Author name: drrachanaadatey.in

MOTHER NATURE –THE ULTIMATE GURU   Author: – Dr.Rachanaa Datey   Imagine a world without nature, without trees, clouds, snow, Flowers, fruits, rivers, Oceans, mountains, animals, birds … For those who value nature recognize its ability to generate emotional and societal values, ability to generate emotional connections with Mother Nature is priceless. Nature is a medium to connect our souls with ourselves. For this we don’t have to be a mediator or a spiritual practitioner. We all can experience this because nature is our mother. She is always a healer. This art of god teaches us many life lessons. These lessons of life can be learned from Trees, Birds, Animals, Insects, Oceans, Rivers, Sky, Clouds, Rain, Wind Sun, Moon, Stars. Look to nature as your teacher, a silent teacher. These are some of the humbling lessons and answers we get by tuning into nature. Earth Earth is that powerful glue that holds in place the tiniest microbes, the most gigantic trees and even man-made superstructures. An individual can harness his or her own earthiness and stand steady and firm. The creative force behind everything is dependent on the strength of its nurturing element — the Earth. It teaches us to be solid and dependable. We should learn art of balancing too. One must be gentle most of the time and at the same time adore the virtues of greatest depths conceal unmatched power just like mother Earth. Mountains The steep cliffs, the forbidding peaks and the deadly cold are just some of the few dangers that we stand barely exposed to when in the mountains. They tell us to overcome our fears. Because once we overcome obstacles no one can stop us to stand at the peak and, there’s nothing as exhilarating as that moment. Mountains stand firm, poised and majestic. Regardless of the external situations life will bring you, remain strong like the mountains do when faced with tempest, rain storms, and water erosion. Oceans The vast ocean can’t exist without each particle of water. The constant nature of change exhibits itself more profoundly in the ocean. Life also doesn’t stop moving. One of the many vital lives lessons Ocean teaches us is aggression. A big part of life is defined by adversities. Sometimes, it simply wants us to let go of our beliefs. And other times it wants us to start over again. Each human being plays its part in humanity. We are all one small part of the greater whole. Rivers Rivers exemplify selfless service. They facilitate the flow of water from one source to another but do not keep anything for themselves, giving to the earth, the sky and the ocean what belongs to them. After nourishing life upon earth in various ways and helping many, they become empty, giving up the remaining water to the oceans. By that, they teach us an important lesson about renunciation, suggesting that instead of assuming ownership of things and becoming selfish, one should help others to the extent possible. Weather Just like weather, nothing is certain in life. We can’t control and prepare for everything. On days when there is suppose to be sunshine, the rain may unexpectedly fall. Don’t let your mood be affected by the weather. Don’t wait for extraordinary moments to take your breath away, look to nature and bring that beauty into all that you do and every moment of your life. Tending a garden, folding laundry, consoling your child having a tantrum or cooking a meal- all regular tasks take on a sacred quality when we perform them with the total involvement, acceptance and love. Trees The trees around us guide us to learn acceptance and non-resistance. A green leaf doesn’t resist turning red /yellow when autumn approaches. Trees don’t resist leaves falling when winter arrives. They stand deeply rooted in the ground, with the braches open and spread wide, surrendering to the Universe and welcoming the birds, animals to have shelter in them. Flowers They convey a sensation of freshness and soften our hearts when we are unhappy and drained. They cleanse our environs and uplift our life when we are feeling sad. Life is a flower of which love is the honey. A flower has countless qualities we can learn from. They blossom in all sorts of natural environments. We all carry a different fragrance, color and beauty for the world to enjoy. Flowers don’t discriminate who they share their beauty and fragrance with. True compassion and love comes from sharing your beauty with all you meet. Birds Birds flying high through the sky represent the limitless freedom and potential available to us if we let go our fears. They teach us to leave our comfort zones and be adventurous. Taking off to fly for the first time can be scary and bring about feelings of fear. Without taking the risk of the first flight, we won’t find the internal freedom we desire. We must dare to take our feet off the ground, spread our wings and rise. Animals They teach us to accept you as we are, know our weaknesses and strengths and embrace our unique beauty and gifts which nature has bestowed upon us. They also teach us survival skills. Survival of the fittest is another lesson we can learn from them. They teach us that, Love is felt in the heart by making eye connection, being in someone’s presence and through physical touch. Insects The community of bees and ants all participate together to benefit all those in their community. We each have our own calling and duties as well as responsibilities that is best performed by us. Each member is necessary for a functioning family, community, nation and world. We should embrace our special responsibility, share it proudly with the world, and always do your best. Butterfly Strong determination and grit is often the necessity of dreaming and fulfilling impossible dreams. We can look forward to learn from the butterfly. Butterfly is the most fragile mortal existing.

