A Happy Mother's Day - Dedication to all Mothers

In the current times, we have all been tested to our limits. It's almost akin to being thrown under a bus and then being asked to drive that same bus home.

If you are a working professional actively working from home, managing housework, and also taking care of family members, then more power to you. 

This was the stuff that nightmares were made off in bygone times, but today it's a harsh reality.

Battling the virtual meetings, with the phone in one hand and wielding the chapati rolling pin in the other, we have definitely armed ourselves with a Ph.D. in multitasking skills within a short period.

At the same time, we have been forced to introspect, dip into our inner reserves of energies, and find ways and means to deal with these unprecedented challenges. Each of us, in our own unique ways, is tackling the inner demons along with fighting the faceless universal evil out there.

Why am I ranting about it today when so much has been said and fumed by many already?

Well, amidst all this chaos and uncertainty, when all of us are seeking solutions or answers from experts out there, we have one superhuman living right among us. A superhuman who has all those qualities that the specialists are urging us to cultivate; that will help us to accept the new normal courageously and without any complaints. And that person deserves attention today more than ever.

Today is Mother's Day, my friends. And the superhuman is none other than our dear mom. 

Hard-working and Energetic – Have you seen your mom ever sitting down after a hard day's work and complaining. "Oh, I have had enough; now I need a break." Or "I can't take this anymore. You guys manage; I am going to lie down now".

Not my mom or mother in law for sure. Despite their frail frame, they are always on their feet from dawn to dusk, unfailingly toiling away as if they have access to the "Akshay Patra of Energy." It's incredible that at their age, they are more agile than any of us who are almost half their age. Sometimes, I wonder what secret sauce they have been cooking their food with all these years.

Self-sacrificing - No one can come close to being defined as self-sacrificing more precisely than our mothers. Whether it's their choices, their likes, or ideas, they will always put our interests first and their last. Period!

Unconditional Love and support – When everyone in professional circles is talking about the importance of collaborating, teamwork, supporting each other, and having each other's back in the current crisis, mothers literally can teach us a lot beyond all these ornate words. They are our strong pillars who not only support us, help us, provide us all comforts but also do not expect anything from us, unlike professional relationships. They will do it wholly and unconditionally and, more often than not, bend over backward even when their backs hurt.

Resourceful – In these tough times, we don't know what the future holds for us in terms of jobs, business, health, safety, and even existence. We have been forced to think creatively, find opportunities in stressful situations, and to keep a positive outlook. When I think about it, haven't our moms been doing that forever. Always ingenious, finding alternatives for scarce resources, finding a quick-fix for seemingly complex problems, and many a time even converting your potential recipe disaster into a lip-smacking dish.

Proactive and disciplined – Despite having a grueling day, the next morning, they will wake up at the appointed time, get back on their tired and old feet, and gently amble into the daily grind, keeping all excuses at bay. Ready to face a new day with the same vigor, they will foresee any potential lags and delays and, like a real professional tick all boxes in their packed daily schedule. They will stick to the required timelines and will not pause until the task is done. Also, they have an innate sense to sniff out any shortage, problem, and take timely preemptive action.

Nurturing and empathetic – Even after all this, they will always be ready to give a kind ear to all your woes and complaints unfailingly without missing each and every word you say. After all these years, they are still keen to know from you how your day has been, listen genuinely, and allow you to share your problems so that you feel lighter. How many people in our life are sincerely concerned about our well-being? Well, we can probably count them on our finger-tips.

These and many more qualities we need to imbibe from our mothers not just today but forever. I am sure my feelings above resonate with most of you. So much to learn from these superhumans whose value we take for granted. We as their children cannot thank them enough for all that they do for us, consistently and steadfastly. This is a dedication to my mom and mother-in-law, for simply being the superhumans they are, and also for showcasing their humane qualities with such humility and grace.

Happy Mother's Day – Aai and Mummy

G.O.A.T conversation with my teenage niece on WhatsApp Chat

Me: “Hi, how are you Monu?’’

Niece: “Suh Mossy. All g!’’ (that’s what she calls her Maushi)

(There is a silence for seconds which seems like minutes.

I presume what she actually meant was, ''what’s up and all good'' but I don’t want to sound uncool so I don’t ask)

Niece: “Mossy, how are you? You there?”

