Fair Regulation.

V.Balakrishnan ​​​​​19, First Main Road,

​​​​​​​Karpgam Gardens, Adyar,

​​​​​​​Chennai – 600 020

​​​​​​​+91 9840121596

Dear Editor,

 

Sub: Fair Regulation

 

The leader in your paper today rightly stresses the need for ‘fair’ regulators. It is verytimely. I am in total agreement with the stated opinion that the current decision of the regulator is a “Balanced Decision”. If they had taken a narrow view they would haveto hold Tata Power responsible for the ‘rash’ bidding adopted by them. Such an approach would have been counterproductive as in the total grid with operating capacities in excess of 178000 MW, we are currently adjudicating on the tariff of just8000 MW (including Adani Power) less than 2%. While taking the deciiosn therefore they might have weighed and considered that giving an incentive of 52 paise for these plants, on a pooled basis will have very little impact on the pricing to the consumer.

 

At the same time, the assets under consideration namely Tata power and Adani Power are current state of the art plant with life span of 30 years plus from today and need to be encouraged.

 

Notwithstanding the above, considering the view of price increase being there theregulator has correctly, taken effort to offset its impact through tweaking some of the provisions by shifting from ‘availability’ to ‘Load factor’ and removed unnecessary comfort to the major utility operators. In sum the move has saved some plants, which were on the verge of shutdown and has paved the way for reducing the pooled cost.

 

With regards,

 

V.BALAKRISHNAN

 

Journalistic independence

A series of Op Ed article, the responses from the individuals who feel aggrieved through these exposes, have set me thinking as to what is the role of journalism in democracy. To start with, an opinion which is that of the journalist that some thing is wrong or some one has been doing some wrong on to someone, becomes the core basis or belief to construct a story. What if that opinion is wrong or is best on purported facts, which turned out to be untrue at a later date?

Does the journist pay a price? The journalist might have been a mere instrument, who has been manipulated by an interested party. Since we hold the journalist and/ or the papaer that brings the stories in high esteem, our opinion is also high jacked and we also become victims. 

What does one do in such circumstances? How does one punish the manipulator? And how do we sto these happening again?

It is time we raised these questions and debated answers to bring in more security to our democratic functioning. 

Disappointments that has to be turned to I great success - that must be the story of a successful executive.

At times, even the most experienced executive faces situations, which suddenly spin out of control and the opportunities, which just till then looked so plausible, turn to nothing. 

And when this happens at the hands of some ill behaved person and in temperate, person who starts talking  of something which he has no clue whatsoever but does so as if he is doing it day in day out, you are further peeved. You maintain the decorum in deference to the authority which is his because of his closeness to someone. This is a classic case where your failure turns to frustration and you do something rash. 

But a mature player, does take time off to think it through and converts the opportunity nevertheless. While one sets out to do it, he must prepare deliberately to avoid the coterie and if faced with must take it head on to close out.

I am setting out to do it and will share the entire story once it is successful. I for one have decided that there are situations which are not acceptable and I will correct it to have it my way.

Organization growth and your own agenda

Every employee, when he starts work at a place has his or her own plans for the future. After the initial few months or years they review their goals, modify or reaffirm their beliefs. Such actions have many common threads one of which is continuity and growth at the chosen place This is the accepted norm in the families of middle and upper middle class of working parents. The fresher or junior aspires to reach the levels of their mentor or the top post through diligent and dedicated work.

Growth in itself is gradual and graded. Definition of growth is difficult as it has different notations for each individual. For some it is synonymous with the best that has happened to their peers in other organizations. For some others growth it is to meet their cash needs caused by events at the personal front. May be it is due to life style changes or additions in the family, sudden expenses etc. The most successful career persons are those who do not fall into such traps and stay at the job which they like and manage their expenditure to the extent permitted by the salaries.

There is flip side to this. Management may take such individuals for granted and may try to deny their due. This is rare occurrence in progressive organization, but it will help for one to be vigilant about it.

The organization culture is another important aspect. If it is Multinational Organization, their agenda with respect to the country where you are serving is very important. If they are just willing to push the product manufactured elsewhere, without developing or manufacturing the products locally, it is time you moved on. As a professional one needs to have the larger picture in mind, when they devote their entire life to an organization.

If it is a national organization, owner driven, we need to see for professionalism exhibited in the key decisions taken by them, the consistency in their policies, tuning of the policies with times, and aligning the HR policies in line with the market trends. Lack of any one element is a concern, but manageable. Over time if it is not corrected or more unacceptable practices become the norm, then it is better to look at other better options.

The challenge for organizations, is to stay focussed and be responsive to the employees needs at all levels. Growth in the organization, will bring in many new additions and faces at all levels. While this opportunity will be used by the employer to weed out the non performing elements, the employee needs to be aware of the impact of such additions and additionally qualify himself or work harder or improve the functioning to deliver improved results.

Organisations move in directions in which its key persons direct it. Hence the top management are responsible for steering it propoerly for the benefit of all. Where it gets difficult is when there are major changes in the top management itself. It is at these times, one needs to stay and take a view of the changes (which percolate down due to the change) and then decide. There will be heart burns and individual loyalties which are challenged. But one should not allow such emotions to cloud one's decision.

Challenges at the work place

There are many challenges at the work place which we need to tackle.

Every action, interaction, every new effort which you take, brings with it, its own challenges. If you are lucky you develop a liking to these challenges and that is the best situation. Some times you allow these tendencies to become addictive which turns you to a workaholic. This is another challenge which you need to manage as it may take a toll at the home front.

There are some challenges which makes you tense and if you encounter many of them in a day's work then it is time you realized that you are in the wrong place! As they say the moment the work which you do makes you tense, it is time you changed your work or the work place.

As you move on handling these challenges, certain events bring disappointments and sadness. It is at these times you need to believe in your self and get on with it. If the disappointments are caused by some whose actions you cannot control, then the situation may need a directional shift. Else it could be a simple chemistry issue. Whatever it is, it is must be faced and resolved immediately, lest it becomes a bogey and you start looking at it for excuses.