May 2015 - FocusU

We are growing. From being a two man show – to being this happy bunch of nine – we skipped the teens totally and now are 21. Yes, we have come of age J The last two months have been particularly hectic for us, in this endeavor of scaling up. And hiring, we have learnt the hard way is a job that needs serious skills. The ability to peer behind the practiced routines, the ability to not get swayed by the “marketing pitch”, the ability to recognize the bluster, the ability to separate the wheat from the chaff. What really helped though, is our focus on looking for candidates with the “values” that matter for us: Being grounded, being humble, being honest – and perhaps most important of all, being restless. Why is being restless so important for us? Restlessness we believe, is the stepping stone to any kind of progress. It is this breed of the restless (wo)man, who: Through his inquisitiveness – invented the wheel. Asked why keep walking – and hence Invented the automobile Risked playing out of tune – and so went on to create a new symphony Asked why not – and shrank cricket to a 20-20 game Dreamt a never before world – and created Disney World Dared to challenge Wintel – and so created Apple Threw up his secure job – to create a world class company Look around yourself - any and every one of the development that you see around yourself – is always the result of some restless person, being unhappy with the status quo and going on to change it! Going with the status quo – the tried and tested, the safe – seems always to be the sane option. Dare you turn left where you have been told to turn right? But what if you did? As Robert Frost said in his poem, “The Road Less Travelled”: Two roads diverged in a wood, And I – I took the one less travelled by, And that has made all the difference! So, given two candidates who weigh equally in all other respects, the one who makes the cut for us, is always the one who wants to make a difference. The one who is not just looking for another job, but is keen to become the best in his field. The one who is inquisitive. The one who is curious about the world around him. The one who thinks he can change the world around him. Years ago, it was this same restlessness that led a couple of us away from the beaten path. Perhaps that is the reason, we resonate with other souls who are similarly restless! And that is also why, when we find a candidate who says, “Give me just one chance to prove myself” – we find it extremely endearing! Not that you would like to join a start-up organization like ours, but ask yourself, “Are you restless enough?” Or are you just living out your days? Ships are safest in a harbour – but that is not what ships are built for. So go ahead, make your move – strike out – change the world! I find the words of Farhan Akhtar, from the movie Zindagi Nahin Milega Dobara, very inspiring. Here I quote it again for you: Dilon mein tum apni betabiyan leke chal rahe ho. Toh zinda ho tum! Nazar mein khwaabon ki bijliyan leke chal rahe ho Toh zinda ho tum! Hawa ke jhonkon ke jaise aazad rehna seekho Tum ek dariya ke jaise, leharon mein behna seekho Har ek lamhe se tum milo khole apni baahein Har ek pal ek naya samaa dekhe ye nigaahe Jo apni aankhon mein hairaniyan leke chal rahe ho Toh zinda ho tum! Dilon mein tum apni betabiyan leke chal rahe ho Toh zinda ho tum! Live Inspired. Live Restless.

May 2015 - FocusU

Why Restlessness Matters?