I am sharing the various stories and lessons that I learnt during my various spiritual camps that I have attended in the Himalayas.
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Stories that Hit Me Real Hard - "Patching the X-Ray"
The Story:
Once, a man met with an accident and broke his back. He went to doctor in writhing pain. The doctor took a couple of X-rays and called him for a discussion.
The doctor said, "You have badly damaged your back. You need a surgery right away"
The man asked the doctor, "What does it mean in terms of money and time"
The doctor said, "It would cost you 40,000 Dollars. You have to be hospitalized and be horizontal for 6 months!"
The man asked, "Isn't there a cheaper solution that takes lesser time?"
The doctor thought for a few minutes and said, "Yes. There IS a 5 Dollar solution that takes just 20 minutes"
The man was very excited and said, "I would go for that solution then. What should I do?"
The doctor said, "Just go down the road and there is a guy who patches X-rays for 5 Dollars"
My Thoughts
In different contexts, many of us prefer the "Patching the X-ray" solution instead of the much needed surgery. This renders the X-ray as the problem and not what it reveals!!
As an example, when someone shares a hard-feedback to us, each time we approach them, we tend to avoid that person!! Avoiding that person is conceptually the same as "Patching the X-ray"! Isn't it?
We avoid/dislike the source that reveals the problem and eventually convert that source as the problem! We find it difficult to take hard feedback from our spouses, parents, children, team members--and consequently, everyone, over a period of time, start to say things that we "like to hear"! What we actually get is a pre-patched X-ray!
Many of us, after we make a presentation, seek feedback from the audience quite willingly, only when we ourselves feel that the presentation has gone off well!! Wow! In fact, many presenters who know that I am a "Presentation Skills Trainer", don't even come anywhere near me after their presentations! :-) :-)
I have found this in flights too, wherein if I had cribbed about some issues, they skillfully avoid giving me the feedback form! The captain never comes out of his cabin, if the landing was not that good!
I have found this trend in my consulting experience too. Many senior leaders are not ready to face the truth--in terms of real issues within their companies--much of the issues arising out of their own leadership!! They do say, "Pls be frank and blunt Ranga"--well, I have learned to smile, when I hear this!!
No wonder, Jim Collins in his wonderful book "Good to Great", describes great companies as those who have the courage to face "brutal facts". He has found this as a key pattern in Great Companies.
I am sure that the same is true of Great People too!
(If you think this post would benefit others, pls share the link on your timeline!!)
_______________________________________________________________________________
Stories that Hit Me Real Hard - "Patching the X-Ray"
The Story:
Once, a man met with an accident and broke his back. He went to doctor in writhing pain. The doctor took a couple of X-rays and called him for a discussion.
The doctor said, "You have badly damaged your back. You need a surgery right away"
The man asked the doctor, "What does it mean in terms of money and time"
The doctor said, "It would cost you 40,000 Dollars. You have to be hospitalized and be horizontal for 6 months!"
The man asked, "Isn't there a cheaper solution that takes lesser time?"
The doctor thought for a few minutes and said, "Yes. There IS a 5 Dollar solution that takes just 20 minutes"
The man was very excited and said, "I would go for that solution then. What should I do?"
The doctor said, "Just go down the road and there is a guy who patches X-rays for 5 Dollars"
My Thoughts
In different contexts, many of us prefer the "Patching the X-ray" solution instead of the much needed surgery. This renders the X-ray as the problem and not what it reveals!!
As an example, when someone shares a hard-feedback to us, each time we approach them, we tend to avoid that person!! Avoiding that person is conceptually the same as "Patching the X-ray"! Isn't it?
We avoid/dislike the source that reveals the problem and eventually convert that source as the problem! We find it difficult to take hard feedback from our spouses, parents, children, team members--and consequently, everyone, over a period of time, start to say things that we "like to hear"! What we actually get is a pre-patched X-ray!
Many of us, after we make a presentation, seek feedback from the audience quite willingly, only when we ourselves feel that the presentation has gone off well!! Wow! In fact, many presenters who know that I am a "Presentation Skills Trainer", don't even come anywhere near me after their presentations! :-) :-)
I have found this in flights too, wherein if I had cribbed about some issues, they skillfully avoid giving me the feedback form! The captain never comes out of his cabin, if the landing was not that good!
I have found this trend in my consulting experience too. Many senior leaders are not ready to face the truth--in terms of real issues within their companies--much of the issues arising out of their own leadership!! They do say, "Pls be frank and blunt Ranga"--well, I have learned to smile, when I hear this!!
No wonder, Jim Collins in his wonderful book "Good to Great", describes great companies as those who have the courage to face "brutal facts". He has found this as a key pattern in Great Companies.
I am sure that the same is true of Great People too!
(If you think this post would benefit others, pls share the link on your timeline!!)