UNBOUNDED LOVE (From the dairy of a mother on Mother’s Day.)             Author: Dr.Rachanaa Datey Scientists and the developmental psychologists claim that the learning process starts at a stage when the baby is in the mother’s womb itself. Interestingly the Indian traditional texts also emphasize this as evident from scriptural references. Abhimanyu (Arjuna’s son) learns the art of penetrating the chakravyuha when he was in Subhadra’s womb. Rishi Yajnavalkya gets the supreme knowledge from his father when he was in his mother’s womb. Bhakt Prahlada attained supreme Viṣṇu Bhakti when Muni Narad taught this to his mother queen Kayadhu. What one learns from the parents especially mother, in the formative phases of life provides firm foundation and continues to influence other phases. My idea and definition of Parenting (alternatively motherhood) is- It a process of transferring values, culture, and knowledge from one generation to the next .Traditionally, ‘sociability’ is one of the important values the parents (like me) nurture in their children, where they enlighten to live cordially with other fellow beings and thus the magnificent ‘joint family system’ flourished in our country since the time unknown, which is just ‘one roof’ for great grandfather, great grandmother, grandmother, grandfather, father, mother, uncles, aunts, sons, daughters, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, granddaughters, grandsons, nephews, and nieces When I first held my son in my arms, perhaps in the first minute of Great Spirit’s manifestation on earth in this tiny body, my heart knew his earth name…I will call him Aaryan. Thus, this invisible Truth, now bound in ‘form,’ acquired a ‘name’. The little bundle of mass, mind and consciousness in my arms became ‘Aaryan’ to the world. (NOW) My son is smart youth, of 18 years. His mind, a confident millennial, travelled, exposed, informed, not only of civil rights but also his civic duties, with social activism and liberal consciousness enlightening his beliefs. My son has a mounting, expansive, yet universally unitive mindset and a globally progressive world culture informing his perceptions, which is apparently giving birth to lofty ideals. When I stand back and observe him, he appears to me to be no less than an intellectually evolved, mature and wise human mind. The mental vines that bind me to him are thick with the glue of force and attachments and the control, compulsions, scripted roles, and self-defeating expectations that arise from unexamined attachments in my mind, every single time. These scripted roles (especially of me being a mother) made him experience my ‘mom-hood’ unconsciousness parading as love, care and concern (control, panic and over concern) (RELISAZATION from my journey as a mother) When I see him as the Unbounded One, I gift myself the inner freedom to relate to my son in all new ways. The clouds seem to shed away spontaneously, and my inner sun of happiness, poise and freedom begins to shine (rather I would confess, it was shining all along, it’s just that clouds of self-ignorance had seemingly covered the sun).Then, in the right light of my own mind, I can see that we are not just another pair of worldly mom and son with rigid criteria defining and holding (but ultimately dividing) us by convention, seniority, age, generation gap, beliefs and power struggles. We become untethered spirit, no less, mutually co-existing, supporting, understanding, and celebrating both of our flights in pure potentiality. BOUNDED AND UNBOUNDED RELATIONSHIP OF MOTHER AND SON Bounded humans are psychologically dependent humans. They hold each other back. Unbounded humans fly and help others fly. Unbounded humans give each other much needed and strength and support to be and become what their heart desires, but to always, first and foremost, be free inside. Emotional sovereignty, any relationships (this most valuable one) that bind us in a web of expectations and obligations will sooner or later cause us to suffer. The Vedas say that the Universal Self, “Atman”, is always one; body and mind are countless. Then, sharing such a splendid, united Self, One Consciousness manifesting in diverse bodysuits, we both, mother, and son, become united, unconditionally supportive, accepting, and equal. Slowly my parental (Motherhood) anxiety, born from a solely material vision, dissolved and with it my brain became free of a harangue of worry and tsunami of control…. Aaryan you should, /you must, /how could you! Then a day came when I began to secretly smile to myself, even at times when my son was making decisions I did not approve of (my brain screamed blunder, stop, no way!) … choices that my mom brain wanted to veto. (Comparing it with warlike urgency and ferocity.) Instead, now I have learned to observe more. Every day, I offer silent blessings, I