Me: “Y. All g with me too” (trying to sound like her).

“How is school sweetie?”

Niece: “School is sick as usual!”

Me: (Rolling eyes emoticon) “Why sick? I thought you enjoyed going to school.”

Niece: “Sick as in cool Mossy. Not the sick as in the ill types.”

(“Duh, Mossy!”…I am sure she must have thought in her head)

Me: “Oh yeah, of course! And how is your Math class going, coping well I hope?” (Quickly moving to another topic to bury my embarrassment.)

Niece: “TBH, I was going tots cray with Math as you know….”

(Niece still typing)

Me: “Sweetie, too many typos…what was that?” (Me asking naively)

Niece: “…but RN, my Maths is on fleek. Touch wood!”

Me: “What, what, what???”

(I am too flummoxed)

Niece: “Mossy! (inserting a tired smiley face) There are no typos. I just said, ‘To be honest, I was going totally crazy with Math earlier, but right now my Math seems to be going perfect.”

(Whoa, enlightenment!)

Me: “Oh gotcha! That’s awesome.”

(Trying to sound cool and hip like her)

Me: “How about your drawing and drama classes?”

Niece: “hmm...drawing classes are kind of basic but drama is lit AF. We really have the G.O.A.T during drama classes!”

(Here we go again. I know this time these are no typos and the words do mean something for sure. I quickly google on my phone to check the meaning and bingo! I was right. No typo, these are actual words used by Gen Z.)

Niece: “Btw Mossy, I have been asking Mamma to get me a phone and she has been saying NO. Please convince her to get me one. I am 13 now and it is high time she gets a smart phone for me. Everyone has it and I just totally miss out on all the tea that my squad has to share. It really makes me feel salty.”

 (I am wondering, how is not having a mobile phone related to missing out on having tea. And why is she feeling salty about it?...A la Zeenat Aman in Pukar song ''Samundar mein naha kar''. I somehow sum up courage and ask sheepishly)

Me: “But sweetie… you don’t drink Tea, nah. In fact you don’t like it. So how can you miss it! And what is their to feel salty about it?”

Niece: “Mossy, tea is gossip. Feeling salty is feeling irritated.”

(Another Aha! moment for me)

Niece: (continuing) “My squad has their own Instagram accounts. Wait! They also have Finstagram. And look at me, I don’t even have a mobile phone.”

Me: “OMG. Now, what’s a Finstagram? Is that a new social media platform?”

Niece: “No, Mossy. It is a Fake Instagram account. You should check the photos they upload. They are so savage. And look at me! I don’t even have a phone.”

Me: (gathering my wits) “No way are you having your own phone till you complete your 10^th standard. Have you read the many articles which talk about how distracting they are for students and how it ruins…blah blah blah blah!”

(Suddenly it strikes me. A new salvo (read word)was fired and I almost missed it)

Me: “And by the way, why are they savage?? Hope the photos are not too wild, crass and violent. That’s precisely the reason your mamma is not getting you a phone like your squad, ok!”

Niece: “Mossy, you are defs iconic! (Wink emoticon) It is ''savage'' as in cool and nothing beastly about it.”

Me: “Oh ok. Anyway, let me discuss with your Mom on this new phone thing. ”

(Also, to find out how she deals with this cryptic language everyday)

Niece: “Ok. Pls do convince her. Btw, sorry, I have a French class RN and I have to go. When you are free tomorrow, HMU or I will DM you.”

(This aunt by now had made use of her fastest fingers to know what HMU and DM stood for before the niece wrote her off and logged out.)

Me: “Ok sweetie I will Direct Message you tomorrow evening on your Mumma’s phone or you can Hit Me Up. I will be waiting for you defs.”

(My last ditch attempt to be the aunt who still had the goods)

P.S: For those uninitiated like me who may still be stuck at G.O.A.T, may have realized by now that the conversation had nothing to do with the four legged animal or a mutton recipe nor about getting my goat. Although I did teeter between a peaceful and pissed state of mind for a few moments there. 

And yasss, G.O.A.T stands for Greatest of All Time!

Note: The above is fictionalized account of a conversation with my Gen Z niece.

