Are you a rational or intuitive problem solver?

For carrying any problem solving...it can be done by either adopting rational thinking or with an intuitive thinking process.

According to Brian Tracy, author of "How the best Leaders lead" - "Your entire success as a person and a leader is determined by your ability to solve problems effectively and well. Whatever title is written on your business card, your real job is problem solver"

Rational problem Solving Technique:

Brian Tracy suggests 10 steps for rational problem solving:

1. Define the problem
2. Ask yourself, What else is problematic?
3. Restate the problem in a way that is clear and helpful in solving the problem
4. Determine all possible causes of the problem
5. Determine a variety of possible solutions
6. Decide which solution to try first
7. Assign responsibility for the solution
8. Set a timeline
9. Implement the plan
10. Evaluate the outcome. If the problem isn't solved, go back to the first step.

This is analytic, deliberate, conscious and cyclic process.

In this methodology, it is important to take a decision on a particular solution based on information collected to act upon. If the action doesn't result in a solution, it still helps to gain information that may ultimately lead to a solution

"A weak solution vigorously carried out is usually better than a excellent solution weakly pursued" - By George S Patton, as quoted by Tracy.

The classic example is Bill Gates...who has used the rational style of the problem solving in leading Microsoft.

Intuitive Problem Solving Technique:

It is an automatic thinking process. It can produce "aha" moments for people how prefer it and are familiar with using it. 

The genius of Steve Jobs have been viewed by many and also in his biography by Walter Isaacson as a intuitive problem solver whose success was based on his unique style of thinking. He did different acquisitions, birth of Pixar Animation, birth of Mac and all his "i" inspired products (iTune, iPhone, iPad....) are based on his intuitive vision.

How does intuitive Problem solving work? 

1. Ponder the problem as a question in your mind during a quite routine time, such as before bedtime, on a walk or run, in the shower or when you doing some systemic chore like folding laundry.

2. Leave the question alone - unanalyzed and untouched.

3. Pay attention to dreams and random thoughts so when the answer pops into your mind you will see or hear it. 

4. Seek new experiences, such as starting a new hobby, making a new friend or talking a different route to work.

5. Engage in brief meditation. It enhances the  intuitive problem solving process.

In nutshell...you end up solving it with "eureka" moment either from a gut feeling or in middle of night you will get a vision or just while talking with your close partner/team or by your creativeness feeder.

An example that we all can relate to is "House, MD. (Hugh Laurie)" from the award winning medical fiction TV serial . He is a genius Doctor but does not follow rational path to diagnose and get a solution to a death nearing disease. He exactly follows to above intuitive process mentioned and guides his team through it. It surely seems eccentric to some who believes in book way of figuring out a cause of disease or medication for disease. Instead keeps all solution open on table, focuses intuitive process and thinking out of the box because obvious course of action does not help any how.

"I get anxious about a lot of things, that's the trouble. I get anxious about everything. I just can't stop thinking about things all the time. And here's the really destructive part - it's always retrospective. I waste time thinking of what I should have said or done." -- Hugh Laurie

Picture Credit: http://www.housemdquotes.com/

I certainly believe in intuitive problem solving technique to get a visionary ideas, solution and breakthrough diagnosis which may not be then possible with rational solving process.


Roopak Desai
http://www.facebook.com/coachroopakdesai

- This article has been inspired by Brian Tracy book "How the Best Leaders Lead" and article in Toastmasters International Magazine by Judith C. Tingely, DTM, Ph.D

Leadership Model

The Leadership Process Model - Leadership Skills From MindTools.com

What is the Leadership Process Model?

The Leadership Process Model was developed by Randall B. Dunham and Jon Pierce, and was published in their 1989 book "Managing." You can see our interpretation of the model in figure 1, below. (It has been redrawn this for clarity.)

Figure 1 – The Leadership Process

The model shows the relationship between four key factors that contribute to leadership success or failure. These are:

1. The Leader: This is the person who takes charge, and directs the group's performance.
2. Followers: These are the people who follow the leader's directions on tasks and projects.
3. The Context: This is the situation in which the work is performed. For instance, it may be a regular workday, an emergency project, or a challenging, long-term assignment. Context can also cover the physical environment, resources available, and events in the wider organization.
4. Outcomes: These are the results of the process. Outcomes could be reaching a particular goal, developing a high-quality product, or resolving a customer service issue. They can also include things like improved trust and respect between the leader and followers, or higher team morale.

Key Points

The Leadership Process Model highlights the dynamic and long-term nature of leadership. It shows how your actions and behaviors influence your people, just as their actions and behaviors influence you.

As well as having an awareness of the model, you can also apply lessons from it by doing the following:

1. Providing regular feedback.
2. Being aware of actions and reactions.
3. Leading honestly and ethically.
4. Leading with the right style.
5. Assigning tasks consciously and intelligently.
6. Focusing on relationship development.

