SKC Program Updates MESSAGE FROM THE FOUNDERS From the desk of Shalini and Sameer Kamboj PERSPECTIVES BY SKC Whose Airplane am I building? - Dealing with perfectionism - Chaitanya Kumar HOW SKC WORLD SPREADS CONSCIOUSNESS A Samvaad on Conscious...
SKC Program Updates
MESSAGE FROM THE FOUNDERS
From the desk of Shalini and Sameer Kamboj
For ages, people have struggled with sustaining their happiness. The current generation has emerged with their own set of solutions to this endeavor. From weed, cigarettes, alcohol, work, charity, philosophy, workouts, yoga, YouTube/ Instagram, etc., to meditation and spirituality, all of these are used as constant fixes. These fixes work for some time and then gradually lose their significance. As unhappiness sets in again, the need for a new “high” is felt.
Lessons of contentment and satisfaction are taught but never really bought or applied by intelligent minds. Exhausted over time, the astute ones want to retire or take sabbaticals. Burnouts are a persistent phenomenon witnessed by various high performers.
The goal of Pursuit of Happiness (not the movie) is like a mirage that appears farther every time you feel you’ve reached it. Hence, people start giving up over time.
It is also crucial to note that the current generation is more intelligent and aware than the previous ones. This intelligence has the potential to discover answers, and it may not rest till it finds them. They need solutions that they may use in their daily lives. Beliefs and faith no longer serve as their masters.
They are looking for a formula. Does this formula exist? A formula can be figured out only when one stops looking for fixes. Needless to say, there is a difference between a Fix and a Formula.
What is a Fix?
When your happiness depends on an external factor, you will attempt to fix others or situations to derive your happiness.
When you realize that happiness depends on internal factors, you use the same approach of fixing yourself and start working on your behaviors, attitudes, and emotions. However, this is also a fix. In one situation, you try to fix the outside; in the other, you try to fix yourself.
In both these situations, you are the fixer because something is broken according to your perception. Only that which is broken needs fixing.
What is a Formula?
When you realize that nothing is actually broken, thus nothing around us needs to be fixed. When you no longer function from the primal emotions of fear, comparison (Greed), or need to prove (Lust), your tendency to see everything (including yourself) as broken, drops. Now you can see the world and yourself for what it truly is.
With this achieved, you can now identify the problem and then work on a formula for not succumbing to the illusions anymore. Now you can stay balanced and co-exist with the world and its people. Now you can figure out your Formula for Happiness.
We are planning to launch Happiness Anywhere Workshop real soon. In case you are weary of fixing, you are then ready for the next step. However, if you still feel that all your pain results from your nonachievements while your achievements will become a source of happiness, then you must tread the pathway towards the pursuit of fixes until life bestows you with epiphanies.
At SKCWorld, .we cracked this code decades ago and keep waiting for those rare ones who now seek a formula and are no longer in pursuit of a fix.
We will be in Rishikesh again in the company of such seekers. Till the next time, we wish you Grace and Evolution.
From the Coach’s Desk
Whose Airplane am I building?
- Dealing with perfectionism
Article
It was a Sunday afternoon. I was scrolling through some online articles on my laptop when my 5-year-old daughter came up to me. She had a piece of an A4 sheet in her hand, and with great enthusiasm, she said, “Papa, let’s make an airplane.”
I got excited to hear this as I loved making paper airplanes in my childhood. We took the paper, and I started giving my daughter instructions on folding the paper correctly and precisely. She was not folding the paper in a straight line (obviously!). So, a couple of times, I helped her out. When we were ready with the first plane, the paper was quite crumbled up with multiple folds and refolds. It did not fly as we desired. However, we picked up another paper, and she began to make a plane again. But this time, I helped her more, ensuring that each line was folded correctly and precisely without error. Unfortunately, the second plane was not that good either.
Consequently, I took the third piece of paper and started folding it with utmost precision. While I was almost close to crafting it, I noticed that my daughter had already gone to another room. And then it struck me – “whose airplane am I building anyway?”
What started as a fun, exciting, and probably a great learning exercise for my daughter converted into my obsession with making a perfect airplane. In those few minutes, I had lost all perspective of why we started the plane exercise in the first place. I saw my “perfectionist attitude” staring at me at that instant. My compulsion to ensure that we crafted the best airplane made my daughter lose her interest in the exercise altogether.
