Self Improvement International - April 2020

Self Improvement International April 2020 Issue Enjoy Good Side of Bad Things How to Handle Bad Book Reviews?

What is Cultural Intelligence? and many more !!!

Wealth of the Wise

Self Improvement International Wealth of the Wise APRIL 2020 Issue

Copyright Š Thejendra Sreenivas. All Rights Reserved

Self Improvement International April 2020 Issue Editor and Publisher - Thejendra Sreenivas Bangalore, India.

Website - www.thejendra.com Email - thejendra@yahoo.com & thejendrabs@gmail.com

Self Improvement International is a monthly electronic magazine edited and published by Thejendra Sreenivas on behalf of his private Seven Sages Consultancy, Bangalore, India.

No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by information storage and retrieval systems, or in any language without the written permission of the editor.

Image Sources - All Images used in this magazine for the articles are from sites like Pexels, Unsplash, Pixabay, etc., that are free for both personal and

commercial

use,

and

used

as

per

the

recommendations of fair use. My full thanks and credits to the respective artists.

Licensing - This digital magazine is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. It may not be re-sold or gifted to other people. If you would like to share this with others, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with.

If you are reading this and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the publisher’s work.

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In this issue

From the Editor’s Desk

01

What my Lawyer makes me say

04

What Else?

07

Enjoy the Good Side of Bad things Personal Development

How Managers Lose Credibility Workplace Leadership

10

23

In this issue (cont’d) Get Accustomed to Monotonous Jobs Stress Management

What is Cultural intelligence?

Personal Development

Astrology for Performance Appraisals Humor

The Leadership of Sun Tzu Workplace Leadership

WRITING & PUBLISHING

How to Handle Bad Book Reviews Writing and Publishing

34

50

67

73

87

89

In this issue (cont’d) Book Review – The 48 Laws of power Writing and Publishing

CHILDREN SECTION

Comics – The Lost Priceless Treasures Nostalgia

I am a Precious Pineapple Children Health

A Few Questions FAQs

About the Editor

96

111

112

119

123

129

From the Editor’s Desk

H

ey, thanks for subscribing to my unique and

delightful

Self

Improvement

International magazine. This is a magazine to be read, retained, remembered, and re-read from

your electronic bookshelf. Each magazine carries a bunch of sparkling articles on Personal 1

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

Development, Stress Management, Humor, Frugality, Leadership, Resiliency, Workplace Issues, Spirituality, Life Skills, Satire, Writing, Publishing, and an occasional Harsh Advice.

Simplicity is the hallmark of this treasure chest. Unlike the hordes of dazzling magazines that you see in the newsstands the contents here are eye and eReader friendly, and not crowded with

complex

cosmetics,

awesome

advertisements, and gorgeous graphics that can distract or irritate your eyes. The text font is also optimized to be easily read on all smartphones, tablets, and computer browsers so that you don’t have to pinch and zoom to read the contents.

Like a basket of delicious fruits each issue can dramatically transform your personal and 2

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

professional life. Think of this magazine as your electronic personal coach who can make you superior to the rest of the crowd. Give it a try.

You may be pleasantly surprised.

Back to Contents

3

What my Lawyer makes me say

D

isclaimer: Although this magazine has been prepared with utmost care, neither

the author, publisher, seller, editor, or any other party associated with this magazine can accept any liability for any direct or indirect damages caused by following the advice given here.

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Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

All opinions, ideas, and advice expressed here are largely my personal or the contributor opinions and don’t necessarily represent the opinion of any other organization or person, including my employer, my clients or their agents. Any reference to any persons or businesses, whether living or dead, existing or defunct, is purely unintentional.

Self Improvement International cannot vouch for or certify the claims made by advertisers and is not liable for any cause of action arising out of such claims. All disputes are subject to the courts and competent forums in Bangalore, India only.

Images used in this magazine are from open image sources like Pexels, Unsplash, Pixabay, etc., that are free for personal and commercial use.

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Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

My full thanks and credits to the respective artists.

Back to Contents

6

What Else?

W

ise men say that one should never have any desire for wealth and must always be

prepared to lead a life of virtuous poverty. Also, writing articles is viewed by many as a hobby that doesn’t deserve any compensation for the writer as they must write purely for the passion 7

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

and not for money. But writing involves enormous effort and we don’t live on such magnanimous money-free planets. By becoming a customer of this magazine and sharing information about this with all your friends you help me create valuable content for writers and executives. Thank you for being so generous.

Also, if you are a generously giving kind of person, then I am a happily accepting kind of person. So, if you have any unused excess wealth stashed away in Swiss Banks, Spare Jewels, Precious Gems, Spanish Gold Bars, Priceless Paintings, Rare Dinosaur Bones, Asteroid Pieces, Unused Rolls-Royce, Private Jets, Luxury Ships, or even an Exotic Island or Kingdom somewhere, please feel free to donate them to me along with all applicable taxes. Such humble gifts can nudge 8

Self Improvement International – March 2020 Issue

me to scribble more articles that could be of use to someone, somewhere on our lonely planet ď Š

Back to Contents

9

Enjoy the Good Side of Bad Things Personal Development

N

o one on this planet can travel through life without at a few major personal disasters.

Personal disasters can be in the form of financial losses, betrayals, health problems, loss of loved ones, setbacks, etc. When something gory happens you may feel devastated, ruined, or 10

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

utterly

hopeless.

But,

ironically,

personal

disasters can often turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to you. It can be a much needed wakeup call to change your life for something better. A bad incident can often turn out to be a blessing in disguise because they usually happen for some mysterious reason, or to teach you some valuable lessons in life. In many cases, people do emerge stronger and happier after personal disasters.

Many a time you actually feel much better or relieved after something bad happens. This is probably because you now have one less thing to worry about, or feel happy the agony did not prolong further. If you have a sense of humor or willing to cultivate one, many bad things in life can be viewed as good from a different angle or 11

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

perspective. Many a time an exciting job can actually be a curse that you cannot escape from.

For example, a highly exciting job could be slowly burning you out internally. Since the work is exciting you don’t slow down or take a muchneeded rest. So your batteries will start draining out rapidly. Suddenly a sickness or an accident that hits you can turn out to be a blessing in disguise to help you get some much-needed rest, or even prevent a potential heart attack.

Sometimes fate often makes you lose a battle to win a bigger war. So you should also cultivate the habit of seeing the good side of bad things.

Tips for practicing this technique A Chinese proverb says, ‘A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected 12

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

without trials.’ So uncertainty, stress, and other mental tortures are actually needed to make you a better and more resilient person to be better prepared for future disasters. Often your own disasters or those of others can teach several valuable lessons that can be used to your advantage.