“The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly.”  - Jim Rohn

"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." - John Quincy Adam

Unlockin the managerial nightmares!!

Blake Mouton Managerial Grid - Leadership Training from MindTools.com

A popular framework for thinking about a leader’s ‘task versus person’ orientation was developed by Robert Blake and Jane Mouton in the early 1960s. Called the Managerial Grid, or Leadership Grid, it plots the degree of task-centeredness versus person-centeredness and identifies five combinations as distinct leadership styles.

Understanding the Model

The Managerial Grid is based on two behavioral dimensions:

• Concern for People – This is the degree to which a leader considers the needs of team members, their interests, and areas of personal development when deciding how best to accomplish a task.
• Concern for Production – This is the degree to which a leader emphasizes concrete objectives, organizational efficiency and high productivity when deciding how best to accomplish a task.

Using the axis to plot leadership ‘concerns for production’ versus ‘concerns for people’, Blake and Mouton defined the following five leadership styles:

"The leader is the one who takes less of the credit and more of the blame"

Life Ways....

23 years back I went to L.D College of Eng for doing my bachelors in Chem. Eng. We were around class of 50 and around 6 to 8 girls as minority. But that is hardly the point...:-)

Through out 4 years of engineering, I hardly interacted with girls ...yes...you can call me shy or may be too much into studies not to look for beauty around :-). Nevertheless, it were most exciting and fulfilling years of my life. I do have regret for not have to seat a girl on my the Vespa PL 170 which was one of the kind scooter which I loved it. I used to drive it like a rocket and would not trade for anything if given a choice.

Moving on...I did my M.Tech from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mumbai and my one and half years in powai, mumbai are the most treasured years as of date. The amount of learning by interaction with some awesome young B.Tech fellows, hostel experience, and rigorous learning are some of the highlights of it. Yes..while in IIT I did not make the mistake twice. I had taken my Vespa PL 120 on campus and the backseat was happy to have girl take a ride :-). I still recall the hostel wing water fun fights, sunday mess menu that we awaited every week, eating maggie noodles at midnight and funda of learning with sharing while burning the midnight oil.

After couple of other adventures like going to Phillippines, I came to US for further studies. I am now ingrained in lifestyle of US and love it here. Though miss India especially friends with whom I grew up with and who have been partners while learning and growing.

And after 19 years of leaving L.D engineering , I happen to meet climax of connecting with a classmate with whom I did not exchanged a single word. It is through a common friend A, with whom again I must have hardly interacted but we came to meet each other in L.D Alumni meet last year. This was a trigger that lead to other events which again was not foreseen at all.

Thanks to Face book and social networking that made it possible. I added A as a friend and I happen to click "like" to one of the nice family pictures of A after 6 months since that drew my attention since it was very nice picture will everyone wore bright red dresses. Well, that got attention to someone in India who was a classmate too. She happen remember me by name, not that I was famous among girls :-) ..but yes may be as some one who never bunked classes!!!

Instantly she sent me friend invite. I was taken by surprise since I had no idea who she was. But then though I was intrigued how could I deny a friend's request. So I accepted it. We then happen to exchange notes about having studied together in L.D and she tried to remind me of other girls whom she hanged out with. Still I could not recollect...must be surely disappointing to her. Coincidentally, B who is another classmate put our class photo on internet and that was was a changing factor. She was tagged on the photo and then she asked me if I could now remember her. I still said no...but then I thought hard ring my bells in brain looking at her photo...and light bulb went on!!

I did remember her and instantly mentioned it to her. For me that was no less than Archimedes "Eureka" feeling. And then while exchanging notes some some amazing coincidences....that she is born on the same day, date and year as me. And around same time. How crazy is that?

I still am not able to fathom the fact that we never talked for 4 years of Engineering and got connected in mysterious ways after 19 years..to be a closest friends and found an instant connection and bond between each other. She is C.

"When it is meant to be...It happens...All out of the Blue..And that is destiny!!"

GOD has His mysterious ways...He has created you with a plan…it is up to you how you lead it along the journey and make it into a beautiful masterpiece!!!!

"Treat everyone important and worthy, there are some strengths and qualities in each individual which you can learn from, share with or get help with at the needed time".

"Always keep the open heart and mind when you meet some one on the way, since you never know in which shape and form you will meet some one GOD send and you will be grateful forever"


(p.s: names are fictitious for privacy)

Managing Stress

Positive Thinking, Rational Thinking, Thought Awareness - Stress Management Training from MindTools.com

Thought Awareness, Rational Thinking, and Positive Thinking are simple tools that help you turn the stress around you!!

Key Points

This set of tools helps you to manage and counter the stress of negative thinking.

Thought Awareness helps you identify the negative thinking, unpleasant memories, and misinterpretation of situations that may interfere with your performance and damage your self-confidence. This allows you to deal with them.

Rational Thinking helps you to challenge these negative thoughts and either learn from them, or refute them as incorrect.

