Well i have read this short story in a child's note and found it worth sharing with everyone.Here the story goes like.
A little girl and her father were crossing a bridge. The father was kind of scared so he asked his little daughter, "Sweetheart, please hold my hand so that you don't fall into the river." The little girl said, "No, Dad. You hold my hand." "What's the difference?" Asked the puzzled father…
"There's a big difference," replied the little girl. "If I hold your hand and something happens to me, chances are that I may let your hand go. But if you hold my hand, I know for sure that no matter what happens, you will never let my hand go."
In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond.
So hold the hand of the person whom you love rather than expecting them to hold yours.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Vikram Pandit named CEO of Citi Group
Vikram Pandit, a Nagpur-born NRI and a Citigroup neophyte who wowed Wall Street before intense flames began licking the financial world, was on Tuesday named CEO of the world's largest bank in what many see as a rescue mission.
Pandit, whose elevation had been in the air for several days, replaces the charismatic Charles O.
On Tuesday, the Citigroup board led by its chairman, former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin fulfilled Wall Street expectation by picking Pandit as CEO, while naming Win Bischoff, who was functioning as interim CEO after Prince left, as chairman. Rubin, also a stand-in, returns to his previous duties as Citi director and chairman of the executive committee of the board.
Pandit, who is 50, is the first person of Indian origin to scale such stratospheric heights in the financial world, which has many well-regarded Indian executives. Citigroup has operations in more than 100 countries, with 300,000 employees and $ 2 trillion in assets
If anything, Pandit edged out another Indian, Ajay Banga, who runs Citigroup's international-consumer group, for the plum job or the poisoned chalice, depending on one view. Others in the running included former Citigroup President Robert Willumstad and Michael Neal, who runs General Electric Co.'s (GE) commercial-finance business.
Vikram Shankar Pandit, the son of a pharma representative and businessman, came to the United States when he was only 16 for undergraduate studies at Columbia University, home to several prominent Indian academics including the economist Jagdish Bhagwati$, and alma mater of Dr B R Ambedkar.
He earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in electrical engineering before switching to finance and earning a Ph.D Mentors cited in a recent profile described him as a relentlessly hardworking student, the kind who relished challenges.
Pandit is seen as a cautious, conservative banker.
Many experts say the new CEO will need not just punditry but also some wizardry to extricate the bank from the mess.
n a statement following his elevation, Pandit said he would "undertake an objective and dispassionate review of all the businesses, individually and in aggregate, to make sure we are properly positioned for the future."
He also promised simplify the company's organizational structure, align businesses and resources with appropriate goals, with economic realities being among our initial priorities, a sure sign that there will be some soul-searching and cleansing.
Courtesy: timesofindia.
Pandit, whose elevation had been in the air for several days, replaces the charismatic Charles O.
On Tuesday, the Citigroup board led by its chairman, former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin fulfilled Wall Street expectation by picking Pandit as CEO, while naming Win Bischoff, who was functioning as interim CEO after Prince left, as chairman. Rubin, also a stand-in, returns to his previous duties as Citi director and chairman of the executive committee of the board.
Pandit, who is 50, is the first person of Indian origin to scale such stratospheric heights in the financial world, which has many well-regarded Indian executives. Citigroup has operations in more than 100 countries, with 300,000 employees and $ 2 trillion in assets
If anything, Pandit edged out another Indian, Ajay Banga, who runs Citigroup's international-consumer group, for the plum job or the poisoned chalice, depending on one view. Others in the running included former Citigroup President Robert Willumstad and Michael Neal, who runs General Electric Co.'s (GE) commercial-finance business.
Vikram Shankar Pandit, the son of a pharma representative and businessman, came to the United States when he was only 16 for undergraduate studies at Columbia University, home to several prominent Indian academics including the economist Jagdish Bhagwati$, and alma mater of Dr B R Ambedkar.
He earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in electrical engineering before switching to finance and earning a Ph.D Mentors cited in a recent profile described him as a relentlessly hardworking student, the kind who relished challenges.
Pandit is seen as a cautious, conservative banker.
Many experts say the new CEO will need not just punditry but also some wizardry to extricate the bank from the mess.
n a statement following his elevation, Pandit said he would "undertake an objective and dispassionate review of all the businesses, individually and in aggregate, to make sure we are properly positioned for the future."