You can either slog through life, waste time, make endless mistakes and energy trying to do things from your own experience. Or you can profit from the experience of others by reading their lives. Many famous personalities and leaders often have had one or more severe personal disasters that would have shaped their life. For example, Abraham Lincoln had a series of job losses and failures in everything he had attempted, until one day that path led him to 13

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

become the president of the United States.

Similarly abuse, harassment, tortures, and insults have enabled men and women to rise to the challenge

and

perform

extraordinary

achievements, which would not have been possible if everything was smooth and pleasant.

It would be ideal to have a trouble free life, but Mother Nature does not allow such luxuries.

While every disaster may not turn you into a national hero, you must be periodically terror tested in life to take the following seriously and diligently.

You now have the wisdom to save enough money for a rainy day.

You think of new ways to earn a second income.

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Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

You become more frugal and careful in your spending.

You can teach your kids to be better prepared for the big, bad world.

You can protect your family from unnecessary risks.

You become tougher and more resilient over time.

You lose excess weight.

You may start your own business to escape the hardships of working for someone.

You now watch your back better and become more careful.

You now have the confidence to handle any future crisis.

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Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

You can advise and train others on how to handle stress and criticism.

You now read good books and get better by the day.

You can handle stress better than others.

If we shouldn’t eat at night, why do they put a light in the fridge?

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Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

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Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

Ask if you deserve it?

Every religion preaches the concept of sin and that god punishes people in his own way.

Religion says that punishment exists because God has seen that you do something wrong and you must be punished for it. Hindus believe that the god of death and his assistant keeps an accurate record of every human being’s good and bad deeds. And it is also believed they have a timetable of when and how you will get punished.

Sometimes disasters and troubles come to you because you simply deserve to be punished. This may sound brutal, especially if you are not sure why. It can rudely jolt you from the grand benevolent image you hold of yourself. You 18

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

could get furious, outraged, and vehemently disagree,and demand the reasons for why you have to endure such sufferings. But the answer could be simple. Perhaps your current suffering is a punishment for the sins you have committed in the past.

For example, just remember how many times have you walked on the streets ignoring people in need? Or deliberately avoided a friend who was in need of money and help? Or the number of times you did not do anything to help someone when you really could? So, knowingly or unknowingly, you may have committed a lot of sins and sufferings to others. Not everyone will have the power or courage to point your mistakes on your face. Just go back in time and think of all the situations you may have caused 19

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

untold misery through your actions (or inactions) to your fellow humans, family members or even animals and insects.

By thinking hard and honestly, you can definitely remember a long list of sins you have committed or the promises you conveniently forgot. Perhaps the time has now come for you to suffer for those sins. So if you believe you deserve it, accept it boldly and endure your sufferings happily.

Quotes by famous people He who knows how to be poor knows everything - Jules Michelet We have grown literally afraid to be poor. We despise anyone who elects to be poor in order to simplify and save his inner life. If he does not join 20

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

the general scramble and pant with the moneymaking street, we deem him spiritless and lacking in ambition -William James Risk! Risk anything! Care no more for the opinions of others, for those voices. Do the hardest thing on earth for you. Act for yourself.

Face the truth - Katherine Mansfield Blows that don’t break your back strengthen it – Arabian Proverb Poverty is no disgrace, but ignorance is – Unknown

Back to Contents

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Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

Save money for the future. Suppose you are earning $5000 per month and your monthly expenditure for the absolute essentials is $3000. Then, you should make it a habit to save the remaining $2000 every month. This way if you save for a year you will have $24,000 with you.

Suppose you lose your job then this $24,000 will help you cover your monthly expenses for eight months, while you can look out for another job without going crazy.

22

How Managers Lose Credibility Workplace Leadership

A

s soon as the words ‘bad boss’ is stated most employees start imagining pictures of

a wicked person, a crook, a tyrant, a scheming backstabbing individual, a selfish ogre, etc. And typical textbook definitions of a bad boss is one who screams, threatens, intimidates, grabs credit, 23

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

fires people, throttles people’s necks and so on.

While such gory imaginations could be true in a few cases, it’s not so in a large percentage of cases. Actually, it’s not necessary to be a wicked person at all to be called a bad boss. Ironically, a good-natured or normal person can also fall into the category of a bad boss without exhibiting any boorish behaviors. To understand how there are a few common mistakes managers do to slowly transform themselves into bad bosses.

Mr. R was a highly qualified technical expert in a top company. He was the go to person for his team and also the management for any technical issues and problems. As expected, he soon got a promotion to management grade. But within a year or two he became a laughing stock and was not able to lead the team effectively. In short, he 24

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

lost all the credibility that he had when he was just a technical expert. Now why did this happen?

Here are a few reasons why he failed.

Success went to his head - The fancy title and a great salary that came with his promotion made him lose his past humbleness. He started believing that he was now a technical as well as managerial expert and everyone depended on him.

Gradually

he

became

dismissive

of

suggestions and recommendations by others.

He stopped learning - Before the promotion he was always upgrading his skills to keep himself updated with the latest happenings in the industry. As he was a manager now he thought that he need not keep himself updated like before and believed that his job was full time people and finance management. As you may 25

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

have observed in your own workplaces, titles having groovy words like global, enterprise, strategy, leader, etc., can quietly corrupt a person’s ego faster than a person who is having a mediocre title like sales manager, though both could be doing identical ordinary jobs.

He became arrogant - He now started using cynical statements like, “Don’t come to me with problems. Come to me with solutions”. Imagine going to a manager with a problem that you can’t solve or is beyond your grade, and he or she uses such arrogant statements or chews your head off with tough questions. Wouldn’t it be insulting and demoralizing for the team? Today, asking questions that others cannot answer is the favorite hobby for many managers. Hence, many executives nowadays take great pride in asking 26

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

complicated and smart questions that can make others squirm, shut their mouth, or run away from the scene. Also, many executives believe just asking a tough question settles the matter without the need to get involved to solve the issue.

Why do dogs always race to the door when the doorbell rings? It’s hardly ever for them - Harry Hill

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Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

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Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

The basic reason why many people ask hardhitting questions is mainly to satisfy their ego of making others uncomfortable, cover up their lack of knowledge, or just to impress others. For example, most discussions and arguments you may have observed are all about how someone outsmarted someone else by firing a smart question. Watching someone squirm gives a selfcongratulatory sadistic pleasure to many people like, ‘Hah, you should have seen that bozo’s face when I asked him that tricky question.’

He started business jargon - A general dictionary defines jargon as – “Unintelligible or meaningless talk or writing, gibberish. Any talk or writing that one does not understand.” And business jargon is the art of talking or writing about various business issues using complicated 29

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

and confusing words. Common examples of jargon are, synergy, value add, leverage, paradigm, core competency, catalyst, vision, mission, information centric, people oriented, horizontal and vertical solutions, and other gobbledygook.

