Loud Thinking

Archive for 2013

Lower Resistance by Listening

When you encounter opposition to an idea or suggestion, you can strong-arm your challenger into getting what you want, or you can reinforce your relationship by listening. When you coerce an employee into doing something – even if he complies with your demands – his initial resistance will fester over time and may come back to bite you later.

When someone doesn’t agree with you, it’s natural to repeat yourself, often more loudly. Instead, if you are getting pushback, listen. Repeat back what you’ve heard to make sure you truly understand what the other person means. When you stop trying to convince someone and instead focus on listening to his point of view and respecting it, his resistance will often disappear.

Adapted by HBR from “Practical Tips for Overcoming Resistance,” by Mark Goulston.

Isn’t it a fit case for a Suo Moto action, as was done in the case of high sugar and petrol prices, in the last PPP era?

Dooms day for the honest people in Pakistan.

What is happening in Pakistan.

Are the rulers so naive that they are being misled by their core team, to commit absolutely stupid mistakes?

Are the rulers so ignorant that they are not aware about the fact that they can not extract any further juice from the public, after it has been put through the juice extraction machine, many times over, since the take over of the PMLN government?

In India, Petrol price cut (due to the reduction of international oil prices from $117 to $113) by IndiaRs 3.05 per litre (A Times of India news published on 30 Sept. 2013).

Now, look how exactly on the same day, PMLN’s government has treated the Pakistani nation, by increasing the electricity rates for the domestic consumers by 40-80%, and instead of reducing the petrol prices, it has been further enhanced by PKR. 4.12/L.

The only argument with the PMLN’s government, for increasing the power rates is that how can expensive electricity be supplied, at a less rate and as such, general public can not be given subsidy on electricity? This argument does not hold water, in view of the fact that; instead of recovering electricity bills from those people, who are involved in power theft, at an ultra massive level (above 40% line losses as per NEPRA), the government has adopted the easy way of recovering the enhanced bill, by punishing those 60% honest bill payers, who have never been involved in the power theft.

Everybody, even the layman knows in our country that our electricity is costing very high, just due to the world’s highest ratio of theft or line losses.

As far as, the matter of subsidy is concerned, our rulers are enjoying all types of subsidies for the officially allowed luxuries even to their families, as well. Moreover, poor masses are are going hungry, as they can not buy ROTI being sold in the market at Rs.8-12; but our parliamentarians are getting 5 star quality food, at highly subsidised rates, where they are charged just Re.1 (Rupee one only) for a Roti.

What a system, where a poor citizen (Mr. Ishaq Dar himself admitted when he spoke in a seminar on 9 September, 2013 that more than 60 percent Pakistani population or 110 million people were living below the poverty line, which was One Dollar a day) is sleeping hungry with his entire family, where people are committing suicides on daily basis, due to the extremely harsh economic hardships; but these poor people are being made to pay for the free rides of the public representatives?

Today is a dooms day for the honest people, who in fact, deserved a reduction in the petrol prices, have been punished by the government, with a historic rise in the power and petrol rates.

Isn’t it a fit case for a Suo Moto action, as was done in the case of high sugar and petrol prices, in the last PPP era?

Since, this democratically elected parliament, has again failed to shield the masses from the tyranny and excesses of the government, the people are fully justified in looking towards the others, to come to their rescue.

For the general public, it matters the least that who rules them, but what matters them the most, is how they are ruled.

In view of the foregoing, I forewarn the Pakistani ruling elite and all the public representatives, to beware of the day, when people will welcome any other system with open hands, which will not be so cruel and tyrannical, like the current decadent system of governance.

Moreover, the Honourable Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Sahab (Hope you remember the solemn commitment of your government on the floor of the house that no mini budget will be coming during the year) is again reminded that, as forewarned earlier, your honour should immediately shunt out those advisors, who are hell bent to ensure that Mian Nawaz Sharif be remembered in the history of the country, as the most hated, cruel and tyrannical ruler of Pakistan, who snatched even the last piece of the dry bread from not one or two persons, but crores (minimum 11 crores) of poor masses.

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Why it is a matter of life and death for the nation if we don’t build KB dam?

A truly eye opening letter titled “An appeal to media” published by the daily “The Frontier Post” on 1 October, 2013.

Former chairman Wapda Engr Shamsul Mulk, in his ‘meet the press’ news conference in Lahore has appealed to media to create awareness among the public about the benefits of Kalabagh Dam.

He said if we want to secure the food, fresh water and energy needs of the country on comfortable basis we have no alternative of KBD.

We would need to build 750 small dams to replace Kalabagh dam, and we have built only 68 of these in 65 years, more than 90 percent of which are not producing even one unit of electricity.

Sindh got 7.0 million acre feet of additional water from Mangla and Tarbela Dams and will get 2.2 maf from the KBD, plus electricity at Rs 1.54 per unit, how can this weaken the federation as some people say.

The KPK will not get sufficient amount of water from the other dams without KBD which is vital for the KPK than for the other provinces and will unite the Federation.

He concluded that no government, present or future, will build Kalabagh Dam, the media has to bring the people forward.

Engr Khurshid Anwer
Lahore

Isn’t it a fit case for a Suo Moto action as was done in the case of high sugar and petrol prices in the last PPP era?

