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This is not a story but a true incident that happened in USA.*
An Indian man walked into a bank in New York City one day and asked for
the loan officer.
He told the loan officer that he was going to India on business for two
weeks and needed to borrow $5,000.
The bank officer told him that the bank would need some form of
security for the loan. The Indian man handed
over the keys to a new Ferrari parked on the street in front of the
bank. He produced the title and everything
checked out.
The loan officer agreed to accept the car as collateral for the loan.
The bank's president and its officers all enjoyed a good laugh at the
Indian for using a $250,000 Ferrari as
collateral against a $5,000 loan.
An employee of the bank then drove the Ferrari into the bank's
underground garage and parked it there.
Two weeks later, the Indian returned, repaid the $5,000 and the
interest, which came to $15.41.
The loan officer said, "Sir, we are very happy to have had your
business, and this transaction has worked out very
nicely, but we are a little puzzled. While you were away, we checked
you out and found that you are a multi
millionaire. What puzzles us is, why would you bother to borrow
"$5,000"
The Indian replied: "Where else in New York City can I park my car for
two weeks for only $15.41 and expect it to be there when I return'"
Ah, the brain of the Indian... This is why India is shining . . .
Showing posts with label story. Show all posts
Showing posts with label story. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
A Teaching Story - Good Fable
Buddha, one day, was in deep thought about the worldly activities and the
ways of instilling goodness in human beings.
One of his disciples approached him and said humbly "Oh my teacher ! While
you are so much concerned about the world and others, why don't you look in to the welfare and needs of your own disciples also."
Buddha: "OK.. Tell me how I can help you"
Disciple: "Master! My attire is worn out and is beyond the decency to wear
the same. Can I get a new one, please?"
Buddha found the robe indeed was in a bad condition and needed replacement.
He asked the store keeper to give the disciple a new robe to wear on. The
disciple thanked Buddha and retired to his room.
A while later, he went to his disciple's place and asked him "Is your new attire comfortable? Do you need anything more?"
Disciple: "Thank you my Master. The attire is indeed very comfortable. I
need nothing more"
Buddha: "Having got the new one, what did you do with your old attire?"
Disciple: "I am using it as my bed spread"
Buddha: "Then.. hope you have disposed off your old bed spread"
Disciple: " No.. no.. master. I am using my old bedspread as my window
curtain"
Buddha: " What about your old Curtain?"
Disciple: "Being used to handle hot utensils in the kitchen"
Buddha: "Oh.. I see.. Can you tell me what did they do with the old cloth
they used in Kitchen"
Disciple: "They are being used to wash the floor."
Buddha:" Then, the old rug being used to wash the floor...?"
Disciple: "Master, since they were torn off so much, we could not find any
better use, but to use as a twig in the oil lamp, which is right now lit in
your study room...."
Buddha smiled in contentment and left for his room.
ways of instilling goodness in human beings.
One of his disciples approached him and said humbly "Oh my teacher ! While
you are so much concerned about the world and others, why don't you look in to the welfare and needs of your own disciples also."
Buddha: "OK.. Tell me how I can help you"
Disciple: "Master! My attire is worn out and is beyond the decency to wear
the same. Can I get a new one, please?"
Buddha found the robe indeed was in a bad condition and needed replacement.
He asked the store keeper to give the disciple a new robe to wear on. The
disciple thanked Buddha and retired to his room.
A while later, he went to his disciple's place and asked him "Is your new attire comfortable? Do you need anything more?"
Disciple: "Thank you my Master. The attire is indeed very comfortable. I
need nothing more"
Buddha: "Having got the new one, what did you do with your old attire?"
Disciple: "I am using it as my bed spread"
Buddha: "Then.. hope you have disposed off your old bed spread"
Disciple: " No.. no.. master. I am using my old bedspread as my window
curtain"
Buddha: " What about your old Curtain?"
Disciple: "Being used to handle hot utensils in the kitchen"
Buddha: "Oh.. I see.. Can you tell me what did they do with the old cloth
they used in Kitchen"
Disciple: "They are being used to wash the floor."
Buddha:" Then, the old rug being used to wash the floor...?"
Disciple: "Master, since they were torn off so much, we could not find any
better use, but to use as a twig in the oil lamp, which is right now lit in
your study room...."
