Loud Thinking

Archive for 2013

“We are not given a good life or a bad life. We are given life. And it’s up to you to make it good or bad.”

— Ward Foley

The Bonus Employees Really Want

Does giving employees extra money to spend on whatever they choose make for a happy workplace? Surprisingly, individual financial rewards can be detrimental to morale; jealousy and competition can arise, damaging team dynamics. Consider switching to a more altruistic program, in which you provide employees the same bonuses with one caveat: A portion must be spent on “prosocial” contributions that benefit others, like charities. At a company which gave employees charity vouchers, and encouraged them to contribute to a cause of their choice, people reported being more satisfied with their jobs and happier overall. Another organization asked employees to spend on each other: Some teams indulged in chocolate or wine; one team bought a piñata, which they gladly bashed together. Prosocial bonuses resulted in gifts that increased shared experiences—and teams that received them performed better than teams that received money to spend only on themselves.

Adapted by HBR from “The Bonus Employees Really Want, Even If They Don’t Know It Yet,” by Lalin Anik and Jordi Quoidbach.

“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.”

C.S. Lewis (1898-1963);
writer, theologian, scholar

Fastest ball of the match was not bowled by Dale Steyn.
It was bowled by Bilawal Bhatti at the speed of 148.6 KPH = 92.34 MPH.

Bilawal Bhatti has become Dulla Bhatti.

South Africa 79 for 4 down.
It looks Pakistan has a vice like grip over the match.

The speed of the ball of Bilawal Bhatti, which Bowled Q de Kock was recorded as 147.7 KPH or 91.78 MPH.

Have we found another super fast tear away bowler, who can bat as well?

“If you’re gonna make a change… operate from a new belief that says life happens not to me but for me.”

— Tony Robbins

Creating Opportunities..!

Adaptation is the secret of success. Building a robust test team is no rocket science. One has to be just one step ahead of the competition. Just closely watch how South Africa, England and Australia are focusing their time and energy on keeping at top level, in Test format.

Moreover, until and unless Pakistani players are given rigorous sessions on fast pitches, with special bouncing balls, to expect our batsmen to perform better than their opponents, is to live in a fool’s paradise.

As they say, practice makes one perfect. And for an ordinary person, it was never difficult to predict the outcome of the ensuing Pakistan Vs South Africa Test encounters in South Africa. Particularly, when Misbahul Haq is known for his pessimism. He seems to have become a specialist, in spreading his negative energy with his media statements.

To think that you have lost, without even trying, can be a killer blow. A positive attitude brings strength, energy, motivation and initiative. Just before the start of the series, MUH’s comments left no doubt that he had surrendered the series, before even a ball was bowled.

As Viv Richards said “Cricket is a mind game.” And as Imran Khan said “playing for a draw is the best recipe for defeat.” If the objective of any captain, before entering the ground, is to wait and see, rather than win, how can he marshal his players to victory?

You have to create opportunities, like they say you have to create run outs. At times, you have to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. In any sport, one team wins and the other loses. There is no harm in losing if, you give a good fight. The only objectionable thing is an abject surrender.
Now, someone must tell Misbah that, “In any fight, if a wolf is given to lead the lions, all lions will die fighting like a wolf. However, in any fight, if a lion is given to lead the wolves, all wolves will put up a fight like a lion, irrespective of the outcome of that fight.”

Our team management should have told Misbah that offense is the best defence.

SYED NAYYAR UDDIN AHMAD,
Lahore, February 26. Published by the daily “The Nation” on 3 March, 2013.

“And that is how change happens. One gesture. One person. One moment at a time.”

— Libba Bray