kept our growing friendship alive, our silly funny conversation flowing, our little joys alive (like a shared cup of hot coffee). I offer laidback advice (only if directly solicited) without pressure and mostly continue to trust our common (mother and Son) spirit (universal self, Atman.) FOR ALL MOTHERS I tried this, and I am seeing my son transform into an original, out-of-the-box musician, excellent in his chosen field of studies, conscious citizen, and a deeply caring person. Instead of arguing over small matters like we once did, we are talking like friends now. We are both learning from each other. Dear mothers! Our children are magic seeds. Let us become a garden where these magical seeds can do their own magic. Let us allow the magic… and not fear it, suppress it, control it or claim it …SHALL WE? HAPPY MOTHERS’ DAY! Scientists and the developmental psychologists claim that the learning process starts at a stage when the baby is in the mother’s womb itself. Interestingly the Indian traditional texts also emphasize this as evident from scriptural references. Abhimanyu (Arjuna’s son) learns the art of penetrating the chakravyuha when he was in Subhadra’s womb. Rishi Yajnavalkya gets the supreme knowledge from his father when he was in his mother’s womb. Bhakt Prahlada attained supreme Viṣṇu Bhakti when Muni Narad

THE JOY OF GIVING. (Dr.Rachanaa Datey) Akshaya Tritiya holds significant religious importance for Hindus. It is considered one of the most auspicious days. It is considered sacred for new beginnings, and buying new things is a key ritual. Akshaya Tritiya is also known as Akha Teej. Akshaya Tritiya has lot of religious significance:  1. It is the janamtithi of Lord Parashurama, one of the ten Dashavataras of Lord Vishnu.  2. It is the starting day of Treta Yuga after Satya Yuga.  3. It is the day when Sudama offered Aval to Lord Krishna, who in turn blessed him with bountiful wealth and happiness. 4. Lord Krishna gave the Akshaya Patra to Draupadi when the Pandavas started for the Vanavasa, so that they always have food in abundance.  5. Veda Vyasa started writing the epic Mahabharata.  6. The Holy Ganges descended upon the Earth.  7. The annual Rath Yatra in Puri Jagannath begins on this day.  The charity or Daanam performed during this day certainly blesses the donor. ‘DADNAM’- CHARITY has a very important place in every religion. According to Hindu religion it is the main component of DHARMA. Each person has to perform and abide by dharma relating to society, family and all living creatures. The wealth that a person acquires is not only for him, but Dharma says, it is also for the welfare of society. According to Dharma it is the responsibility of wealthy people to give back to society. Upanishad points out that true happiness and peace lies in detachment from wealth. The joy of giving gets multiplied thousand times. Upanishad also teaches us that mere giving of charity for the sake of giving is not sufficient, nor it is fruitful. ‘DAANAM’ without spiritual wisdom brings no true peace. Dharma says that charity of food. i.e.’ ANNADANA’ is the highest order of DAANAM. The commendable effects of giving continue to persist for the giver and the person in whose name the DAANAM is made. The importance of the act is, it purifies one’s life and enhances its quality. Mutual regard and service is a very basic law of life for Hindus. Therefore…. donate, perform DAANAM. ” GIVE WITH FAITH, GIVE WITH SENSITIVITY, GIVE WITH A FEELING OF ABUNDANCE, GIVE WITH RIGHT UNDERSTANDING.”- Taittiriya Upnishad

Few days back, I had to deliver a lecture on change management for a group of managers. Change management seems to be a word in FASHION these days. Everyone wants to talk about it. While I was preparing for this, I was searching for some unique examples to explain the concept. I was looking outside my study’s window; it was raining heavily. After some time rain slowed down and then it was drizzling. Everything was so clear, clean, and green after long scorching summer days. Mother Nature was looking very happy benevolent and beautiful. Actually, full of life with shades of green everywhere as if she is embracing this change. It is always a treat to eyes to see new leaves sprouting, colorful flowers blooming, waterfalls giggling again as if they are telling us … CHANGE is always welcome! Embrace this change. Through this article, I am trying to connect and find the lessons which Mother Nature teach us unknowingly about the much hyped word in modern management – “CHANGE MANAGEMENT”. WHAT IS CHANGE MANAGEMENT?        