This became a big turn off for his team. The first reason is employees won’t understand what the manager is trying to say. The second reason is employees when hit by complexity and business jargon are afraid to ask for specifics for the fear of being branded as a simpleton. The third reason is, business speakers think that by using

high

sounding

words,

colorful

presentations and all sorts of gimmicks in the hope of doing effective communications. But usually they end up doing exactly the opposite, 30

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

which

is

ineffective

communication

and

confusing the audience.

Excessive meetings and status reports – Instead of getting involved with the team to understand what is going on he now started endless meetings and wasting everyone’s time.

And he depended on detailed status reports, metrics, presentations, and other colorful nuisance to know what is happening within his own team. Team members, instead of spending valuable time on important activities, were now wasting hours in meetings, preparing slides, and status reports for trying a shoelace. Very soon he entered the dirty waters of cheap politics, surrounding himself with yes men, increased stress for the team, shoot the messenger, and find scapegoats.

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Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

Summary – To summarize the story, he was no longer the friendly person he was before he got the promotion. He also lost all his past friends and became an object of ridicule. Soon, all his team members either quit or applied for other positions. As you can see from the above, this is how

many

managers,

who

were

earlier

considered as worthy executives, lose their credibility and destroy themselves and their team.

Now some quotes, I think the day that your people stop bringing their problems to you is the day you stop leading.

They’ve either concluded that you don’t care about their problems or that you cannot help them. And leaders have to be in a position to help - Jeff Rich 32

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

It is not only the most difficult thing to know oneself, but the most inconvenient one, too Henry W Shaw

Back to Contents

Avoid buying stuff in supermarkets if you want just one or two items. Go to small shops. You will save time, money, and also help such small businesses. This is because you will end up buying many unwanted items in the supermarket along with the items you need and will also waste time at the checkout.

33

Get Accustomed to Monotonous Jobs Stress Management

A

dictionary

defines

monotonous

as

tediously repetitious or lacking in variety.

Among the myriads of troubles in a workplace having a boring monotonous job can be extremely stressful for any individual. For example, jobs with no growth prospects, 34

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

repetitive jobs with no excitement, stuck in a rut kind of jobs, etc., can drive anyone crazy over a period of time. But what if you can’t quit the job due to family responsibilities, dependents, health and age issues, etc? Remember it’s not easy to simply quit your job just because it’s boring. So, what do you do? Do you ruin your peace of mind by constantly brooding and complaining about over your boring job, or is there some solution that you can use? The answer is there are usable solutions and this article will show you how.

Many years ago, I happened to see a very happy postal worker during a visit to a post office. He was probably in his mid-thirties and his job was to issue stamps. When I visited the post office recently, many years later, I saw the same person still in the job of issuing stamps, as happy 35

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

as before. Seeing him happy made me very happy for some strange reason. Here is a man with a not very exciting job, yet happy as a free bird.

Essentially, he chose to be happy in spite of doing a monotonous job. Similar to the saying, ‘Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder,’ a job can be highly exciting or extremely boring depending on the doer. The enjoyment of a job depends on several factors like age, health, salary, education, opportunities, etc. Even supposedly exciting jobs cannot remain perpetually exciting or sustainable for years and years. For example, when you are young and a famous football player you may feel it’s the best job in the world. But, think again.

Can you keep playing football for the next thirty or forty years? Obviously, not. In all probability, 36

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

you will end your playing career with a few years and end up having a desk job somewhere.

Many people dream that someday their humdrum lives will suddenly change for the better by suddenly becoming famous, winning a lottery, or some magic will happen like what happened to Cinderella. And they can live happily ever after as most fairy tales usually end.

But, unfortunately, such dreams come true for maybe one in ten million people. A lot of jobs on this

planet

are

indeed

monotonous

and

repetitive. Very few jobs exist that can be classified as perpetually exciting, interesting, and financially rewarding.

For example, jobs of postal workers, traffic police, drivers, postmen, shop owners, security guards, civil servants, factory workers, laundry, 37

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

salespeople, etc., are all monotonous. Even top executives and famous personalities with fancy incomes also feel tired and bored after some time though they may not admit it openly. Either the work gets physically tiring, mentally stressful, or the joy is slowly going away. Probably, even famous billionaires like Steven Spielberg and Bill Gates may dread the Monday morning alarm and secretly feel, ‘Oh, My God. Here comes a new week and another hundred million dollars to earn. How boring!!’

It’s not always necessary for someone to criticize or harass you to feel bad about your job.

If you believe you are in a boring or a monotonous job, then you will soon tend to criticize yourself. You will start comparing your job with others who may have a great job. In 38

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

economics, there is a law of diminishing returns, which states, ‘The tendency for a continuing application of effort or skill toward a particular project or goal to decline in effectiveness after a certain level of result has been achieved.’ Applied to jobs, the brain refuses to accept even exciting work as perpetually exciting.

Don’t you hate it when someone answers their own questions? I do.

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Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

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Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

A point of saturation will be reached sooner or later where you will start criticizing your job silently. I have seen software programmers and graphic

designers

who

were

extremely

passionate about their jobs in their earlier years lose enthusiasm after a couple of years.

Apparently, it’s the same exciting work, a better salary, a fancy title, but the joy is gone.

Most jobs are not really monotonous, but the feeling of fun would have gone from the job.

Even

a

top

scientist,

who

has

worked

passionately and relentlessly to win a Nobel Prize, may rarely have the same passion a second time to attempt another Nobel Prize. So, there is no such thing as a perpetually exciting or a perpetually boring job. If you are willing to accept this, then life will be a lot easier to handle 41

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

and you will also have less stress. And there are several ways to ensure that a monotonous job does not kill your zest in life.

Tips for practicing this technique It’s important to accept the fact that most jobs do get monotonous after some time. But, it need not make you miserable. Just imagine yourself without a job with a bunch of unpaid bills and loan sharks pounding on your door. That can suddenly make you excited about your boring job.

Though there is nothing worse than a boring job, you can train yourself to be happy by accepting your limitations and trying to find some ways to break the monotony. If you start hating and disliking monotonous jobs, it can 42

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

impact your health and peace of mind. And when you are tired and complain about your job, think of the unemployed, the needy and those who wish they had your job Do not expect your managers or the organization to keep you constantly happy and motivated. It’s not possible or sustainable. Look for other ways and means to keep yourself happy. For example, having a hobby can create that much-needed diversion from constantly brooding about your monotonous job.

Look around your home, town or city and you will see people doing jobs worse than yours.

Occasionally,

compare

yourself

with

the

downtrodden, homeless people who have more difficulties than you. There are even people out there who are awaiting death penalty. Suddenly 43

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

you will realize your job and status in life is far superior to most others.

Never insult your job or the type of work.