Subsequently, I reflected on my perfectionist attitude and could see it mirroring my behavior at work many times. Dwelling on it further, I realized what triggers this perfectionist attitude within me and how it impacts the results and the people around me.
1. Focus on the outcome is lost
Often, we confuse outcome with solely getting the work executed. We miss the part of developing our team members along with it or creating a system while execution is done. As the perfectionist attitude kicks in, the only thought that remains is “I need to deliver the best.” The focus shifts to “I”. Inevitably, this results in investing more time than required in delivering the output while losing the opportunity to create succession planning.
2. Impatience
The need to get results faster and right at the first time triggers impatience. With impatience, the acceptance that other people can make mistakes also reduces. This attitude further leads to constantly jumping in to do things ourselves. The whole situation results in a lack of trust among the team members.
3. Not being empathetic towards others’ potential
Nobody is born an expert. We become relatively good at doing something due to our experience and practice over time. However, we seldom forget that. Once we become good at something, our benchmark for other people changes, and we forget that we have gone through those struggles as well. It is essential to understand that each person has unique potential and learning curves. Once we are empathetic towards that, we can help them achieve results aptly and efficiently.
4. Need to prove
Even though we are founders or entrepreneurs, or senior leaders, we all carry that constant unconscious need to prove our genius. Our need to get a pat on the back is just insatiable. If we see a particular task not being done accurately, the immediate daunting thought is what others would think of us now. We tend to lose focus on the situation, and it just becomes a game to showcase how good we are. The need to prove is one of the biggest compulsions which prevents collaboration and teamwork.
5. People lose interest
When all this is happening, we don’t understand or realize that people have already lost interest. They see we want to do things ourselves, and eventually, they leave us to do it alone. Ultimately, it demotivates them and may create self-doubt and even frustration. Well, a few days later, I took up a sheet of paper and asked my daughter if she would be interested in making a paper boat, and of course, she was excited. But this time, I allowed her to build her boat. It was a bit torn, leaning towards one side, and did not last very long in the water, but in the end, I was happy that I allowed my daughter to make “her boat”.
A Samvaad on Conscious Entrepreneurship
Mumbai
Are you not curious to know how the Samvaad went?
Well, this is why we created a little suspense! We were not over the Mumbai feels yet!
So, Samvaad..hmm…
A beautiful evening on a rooftop with a beachside view adorned with such highly engaging conversations between entrepreneurs from diverse industries. How wouldn’t this be exhilarating?
The whole concept of Guru and Guru Tatva was discussed in detail, including how we keep seeking external gurus and factors to navigate us and keep us motivated but what we forget is that everything is within us; all our answers to life are within. We solely need the methodology to unlock those answers from within.
The entrepreneurs came up with such introspective questions on how to move towards a life of conscious living. The curiosity was genuine, and the thirst real.
The discussions elevated to such depth that nobody wanted to leave that contemplative sanctuary but simply be present and imbibe that energy.
The flutist was the icing on the cake to beautify the evening more and make it memorable. Not to forget the stunning decor and delicious food served. You can get jealous looking at the picture.
It was indeed a fun-filled evening with such deep, insightful conversations!
To those who missed this evening,
We hope you will come together and make another Samvaad happen soon!
Conscious Entrepreneurship Program (CEP)
January 2022 Batch Mid-Term Sharings
CLARITY OF SELF LEADING TOWARDS BEAUTIFUL REALIZATIONS
From attaining clarity of self to being the authentic version of oneself, from overcoming the need to prove to becoming absolutely stress-free, from looking within to living a joyful and fulfilling life, all of this was experienced by the remarkable batch of 13 entrepreneurs from different industries. They came together on April 21st and 28th to share their journey of epiphanies while completing the Founder Pillar of Conscious Entrepreneurship Program, January 2022 Batch.
Happy to see the participants super exhilarated to move towards the People Pillar of the Program and unlock possibilities further!
All the best!
Hope you all have a beautiful experience while you advance on the path of consciousness!
Congratulations to Rishi Kajaria, Sooryakant Chavaan, Rahul Mehta, Nikhil Purohit, Bindiya Agrawal, Rushab Shah, Gokul Krishna, Avdhesh Sharma, Vikay Kumar Kattula, Dina Mukherjee, Sahil Purav, Rachit Shah, Ayesha R Goyal
HOW SKC WORLD SPREADS CONSCIOUSNESS
Conscious Entrepreneurship Program (CEP)
Cactus November 2021 Batch Final Sharings
TWO DAYS FULL OF LEARNINGS AND TAKEAWAYS ON THE PATH OF CONSCIOUSNESS!