It is necessary to understand what Change Management is in any organization. Change management is the discipline that guides how we prepare, equip and support individuals to successfully adopt change in order to drive organizational success and outcomes. Change management provides a structured approach for supporting the individuals in organization to move from their own current states to their own future states. Change management is the process, tools and techniques to manage the people side of change to achieve its required business outcomes. It is the systematic management of employee engagement and adoption when the organization changes how work will be done. Ultimately, change management focuses on how to help employees embrace, adopt and utilize a change in their day-to-day work. Change management is both a process and a competency. This flowchart will make the process more clear Change management is not just communication or training. It is not just managing resistance. Effective change management follows a structured process and uses a holistic set of tools to drive successful individual and organizational change. NEED &IMPORTANCE OF CHANGE MANAGEMENT NATURE AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT Has anyone noticed recently the period right before and after the sunset or observed the breezy environment at the onset of monsoon? The trees, grass, sky, and all around you are seasoned with change management lessons! It leaves me completely spellbound by the scale of change that happens in the world around us, and that too all in a matter of minutes! Nature does not need words, presentations, leadership lessons, neither crisis management tips. Still compliance is complete with accuracy. A diverse environment of a million beings responds in a singular predictable fashion to a change brought about by nature. The entire area responds uniformly to the change and quickly adjusts to the new reality. This change is a way of life and it happens with negligible or no effort! Mother Nature teaches us some insightful lessons in change management—in its own unique way. These awesome lessons can act as a to-do list in change management. Let us understand them in nature’s very own style. Predict and Plan for the change- Predictability is the biggest strength of nature. The cycle of days and nights occur in a predictable manner and seasons arrive at designated periods. There are some times unpredictable events too, like a hurricane, an earthquake or a tsunami, drought, famine but

Culture describes a certain set of customs, ideas, and social behaviour of a group of similar people in a society. Geographical borders usually segregate cultures. Some characteristics like language, religion, food habits, social norms, music and arts stay specific in one particular culture. Throughout the world, we have a variety of cultures. Cultures have been maintained from time immemorial and have been handed down from one generation to another. Cultures help people connect with each other and build communities, within the same cultural backgrounds. Individuals belonging to the same culture are usually like-minded and have the same ancestral values. Understanding the Cultural Iceberg Understanding cultural dynamics is more important than ever. Having a good understanding of cultural influences can help employers and human resources managers avoid taking adverse action against individuals based on cultural misunderstandings. The iceberg model of culture examines a culture in the context of an iceberg, which implies that the unseen aspects of a society’s culture are the driving forces between the creation and continuation of the external aspects of culture. The iceberg concept of culture encourages anthropologists and others to look beyond the appearance of a culture (material culture, customs, actions) and ascertain what beliefs and movements in society have affected the formation of these external expressions. Individuals may be able to see and describe certain aspects of culture by simple observation. However, they can develop a better understanding of deeply rooted ideas by studying formative factors, reflecting on their own core values and analyzing observed core values of members of the culture. Simultaneously, they can be open to the idea that individual values may differ. Analogy of Cultural Iceberg Icebergs peak over the water, revealing just a small portion of their total mass. Culture is similar in that people at first just see a small portion of a person’s culture based on things such as food, literature, visual/ performing art forms, language, clothing, appearance, grooming, greeting rituals, celebrations and festivals. However, these observations comprise just a fraction of a person’s culture. Just like with a physical iceberg, a cultural iceberg contains essential characteristics beneath the surface. When we see an iceberg, the portion which is visible above water is, in reality, only a small piece of a much larger whole. The top 10% of the cultural iceberg is the part that is experienced – the part that affects the senses. These are the expressions