He also promised simplify the company's organizational structure, align businesses and resources with appropriate goals, with economic realities being among our initial priorities, a sure sign that there will be some soul-searching and cleansing.
Courtesy: timesofindia.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Markita Andrews. #1 Sales woman
The greatest saleswoman in the wold today doesnt mind if you call her a girl. thats because Markita Andrews has generated more than eighty thousand dollars selling Girl Scout cookies since she was seven years old.
Andrews learned early that knocking on doors wasn't worth her time. At age 6 when she and her mother moved to New York after a marital separation, she joined a Brownie troop to meet other girls her age. It was during the Girl Scout cookie sales period.
She started out by knocking on doors in the Lincoln Towers apartment complex where she lives with her mother, aunt and uncle. "One of the doormen said, 'If I get any complaints about you knocking on doors, I'm going to bring you down to the lobby,'" Andrews recalls. Sure enough, there was a complaint, and she was demoted to the lobby. But it turned out to be a boon. "It just happened to be when people were coming home from the office," she says. "I sold to 45 people that afternoon." She adopted this strategy and has used it ever since.
Andrews likes to find her customers all in one place. "I sell in lobbies at a lot of companies, and I try to find new companies every year," she says. Dubbed as the top Girl Scout cookie seller of all time, Andrews last year sold 8,006 boxes--$16,000--not bad for a little over three weeks of work. And the girl, who is described by her aunt, Meredith McSherry, as "shy to a certain extent," has sold well over 30,000 boxes of cookies in the past eight years, with sales increasing around 30 percent each year.
By comparison, in 1984, Girl Scouts sold 130,250,000 boxes of cookies, mostly in the United States. Excluding volunteer adults who sold cookies, that averages out to somewhat less than 100 boxes of cookies per Girl Scout.
Some of the big guys have taken notice of Markita Andrews' astonishing sales figures. Companies like International Business Machines Corporation, Lotus Development Corporation and Pacific Telephone have flown her to conventions to speak about her sales techniques.
In 1982, Walt Disney Productions made a 12-minute sales motivation film that featured Andrews. Businesses throughout the country have purchased the film to educate their sales forces. And Andrews, with the help of writer Cheryl Merser, has written a book for Random House, detailing her basic steps of successful selling. The book is aimed at both the youth market and salespeople and is scheduled for release in March.
The first step in selling, she says, is setting short- and long-term goals. Andrews tries to take 100 orders a day after school during the three-week selling period. "If I don't reach my goal of 100 on one day, I'll work harder the next day, and I'll try to think of new places to go."
Andrews also stresses the importance of keeping good records. Sometimes, if customers say they have paid for an order and Andrews has doubts, she checks her spiral notebook of all the people she has sold to, what they bought and what order form they are on.
Wearing her uniform helps attract attention when Andrews is selling in an office. "People will see me and wonder, 'Who's going to be wearing a uniform like that? What is this girl doing?'" she says. "Then they'll think, 'It looks like she's trying to sell something. I wonder what she's selling?' So they'll come up to me part way, and I'll meet them the other part of the way and try to sell them some cookies."
Perhaps the real secret of her success is charm. "A lot of people have bought from Markita just because she's Markita," says her aunt. "People like her and they'll buy one box." Andrews says, "I try to be very kind to people because then they'll tell other people."
Last year Andrews, an honorary member of the National Association of Professional Saleswomen, charmed members of the Million Dollar Roundtable into buying 5,000 boxes of cookies when she was a featured guest at their convention at Radio City Music Hall. Andrews has also appeared twice on "Late Night With David Letterman" and "Good Morning America."
But Andrews does not rest on her laurels--she wants to go to college to polish her sales techniques. Yet for now, with only a couple of years left in Girl Scouts, she wants to reach her goal of selling 40,000 boxes of cookies. This should not be an impossible task for Andrews because she's motivated by a strong belief in her product and organization. "Girl Scouts are a great cause. I sell cookies to help them out--helping kids who don't have enough money to go to camp and helping buy office supplies." Andrews' troop receives 25 cents for every box the troop sells. With the money, she says, "we go to dude ranches in upstate New York."