Dooms day for the honest people in Pakistan

In India Petrol price cut by Rs 3.05 per litre, diesel to cost 50 paise more
(A Times of India news published on 30 Sept. 2013).

Now, look how exactly on the same day, PMLN’s government has treated the Pakistani nation, by increasing the electricity rates by 30%, instead of reducing the petrol prices.

The only argument with the PMLN’s government for increasing the power rates is that how can expensive electricity be supplied at a less rate? This argument does not hold water, in the face of the fact that instead of recovering electricity bills from those people who are involved in power theft, at an ultra massive level (above 40% line losses as per NEPRA), the government has adopted the easy way of recovering the enhanced bill, by punishing those 60% honest bill payers, who have never been involved in the power theft.

Today is the dooms day for the honest people, who deserved a reduction in petrol prices. have been punished by historic rise in the power bills.

Since, this democratically elected parliament has again failed to shield the masses from the tyranny and excesses of the government, the people are fully justified in looking towards the others to to come to their rescue.

Dekho Dekho Koun Aaaya….
Sher Aaaya Sher Aaaya….

Petrol price cut by Rs 3.05 per litre, diesel to cost 50 paise more
(A TOI news of today i.e., 30 Sept. 2013).

Now look how exactly today PMLN’s government has treated the Pakistani nation, by increasing the electricity rates by 30%, instead of reducing the petrol prices.

The only argument with the PMLN’s government for increasing the power rates is that how can expensive electricity be supplied at a less rate. This argument does not hold water in the face of the fact that instead of recovering electricity bills from those people who are involved in power theft at an ultra massive level (above 40% line losses as per NEPRA) the government has adopted the easy way of recovering the enhanced bill by punishing those 60% honest bill payers who have never been involved in the power theft.

Today is the dooms day for the honest people, who deserved a reduction in petrol prices have been punished by historic rise in the power bills.

Dekho Dekho Koun Aaaya….
Sher Sher Aaaya….

Pearls of wisdom from Earl Nightingale

“Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now.
Don’t wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future.
Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it’s at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored.”

— Earl Nightingale

“Rejoice in the things that are present; all else is beyond thee.”

Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592);
Essayist, Author

3 Tips to Build Better Relationships with Your Employees

When people feel connected to you, even difficult conversations feel less threating. Here are three tips to forge stronger bonds with your employees:
Relate whenever you can. View every interaction as an opportunity to get to know someone a little better. Make a habit of asking employees one question about their work or their personal lives each time you encounter them.
Take note of subtleties. People seek emotional connection through countless small “bids” for attention—questions, gestures, or looks. Take stock of how much you notice these cues . You might also solicit some feedback from friends and family on how well you listen and respond to social cues in general.
Regularly express appreciation. Research shows that the ratio of positive to negative interactions is 5:1 in a successful relationship. You don’t need to pay someone five compliments before offering criticism, but do be mindful of the ratio.

Adapted by HBR from the HBR Guide to Coaching Your Employees.

A proposal for countering the recent increased terrorism acts

As a safety and precautionary step, all provincial governments and the federal government of Pakistan, must announce that with immediate effect, no vehicle of any type, including cycles and motor cycles etc., shall be allowed to enter or be parked in any bazaar, throughout the country.

This is a very harsh and inconvenient step, but it may save many lives.

Moreover, the fact as reported by the media that today’s bombing of Qissa Khawani bazaar was 13th act of terrorism in that particular bazaar; which means that terrorists find it as a cake walk, exploding bombs in QK bazaar Peshawar, which must be made as much difficult as is humanly possible, to safe guard the lives of the innocent kids, women and men visiting that particular market.

اسلام آباد (ثناءنیوز) ایف پی سی سی آئی کے صدر زبیر احمد ملک نے کہا ہے کہ آئی ایم ایف کی شرائط اقتصادی استحکام اور سماجی مساوات کو ختم کر دینگی اور اس کا نتیجہ ملک کے طول وعرض میں بڑے پیمانے پربے چینی وبدامنی کے سوا کچھ نہیں نکلے گا۔آج تک آئی ایم ایف پر انحصارکرنے والے کسی ملک کی معیشت بہتر نہیں ہوئی ۔بین الاقوامی قرض دہندہ کا ایجنڈا بھوک و افلاس مسلط کرکے آزادی و خودمختاری سلب کرنا ہے۔آئی ایم ایف اصلاحات کا اقتصادی فائدہ کم مگر اسکے اثرات عوام، معاشرے، معیشت اور کرنسی پر تباہ کن ہیں۔زبیر احمد ملک نے یہ بات گزشتہ روز کاروباری برادری سے بات چیت کرتے ہوئے کہی۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ آئی ایم ایف عالمی اجارہ داری یقینی بنانے کا آلہ ہے جس کے حربوں سے درجنوں ممالک میں ارتکاز زر، ارب پتیوں کی تعداد، غربت، بے روزگاری اورامیر اور غریب کے مابین خلیج بڑھ رہی ہے جبکہ ترقی پزیر ممالک میں اسکی رفتار تیز ہے۔آئی ایم ایف کو مسیحا سمجھنے والی کسی ملک کی معیشت اور عوام کی حالت بہتر نہیں ہو سکی ۔