(Pic courtsey @Adobe Blog)

The Curious Case of Chand Baori

Honestly, I didn't even know this place existed till a colleague shared a Wikipedia link. We virtually discovered this site as we were hunting for some sight-seeing options for an upcoming kick-off meeting in Jaipur.
I clicked on the link and there it was - Chand Baori, the beauty in its full splendor. A structure so Magnifique yet not known to many.

Chand Baori

To those uninitiated like me (and I know that would mean many) Chand Baori is a step-well tucked 95 km away from the city of Jaipur. It is quietly ensconced in the village of Abhaneri which used to be called as Abha Nagri (city of brightness) in the Dausa district of Rajasthan state in India.

As the pictures of Chand Baori steadily downloaded on my laptop screen,  I went into a state of wide-eyed stupor (if there is an expression like that). Like an excited kid, I jumped from one web link to another wanting to source more details about this hidden wonder. And by the end of this virtual journey, I was left dizzy looking at the geometrical patterns formed by 3500 steps in this deep well. If this place could look so intriguing in pictures, wonder how fascinating it would be in person.
And that's how my friends, Chand Baori became part of our itinerary under the ''Free Time'' scheduled on the third and last day of our stay in Jaipur.

Constructed in 800 AD, Chand Baori has 13 stories and 100 feet depth with perfect symmetrical narrow steps enveloped around it. It was built by the King named Chanda or Chandra of the Nikhumbha dynasty. As is apparent, the step-well was named after the King who built it. By the way, Baori or Baodi means well.

Handful of tourists walking around the well

One of the largest step-wells in the world, Chand Baori was built to conserve water and provide a respite from the intense heat. It was a community gathering place for locals as well as royals. The temperature is known to drop by 4-5 degrees as you walk to the bottom of the well. The steps surround the well on three sides while the fourth side has a set of pavilions built one atop another.

The well area has been cordoned off with a iron railing and one cannot go down its steps. Apparently, there was an accident and since then the entry to go down the steps has been restricted. Rightly so, as I cannot imagine anyone maneuvering through these steep narrow steps without feeling dizzy. Except of course for Bruce Wayne, alter ego of Bat Man who was shown to have used these steps to walk up in a scene in the Christopher Nolan film, The Dark Knight Rises.

The fourth side which had rooms for the royalty

The neatly stacked steps, the precise geometrical patterns, the sculptures surrounding the well, the depth, the architectural expertise, the mathematical genius and the logic behind building this well built a long time ago, in 800 AD. Truly mind-boggling!

How could such a jaw-dropping beauty as old as 1200 years, not be known to many? I wondered! Such a rare beauty much older than the Taj Mahal (by a cool 800 years) and Khajuraho temples (by 150 years) sadly lies obscure and hidden when it should be getting UNESCO recognition and busloads of visitors.
Visitors, it gets but largely foreigners and not many Indians.

The irony is, though the entrance says ASI (The Archaeological Survey of India) recognizes it as a heritage monument, there is no entrance fee charged to get in. Would you believe!
Also, to me it looked like the local villagers seem to double up as makeshift gate-keepers of this hidden gem.
To make things even more curious, there is not a single detailed informative board to explain the history of the monument.

It appears as though ASI has attempted to retrieve some of the intricate sculptures here but somehow I felt that this place deserved a much better treatment.

As a marketing professional, I could not help drawing parallels with the basic foundation of the Marketing Mix. I realized that though the Product (monument) is great what we clearly lack is the other 3 Ps. Promotion (and Packaging), Price (Value) and Place (Infrastructure/Amenities) in the 4 Ps of Marketing. And that's sadly true for many of the great historical structures and monuments around India.

Funnily, I also realized how much little information was available on the world wide web about this fascinating architectural marvel. Besides the raving blog posts by tourists who have visited this place earlier not much official information was forthcoming. Even the Rajasthan Tourism website does not say much about this hidden wonder except for a short paragraph and a wonderfully photo-shopped image of the Chand Baori. That's it!
Can't believe! Chk this out! http://tourism.rajasthan.gov.in/30/chand-baori

Restoration work of many sculptures done by ASI  lies in this long corridor near the well

Someone who is proud of her country's heritage, history and culture, (like millions of Indians) I wish Chand Baori and many such monuments of architectural and historical significance across India get much more attention and conservation efforts than they have received so far. And I am not even talking about the infrastructure and amenities available (or rather unavailable) at such wondrous places.
Truly, Chand Baori is one of the oldest and deepest step-wells in India, and it deserves to be on the tourist map and itinerary of anyone who visits Rajasthan and Jaipur. It needs to be talked about, written about, promoted and well-preserved. A monument as old as this with no entrance fee does not forebode well for its long, sustainable, and healthy existence.