of culture, the outermost parts that are meant to be displayed like traditions and festivals. As a result, relatively few of the important parts of a society’s culture are displayed in this layer. This 10% has a relatively low emotional load associated with it. Examples of the 90% of culture which is out of conscious awareness (under the water) are notions of modesty, concept of beauty, ideals governing child raising, relationship with animals, definition of sin, courtship practices, notions of leadership, concept of past and future, arrangement of physical space, concept of cleanliness, humour, attitudes toward elders, tempo of work, definition of obscenity, nature of friendship, and much more. Deep below the “water line” are a culture’s core values. These are primarily learned ideas of what is good, right, desirable, and acceptable, as well as what is bad, wrong, undesirable, and unacceptable. In many cases, different cultural groups share the similar core values (such as “honesty”, or “respect”, or “family”), but these are often interpreted differently in different situations and incorporated in unique ways into specific attitudes we apply in daily situations. Ultimately, these internal forces become visible to the casual observer in the form of observable behaviours, such as the words we use, the way we act, the laws we enact, and the ways we communicate with each other. The Core Values and its Interpretation Core values teach children and adults about the importance and manifestation of honesty, respect, and integrity. However, there may be different situations in which these values may be asserted or interpreted in a different way. Buried further in the cultural iceberg is the interpretation of core values. These behaviours may be better understood and interpreted when individuals who are part of the culture conduct observable behaviours, such as which words people use to talk, the tone of voice they use, the laws that are passed, the mannerisms they use when interacting with others, and the ways that they communicate with others. Other people interpret cove values by observing how individuals behave in their professional lives. The Changing Core Values While people may grow up with teachings regarding core values, these values may change over time. New experiences and shifts in cultural views may shape a person’s core values. However, these changes often do not occur quickly or without complication. Many core values become part of the culture’s external image to others. They are often passed on from one generation to the next and continue to influence individuals who are part of the culture. The core values may guide, teach, and influence individuals. In addition to the teachings that individuals receive from their parents and what they are taught in an educational setting, other cultural influences include the media and the laws that are passed. These factors influence social norms and shape a person’s ideas about how they see the world and what they decide matters to them. Author:- Dr.Rachanaa Datey Founder Director –QUEST EDUSTATION –Trainings and Learning Solutions. Contact: – mailtodr.rachanaa@gmail.com

Author: -Dr.Rachanaa DateyFounder Director QUEST EDUSTATION Trainings and Learning Solutions.Certified Soft skills and Finance trainer, empaneled as SMART- SEBI, RP-NISM,ICFAI.Email -mailtodr.rachanaa@gmail.com In a competitive job market, candidates often find themselves competing with others who have almost the similar technical skills. In such cases, candidate’s resume, cover letter and interviewing skills can get him/her sailing successfully. However, being able to demonstrate strong soft skills could be what sets you apart from other candidates. If you’re in the market for a new job and you have strong soft skills, it’s time to show them off! The question now comes as to what soft skills should you focus on developing? And how can you cultivate them in your everyday work tasks? Finally, how can you demonstrate these skills when interviewing with companies? Key competencies are specific qualities that a company’s recruiters consider desirable for employees to possess. They’re often used as benchmarks to rate and evaluate candidates during the recruitment process, especially when reviewing application forms and at interview.This article helps you find on what you should focus on when it comes to soft skills which ultimately help getting you a job. Demonstrating soft skills in the job search has never been a simple task, and with the current virtual nature of the world and the popularity of remote interviews, it’s harder than ever before. But it’s also more important than ever as employers seek candidates who can help their companies grow and evolve into the future. Demonstrate your commitment to learning and growing, practice getting your true personality across, and