There is an interesting story about a poor cobbler who had a kit containing the tools required for his job. One day, he purchased a lottery ticket, noted the number on a piece of paper and gave the ticket to his wife for safekeeping. Luckily his number won the first prize, which was a huge sum of money. In his jubilation, he became arrogant and threw his toolkit into a wild river stating he had no use for the cursed thing henceforth. Rushing home he asked for the ticket. His wife replied that she had kept the ticket inside the toolkit as she thought that would be the best place for safekeeping. So, the cobbler lost the tools required for his livelihood 44

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

and also his potential fortune. What this story can teach you is the fact that all jobs are sacred in a way. The job you do may not be interesting or palatable, but never insult your job or the work you do.

Many people often change jobs when they start getting monotonous. Unless you are willing to switch careers, the next job in the same type of industry for your work experience will also become monotonous after the initial excitement.

For example, a financial accountant may switch from company A to company B, but the nature of the job is essentially the same. Perhaps a little more salary, a fancier job title, a better car and a few other perks, but the job does get monotonous over time. Secondly, switching a career from one field to another is not easy for 45

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

most people. For example, switching from software programming to television advertising may not be achievable, unless you are willing to take risks and start fresh.

People often think they can survive with their passion or hobby. But a passion for something is not necessarily a viable and sound business option. And not every passion can generate a sustained income for years and years. Many people have strong passions for hobbies like creative arts, teaching, writing, or something they love to do. But before jumping ship give it a hard thought whether those passions can bring you enough money to lead a decent life. The job you love to do may not necessarily feed you (and your dependents) on a sustained basis.

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Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

Remember, feeling strongly about an idea is different from a profitable business. Don’t do anything stupid like quitting your monotonous job without any alternate income and put yourself or your family in trouble. So, learn to love your monotonous job for the paycheck and the security it brings. It’s better to have a job that regularly brings in some money than follow a passion that may or may not shield you and your family from financial troubles. Remember, you owe your family a decent living and a paying job would pay your bills, provide health and life insurance, your kids’ fees, and protect your family.

Finally, we can end this article with a great quote from Dean Koontz who said, ‘Six billion of us walking the planet, six billion smaller worlds on 47

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

the bigger one. Shoe salesmen and short-order cooks who look boring from the outside - some have weirder lives than you. Six billion stories, everyone an epic, full of tragedy and triumph, good and evil, despair and hope. You and me - we aren't so special, brother.’

Back to Contents

Even if you have a good job, start a small side business. If you have the skills, experience, passion, and energy for anything, then think of starting a small business even if it just earns only a few dollars a month. Think of monetizing every skill you have. It can even be an offline business. For example, a retired teacher who was earning a pittance while in employment is now earning five times

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Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

her salary by taking tuitions for high school kids by working only three hours a day.

49

What is Cultural Intelligence?

Personal Development

M

r. A was a highly qualified manager in an advertising firm in UK. He had grown

from the junior ranks to the level of a senior advertising manager and was well respected, obeyed, and admired by all his team members and even other departments.

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Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

As he grew in the ranks he was expected to handle

higher

responsibilities

and

was

transferred to handle the US division of the advertising firm. But he failed miserably there and was unable to handle the team there or earn their trust.

So, what went wrong and why did he fail? The answer is he was accustomed to handling a bunch of conservative and obedient staff in UK. But in the US he had to deal with a bunch of talkative and brash advertising staff who was not accustomed to taking orders. Their body language, brash way of working and talking, candid replies, openly questioning his decisions, cynical retorts, etc., was starkly different from his UK office staff. They were treating him as a buddy rather than a manager who should be 51

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

obeyed without question. This was shocking for a person who was accustomed to obedient and conservative staff in his UK office. So, what skill or knowledge did he lack to deal with his US staff? Before we get into that let us take a small deviation.

Most business leaders are familiar with the concept of emotional intelligence (or EQ), which is described as the capability to understand and manage your own emotions in positive ways to relieve

stress,

empathize

with

others,

communicate effectively, overcome challenges and resolve conflicts in your personal and workplace life. Emotional intelligence can help you build stronger relationships, succeed at work, and achieve your goals.

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Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

Today's workplaces are more multicultural than ever, and it's normal to work with executives from many different places and backgrounds. Though this has opened up many new opportunities it has also created some serious challenges like how can executives from different nationalities and mindsets work together without friction.

In today’s multicultural workplaces with international

business

requirements

where

people from different nationalities are expected to work as a team mere emotional intelligence is not enough. You need something beyond that, and that is the concept of cultural intelligence.

So what is cultural intelligence and why is it important to global businesses? This article will explain the how and why.

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Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

Cultural

intelligence

is

the

ability

for

executives and organizations to relate to culturally diverse situations and work effectively in them. It’s a vital aspect to businesses today because of the global nature of their trade and many top companies will have large branch offices in various countries.

For example, companies like Microsoft, Google, intel, etc., have thousands of staff in many countries like India, Singapore, China, Middle East, etc., where the culture, tradition, and values of the locals are starkly different from their US headquarters. For example, a manager who is a US citizen will not be able to apply his candid managerial methods and talking in Saudi Arabia where

religious

precautions

54

have

to

be

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

considered before taking decisions or openly commenting about their local politics or religion.

What are they planting to grow the seedless watermelon?

Jerry Seinfeld

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Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

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Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

Here are some tips that your need to become culturally intelligent.

The first thing when dealing with other cultures is to learn some do’s and don’ts in that country. What is acceptable or normal in Country-A will be unacceptable in Country-B. Not every country

allows

candid freedom of

expression or criticism of their local politics or way of life. The best way is to get a local qualified person from that country to teach what is acceptable and unacceptable in that country.

This way you can be careful and avoid getting into trouble.

Training complicated,

cultural

intelligence

time-consuming,

and

can

be

costly.

However, it’s worth the investment because it will boost your company’s reputation and 57

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

business if the locals of that country believe that you are a company that respects their traditions and values. For example, if you are selling some products in a foreign country you need to be careful about releasing advertisements that offend the local culture or traditions, even though that advertisement may be acceptable in a different country.

Cultural intelligence adds a competitive edge to a business as it improves communication, cooperation, teamwork and performance even when

the

team

comprises

of

different

nationalities that have grown with different lifestyles.

One should also note that your cultural intelligence is much more than some basic cultural awareness and sensitivity training 58

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

required for a casual visitor where you may spend a few days as a tourist assisted by a guide.

Here you will have independently work with the locals without friction or getting into trouble for months and maybe years. In short, cultural intelligence is almost like becoming a citizen of that country with an advanced knowledge of their traditions, nationalities, cultures and disciplines that could have an impact on your business.

As an Indian, I will now give a short summary of the cultural intelligence you need when dealing with Indians. India has become the hot low cost outsourcing destination for many western companies. As it is a hot destination too many western businessmen often burn their hands by touching the wrong buttons. But 59

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

anyone

who

wants

to

successfully

take

advantage of the pluses and minuses of India must first understand the complex kaleidoscope of this country and the way Indians think, act, see, hear and believe.