In this case specifically, I could not fathom how this step-well has survived for so long in spite of the borderline ''step-motherly'' treatment (no pun intended).

And then it occurred to me.

Right next to Chand Baori is a 9th-10th-century temple dedicated to Harshat Mata, goddess of joy and happiness for the whole village. The only constant companion (it appears) who has provided good cheer and stood by this heritage monument for centuries has been this Goddess temple.

The part of me which believes in divine interventions and mystic connections seems to have finally unraveled the curious case of Chand Baori's long survival.

Or at least I would like to believe so! (Until logic prevails)

Harshat Mata Temple - Goddess of Joy and Happiness

(Final note - Chand Baori is just a case in point. I must say it stands off better than quite a few long-lost architectural and historical wonders strewn across India. There are many marvels which are hidden and crying for attention. This blog post is to draw attention to all those magical and historical monuments which have not got their due respect and recognition.)

Getting To The He(art) Of The Matter | Musings Of A Marketer

January 2017
It is a Friday evening, and here I am sitting in the cozy dining area of the Kulkarni's residence, discussing with them how to spend my tomorrow, i.e., a Saturday morning exploring Philadelphia. Among the many options, they are suggesting is a visit to the Barnes Foundation, home to one of the world's most magnificent collections of paintings by Renoir, Matisee, Picasso, Van Gogh and many other iconic painters. A strong recommendation by both the husband and wife. For someone who does not have an artistic bent of mind, nor a single artist bone, my first thought is, ''Museum...blah. How boring!''. (I know my friends will forgive me for sharing this here!)

Thankfully, the voices in our heads do not come with a sound amplifier. 

I conveniently filter out that option and show my eagerness to hear about other exciting alternatives from them. 

After much deliberation, the eagerness and enthusiasm of Kulkarni's coupled with the curious keeda inside me, get the better of the art-skeptic side of me. By the end of the discussion, I have decided to visit the Barnes Museum after all. Just FYI, this was the same me, who, while on holiday in Amsterdam a couple of years ago had walked passed the Van Gogh museum on many occasions without even casting a second glance at it.
The same me was now ready to spend almost half a day in an Art Museum. 

Change of he(art)!

October 2017 (Nine months later)
Here I am, sitting at home on a Saturday morning, lending the final brush strokes to Farmhouse in Provence, which is my sixth feeble attempt to ape Van Gogh's iconic oil painting. Nine months back if you had asked me to draw or paint, I would have brushed it off as a joke. And much worse, if I were asked to replicate the famous art pieces of Van Gogh (pronounced as Van Go), the situation would be close to painting myself into a corner (metaphorically, of course!).

Honestly, I counted myself among the artistically challenged who would be happy to pat their own back for drawing an exact ''round'' circle at the first attempt. And today, I am sitting at my desk with five paintings in watercolors (albeit, extremely rudimentary versions) safely tucked inside the drawer. This neophyte is now finishing off the sixth from Van Gogh's repertoire in nine short months. 
All this was a huge revelation not just for me but also for all those who knew about my artistic ability (or rather the lack of it). 

So why am I sharing this with you? '
Well, for starters, this post is not about ''showing off'' a wannabe dabbler's interpretations of Van Gogh nor her newfound interest.
This post is about how a change in human behaviors occurs. Yes, you got that right! Nothing to do with the art or painting.

As I looked back on the last nine months, I wondered how I got the initiative to take up painting when there was not a single iota of interest in the field of art. So here I am trying to deconstruct it here, lest the learning fades into oblivion.