The final sharings of Cactus Communications took place on the 18th and 19th of April 2022 at the Cactus Office at Gazebo, Mumbai.
Beautiful office, more than that, what a fantastic team of professionals who root for each other!
The Senior Leadership Team at Cactus Shared Services had put their heart and soul into the Conscious Entrepreneurship Program throughout, which evidently manifested in their realizations. It was terrific to see everyone gleaming with so much joy!
Let’s revisit and discern how the program impacted these participants in their own words:
“Enjoying the smaller milestones and trying to reward those smaller milestones is one thing I have realized through the concept of SMARTER goals.”
“It is okay when you are not on track – you can restart. It is never too late. You don’t lose when you fall; you lose when you fail to get up.”
“I do not want to be even with anyone at work/personal life. I take pride in my struggles. I am a New Me. I have commenced my journey to fight my fears. Now I take pride in my decisions and don’t doubt myself.”
“Accepting that change begins with You, and I gradually see the change in the team too. The habit of seeking appreciation has gone. I am not driven by this compulsion.”
“Consciously keeping a check on my biases and perceptions when dealing with people and problems.”
“Changing my narrative to deal with the imposter side of me. – if something does not go as planned, I don’t put it on my competence.”
“Detachment from the problem has helped me solve it and has helped me be more effective.”
We can go on and on with the sharing, but if you would like to know more about the program please feel free to reach out to us.
The apparent shift in energy was pure bliss to witness. To a continued journey on the path of consciousness!
We wish the team at CACTUS Communications the best of abundance, always!
Anaavaran Workshop
April 2022
?????? ‘ is the intrinsic need of every being who’s born as Human. It’s the source through which we operate.
?????? itself means:
-Peeling the layers
-Realizing your true version
It is a four-day workshop wherein around 25 people chose the opportunity to get initiated into Sthir Pragya Kriya and Mano Vikar Mukti Kriya.
Some of the common takeaways of this workshop were:
1. Beginning the journey of “Who Am I” – a journey of clarity
2. Enhance engagement with people and life around you
3. Improve your mental health
4. Resolve life’s conflicts through enhanced consciousness
5. Going beyond compulsive emotions
6. Become meditative
We would like to congratulate them on their choice of evolution. Along with their buddy Sadhaks’ support, we are thrilled to support them on this journey!
Essentials of SuccessTM (EOS)
March 2022 Batch Final Sharings
Another Essentials of Success (EOS) batch of 12 participants from AVI, Novarch, GST Legal, Ashirwad, etc., graduated on Wednesday, May 18th, 2022, with life-changing epiphanies and learnings. Their sharings reflected a remarkable shift in how they viewed themselves and their lives. The managers were absolutely elated, reflecting and accentuating the changes in their team members and how they look forward to them elevating to higher roles in their organizations.
Some of the participants started the program with curiosity and doubt about how the program would help them in life; however, as the program progressed, they could take away and implement the program’s tools and see tremendous changes in themselves. It was a truly blissful experience to witness the participants’ journey like a quick recap through these final sharing presentations.
From now on, to live life differently, consciously and joyfully!
All in all, a spark has been ignited through the program, and we wish the participants the best to keep it burning!
Congratulations to Rushabh Luhar, Gaurang Joshi, Savrab Dubey, Bhushan Poddar, Shubham Patil, Miral Damania, Tanmay Sarangi, Dhananjaya Salian, Swati Bali, Sargam Agarwal, Rajesh Yalapula, Dipak Prajapati, Neel Vyas.
Mumbai Stories
Balancing life and success
Neptunus organized a workshop for their leadership team of 18 people on balancing life and success. The session focused on helping people see how their desires play out in their lives and how the fulfillment or non-fulfillment of the same impacts us daily. Through various discussions and series of introspections, the participants were made to think about their desires in all areas of life. Later, they connected these with what they needed to cultivate in their lives to feel successful. The exercise brought to light a myriad of interconnections, and people were triumphantly able to share their life experiences through this exercise. Subsequently, we moved toward linking our desires with our goals. Through multiple examples, we explored how a simple shift from the “task-oriented mindset” to “outcome-oriented goals” can bring a massive change in the outcomes we desire.
