Communication Tips : How to Answer any questions you face

Recently I attended a training on

• How to ask appropriate questions and
• how to answer questions you face

I really liked the Tip given on how to answer. Our answers to any questions need to be precise and answer what is asked. Don't assume the questioner would have assumed some more questions and don't over answer. Be precise. Please ensure your answers start with any of the following

Precision Answers

1. Yes/No
2. May be
3. I don't know
4. number/name
5. Time
6. Bullet answer

•         single
•         multiple 

Summer Rain an older poem (2000)by Baiju

Summer Rain


When the flowers of my garden
Gasp in the cruel hands of summer,
When dreams and desires
Start withering away in the heat,

When memories boil, I wait,
Like a rain bird searching for
A drop of water and life...
A Gentle kiss of north wind...

Then come the dreams... dry and red
To bleed my silent gentle sleep.
A spider trapping the 'Questions
Of Gargi*' with its killing Net.

The abandoned finger of Ekalavya**,
Children playing on a dry river 'land'...
My love, the gentle breezes are gone...
Come and hug me, We'll wait for the summer rains.

* Gargi - symbol of true questions in vedas. She challenged the sage Yajnavalkya with perturbing questions on the atman (soul).

** Ekalavya - Drona, the Guru demands that Ekalavya turn over his right thumb as a teacher's fee. The loyal Ekalavya cripples himself, and thereby ruins his prospects as an archer, by severing his thumb and giving it to Drona.

Recovering from the edge of life

I have mentioned about my friend Damodar who lost the job in Jan 2009. Good news. He mailed me saying that he got a job in Dell. Thanks God for healing the wounds and giving him a helping hand. Few days back when I was on a call with my Brazil team I saw a message in my skype from Damodar. He is in London office for a visit. I told him continue your hardwork and success will be yours. Don't worry about the small breakdowns and glitches. Thats part of life ...just to strengthen us.

Nasal Surgery

This winter was not that great for me. Very cold and I could feel that my nasal blockage is getting worsened during winter. One of the December saturday evenings when we visited Nair aunty after the Church, she mentioned about an ENT doctor. Dezouza consult with this doctor and heard that he is really good. We went to the doctor, Ravi Kaoushik in Jayanagar east end circle during Jan 1st week and he told my nose is really blocked and asked me to go for a scan. There is a big polip and he suggested surgery at the earliest.

Life in the times of recession

It was morning 8.00. I was just starting my work at office. I got a call from a number which is not saved in my contact list. I could recognize the voice of Damodar, one of my team members during my Novell System Testing days. He is from Orissa, married and built his house in Electronic city few years back. I know that he has moved out of Novell after I left. "Baiju, I was in Orissa for new year vacation, came back and went to office on a Monday and found that I have lost my job". He sounded not shattered with this. I thought about his family, his housing loan, what would have he told to to his wife when he first heard this bad news, to his parents. I am glad about his optimism. Otherwise its very difficult during these tough days.I told him don't worry. Lets try out.

Christmas 2008

This is our first Christmas in our new house in Bangalore. Earlier we used to goto my hometown Pallipuram (Kerala ) to celebrate Christmas and New Year with parents. This time all of us met in our home in Bangalore.

This is the Christmas crib we set up this time.

Reading 'Vanka' (by Anton Chekhov) on a Christmas week

Christmas is just few days away. Today Chekhov's 'Vanka' was published in Malayala Manorama daily, a Malayalam translation of it. Vanka is one of my favorites from Chekhov. Its the story about a lonely boy writing a letter to his grand father on a Christmas eve ,to save him from the current cruel realities of loneliness and the cruel master and friends. When I read Vanka again after few years it took me to the same old Christmas feelings...of reading Vanka during my college days...Vanka's hopes ... being nostalgic, snowy nights , love of grandfather...

Here is a good collection of Checkhov's stories.