up to the
speaker, and grabbed the five hundred-rupee note from his hand.
"Well done, young lady," said the speaker into the microphone. "Most
of us just wait for good things to happen. That's of no use. You've
got to make things happen." The speaker's words have stayed with me
ever since. 'Simply thinking about doing something is of no use' Our
lives are like that. We all see opportunities around us. We all want
the good things.
But the problem is we don't take action. We all want the five
hundred rupee notes on offer. But we don't make the move. We look at
it longingly. Get up, and do something about it. Don't worry about
what other people might think. Take action. Several years later, it
was another day, another time. And another motivational guru. As I
watched him pull out a five hundred rupee note and hold it up for all
to see, I thought I knew what he was going to do next.
But he just asked a simple question. "How much is this worth?" "Five
Hundred rupees!" the crowd yelled in unison.
"Right," said the speaker. He then took the note and crumpled it into
a ball and asked "How much is it worth now?" "Five Hundred rupees!"
screamed the audience. He then threw the note on the ground, stamped
all over it and picked up the note and asked one more time: "And how
much is it worth now?" "Five Hundred rupees!" was the response.
"I want you to remember this," said the speaker. "Just because
someone crumples it, or stamps on it, the value of the note does not
diminish.
All of you should all be like the five hundred rupee note.
In our lives, there will be times when we feel crushed, stamped over,
beaten. But never let your self-worth diminish. Just because someone
chooses to crush you - that doesn't change your worth one bit!
Coach shares two important management lessons he learnt from a
500-rupee note. Read on: -
It happened some years ago but I can recall the evening like it
happened just last week.
I was in an audience listening to a motivational guru. The speaker
whipped out his wallet and pulled out a five hundred-rupee note.
Holding it up, he asked, "Who wants this five hundred rupee note?"
Lots of hands went up. Including mine.
A slow chorus began to build as people began to shout "Me!" "Me!" I
began to wonder who the lucky one would be who the speaker would
choose. And I also secretly wondered - and I am sure others did too -
why he would simply give away five hundred rupees.
Even as the shouts of "I want it" grew louder, I noticed a young woman
running down the aisle. She ran up onto the stage, went up to the
speaker, and grabbed the five hundred-rupee note from his hand.
"Well done, young lady," said the speaker into the microphone. "Most
of us just wait for good things to happen. That's of no use. You've
got to make things happen." The speaker's words have stayed with me
ever since. 'Simply thinking about doing something is of no use' Our
lives are like that. We all see opportunities around us. We all want
the good things.
But the problem is we don't take action. We all want the five
hundred rupee notes on offer. But we don't make the move. We look at
it longingly. Get up, and do something about it. Don't worry about
what other people might think. Take action. Several years later, it
was another day, another time. And another motivational guru. As I
watched him pull out a five hundred rupee note and hold it up for all
to see, I thought I knew what he was going to do next.
But he just asked a simple question. "How much is this worth?" "Five
Hundred rupees!" the crowd yelled in unison.
"Right," said the speaker. He then took the note and crumpled it into
a ball and asked "How much is it worth now?" "Five Hundred rupees!"
screamed the audience. He then threw the note on the ground, stamped
all over it and picked up the note and asked one more time: "And how
much is it worth now?" "Five Hundred rupees!" was the response.
"I want you to remember this," said the speaker. "Just because
someone crumples it, or stamps on it, the value of the note does not
diminish.
All of you should all be like the five hundred rupee note.
In our lives, there will be times when we feel crushed, stamped over,
beaten. But never let your self-worth diminish. Just because someone
chooses to crush you - that doesn't change your worth one bit!