However, selling does have its ups and downs. When people don't want to buy any cookies, says Andrews, "I will try to convince them what a good cause Girl Scouts are." But it they still refuse to buy and don't wish to make a contribution, Andrews politely thanks them. "I know there are people who don't want to buy, but there are a lot of people who do, and I look forward to the people who do want to buy."
Once on live TV, the producer decided to give Markita her toughtest selling challenge. Markita was asked to sell Girls scout cookies to another guest on the show. "Would you like to invest in one dozen or two dozen boxes of Girl Scout cookies " she asked.
"Girl scout cookies" I dont buy any Girl scout cookies he replied. I am a Federal Penitentiary warden. I put 2,000 rapists, robbers, criminals, muggers and child abusers to bed every night.
Unruffled, Markita quickly countered, "Mister, if you take some of these cookies, maybe you wont be so mean and angry and evil. And , Mister , I think it would be a good idea for you to take some of these cookies back for every one of your 2,000 prisoners, too"
Markita asked.
The warden wrote a check.
Andrews learned early that knocking on doors wasn't worth her time. At age 6 when she and her mother moved to New York after a marital separation, she joined a Brownie troop to meet other girls her age. It was during the Girl Scout cookie sales period.
She started out by knocking on doors in the Lincoln Towers apartment complex where she lives with her mother, aunt and uncle. "One of the doormen said, 'If I get any complaints about you knocking on doors, I'm going to bring you down to the lobby,'" Andrews recalls. Sure enough, there was a complaint, and she was demoted to the lobby. But it turned out to be a boon. "It just happened to be when people were coming home from the office," she says. "I sold to 45 people that afternoon." She adopted this strategy and has used it ever since.
Andrews likes to find her customers all in one place. "I sell in lobbies at a lot of companies, and I try to find new companies every year," she says. Dubbed as the top Girl Scout cookie seller of all time, Andrews last year sold 8,006 boxes--$16,000--not bad for a little over three weeks of work. And the girl, who is described by her aunt, Meredith McSherry, as "shy to a certain extent," has sold well over 30,000 boxes of cookies in the past eight years, with sales increasing around 30 percent each year.
By comparison, in 1984, Girl Scouts sold 130,250,000 boxes of cookies, mostly in the United States. Excluding volunteer adults who sold cookies, that averages out to somewhat less than 100 boxes of cookies per Girl Scout.
Some of the big guys have taken notice of Markita Andrews' astonishing sales figures. Companies like International Business Machines Corporation, Lotus Development Corporation and Pacific Telephone have flown her to conventions to speak about her sales techniques.
In 1982, Walt Disney Productions made a 12-minute sales motivation film that featured Andrews. Businesses throughout the country have purchased the film to educate their sales forces. And Andrews, with the help of writer Cheryl Merser, has written a book for Random House, detailing her basic steps of successful selling. The book is aimed at both the youth market and salespeople and is scheduled for release in March.
The first step in selling, she says, is setting short- and long-term goals. Andrews tries to take 100 orders a day after school during the three-week selling period. "If I don't reach my goal of 100 on one day, I'll work harder the next day, and I'll try to think of new places to go."
Andrews also stresses the importance of keeping good records. Sometimes, if customers say they have paid for an order and Andrews has doubts, she checks her spiral notebook of all the people she has sold to, what they bought and what order form they are on.
Wearing her uniform helps attract attention when Andrews is selling in an office. "People will see me and wonder, 'Who's going to be wearing a uniform like that? What is this girl doing?'" she says. "Then they'll think, 'It looks like she's trying to sell something. I wonder what she's selling?' So they'll come up to me part way, and I'll meet them the other part of the way and try to sell them some cookies."
Perhaps the real secret of her success is charm. "A lot of people have bought from Markita just because she's Markita," says her aunt. "People like her and they'll buy one box." Andrews says, "I try to be very kind to people because then they'll tell other people."
Last year Andrews, an honorary member of the National Association of Professional Saleswomen, charmed members of the Million Dollar Roundtable into buying 5,000 boxes of cookies when she was a featured guest at their convention at Radio City Music Hall. Andrews has also appeared twice on "Late Night With David Letterman" and "Good Morning America."