Doing business with India is more than just technology,

contracts,

quarterly

earnings,

leadership, customer satisfaction, business value and other jargon. To have a long-term business relationship with India and most south Asian countries around India, you need to understand the unsaid and the unspoken that may often seem to have no connection or an impediment to business needs.

Faith: Religions, castes and languages play a dominating role in the country. In India the major religions are Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Christians, and 60

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Muslims along with an assorted sprinkling of Buddhists, Jews, Parsis and many atheists who believe in god by night. Within each religion there are several sub sects or commonly known as castes. The sub sects within the major religions are normally based on food habits, family practices and ancestral beliefs. For example you will see some Hindus eat meat, while other Hindus are pure vegetarian. Indians are very proud and sensitive of their religion, language and caste. So if you offend or make fun of these things you cannot do business with him, or earn his respect anymore.

Festivals and beliefs: India has a cultural history of more than ten thousand years old or even older. Religion, philosophy, spirituality and belief in higher powers play an integral part of 61

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every Indian's life. In addition to national festivals every state, every village and every family have their own festivals, beliefs and private gods. So if you hear someone say he was on leave because of his grandfather's tenth death anniversary, his child's naming ceremony, or a religious ritual in his family, you should respect that practice and accept its sanctity, instead of saying or thinking, “Wasn’t that business strategy meeting more important?”

Family: Most Indians stay in joint families and have been doing so from centuries. Indians don't send their parents to an old age home, nor nudge their kids to fly out when they reach college. And there is no need to hire a babysitter.

So if you happen to visit an Indian friend's house don't be surprised to see his father, mother, 62

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grandfather, grandmother, nephews, uncles, aunts, etc., in the same house along with lots of photos of gods and saints. And don't feel offended if they start asking probing questions about your family or religion. Alcohol, cigarettes and meat are still taboo to many. So don't expect a can of beer when you go to someone's house.

All you may get is a cup of coffee, tea or lemon juice.

Taboos: India is an advanced civilization, which is superior in moral values, decency and natural human behavior matured over thousands of years. So family values and decency are paramount. Hence, cuss words, gay and pervert behaviors, single parenting, insulting religion, atheism,

boozing,

drugs,

body

piercing,

slutwalks, skimpy dresses and those candid dare 63

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all-bare all discussions of Oprah that are acceptable or legal in western countries are frowned upon or simply not acceptable. Rubbish statements like this is the 21st century and people have the freedom to do what they want don't have any value. Society will not mingle, support, help or make heroes out of such people.

In rural areas you may even be thrashed or worse for daring to be too daring, irrespective of what the law says.

Respect for elders: Indians give more importance to family values, friendship, trust and respect for elders. It is inappropriate for a youngster to advise, chide, or talk straight with elders. It does not matter if you are the tough CEO of a fortune 100 company in India. At home you are still expected to respect and obey the 64

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wishes of your uneducated grandfather, or even get slapped by your mother in front of the family members for saying something disrespectful.

In a similar way, each country will have their unique culture, traditions, and values. Hence, it’s important for business executives to go beyond the basic cultural awareness if they wish to do long term business there.

We can now end this article with some quotes.

Preservation of one's own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures - Cesar Chavez India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great grandmother of tradition. Our most 65

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valuable and most artistic materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only! – Mark Twain Culture is the name for what people are interested in, their thoughts, their models, the books they read and the speeches they hear, their table-talk, gossip, controversies, historical sense and scientific training, the values they appreciate, the quality of life they admire. All communities have a culture. It is the climate of their civilization - Walter Lippmann

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66

Astrology for Performance Appraisals Humor

I

n a recent scientific study the World Health Foundation has discovered a new type of

deadly workplace sickness spreading among all modern employees of this planet. Code-named EPR (Employee Performance Reviews), this modern sickness has already seriously affected 67

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millions of employees worldwide, and is spreading out of control. Doctors have claimed that there can be no cure for this, and is usually caused by a certain wretched electronic, or paper document given to all employees by their managers. Modern science is currently unable to cure this epidemic. Hence, doctors and top business managers are increasingly turning to astrology to accurately predict the strange effects

of

performance

appraisals

on

organizations and employees.

Astrology, the ancient science of the gods, can be effectively used in all business areas. This is because astrology is more accurate than business predictions. The probability or success of a grand business strategy, market analysis, business plan or predictions ranges from 0% to about 20%, 68

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whereas an astrological prediction can be as accurate as 70% to 100% and can be predicted years and decades in advance. All astrologers use identical

methods,

processes,

logic

and

calculations for their mysterious science. So, here are some accurate astrological predictions that will definitely come true during every company's performance review festival.

Switch of team work for four weeks. Time to concentrate on self appreciation and unique achievements charades.

Document and classify your normal genetically encoded behaviors into groovy categories like "Leadership",

"Communication",

"Conflict

Management", and “Quality" and so on.

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Watch out for friendly enemies let loose by Uranus.

Venus predicts a sudden demand for your leadership, communication and customer focus skills.

Jupiter warns of an unexpected truckload of work and stress.

Mercury will influence everyone to be wicked and settle old scores.

Saturn recommends going home once a week.

Avoid issues like sickness, death, external factors, etc., from interfering with your business goals.

Your brilliant performance will be adversely affected by the planetary positions of your team members and cousins of every customer.

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Start chanting words like synergy, vision, longterm, change management and lots of adjectives.

Old and forgotten useless issues will be in the limelight.

Accept your mistakes for causing failure of rains, global warming, disappearing rain forests, stock market crash and so on.

Bosses and Customers will be harsh to you due to Pluto’s conflict with mars.

Don't be afraid to commit anything the customer desires.

Lucky numbers 1, 2 or A, B.

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Repair your clothes, shoes, gadgets, etc., instead of tossing them out. Don’t throw out a shirt because of a small tear or some broken buttons. Similarly, shoes can be repaired and used for many months before it becomes completely unusable. This will save money and also the environment and also teach you value of frugality.

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The Leadership of Sun Tzu Workplace Leadership

N

o leader can succeed in their goals if they don’t have a team that obeys orders or

instructions. While, in today’s times, it’s not necessary for team members to behave as obedient slaves, it’s still necessary for them to respect the orders or instructions of their 73

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manager especially if he or she is a qualified and knowledgeable person. Many a time, junior team members may not understand why the manager is asking for certain reports, cut budgets, or instruct them to help a customer beyond what is normally done, or do some other activity that may seem senseless. But the manager will know why that is needed.

However, if the team members start arguing or refusing to do such work then it will become difficult for the manager, department, or company to succeed. For example, a bunch of 25 year old brash youngsters must not become so overconfident and rebellious that they can refuse or criticize a 40 year old experienced manager.

