Book Review - Random Management Thoughts – 1 by M L NARENDRA KUMAR

Management Simplified

                                         

These days Corporate Trainers and Speakers are NOT in competition amongst themselves. We are in fact competing with WhatsApp. You know why. Even before we start narrating a story, anecdote or a metaphor, the attention-deficit-audience responds, “We have seen it already in WhatsApp!”

But my friend, Corporate Trainer and Consultant, Narendra Kumar has thrown a challenge to the WhatsApp itself and a run for its money. When he presented this sleek book, looking just like a Tab…. slim, trim and light, I decided at once try it. These days, it takes an hour to clear your WhatsApp messages every day, but here’s a book that I could read in fifteen minutes flat! That’s awesome and tempting for the so-called ‘time-starved’ manager.

Also inviting is the creative way of looking at things around in the workplace, just as a child entering office will probe with curiosity. Man is becoming a machine these days, we say. It is also believed, the machines will ‘take over’ human lives soon. After all tool-making-ability has only brought us humans this far. But here’s a book that prompts you to learn from everyday tools, as small as the pencil, eraser, sharpener, the treasured-items of the school days, with whom we have literally grown up and even today use in our offices.

Surprising particularly are the numerous lessons we can learn from the stylish stapler, sticky cello tape and blank A4 sheets too. I will reserve the secret lessons for you to explore yourselves and get surprised. Particularly the stapler metaphor for team-working is brilliant. Kudos to the author for observing life in its minutest form and bringing out lessons from every little thing around us.

Going beyond office stationery, Naren also draws wisdom from the pigeons that sit and grunt in our office window, the tastes of life viz., sweet, sour, salt, etc. and also packs a punch or two through Employee Interaction and Exit Interview. A powerful and tasty mixed-fruit-punch indeed, on a mid-Summer-afternoon.

Finally, he ends the little book with simple leadership lessons on a philosophical note touching the five elements of Nature of which we are made, such as, Earth, Space, Fire, Water & Air. Aptly the title represents the contents, ‘Random’ ‘Management’ and ‘Thoughts’. Also like the human lives, the book ends abruptly and unannounced. After all, the author has named it ‘Random Management Thoughts-1” which promises a sequel, like the Bahubali-2!

Expecting more quick lessons Naren. You are so creative in learning pursuit and are also enviably the first Indian Trainer to script, produce and direct a film on managerial effectiveness using Socratic Principles.

As the Hindi Cinema dialogue goes…Picture Abhi Baakhi Hai!