You can then use Positive Thinking to create positive affirmations that you can use to counter negative thoughts. These affirmations neutralize negative thoughts and build your self-confidence. You can also use Positive Thinking to find the opportunities that are almost always present, to some degree, in a difficult situation.

Stress is the product of Mindset...Work on changing the Mindset...Positivity...Awareness...automatically stress will be replenished with Joy and happiness!!!

The Happiness Project

Who Am I?

Where did I come from?

Where am I going?

Why I am here?

These questions always goes on in our subconscious mind. But just because we are so intertwined in this transaction life that we don't have time to reflect upon it.

There is no quick recipe to know it all and figure out in steps 1, 2 and 3 like the Secret Agent OSO. But YES by following few practices to enlighten ourselves,  you surely can come closer to the self realization. As we know many saints have achieved it ...for example Buddha, Jesus, Mahavir, Sri Sri Ravi Sankar  to name a few.

It is a spiritual journey along with our transactional life which is equally important.

A Sanskrit term used to describe the supreme reality is sat-cit-ananda, which means "existence-knowledge-bliss.

Today I intend to take you through 3 key concepts and practices. This will help you to embark on the journey of self-actualization and transform yourself into positive individual onto path of experiencing bliss 24/7.

Are you ready...Then please tighten your seat belts and flight is ready for a take off.

3 Concepts/Practices:

1. Meditation and Mindfulness
2. Building meaningful and extraordinary relationship
3. Gratefulness

1.       Meditation & Mindfulness (MM) 

It helps in the process of self-realization. It is about living in a moment. Being present 100% in what you do.  Acceptance of things as it is along with accepting your body, sensations, emotions and thoughts.

With meditation and mindfulness (MM), you start realizing your true nature which is loving, caring and joyful. It increases self-awareness.

You start observing the things happening around with detachment and without judgement.

Just because we are in this unyielding race and busy life ...we forget our true nature which prevents us to enjoy simple and pure joyful moments.

Let me share a very simple example:

Tom and Jerry cartoon - When we were child and watched it...it gave us immense joy and happiness. We immersed ourselves into it and enjoyed it. Think of that state of mind? 

It has been researched, studied and documented that MM is an effortless path of achieving that state of mind to help us enjoy each moment dissolving ego to experience pure joy and succeed in whatever we do giving 100%.

"Just be in the present moment, and you will start unleashing the simple moments of joy around you"

2.       Meaningful and extraordinary relationships 

It is about caring for people,  reaching out, providing selfless help, smiling, spreading happiness, being kind.

It feels good to hear someone say "take care" but it feels so much better to hear  someone say "I will take care of you".

Relationship is one of the prime single entity that can help to you make a difference...for you and for other person.

You are in control of it and choose to do more with your meaningful interactions with other person.

Care more...involve more...give more..understand the context and meaning when you do conversation...have deeper feelings....provide extended help that is not asked for

Couple of simple examples that we can use on daily basis:

- When you hold door for person behind you, hold with feeling of caring and awareness of doing kind gesture.

- Smiling or saying Good Morning to the Security Guard when you come to work in morning.

- Wave a thank you when someone allows you to pass by...or let other person pass or turn before you with awareness and intent.

We all are thirsty of luv...so spread the luv and happiness...it will all come back to you...that is the law of universe!!

 I love this saying: "Try to be a rainbow in someones cloud"

3. Gratefulness 

It is about developing attitude of gratitude. Being thankful for what you have. Being grateful for life you have and making the best of it.

We need to be grateful and feel blessed for small things that happen in life. Today is a gift from God - that is why it is called the present.

I am grateful to everyone who has come in my life and to be where I am, how I am and what I am. I am grateful to my parents, my wife, my friends, my family.  I am grateful to breathe the fresh air every morning. I am grateful to wake up with a smile every morning. I am grateful to be grateful.


In conclusion, these three principles have transformed my life. Meditation has been center of these 3 - Mindfulness, Building Meaningful Relationships and Gratefulness.

I am sure it will transform yours too and will make a positive difference in quality of your life.

Let me play this small video that summarizes the core around the Happiness Project.

Pickle Jar

Many times you have to choose to happy...And with that I want to leave you with these words:

“Happiness is not a goal…it’s a by-product of a life well lived.”  Eleanor Roosevelt

I believe in Art of Living and it is the secret key to happiness!!!

- Roopak Desai
Http://www.facebook.com/coachroopakdesai

Meditation and Mindfullness 》Poise 》Success

The Conscious Lifestyle: Awareness Skills - Staying Centered | LinkedIn

With meditation and mindfulness (MM) you start realizing your true nature which is loving and caring. It increases self-awareness.

You start observing the things happening around with detachment and without judgement.

This eventually leads to poise and calmness of mind. Thus naturally you are more focused to get things done giving 100%.

It has been researched, studied and documented that MM is effortless path leading to success.