Continuing with the theme of "change", I plan to read two books on the incredible turn around of Indian Railways - both authored by folks that led the change. And the next by my favourite authors: Seth Godin's new book titled "We are all Wierd" and Richard Leider's "Whistle while you work". Here are some notes on these books:
Bankruptcy to Billions: How the Indian Railways transformed itself
With around 1.4 million employees and 1.1 million pensioners, one of the world's largest railway networks (over 63,332 kms of routes) running approximately 15,000 trains each day, the Indian Railways is one of the world's largest state-owned, single-management enterprises, second only to China's.
This book is a case study of how the Indian Railways were transformed in three years, written by SudhirKumar, officer on special duty, who led the dramatic change. Defining and assessing the existing policy approach to reforming large state-owned enterprises that provide economic infrastructure, the book explains in depth why the prescriptive approach to reforms was not applicable to the Indian Railways. It shows how through an unconventional, egalitarian approach the railways transformed from near bankruptcy to a US$ 5 billion annual surplus while retaining state ownership. This case study helps to distill lessons for other state-owned enterprises whereby they can improve infrastructure services in developing countries.
Changing Tracks
Innovation in Indian Railways? Got to be kidding? Not really. A great turnaround was indeed achieved. From a cash surplus before dividend of Rs 1,071 crores in 2000, it achieved an estimated Rs 25,000 crores (or around Rs 13,000 crores after accounting for all expenditures, receipts and depreciation) in 2008. Alongside came a dynamic and differential tariff policy, and technical changes that led to an enhanced carrying capacity. How all this was accomplished is the focus of this riveting study of change and innovation in the Indian Railways.
We are all Weird
We Are All Weird is a celebration of choice, of treating different people differently and of embracing the notion that everyone deserves the dignity and respect that comes from being heard. The book calls for end of mass and for the beginning of offering people more choices, more interests and giving them more authority to operate in ways that reflect their own unique values.
As Godin has identified, a new era of weirdness is upon us. People with more choices, more interests and the power to do something about it are stepping forward and insisting that the world work in a different way. By enabling choice we allow people to survive and thrive.
Whistle while you work: Heeding your life's calling
In Whistle While You Work, Richard Leider and David Shapiro counter the clichéd query about what you want to be when you grow up with a more intriguing question: "What is your life's calling?" The authors define calling as "the inner urge to give our gifts away in service to something we are passionate about in an environment that is consistent with our values." Drawing upon psychologist James Hillman's metaphor of the acorn programmed to grow into an oak tree, Leider and Shapiro guide readers to discover their "core gifts" and the work they were born to do. Each chapter describes a conversation with a cabdriver in a different city to introduce a key idea about the process of heeding your life's calling. These lively conversations are followed by stories of individuals--from a Motorola executive to a building security guard--who have identified their calling. The stories are paired with bulls-eye exercises that allow readers to discover their calling. Tools include "calling cards" to identify core gifts, a "calling journal" and the "calendar/checkbook" exercise to align values with time management.
Bankruptcy to Billions: How the Indian Railways transformed itselfWith around 1.4 million employees and 1.1 million pensioners, one of the world's largest railway networks (over 63,332 kms of routes) running approximately 15,000 trains each day, the Indian Railways is one of the world's largest state-owned, single-management enterprises, second only to China's.
This book is a case study of how the Indian Railways were transformed in three years, written by SudhirKumar, officer on special duty, who led the dramatic change. Defining and assessing the existing policy approach to reforming large state-owned enterprises that provide economic infrastructure, the book explains in depth why the prescriptive approach to reforms was not applicable to the Indian Railways. It shows how through an unconventional, egalitarian approach the railways transformed from near bankruptcy to a US$ 5 billion annual surplus while retaining state ownership. This case study helps to distill lessons for other state-owned enterprises whereby they can improve infrastructure services in developing countries.
Changing Tracks Innovation in Indian Railways? Got to be kidding? Not really. A great turnaround was indeed achieved. From a cash surplus before dividend of Rs 1,071 crores in 2000, it achieved an estimated Rs 25,000 crores (or around Rs 13,000 crores after accounting for all expenditures, receipts and depreciation) in 2008. Alongside came a dynamic and differential tariff policy, and technical changes that led to an enhanced carrying capacity. How all this was accomplished is the focus of this riveting study of change and innovation in the Indian Railways.
We are all WeirdWe Are All Weird is a celebration of choice, of treating different people differently and of embracing the notion that everyone deserves the dignity and respect that comes from being heard. The book calls for end of mass and for the beginning of offering people more choices, more interests and giving them more authority to operate in ways that reflect their own unique values.
As Godin has identified, a new era of weirdness is upon us. People with more choices, more interests and the power to do something about it are stepping forward and insisting that the world work in a different way. By enabling choice we allow people to survive and thrive.
Whistle while you work: Heeding your life's callingIn Whistle While You Work, Richard Leider and David Shapiro counter the clichéd query about what you want to be when you grow up with a more intriguing question: "What is your life's calling?" The authors define calling as "the inner urge to give our gifts away in service to something we are passionate about in an environment that is consistent with our values." Drawing upon psychologist James Hillman's metaphor of the acorn programmed to grow into an oak tree, Leider and Shapiro guide readers to discover their "core gifts" and the work they were born to do. Each chapter describes a conversation with a cabdriver in a different city to introduce a key idea about the process of heeding your life's calling. These lively conversations are followed by stories of individuals--from a Motorola executive to a building security guard--who have identified their calling. The stories are paired with bulls-eye exercises that allow readers to discover their calling. Tools include "calling cards" to identify core gifts, a "calling journal" and the "calendar/checkbook" exercise to align values with time management.