Buddha smiled in contentment and left for his room.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Difference between Focusing on Problems and Focusing on Solutions
Case 1
When NASA began the launch of astronauts into space, they found out that the pens wouldn't work at zero gravity (ink won't flow down to the writing surface). To solve this problem, it took them one decade and $12 million. They developed a pen that worked at zero gravity, upside down, underwater, in practically any surface including crystal and in a temperature range from below freezing to over 300 degrees C.
And what did the Russians do...?? They used a pencil.
Case 2
One of the most memorable case studies on Japanese management was the case of the empty soapbox, which happened in one of Japan's biggest cosmetics companies. The company received a complaint that a consumer had bought a soapbox that was empty. Immediately the authorities isolated the problem to the assembly! line, which transported all the packaged boxes of soap to the delivery department. For some reason, one soapbox went through the assembly line empty. Management asked its engineers to solve the problem. Post-haste, the engineers worked hard to devise an X-ray machine with high-resolution monitors manned by two people to watch all the soapboxes that passed through the line to make sure they were not empty. No doubt, they worked hard and they worked fast but they spent a whoopee amount to do so.
But when a rank-and-file employee in a small company was posed with the same problem, he did not get into complications of X-rays, etc., but instead came out with another solution. He bought a strong industrial electric fan and pointed it at the assembly line. He switched
the fan on, and as each soapbox passed the fan, it simply blew the empty boxes out of the line.
Moral : Always look for simple solutions.
Devise the simplest possible solution that solves the problems
Always Focus on solutions & not on problems
So the end of the day the thing that really matters is HOW ONE LOOK INTO THE PROBLEM, mere perceptions can solve the tough problems.
When NASA began the launch of astronauts into space, they found out that the pens wouldn't work at zero gravity (ink won't flow down to the writing surface). To solve this problem, it took them one decade and $12 million. They developed a pen that worked at zero gravity, upside down, underwater, in practically any surface including crystal and in a temperature range from below freezing to over 300 degrees C.
And what did the Russians do...?? They used a pencil.
Case 2
One of the most memorable case studies on Japanese management was the case of the empty soapbox, which happened in one of Japan's biggest cosmetics companies. The company received a complaint that a consumer had bought a soapbox that was empty. Immediately the authorities isolated the problem to the assembly! line, which transported all the packaged boxes of soap to the delivery department. For some reason, one soapbox went through the assembly line empty. Management asked its engineers to solve the problem. Post-haste, the engineers worked hard to devise an X-ray machine with high-resolution monitors manned by two people to watch all the soapboxes that passed through the line to make sure they were not empty. No doubt, they worked hard and they worked fast but they spent a whoopee amount to do so.
But when a rank-and-file employee in a small company was posed with the same problem, he did not get into complications of X-rays, etc., but instead came out with another solution. He bought a strong industrial electric fan and pointed it at the assembly line. He switched
the fan on, and as each soapbox passed the fan, it simply blew the empty boxes out of the line.
Moral : Always look for simple solutions.
Devise the simplest possible solution that solves the problems
Always Focus on solutions & not on problems
So the end of the day the thing that really matters is HOW ONE LOOK INTO THE PROBLEM, mere perceptions can solve the tough problems.
Friday, March 27, 2009
A good Fable
A saint asked his disciples, 'Why do we shout in anger? Why do people shout at each other when they are upset?'
Disciples thought for a while, one of them said, 'Because we lose our calm, we shout for that.'
'But, why to shout when the other person is just next to you?' asked the saint. 'Isn't it possible to speak to him or her with a soft voice?
Why do you shout at a person when you're angry?'
Disciples gave some other answers but none satisfied the saint.
Finally he explained, 'When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other through that great distance.'
Then the saint asked, 'What happens when two people fall in love? They don't shout at each other but talk softly, why? Because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is very small...'
The saint continued, 'When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love. Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other and that's all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.'
MORAL: When you argue do not let your hearts get distant, do not say words that distance each other more, else there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not find the path to return.
Disciples thought for a while, one of them said, 'Because we lose our calm, we shout for that.'
'But, why to shout when the other person is just next to you?' asked the saint. 'Isn't it possible to speak to him or her with a soft voice?
Why do you shout at a person when you're angry?'
Disciples gave some other answers but none satisfied the saint.
Finally he explained, 'When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other through that great distance.'
Then the saint asked, 'What happens when two people fall in love? They don't shout at each other but talk softly, why? Because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is very small...'
The saint continued, 'When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love. Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other and that's all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.'
MORAL: When you argue do not let your hearts get distant, do not say words that distance each other more, else there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not find the path to return.
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