tell a story that goes beyond your resume to stand out.But how? Unlike technical skills, soft skills are hard to measure, and it is very challenging to demonstrate on job applications. You need to go beyond the words on your resume to showcase your soft skills with the following strategies: THE “S.T.A.R.” COMES TO THE RESCUEA resume or even your LinkedIn page can’t convey soft skills. It is advised that a job seekers must be able enough to tell stories relating to their experiences which demonstrate how existing interpersonal expertise will transfer into their next role. I recommend my trainees to apply the “STAR” method when answering behavioural-based interview questions. This method confirm that they get the full scope of their soft skills across.The approach which STAR method adopts is storytelling. It starts with discussing the context and confronts of a specific situation, the task or responsibility one held in the situation or in overcoming the challenge, the action they took to address the situation, and the results. This helps in highlighting how your soft skills, such as leadership, communication and teamwork, played an important role into overcoming a challenge resulting in a positive scenario. If you don’t have direct experience in the field you’re applying for, think of other situations or challenges may be a situation where you were volunteer, or even academic experiences that you needed interpersonal skills to overcome. RECORD YOUR ANSWERSIt is very common that candidates get nervous, and they switch on the autopilot mode of answering each question as if they are reading a script. You need to make sure they you are saying the right things, and don’t ever appear unprofessional. Responding to questions in a scripted manner might make you seem harsher and more forced than how you’d usually respond to questions and interact with people naturally in the job environment.To ensure employers get a feel for your real personality and communication style, I suggest creating an online portfolio. This includes video footage of candidate answering some common interview questions. The candidates can create their video pitches and can send them to the potential employers and even use it as a networking tool.Recording yourself answering interview questions is also a great way to practice getting out of autopilot mode for interviews. Many things you might not notice in the moment, like facial expressions and hand gestures and body postures you can catch on video and even out to ensure that you make a lively and active connection with employer during an interview.SHOW YOUR COMMITMENT FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENTSometimes candidate might not be able to demonstrate soft skills on a resume, in such cases s/he can list the certificates or accreditations that displays their commitment to keeping those skills sharp. If employers are looking for candidates who can grow and evolve with the company, they’ll also appreciate seeing candidates’ appetite for learning and improving.Even if you’re currently out of a job, you should work towards sharpening the skills and learning new things. There are numerous online programs and certifications that helps and elevates the skills conveniently and affordably.User story-mapping is another skill one can learn online that establishes high interpersonal expertise. Managers and staff use this process to study, understand, define, and ultimately amplify the user experience for their products and services. It’s about understanding the customer, which requires a collaborative, communicative, and empathetic approach.ENTHUSIASM, ATTITUDE AND COMMUNICATION SKILLSI tell this to job seekers that, without being over-the-top in your job interview, a dose of enthusiasm and passion for the role can make them stand out from other candidates. It is critical to demonstrate to employers that you are astute right from the early stages of interviewing, and that you’ll carry the same enthusiasm through to the workplace if you’re the chosen applicant. Arriving early, actively asking questions during the interview and intently listening are all strong indicators that you’re a strong and enthusiastic applicant and display the right attitude towards the particular job opportunity.Communication skill is essential in each role, in one way or another. Businesses value employees who can get their point across easily and diplomatically. Additionally, companies are looking for talent who can communicate clearly with stakeholders , other senior leaders and members of the team. Being able to confidently communicate your points during an interview impress the interviewer. To this add active listening and responding with well-prepared responses means you have strong abilities in engaging in two-way communication, not just one-way. WORDS OF ADVICESoft skills