But Andrews does not rest on her laurels--she wants to go to college to polish her sales techniques. Yet for now, with only a couple of years left in Girl Scouts, she wants to reach her goal of selling 40,000 boxes of cookies. This should not be an impossible task for Andrews because she's motivated by a strong belief in her product and organization. "Girl Scouts are a great cause. I sell cookies to help them out--helping kids who don't have enough money to go to camp and helping buy office supplies." Andrews' troop receives 25 cents for every box the troop sells. With the money, she says, "we go to dude ranches in upstate New York."
However, selling does have its ups and downs. When people don't want to buy any cookies, says Andrews, "I will try to convince them what a good cause Girl Scouts are." But it they still refuse to buy and don't wish to make a contribution, Andrews politely thanks them. "I know there are people who don't want to buy, but there are a lot of people who do, and I look forward to the people who do want to buy."
Once on live TV, the producer decided to give Markita her toughtest selling challenge. Markita was asked to sell Girls scout cookies to another guest on the show. "Would you like to invest in one dozen or two dozen boxes of Girl Scout cookies " she asked.
"Girl scout cookies" I dont buy any Girl scout cookies he replied. I am a Federal Penitentiary warden. I put 2,000 rapists, robbers, criminals, muggers and child abusers to bed every night.
Unruffled, Markita quickly countered, "Mister, if you take some of these cookies, maybe you wont be so mean and angry and evil. And , Mister , I think it would be a good idea for you to take some of these cookies back for every one of your 2,000 prisoners, too"
Markita asked.
The warden wrote a check.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Decorator Design Pattern
Decorator is always one of the most complicated Design Patterns.. until today. :) Nice and easy definition to remember.
The Decorator Pattern is used for adding additional functionality to a particular object as opposed to a class of objects. It is easy to add functionality to an entire class of objects by subclassing an object, but it is impossible to extend a single object this way. With the Decorator Pattern, you can add functionality to a single object and leave others like it unmodified.
A Decorator, also known as a Wrapper, is an object that has an interface identical to an object that it contains. Any calls that the decorator gets, it relays to the object that it contains, and adds its own functionality along the way, either before or after the call. This gives you a lot of flexibility, since you can change what the decorator does at runtime, as opposed to having the change be static and determined at compile time by subclassing. Since a Decorator complies with the interface that the object that it contains, the Decorator is indistinguishable from the object that it contains. That is, a Decorator is a concrete instance of the abstract class, and thus is indistinguishable from any other concrete instance, including other decorators. This can be used to great advantage, as you can recursively nest decorators without any other objects being able to tell the difference, allowing a near infinite amount of customization.
Decorators add the ability to dynamically alter the behavior of an object because a decorator can be added or removed from an object without the client realizing that anything changed. It is a good idea to use a Decorator in a situation where you want to change the behaviour of an object repeatedly (by adding and subtracting functionality) during runtime.
The dynamic behavior modification capability also means that decorators are useful for adapting objects to new situations without re-writing the original object's code.
More examples next time..
The Decorator Pattern is used for adding additional functionality to a particular object as opposed to a class of objects. It is easy to add functionality to an entire class of objects by subclassing an object, but it is impossible to extend a single object this way. With the Decorator Pattern, you can add functionality to a single object and leave others like it unmodified.
A Decorator, also known as a Wrapper, is an object that has an interface identical to an object that it contains. Any calls that the decorator gets, it relays to the object that it contains, and adds its own functionality along the way, either before or after the call. This gives you a lot of flexibility, since you can change what the decorator does at runtime, as opposed to having the change be static and determined at compile time by subclassing. Since a Decorator complies with the interface that the object that it contains, the Decorator is indistinguishable from the object that it contains. That is, a Decorator is a concrete instance of the abstract class, and thus is indistinguishable from any other concrete instance, including other decorators. This can be used to great advantage, as you can recursively nest decorators without any other objects being able to tell the difference, allowing a near infinite amount of customization.
Decorators add the ability to dynamically alter the behavior of an object because a decorator can be added or removed from an object without the client realizing that anything changed. It is a good idea to use a Decorator in a situation where you want to change the behaviour of an object repeatedly (by adding and subtracting functionality) during runtime.
The dynamic behavior modification capability also means that decorators are useful for adapting objects to new situations without re-writing the original object's code.
More examples next time..
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