Boxing an Inspiration… Generally speaking, the popular management anecdotes revolve around entrepreneurial ‘“wonder years”—the years an entrepreneur learns to ‘walk’. There are not too many case studies that delve on “shaping years”—the years when a successful founder learns to ‘run’ as a CEO. What is the difference, you may ask.(..)
Horror gripped the heart of a World War-I soldier as he saw his lifelong friend fall in battle on the enemy’s side of the bridge. The soldier asked his Lieutenant whether he could go out to bring his fallen comrade back. “You can go,” said the Lieutenant, “but I don’t think it will be worth it. Your friend is probably dead and you may throw your(..)
A little boy brought home a cocoon from a picnic in the woods. He put the cocoon in his garden, and watched it daily in fascination, awaiting it to crack and a beautiful butterfly to emerge! However, the cocoon was too exposed—the urban setting did not protect it from wind, water, and sun. As it struggled to survive, one day a crow scooped down and(..)
Two college friends go to a bistro. One of them orders a large cup of coffee, takes a couple of sips, and then leaves the rest. Annoyed, the second one questions him, “Why did you waste it?” The boastful youngster replies, “I bought this cup not to consume but to do my bit to create employment.” When we are young, frivolous ideologies often drive(..)
A family of rats lived in the middle of a young wheat field. As the days passed, the wheat stalks grew tall and the rodents had a feast gnawing away at all the wheat. Then, one day when the ripe golden grain waved in the breeze, the Farmer and his son came into the field. "This wheat is now ready for reaping," said the Farmer. "We must call in our(..)
In the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific, some villagers practice a unique form of logging. If a tree is too large to be felled with an ax, the natives cut it down by yelling at it. Woodsmen with special powers creep up on a tree at dawn and suddenly scream at it at the top of their lungs. They continue this for thirty days. The tree dies and falls(..)
A math teacher took a bag of cookies out of her purse and asked a little boy, “If I give you two cookies, and then another two cookies, how many cookies will you have?” “Five cookies,” he replied. She was surprised by his reply. So, she used her fingers to help him count. “Look, if I give you one, two—TWO cookies—and another one,(..)
It is the month of August, on the shores of the Black Sea. It is raining, and the little town looks totally deserted. These are tough times, everybody is in debt, and everybody lives on credit. Suddenly, a rich tourist comes to town. He enters the only hotel, lays a 100 Euro note on the reception counter, and goes to inspect the rooms upstairs in(..)
Four medical students were waiting in the examination hall for their professor to arrive and administer the test. Ten minutes before the end of the test, she finally arrived, limping. After apologizing profusely for coming so late, she added, “Since the exam duration is nearly over, today’s test has only one question; moreover, I will make it easier by(..)
Once during a famine, a desperate man stepped out of his house to earn a living. He came across a fruit farm. Hungry, he decided to steal some fruits. But, as he started plucking, the farmer came chasing after him with a stick. The man ran into a nearby forest and climbed a tree to evade the farmer. From his vantage point, the man witnessed a(..)
An elderly Cherokee chief took his granddaughter for a walk to teach her about life. “There has been a fight happening inside me for many years,” he tells the young girl, “a fight between two wolves. One wolf is evil. It’s full of malice and anger. The other is good. It’s full of peace and love. This same fight(..)
Truth is the foundation of a healthy partnership. No rocket science there. Movies like “Lage Raho Munnabhai” help reinforce our appreciation for the timeless ‘Truth’ principles. Particularly when it comes to personal relationships where the stakes are high, shying away from deceit comes natural to us. However, what about business(..)
A passionate teacher was once queried on her secret behind living in the moment—always enjoying her work with no personal baggage. She raised a glass of water, and asked, “How heavy is this glass of water?” Her students enthusiastically shouted answers ranging from eight ounces to a couple of pounds! The teacher replied, “From my perspective,(..)
On a cold, misty morning in 2007, a man started playing the violin at Washington DC Metro Station. It had been three minutes, when a middle-aged man noticed the violinist. He slowed his pace, stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule. Four minutes later, the violinist received his first dollar—a woman threw the money in the hat and,(..)
A long time ago, Vikings in Scandinavian countries used to live in mud huts where they struggled to get both light and heat. If they punched a hole in the wall to let the bright daylight come in, the hut would go freezing cold. But if they blocked the opening to stay warm, they had to sit in the dark. The advent of industrial revolution solved the problem.(..)