Musings of a Marketer who stumbled on an interesting human behavior model
As part of the regular internet reads on marketing management and human behavior I had in the recent past stumbled upon The Fogg Behavior Model (FBM). A fascinating model that helps to understand how a change in human behaviors occurs. It helps in creating Persuasive Design and useful for UX designers or marketers or for anyone who is interested in studying human behavior.  

It explains how three elements viz. Motivation, Ability, and Trigger must converge at the same moment for a behavior to occur. When a targeted action does not happen, it means at least one of those three elements is missing. 

I thought let me understand this theory to understand the change in my behavior more clearly. In my case, the difference in behavior was the apparent fact that I had taken up watercolor painting with a zeal like never before. And as I mentioned earlier, painting never occurred to me anytime in the three decades of life that had passed... the phase which came after school (where drawing meant a mandatory homework). Even in those days, the assignments were outsourced to the sister or mom. As is apparent, I did not consider myself artistically inclined at all. 

So how come this penchant for watercolor painting now!

What were the three elements as per The Fogg Behavior Model (FBM), i.e., Trigger, Motivation and Ability that made this change in my behavior?

After much mulling over, I concluded that my Motivation was the immense pleasure of doing a challenging activity which was new to me, and to prove myself that even this can be done. And in the whole process, creating my versions of Van Gogh paintings (yes, no other painter, only Van Gogh). 

The Trigger was my visit to the Barnes Foundation and hearing and knowing in detail Van Gogh's moving life story** for the first time. 

What was left was the element of Ability. 
FBM elaborates that ability is nothing but six elements of simplicity. 

1. Time - Does it require little time or a lot of time?
2. Money - Does it require less money or lot of money?
3. Physical Effort - Does it require less physical effort or is it exhausting?
4. Brain Cycles (Mental Effort) - Is it less mentally fatiguing or more challenging?
5. Social Deviance - is it socially acceptable or isn’t?
6. Non-Routine - Is it routine or isn't?

If it requires little time, less money, less physical effort, less mentally fatiguing, is socially acceptable and is a routine activity, then it gives you complete ability to change behavior with motivation and trigger also being present.

In all the six cases that I decided to create my interpretation of Van Gogh's paintings, motivation and trigger was always there, time was the only element which was a variable factor and in short supply. Rest of the five elements were not an issue at all.
So when time was available, it increased my ability to pick up the brush and get those six paintings done.

FBM also shows that motivation and ability can be traded off (e.g., if motivation is very high, ability can be low) for behavior change to happen. If you have a strong motivation, you can overcome the lack of your abilities and still create a change in behavior with a trigger.

Now just apply this model to anything in life and one can create a positive change in behavior just by ensuring that the three elements of motivation, ability, and trigger are present at the same time.

As a marketer, I think this is a fantastic model for persuasion and creating a change in the behavior of the customer to purchase your product or service. 

Firstly, it is a useful model in the age of disruption and instant online purchases where all of us are perpetually living in a world of persuasion.
Also, a relevant model in times when a marketer's enemy is not just it's competitive product but even the customer's fragmented attention. 

So given these circumstances, how can we as marketers encourage our target audience to take the desired action?
First, check whether the six elements of simplicity are being addressed to increase his/her ability to take necessary action. 
Second, check how we can influence his/her motivation by using the appropriate core motivators (in the diagram above - pleasure/pain, hope/fear, acceptance/rejection) and putting them into force. 
And the finally Trigger element. How do we wisely use Google analytics, do contextual brand promotions or re-marketing at the right time (when customer is motivated and also able to perform the behavior) to produce the target behavior.

In conclusion, I can say that this model is great to understand more clearly about human behavior, why we are not able to achieve intended outcomes, how we can channel our energies more effectively and how it can be used for persuading users to make the target behavior.

If interested, more details on the model can be found here 
http://www.mebook.se/images/page_file/38/Fogg%20Behavior%20Model.pdf 

**Story of Vincent Van Gogh (in brief)
Vincent van Gogh is considered the greatest Dutch painter after Rembrandt, although he remained poor and virtually unknown throughout his life. Vincent Willem van Gogh (March 30, 1853 to July 29, 1890) was a post-impressionist painter whose work, notable for its beauty, emotion, and color, highly influenced 20th-century art. He struggled with mental illness, and remained poor and virtually unknown throughout his life. Van Gogh died in France at age 37 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Though he completed more than 2,100 works, consisting of 860 oil paintings and more than 1,300 watercolors, drawings and sketches, he sold only one painting in his lifetime. Several of his paintings now rank among the most expensive in the world; "Irises" sold for a record $53.9 million, and his "Portrait of Dr. Gachet" sold for $82.5 million. A few of Van Gogh’s most well-known artworks include: The Starry Night, Sunflowers and Self-portraits. (Source: https://www.biography.com)

And here are my six humble attempts to recreate Van Gogh's master pieces and the reason I wrote the blog on behavior change.