Hence, it’s absolutely necessary for managers to establish their command and authority as soon 74

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as they take over. If they take it easy and let the team members do whatever they want, then the manager will lost control and credibility. And it will not be possible to control them later. This is not a new management concept and such control was exercised with brutal methods from centuries. One such example is the leadership style of Sun Tzu. Sun Tzu was a Chinese general who is believed to have lived somewhere between 7th and 4th century BC. That was a period of severe conflicts between various warlords all seeking to control China. A certain king named Ho Lu, wanted to test Sun Tzu’s skills. He asked Sun Tzu if he can train his concubines into soldiers to fight and protect his kingdom in case of a war.

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Sun Tzu said it was possible and asked all the concubines to be brought to the courtyard for training. He then divided them into two groups and placed one of the King’s favorites as the leader of each group. He then ordered them to take spears in their hands and addressed them as follows, “I assume you all know the difference between front and back, right hand and left hand?”

The concubines replied yes in chorus.

Then Sun Tzu gave another instruction.

“When I say eyes front you must look straight ahead. When I say left turn you must turn towards your left. When I say right turn you must turn towards your right. When I say about turn you must face towards your back.”

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The concubines again agreed.

Having given such instructions he sounded the drum and ordered right turn. But instead of turning right all the concubines burst out laughing.

Moses had the first tablet that could connect to the cloud.

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Sun Tzu then said, “If the words of the general are not clear and distinct, or if the orders are not thoroughly understood, then the general is to blame.”

So, he started the drill again and now ordered them to turn left. Again the concubines burst out laughing.

Once again Sun Tzu said, “If the words of command are not clear and distinct, or if the orders are not understood, the general is to blame.

But if his orders are clear, and the soldiers still disobey, then it is the fault of their officers.”

After saying this he now ordered the leaders of the two groups to be beheaded. Shocked at this order, the king who was watching from the balcony rushed down to stop the execution 79

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stating that he was satisfied with Sun Tzu’s abilities. But Sun Tzu refused and said, “Having once received His Majesty’s approval to be the general of his forces, there are certain commands of His Majesty which, acting in that capacity, I am unable to accept.”

So, refusing to accept the kin’s orders, Sun Tzu had the two leaders beheaded and immediately installed the pair next as leaders in their place.

Then the drum was sounded for the drill once more. Now the concubines obeyed all the orders perfectly without any laughter or murmur.

Then Sun Tzu turned to the kind and said, “Your soldiers are now properly drilled and disciplined. They are now ready for your majesty’s inspection and can be put to any use that you may 80

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desire. You can bid them go through fire and water, and they will not disobey.”

But the King who was shocked and also amazed replied that Sun Tzu should stop the drill and return to camp. The king said he had no wish to come down and inspect the troops. For this, Sun Tzu said, “The King is only fond of words and cannot translate them into deeds.”

After that, King Ho Lu saw that Sun Tzu was the perfect one who knew how to handle an army and appointed him general.

Takeaways from this Story Now let us see takeaways from this story. In today’s world it’s not possible to behead or physically harm people to make them obey

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orders. However, this concept is useful for any manager who wants a disciplined team.

A new manager must professionally establish his or her authority as soon as they take over.

This is because no manager should tolerate a team that laughs, disobey, or refuse to follow orders or instructions. But establishing authority doesn’t mean dictatorship. This just means that the team must clearly know what is acceptable and unacceptable henceforth. This also means that the boundaries must be clearly established about who is authorized to do what.

For example, a junior team member should not take financial decisions or commit unrealistic services to customers without consulting the manager. Let me give a real example. Years ago when I was working in a computer firm a 82

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salesperson had committed to provide free licensed software to a government customer without approval from the management just to clinch a hardware order. Later, when the hardware was supplied the software was not supplied. But in the sales quote the free software was mentioned and the customer did not release the payment till the expensive software was supplied resulting in a huge loss to the company on that order.

However, managers should not expect his team to read their mind. Hence, before making unilateral changes managers must clearly and non-threateningly communicate their vision, mission, do’s & don’ts, etc., so that the team is aware of their expectations.

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It doesn’t matter how their earlier manager was managing the team. A new manager will have a new style of functioning that the team must now accept. For example, if you read business news it’s quite common to read about some high level exits whenever a new CEO takes over a company. They may or may not have been fired, but what will be understood is they may not like the new CEO’s style of functioning.

Finally, the leader should have firm control on his team like how a horseman holds the reins, not too tight to immobilize the horse and also not too loose to let it run haywire.

Some famous quotes on Leadership The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not a 84

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bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly - Jim Rohn To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart - Eleanor Roosevelt As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others - Bill Gates

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86

Writing and Publishing

T

his section is dedicated to the wonderful world of Writing & Publishing and covers

topics on self and traditional publishing, art of writing, formatting your print and eBooks, how and where to publish, marketing your book, and so on. Learn how the publishing industry works and how to get your books published in 87

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

Paperback and all eBook formats on all international sites.

88

How to Handle Bad Book Reviews Writing & Publishing

I

magine spending months and even years writing a book, taking the pains of getting it

published, experiencing the joy of seeing it online

in

all

popular

sites,

getting

congratulations from friends and family, and then getting a shock after a few days or weeks?

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Can you guess what that that shock is? The answer is someone from somewhere has written a stinking review or comment on your book.

Wouldn’t that be demoralizing or even an insult to your efforts? So, what do you do? Here are some ways to deal with it.

The first thing authors need to remember is your book, once available for sale, can be purchased or read by anyone from anywhere.

They are not your friends or relatives to tell you what you like to hear. They don’t know you. They have only read what you have written and if it upsets them they may write something nasty about it. So, get used to negative reviews and do the following.

Don’t attack or respond to the reviewer to tell him or her why they are wrong. This is a big 90

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mistake as it will add fuel to the fire. Other readers will think of you as someone who doesn’t take criticism lightly. Secondly, when you respond on the internet your negative response will be out there for everyone to read. Instead, the best way is to let reviewers fight it amongst themselves. There may be some reviewers who liked your book and they may refuse to accept the negative reviewer’s comments. Let them have a dogfight, it doesn’t matter. But you should not wade it and attack anyone.

Bad reviews are part of the game. Guess what?

Even the bestselling authors get a bunch of negative reviews. Just go to Amazon and see the one-star reviews of popular books. Think of your book as a piece of creative art like a painting or a sculpture. Next remember that art is subjective 91

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and not everyone will like your book. You can’t please every reader. Just shake it off and move on.

Learn to smile instead of brooding over it.

Instead of having no reviews which may mean you have no readers, here is someone who read your book.

A book that has only positive reviews is a suspicious book as many authors may pay to get such reviews. What do you think when a book has only five-star reviews? Won’t you think that they could be paid reviews? But if your book has all types of good and bad reviews it is more credible in the eyes of the buyer.

See if there are any takeaways from the negative reviews. Perhaps the reviewer is an 92

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experienced reader who knows what is wrong with a book. They may give valuable tips on what to avoid or how to improve when you write your next book.

