There is an old Indian saying which suggests that if you want to effectively reduce the length of a line drawn on a piece of paper without touching it, draw a parallel line longer than it. You would now be able to see that the earlier line is smaller in comparison to the new line.

There are two significant aspects in the above phenomenon. One that the process does not interfere with or directly influence the basic character of the first line, but effectively altars the over all picture. Second, it indirectly challenges the earlier line to come up to it, in the most positive sense of a motivational process.

Recently I had the opportunity of being associated with a very charged & enthusiastic group of social workers at Noida , India & was delighted to witness the above processes in action & practice.

“Noida Lok Manch” ( NLM ) a voluntary Organisation in Noida, India is actively associated with Social welfare activities like upliftment of down trodden people, creating safety, health and hygiene awareness in poor section of society and providing education to children from backward segment of the society etc with the active help from philanthropist people of the area.

NLM had taken up the project of improving the housekeeping of local Govt. Hospital, which was in a very bad shape due to negligence of hospital employees responsible for cleanliness of the place. Efforts to educate them on these aspects met with strong opposition and NLM Volunteers soon realized that these guys are in no mood to leave their otherwise relaxed life style for doing a better job which to them meant longer working hours and more work per hour. Lack of effective administrative supervision compounded the problem. Perhaps, they could not visualize any perceptible gains in the process.

The NLM was determined & committed to the project and were in no mood to call off their efforts. They decided to approach the problem in a different way.

In a swift change from their earlier strategy, they positioned their volunteers for the upkeep and cleanliness of the hospital compound and the open area around it. Soon the area became clean and people visiting hospital were quite happy about the pleasant change. Perhaps it was the effect of the cleanliness now being experienced that some of the locals also joined hands with NLM volunteers.

NLM did not have to wait for long as within a weeks time the induction effect was visible across the rank and line of the hospital employees, who initiated energetic efforts on their own to keep the inside premises of the hospital. A lot of appreciation from public and the senior officials of the Hospital management followed, which only reinforced the newly found spirit of excellence at work.

It was really amazing experience that yet again re-strengthened my belief that there is no substitute to excellence and excellence breeds excellence. I wish all of us try to challenge the smaller rigid lines of our life with long and flexible lines , to create an environment for growth with excellence all around.

In gratitude,

Nitin Kulkarni nitinkulkarni@nascentdewdrops.com

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