Terrace and Observation Deck at the Moulin de Blute-Fin, Montmartre, early 1887

The Bedroom, 1889

Houses and Figure (1890)

Houses at Auvers, 1890

La Mousme, 1888

Farmhouse in Provence (1888)

Yoga and the Art of Project Management

A funny thing happened in our Yoga class today. After an intense hour of maneuvering through Tadasana, Trikonasana, Virabhadrasana (all Yoga postures/asanas) and what have you, it was time for all to do the Shavasana. For the uninitiated, Shavasan is the pause mode in Yoga before you finally wind up your session. It is lying down on your back with eyes closed and focusing on slow and gentle breathing. Though it seems to be the easiest, I must tell you; it is the most difficult of all poses.

It is resting the body for five to ten (or more) minutes in a corpse like pose. However, for some newbies (sometimes even regulars) what typically happens is exactly the opposite. Though their body is in rested state, it is the mind that keeps wandering from one thought to another. While for other beginners it is something else. Like it happened today morning.

Initially, it was a faint sound of a deep breath, and then slowly and gradually it grew into a loud sonorous sound. It was a reverberation of someone snoring just a few meters away. An elderly gentleman instead of counting his breath had moved to counting sheep that too quite effortlessly. A sense of déjà vu along with a faint smile crept upon me as I lay there motionless on the floor with my eyes closed. And in that exact moment, as contrary, as it may sound, I had an eye-opening moment. I could not help but think of the many uncanny similarities between Yoga and Project Management. The two topics are completely divergent but yet so similar.

So, before my willowy thoughts could have me in twists just like in Yoga, I have decided to pour them out here in a blog post.

For a yoga enthusiast who works for a non-profit organization for the advocacy of project management profession, here are the ten reasons why I think both these two seemingly unrelated disciplines are quite alike.

1. Both exist since time immemorial
Yoga’s origin is rooted in India, and it has existed since thousands of years ago. We all know that! Modern project management may have been born in the western world and that too in the past century but project management as a discipline has been present since the existence of Mohenjo-Daro (one of the world's earliest major cities), Great Pyramids of Giza and Great Wall of China. 

Mohenjo-Daro civilzation

The Great Pyramids of Giza, Egypt

The Great Wall of China

2. Global and Agnostic in nature
Though Yoga originated in India, it is not Hindu in nature. Likewise, modern project management is not a western world concept. Both are globally accepted, used and practiced. While one is religion agnostic, the other is industry agnostic. There will be different methodologies and new variations, but the principles remain same.

3. While Yoga is the union of Body, Mind, and Soul, Project Management is bringing together technical skills, leadership, and business management skills
It is a misconception that Yoga is only about getting into pretzel knots, doing head stands or mind-boggling postures. It is actually about achieving balance in physical, mental and spiritual health. Yoga does not end when you get off the yoga mat and step out of the class. It is a holistic journey. Besides our postures, it is about watching our breath; it is about meditation, control over our thoughts and focusing on total well-being.
The same way Project management is not just about technical skills and knowing how to use tools and templates. It is also important to have leadership skills and business intelligence. In today’s increasingly complex and competitive global marketplace it is imperative for a project manager to have a business bent of mind to get the bigger picture and understand how each project fits into the entire strategic journey of his/her organization. In project management parlance it is called as the ideal skill set or the Talent Triangle.

                       

4. Mastery over both needs practice and discipline
Both should regularly be practiced and with a disciplined approach to have mastery over them. It is not something which can be done one day and forgotten the next day. If I miss a few yoga classes, my yoga teacher does not teach me new asanas until I revisit and practice what was already taught in previous classes. I have to start from scratch, get the foundation postures right and then only move ahead to the new posture. So is the case with project management, one must keep abreast of the new techniques, practices, and methodologies especially in this fast-changing dynamic world while at the same time being in touch with the discipline on a day to day basis.