Look at the ratio. If you have ten reviews and seven are good and three are bad, then don’t bother. But if seven are bad and three are okay, then maybe there is something really not right with your book. Maybe the story is stupid if it’s a fiction book, or maybe the contents are inaccurate if it is a nonfiction book. For example, if you have written a physics book and explained the

concepts

wrongly,

then

experienced

physicists can rip your book apart.

Some reviews are plain stupid. There are many cases where reviewers give low ratings just because they got the book delivered late or was 93

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damaged in transit and so on. This has nothing to do with your book contents.

In some cases the reviewers may use foul and vulgar language. In such cases you may flag such reviews on Amazon and other sites for their review usage policies. In most cases, they will remove such reviews.

Don’t let bad reviews stop or demoralize you.

Any review is better than no reviews. Don’t start taking reviews personally. Maybe this book was bad for the reader. But you can always write another book and implement the suggestions given by reviewers.

Learn from the politicians. Remember how much criticism they get on a daily basis and they still carry on smiling. So don’t let a negative 94

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review from someone you’ve never met stop you from writing.

Keep writing. Even the best authors in the world who have written dozens of books have had bad reviews for their initial books. Take your experience from the previous book and use it for the next one.

We can now end this article with a nice quote If I had listened to all the critics I would have died drunk in the gutter - Anton Chekhov

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95

Book Review – The 48 Laws of Power Writing & Publishing

T

he 48 Laws of Power, by Robert Greene, is an outstanding book to learn the mild and

wild ways of those who walk among us. This book is a must read for anyone aspiring to get to any kind of position of power and retaining it for as long as possible. At first glance you may feel this is a wicked guide that teaches you how to be 96

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manipulative, cunning, and selfish to get your way or what you want. But as you read through the book you will understand this is exactly how our human world works. You may or may not want to deploy these laws or get a chance to use all of them. But you have to be aware of them so that you know the rules of the game and the wicked world we live in.

Mild and wild power games are an essential part of our societies and lives. Whether you like it or not or refuse to accept it you cannot opt out of the game. In this book Robert Greene gives examples from hundreds of years of history in each of the 48 laws to help us understand how we can intelligently acquire power and avoid being manipulated or crushed by others. Greene suggests everyone to think of power-play as a 97

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game. And you can use this book to learn about power in general. Or, you can use it to study and truly understand people and the world you live in. It’s also interesting to know that this book was very popular among prisoners in USA and was eventually banned from requesting to prevent them from using the cunning or wicked ideas and examples mentioned in the book.

As you read through the book you will definitely remember examples and experiences from your own personal or workplace life on how people used to manipulate to get ahead, backstab others, and do other mischief in their race for power. For example, you may now recall how a manager or coworker who was hardly worthy of a promotion got his or her way to the upper layers by playing cunning office politics.

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Greene says that to master the game of power you must fundamentally shift your perspective about

power

and

accept

deception

and

masquerade as a part of natural human interaction. He says that you must learn and practice new skills like the ability to master your emotions so that they won’t cloud your judgement and reduce the level of control you have in a situation. He also recommends to objectively examine your past and future, and to recall the mistakes you made and prevent it from being repeated again in the future.

Now let us look at some of the chapter titles and its brief summary.

Never Outshine the Master - What this law warns you is, in your quest to impress your superiors don’t flaunt your talents too much. If 99

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your superiors feel insecure, they’ll find ways to replace you. Even if you are better than them make your masters appear more brilliant than they are and you will attain the heights of power.

Never put too Much Trust in Friends, Learn how to use Enemies - Here he advises you to be wary of friends as they will betray you quickly, for they are easily aroused to envy. But if you hire a former enemy he will be more loyal than a friend, because he has more to prove. Basically he says, you have more to fear from friends than from your enemies.

Conceal your Intentions – Here he advises you to keep people off-balance and in the dark by never revealing the purpose behind your actions.

He tells you to retain the upper hand by hiding your goal till you’re ready to strike. As he has 100

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observed most people are open books. They can’t control what they say, and mistakenly believe that honesty can win hearts.

Always Say Less than Necessary – This is another golden advice that he gives. Powerful people impress and intimidate by saying less. He says that when you are trying to impress people, the more you talk, the more common you appear, and the less in control. The more you talk, the more likely you are to say something foolish.

So Much Depends on Reputation–Guard it with your Life - Reputation is the foundation of power. Through reputation alone you can intimidate and win. But once you slip you become vulnerable and will be attacked on all sides. So, make your reputation irrefutable.

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Always be alert to potential attacks and thwart them before they happen. In parallel, learn to destroy your enemies by opening holes in their own reputations. Then stand aside and let public opinion hang them.

Court Attention at all Cost - Everything is judged by its appearance and what is unseen counts for nothing. So, never let yourself get lost in the crowd or buried in oblivion. Stand out. Be conspicuous, at all cost. Turn yourself into a magnet of attention by appearing larger, more colorful, and more mysterious than the bland and timid masses.

Get others to do the Work for you, but Always Take the Credit – This may seem like a wicked suggestion. But we see this happening all around us, especially in our workplaces where 102

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managers or coworkers grab credit for what others do. Basically he says, never do yourself what others can do for you. Always use the wisdom and knowledge of other people to further your own cause. Not only will such assistance save you valuable time and energy, it will give you a godlike aura of efficiency and speed. In the end your helpers will be forgotten and you will be remembered.

Make other People come to you–use Bait if Necessary – It’s always better to make your opponent come to you, abandoning his own plans in the process. When you force the other person to act, you are the one in control. Lure him with fabulous gains and then attack. You hold the cards.

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Win through your Actions, Never through Argument - Any momentary triumph you think gained through argument is really a Pyrrhic victory. The resentment and ill will you stir up is stronger and lasts longer than any momentary change of opinion. It is much more powerful to get others to agree with you through your actions, without saying a word. Demonstrate, do not explicate.

Crush your Enemy Totally - All great leaders since Moses have known that a feared enemy must be crushed completely. Sometimes they have learned this the hard way. Even if one ember is left alight, no matter how dimly it smolders, a fire will eventually break out. More is lost through stopping halfway than through total annihilation. The enemy will recover, and will 104

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seek revenge. Crush him, not only in body but in spirit.

