Corporate Rules that you should know.

1. Take ownership. There is no blame game in corporate. If it succeeds, its everyone’s effort. If it fails, its your fault. Its not a school to push the blame on someone. Your seniors will respect you for integrity.
2. Be always smarter than your manager. If you are, then your job is secure and he will respect you. If you aren’t, be ready to listen to his taunts and degradation.
3. If it needs to be done, it has to be done. A mail pops in just before you have to leave after a 10 hour day. And it says urgent. Either you can ignore it or sit for another half hour to complete it. Your decision decides your promotion.
4. Don’t take a day off unless needed. Your hangover doesn’t count as a reason. If its a reason, stop drinking. Stop everything that makes you tired next day to miss office.
5. Be cheerful with everyone from security guard to VP. It will give you 2 benefits: 1. You would be presented as a positive and cheerful employee (and it matters) 2. You can get things does easily.
6. When in office, do office work. Its ok to file IT returns or check quick social media but don’t start making business plans for your startup or start editing photos for your candid photography page. 6–8 hours of solid office work everyday will take you long way.
7. Know your process, know your peers, know about every (most) work getting done in your building. Don’t be a stalker or a nagger. Be a curious candidate who knows what he and his peers are doing. Will help you solve any problems you face in work sometime.
8. Know your company well. Sounds childish? Trust me, most of us do not know what your company does fully. What are the product segments, who are its competitors, where is the headquarter and who is the CEO.
9. Know the current affairs. While this doesn’t directly affect your work, there are moments when you would get a chance to interact with top management and the topics leapfrog from politics to macro economic factors. You shouldn’t be a sitting duck. Your small talk can have a very large impact.
10. Focus on big picture. You are just an ordinary s/w engineer or a junior analyst? Doesn’t matter. Look at your process like your lead or manager sees. Focus on the big picture. See like a bird and work like a worm.
11. Sometimes its donkey work. Do it. I work with senior directors of billion dollar companies who make their own slides. And many times they have to spend time on adjusting the logos or changing the fonts! Part of the job. They have secretaries but on a tight schedule, you are your boss.
12. Never blame your company. Never. if you feel you are excellent worker and your current company is not supporting you, then you are free to take a walk outside. Search for a better company. And if you can’t find a job, well then, its your mistake. You are not competent enough.
13. There is always growth. You have to be ready for it. Every company has a CEO and he/she was once a junior like you. The CEO worked his way up by hardwork, talent and beating all the competition. You can also be that CEO if you put 10–12 hours a day for 10 years in a row. There ain’t any shortcut.
14. Never expect a pat on the back. If you want to go up the ladder, do not strive for pat on backs or acknowledgements for short term projects. To quote Tywin Lannister “Jugglers and singers require applause”. Rise above the competition.

Leadership Superpowers

Just like our body parts have different functions, the employees in an organization have different functions too. Some build, some test, some implement, some maintain etc etc. But most crucial and important role I believe is of the leader of the organization. I'm talking about the CEOs, Vice Presidents, people who matter and make decisions that millions of employee follow without any question. The Leader is the one who drives the complete work/project and delivers extraordinary results. The competition is very tough upstairs. Hence it is important for a leader to maintain the position and cut the revolt which may rise from inside or out. These people reach the heights through their natural talent and hard work. On their way to the top, they develop some powers which are must have to reach the throne and maintain the position. We can put these powers in many ways but I'll take 4 powers here as mentioned below.

1.) Intellectual Power
This is the power of knowledge which one develops throughout his career and keeps learning more and more. The highest paid executives are recognized on their knowledge basis. Ratan Tata also said, the most important thing is knowledge and the best part is, it is very easily available nowadays, thanks to internet. But one should be determined to have the knowledge and put every nerve in the body to learn it. The power of intellect helps the leader to make important decision and will develop an insightful approach towards the challenges he will face,

2.) Man Power
A leader must have resources. Employees are the man power, the higher the leadership role goes, the bigger man power he gets. Man power lets the leader accomplish bigger goals which are result of the team work. A huge dream/project requires a lot of hard work, with predefined goals and roles a good team can achieve miraculous targets.

3.) Financial Power
Financial power is something we all understand is mandatory.  A leader should have enough source of financial support in order to fulfill requirements of the staff and the organization. I wont write much in this part, everyone knows to run a business you need money.

4.) Power of enthusiasm and morale
This is the most important power a leader should have. The enthusiasm and morale drives employees to work twice as hard and deliver. The leader should not be too strict and not too lenient, the effect of a true leader lasts even after he is gone, workplace bullies should fear form him in his absence. The hard working people should be recognized and rewarded in order to do more. A true motivational leader can drive his team to do a lot more, it will lead to success for him and his team too.

Note :  If you deliver more than you are getting paid, eventually you will be paid more. 

Vivek Choudhary
Aspiring Leader

Ownership - The Corporate World

All those who work in corporate industry know what its like when the manager comes to you and asks about a problem, now if you whine about it, its not a good idea. You need to take ownership in the job you do. If you are assigned to do a job then all the headache is yours, the issues you will face, the solutions, everything. You are supposed to get the job done no matter what issues you face, if you have a problem then do not speak until you have a solution to it. If you take a good look at all the successful people out there you will find that, all of them know their job, they take their time, they get the job done.

I am writing about ownership because I come across many people who do not take responsibility in their actions, and I just don't get it, when it comes to appreciation everyone is like *me* but when it comes to criticism they are like *he*. Its not good morally and socially too, you will lose respect.
When you take ownership, you might be taking responsibility for many people's mistake but that makes the difference, Ownership takes you to the next level, eventually you will realize the management notices your work and people respect you more. You will soon be one of those guys who makes the decision. But all this will happen if you follow some basic rules
-I get paid by the company I should be loyal to it.
-I should respect the company because I get respect because of it.
-I am assigned to work on this project and I will give my best.

Always remember, you will get the best if you give the best. Don't think you work gets unnoticed, never ever, everything you do, all your actions are noticed, so make sure you leave a good impression.
The theory of survival of the fittest fits at all scenarios.
Take ownership and you will see the difference.


Vivek Choudhary
Senior Practitioner
Project Management System