5. Processes, Rules and Structure

Both have an entire body of knowledge dedicated to them. There are step by step procedures; there are certain rules on why, when, where, and how to follow them. So also there is a framework for Yoga as well as Project Management which tells you the WHAT aspect of both disciplines.

6. Principles of Yoga and Knowledge Areas of Project Management

Just as Yoga has ten principles, project management has ten principles which are critical to understand.

Ten Yoga Principles	Ten Project Management Principles
Non-violence	Projects are unique and a temporary endeavor meant to achieve an objective
Truthfulness	Code of Ethics
Righteousness	Project Charter to decide what will comprise in that project
Wisdom	Consider technical as well as soft skills while forming project team
Simplicity	Risks and complexity in projects will always be there. Have a backup plan.
Worship of the spiritual goal	Cost, Time and Quality are co-dependent
Sacrifice the ego	Cannot underestimate the importance of managing stakeholders
Self-discipline	Follow processes
Reading	Keep abreast of latest technology, trends and techniques
Contentment	Celebrate success or achievement of important milestones

7. In both, we can use tools to facilitate the whole exercise but success eventually depends on the practitioner

In Yoga, you are provided tools to facilitate a difficult stretch or to get the correct posture especially if you are a beginner. So also in project management, there are tools and templates to assist a project manager in planning or executing his/her project. All said and done; it is up to each practitioner how well they make use of the available tools to achieve their goal.

8. It is a slow and steady journey

In Yoga and Project Management one can’t expect instant results. It is unlike an allopathy medicine or a pill which can provide a quick cure or remedy. It is a gradual process and for its effects to show it takes time. It could be weeks and sometimes many months, but the effects are far-reaching. 

9. Stable and yet flexible and agile.

Both disciplines teach its practitioners how to be stable when required and at the same time prepare them for any change. 
In Yoga, there are certain situations which require you to be steady and relaxed, viz. meditation process and then there are other areas where one is expected to be agile and flexible.
In the current VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) world, it is essential that project managers understand the importance of being flexible, agile and adaptable. These are the characteristics which we should nurture within us if we have to progress in these ever-changing times.

10. Shavaasan and Closing Process

Shavasana is considered trivial by the uninformed yoga practitioners and hence not seriously practiced at the end of a yoga session. Many tend to skip out early as they have not understood the full benefits of this asana. The objective is to relax the body and mind so that you may fully assimilate the benefits of your asana practice. Likewise, same is the case with the Closing Process in project management. It is not considered as important as other processes in project management. Shavasana and Closing Stage – both which are meant to be a culmination of the venture as a whole, provide the same benefits.

The first benefit being observation. Yoga and Project Management both help you to reflect, introspect and observe all that has happened, how it has affected us and helped gain a better perspective. Both are excellent stages for honest observation. The second benefit being clarity. It helps us to rationalize our thoughts, feel lighter, be more focused and get ready for what lays ahead. For e.g. in project management, one creates a ‘’Lessons learned’’ document in the closing process stage. This paper is highly essential before moving on to the next project. It is created so that we don’t repeat the same mistakes of the past and document the project learnings for consumption of others.


Last but not the least, according to me, yoga and project management are life skills and their benefits are extensive and far-reaching which can be reaped for generations together. And more so, if they are taught when young, they can be of immense help to the young students. While Yoga contributes to instilling a sense of discipline in an individual and helps channelize spiritual growth, project management benefits can be reaped not just by a person or society or organization but even by the nation as a whole.
I sincerely urge schools and colleges to look at these two knowledge areas and disciplines as a must-have for students as well as teachers.
Likewise, I sincerely urge the state and central government to regularize and institutionalize Yoga and Project Management discipline in school/colleges and industry respectively.
In fact, as a nation, if there are concerted efforts to institutionalize these two disciplines and we invest in training, skilling, and certification, we have the potential to become the richest in human resources and even the biggest exporter of yoga/project management talent to countries around the world.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author completely and do not necessarily reflect the position or thoughts of the organization the author is employed with.