In a similar way, he provides many other useful laws of power like, Infection: Avoid the Unhappy and Unlucky Learn to Keep People Dependent on You Use Selective Honesty and Generosity to Disarm your Victim When Asking for Help, Appeal to People’s SelfInterest, Never to their Mercy or Gratitude Pose as a Friend, Work as a Spy Use Absence to Increase Respect and Honor Keep Others in Suspended Terror: Cultivate an Air of Unpredictability

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Do Not Build Fortresses to Protect Yourself– Isolation is Dangerous Know Who You’re Dealing with–Do Not Offend the Wrong Person Do Not Commit to Anyone Play a Sucker to Catch a Sucker–Seem Dumber than your Mark Use the Surrender Tactic: Transform Weakness into Power Concentrate Your Forces Play the Perfect Courtier Re-Create Yourself Keep Your Hands Clean Play on People’s Need to Believe to Create a Cultlike Following 106

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Enter Action with Boldness Plan All the Way to the End Make your Accomplishments Seem Effortless Control the Options: Get Others to Play with the Cards you Deal Play to People’s Fantasies Discover Each Man’s Thumbscrew Be Royal in your Own Fashion: Act like a King to be treated like one Master the Art of Timing Disdain Things you cannot have: Ignoring them is the best Revenge Create Compelling Spectacles Think as you like but Behave like others Stir up Waters to Catch Fish 107

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Despise the Free Lunch Avoid Stepping into a Great Man’s Shoes Strike the Shepherd and the Sheep will Scatter Work on the Hearts and Minds of Others Disarm and Infuriate with the Mirror Effect Preach the Need for Change, but Never Reform too much at Once Never appear too Perfect Do not go Past the Mark you Aimed for; In Victory, Learn when to Stop Assume Formlessness Finally, this is not a goody-goody book that you will gift to someone, but it’s a book that you should keep in your safe locker and read the appropriate chapters when life and the people 108

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around you are giving a hard time. Think of this book as a bitter medicine that you need to swallow or make others swallow as and when needed because anyone who tries to be good all the time will definitely be crushed by the large number of people who ae not good.

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Children Section

T

his section is dedicated to articles for children and also their own contributions.

You can submit articles, drawings, and paintings done by your kids for consideration. This is to encourage them to cultivate the awesome habit of writing and reading books and magazines, instead of thinking that their computers, smartphones, and tablets are only for playing games and chatting.

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Comics – The Lost Priceless Treasures Nostalgia

T

his section is dedicated to remembering the golden era of comics that lasted from the

1930s till the late 1980s. When we were kids we didn’t have dozens of TV channels, Smartphones, Apps, Internet, Social Media, etc.

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Our main sources of entertainment were movies in theaters, a radio set, books, magazines, playgrounds, and the wonderful world of comics.

Dozens and dozens of brilliant graphic comics would hit our magazine newsstands every month ranging from as low as 10 cents to 50 cents. The arrival of our favorite comic every month was always a gala affair that would send a thrilling chill down our spine. We even had awesome libraries that would lend us comics for a small fee.

Practically, every child on our planet grew up as diehard fans of various comic book heroes, heroines, and villains. Collecting and protecting our comics was a thrilling exercise, and we had to guard our precious comics from our mischievous

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friends, cousins, relatives, etc., who would vanish with our priceless treasures.

Each comic book’s hero, heroine, and villain would take us deep into their imaginary wonderland and make us laugh, cry, giggle, angry, and even get furious. The stories used to so great that countless comics could have been easily been made in super movies. Did you know that each comic were meticulously hand drawn and colored by those great comic artists as there were no graphic softwares like today?

Want to know how those golden comics looked? See the next few pages for some awesome covers. Some lucky grown up child will be having these lovely treasures stored in their

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attics or cupboards somewhere on our planet (sigh!).

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118

I am a Precious Pineapple Children Health

H

ey, kids! How are you? Do you know who I am? I am a rough looking fruit with jagged

scaly skin and green pointy hairs. I am even rougher than your daddy’s chin when he has not shaven. But don’t judge me by my harsh looks. I 119

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am actually a delicious bundle of gold who can keep you in tip top shape. I am rich in magic stuffs like fibers, vitamins, minerals, nutrients, anti-oxidants, etc., that can make you healthy. I also know how to make your bones strong.

Now do you want to know how to eat me? It is very simple. Just chop off my green pointy hair and my rough skin carefully, then cut me into thin slices and start eating me. You can also smear some salt to make me taste even better.

Eat me slowly enjoying each bite fully. But do not eat me too much, and do not drink water immediately after eating me. If you do the water will get a horrible taste and your tongue will become rough and irritating, and you will scream UGGG!!!

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By the way, I also have plenty of other delicious friends who can help you in many ways.

Together we control the world of health. We are the jewels of your dining table. We come in all shapes, sizes and colors. We exist to make you humans happy. We help you avoid doctors and their expensive treatments like painful injections and bitter medicines. We can also make you run faster, jump higher and help you do great things in your school and college.

Do you want to know how we do all that magic? I will tell you how. We can do such wonderful things because some of us are good for your brain, some for your heart, some for your skin, and some for your bones, and so on.

We are like warriors and can easily fight with all those nasty troublemakers hiding in your body.

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Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

Aren’t we fellows’ great? But if you don’t eat us then those horrible troublemakers will always make you sick, tired, and weak. Then you will not be able to play sports or climb a hill. Now I am sure you don’t want to be such a weakling, do you?

Okay, next month I will introduce another mighty friend of mine. Don’t run away!

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A Few Questions FAQs

How do we contact you?

Via

email

on

thejendra@yahoo.com

or

thejendrabs@gmail.com.

I am a writer and want to submit articles to your magazine. Will you accept it?

Yes, as long as the article is related to personal development topics. It would also be good if you have your own website, blog, etc., for readers to contact you. If you want to contribute regularly, then I would prefer you become my magazine

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Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

subscriber. This link contains the submission details and template.

Do you pay for articles?

Not yet. This is still a new magazine and to pay you my circulation must improve. But I will provide a PDF copy of the magazine if I include your article in this magazine.

What kind of articles do you accept?

Your articles must be related to selfimprovement, stress management, leadership, management, writing, publishing, and so on. It must help the reader learn something useful for their life skills. Also, your article must be your own and not copied from anywhere. All images 124

Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

used must cite sources and must be free for personal and commercial usage. I can also consider publishing articles, drawings, and paintings done by your kids to push them towards the habit of reading books and magazines.

Do you accept advertisements in your magazine?

Yes, you can have a half-page or a full-page advertisement. Half page is US$10 and full-page is US$20 (see samples next page). Authors can also advertise their books and its short summary for just US$5/-. For half page send a JPG or PNG file of size 5 inch x 3.75 inch and for full-page send a 5 inch x 7.5 inch size file.

I have some other questions.

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Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

Just send me an email.

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Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

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Self Improvement International – April 2020 Issue

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About the Editor

Thejendra Sreenivas is an Author and Life Skills Coach and offers personalized coaching in Book Publishing and Personal Development. He has also written 20+ mild & wild books on a number of subjects. His inspiration for writing unique books comes from Toni Morrison who said, “If there is a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”

Please visit his web cave - www.thejendra.com for details of his books, magazine, and coaching information.

Check out his other unique books.

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Past Issues of this Magazine

I hope you enjoyed the ride. If you liked this magazine please coax all your friends to subscribe.

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Wealth of the Wise