Balancing life and success
Teams from LexiConn and V Purohit & Associates met for a talk on Conscious entrepreneurship and how to implement that in their lives.
The detailed discussion happened on how we are driven by our unconsciousness and thus unable to foster the right emotions leading to discontentment, frustration, and stress. There is a constant conflict between our desires and the actual result we are getting in our lives.
People candidly shared examples of their lives wherein their definition of success was limiting to a great extent and certainly did not give them a feeling of holistic wellbeing. We then explored how consciously deciding what we want to nurture in our lives and achieving that through setting outcome-driven goals can prompt success joyfully.
It was heartening to see how people could introspect and take back countless learnings in an intense two-hour discussion.
HOW SKC GRADS SPREADS CONSCIOUSNESS
Employees to Business Partners
Transformational Growth Journey!
The need to get results faster and right at the first time triggers impatience. With impatience, the acceptance that other people can make mistakes also reduces. This attitude further leads to constantly jumping in to do things ourselves. The whole situation results in a lack of trust among the team members.
Q. It was a delightful shock to know that a founder has made his employees partners in his company. How did it occur to you that you could make your employees your business partners? Most importantly, you being the founder, how easy was it for you to give a piece of your company to an employee, and how did it impact you and your life?
Paresh: We as business owners keep emphasizing why our people cannot work as passionately as the owners. We want them to think, work, and respond as owners, but we have never given them enough opportunities to become actual owners. Only when you make them partners/co-founders will they start taking ownership. With this small change, I was able to build two more businesses without much of my involvement. The decision making is wholly left to them, and they are performing. I don’t have to worry too much about growth and sustainability.
Q.Well, that’s a fresh perspective, but did you not have any inhibitions while taking this step? If yes, how did you overcome it?
Paresh: Of course, that is natural. My primary concern was giving co-ownership of my existing business as I had put in 15 years of blood and sweat into building it. So I established new businesses and made my employees co-owners. I registered separate companies, made my employees equity partners, and committed capital, infrastructure, resources, etc.
Q. Being elevated to such a higher position must have had a significant impact on the employees that were made partners. What impact did this decision have on those given this golden opportunity to become partners?
Paresh: I selected the right people who wanted to do something independently or showed traits of performing if ownership was on the table. I also chose people I thought would be open to this experiment as I had never done this before. So if I had to do a tweak in the model, I could explain, and they would oblige. But at the time of starting this model, I did share that anyone who wants to start a business can come forward. But there were quite a few who wanted to wait and watch. Once they saw that I was allowing total freehand on capital, decision making, and innovation, the idea was instantly bought. The rest of the employees started accepting. Everything was happening in front of them and around them. The employees who became co-owners had a 360-degree shift in the way they handled business now. It was more than what I expected.
Q. It was undoubtedly an advancement for those employees who turned business partners. However, as a leader, you have to look after the entire organization; how did you ensure that it did not go wrong for the other employees?
Paresh: I have certainly been fair to all my employees as the idea has been open to other employees who know how to pursue a business. This has been made clear from day one, so no one had to crib. No one amongst the co-owners had a specific designation; everybody was a co-founder; this meant that the title wouldn’t play on them or others. So no CEO, CTO, COO, etc., just co-founders. I did not see any resistance from anyone regarding a lack of opportunity. But at the same time, we had rolled out ESOPs with the parent company, so they were made equity partners in Qtech. This was a wellbalanced plan.
Q. That certainly sounds like a fair opportunity for everybody in the organization. Speaking of organization, how did this decision affect the organization as a whole?
Paresh: Well, apparently, there is more enthusiasm. We see more emerging leaders. Everyone sees that Qtech is more balanced with more hands working on innovative products. There is no sense that Paresh wants to own everything. It is not about me anymore.
Q. Enlightening! In the end, what message do you have for the other entrepreneurs on this?
Paresh: I feel this is a great way to allow loyal and deserving employees to start working for themselves and their future and become owners and not feel left out. After a certain point, people start thinking about securing their future, family, pension, and whatnot. This is a great way to build a business that can give these employees respectful positions, means of earning as they are near retirement age, and companies where their kids can join if the world becomes more competitive. In the end, your capital is the only thing that goes away, and we do the same with other companies when we trade on stocks or when we invest in startups. Why not fund your own idea? Invest in the startup and help someone build a business before your eyes and have a significant stake.
Paresh Parihar
CEO & MD of Qtech Software Pvt. Ltd.
INSIDER STORIES
Connect with the SKC values
“Joyfulness is not the end result. But the basic ingredient of success. Only when we invest joy we are able to reap the returns multifold.”
As a person I strongly believe in the phrase “Life is meant to be lived and not survived” but somewhere in the journey of life, I , in between keep forgetting this and get trapped in the rigmarole of life. Clearly depicts the level of unconsciousness I am at.
I keep patting myself on the back, thinking that ‘I don’t stay stuck for a long time’, and that ‘highs and lows are a part of life’- celebrating simply the feeling of returning to myself at a reasonable pace, all of which ideally again is a fix that is unconscious. In other words, I am ironically celebrating misery.
This is a cycle. A recurrent cycle of life fixes wherein there are constant phases of burnouts -> pause and reflect -> everything is okay (temporary happiness), consequently going back to grinding, leading to burnout -> repeat.
With CEP and being a part of SKC, the realization and emphasis on how life can be joyful along with all the grinding that one does was a beautiful one; however, to be conscious enough to make this happen is also something that does not come that easily. The struggle is real, trust me, at least for me.
While I am on my journey, evolving at each step, each moment striving to be at least near consciousness, I realize every now and then how hard it is, however not impossible. The choice is ours!
Like it’s said – “Earn it before you can taste it.”
The “it” here stands for Consciousness, without which one merely flows with the flow.
There is no denying that one has to be conscious to live life joyfully and yield success.
I initially started off writing about joyfulness but could not refrain from bringing consciousness into it simply because joyfulness cannot be sustained without consciousness.
Let’s choose our path to evolution and stick to it no matter how hard it may seem!
Curious to know what’s happening inside SKC?
EARTH DAY
It is Earth Day – Everyday!
As Conscious Entrepreneurs walking on the path of consciousness, our lifestyle is driven by conscious life choices. One cannot be mindful in just one segment of life and choose to remain unconscious in the others. At least that’s how it should be.
While Mother Earth provides us with abundance, we must not take the providence for granted. This day is a reminder to look at our choices at each moment – is it environment-friendly? Are we contributing to nature or damaging it unconsciously?
If we work towards reversing the damage already done, we could make the lives of future generations better. Let’s at least do our bit consciously!
We didn’t want to feel away from nature at our office; thus, we took baby steps and brought small indoor plants to maintain that earthy vibe. While taking care of our plants helps us remain grounded, it also makes us feel connected to nature. The least that we can do, right?
How are you and your organization creating a positive impact on society through sustainable actions? Let us know the measurable steps you are taking towards communities, employees, organizations, etc., to ensure that there is a significant impact. Let’s share and multifold the effect that it could have.
SKC MEET
The SKC meet is not only about sharing goals and new learnings of the corporate life but also about discussing monumental and joyous moments from personal life, wherein everyone expresses their happiness regarding some incident they shared with friends, families, or children. To be productive, you need to be happy in life, and we gain a certain degree of joy from laughter while some from unhealthy food. ?
Sharing of vision and blissful instances is always great to partake in, as it helps us evolve. The current work shared by every member not only informs other departments but also leads to an exchange of new and creative thoughts within the whole team. As always said, ten brains are always mightier than a single brain. Laughter in professional life is undeniably more fun and productive than the hustle of daily routine. You can see the happiness on every face below.
e also got the opportunity to celebrate Holi with each other making the day even more special!
FAREWELL
“To reach somewhere, you need to leave from somewhere”….growth and new learnings are a part of life. We wish a prosperous life to our senior employee, Mrs. Mansi Kohli, our Senior head of the Company Secretary and Legal department of SKC Consulting Pvt. Ltd. It has been an immense pleasure for SKC to be a part of her life.
We still remember you joined SKC as an Associate Consultant, and with your hard work and perseverance, you were promoted to Senior Head – Legal & Secretarial within seven years and four months. Your dedication to work and to learning new things was always inspiring to us. We can see the change developing within you month on month. You started leading a conscious life, and your life sharings were always great to listen to. We cherish all the SKC trips, festivals, and birthday celebrations you were keen to participate in. You have been an invaluable member of the People and Cultural committee who fostered the healthy goals of SKCians to eat healthily and attain weight loss. A multitude of stories can be recalled but can not be articulated merely in words.
We, the SKC Family, wish you all the best for your conscious life and growth. We aspire for you to achieve success, scale, and joy in your life; always remember we are there for you.
