HOW ONE LOOK INTO THE PROBLEM

Here are 2 excellent cases on

' Difference between focusing on problems & focusing on solutions'

Case 1

When NASA began the launch of astronauts into space, they found out that the pens wouldn't work at zero gravity (ink won't flow down to the writing surface). To solve this problem, it took them one decade and $12 million. They developed a pen that worked at zero gravity, upside down, underwater, in practically any surface including crystal and in a temperature range from below freezing to over 300 degrees C.

And what did the Russians do? They used a pencil.

Case 2

One of the most memorable case studies on Japanese management was the case of the empty soapbox, which happened in one of Japan's biggest cosmetics companies.

The company received a complaint that a consumer had bought a soapbox that was empty. Immediately the authorities isolated the problem to the assembly! line, which transported all the packaged boxes of soap to the delivery department. For some reason, one soapbox went through the assembly line empty. Management asked its engineers to solve the problem.

Post-haste, the engineers worked hard to devise an X-ray machine with high-resolution monitors manned by two people to watch all the soapboxes that passed through the line to make sure they were not empty.

No doubt, they worked hard and they worked fast but they spent a whoopee amount to do so.

But when a rank-and-file employee in a small company was posed with the same problem, he did not get into complications of X-rays, etc., but instead came out with another solution. He bought a strong industrial electric fan and pointed it at the assembly line. He switched the fan on, and as each soapbox passed the fan, it simply blew the empty boxes out of the line.

Moral

Always look for simple solutions.

Devise the simplest possible solution that solves the problems.

Always Focus on solutions & not on problems.

So the end of the day the thing that really matters is HOW ONE LOOK INTO THE PROBLEM, mere perceptions can solve the tough problems

Baseline of friendship is mutual understanding

I have continuously stressed on friendship between two friends. I have also mentioned that friendship cannot exist between more than two friends. I would like to clarify my statement for those people who do not agree to my statement.

My intention to write on this topic is not only to express my views but also make others realize the value of friendship, so that this earth becomes a better place to live.

Friendship, what I am talking about, here, is not friendship, which exists between any two individuals who have same choices. Two people liking vada sambaar cannot be called friends, but they think in this manner.

"I like vada-sambaar, you like it too. I like watching movies, you like it too. You like my company I like yours. We have so much in common! We are friends."
This is the general way in which people make friends these days. The meaning of 10 alphabetical words is deteriorating.

The above example is not an example of friendship; it is actually joining hands with a person whose ideas and favorites match with yours.

Friendship consists of accepting a person wholly in your life in spite of any differences that you may have. Your friend need not like what you like and vice versa.

If this is the baseline (vada-sambaar) of friendship then you may have thousands of friends! Go to the south and you will find one for every step you walk.

But! The baseline of friendship is mutual understanding. You ought to understand as to what your friend's viewpoint is before asking him/her. You must learn to listen to his/her views even if they do not match yours.

This is the beginning of a better decision. You may realize it soon that because of difference in thought or rather opinion, about a particular topic, with your friend, you reach a perfect conclusion, because of friendly discussion with your friend.

You know that there is no square root solution to 26 or 23.
But add them together.
26 + 23 = 49. 49 have a square root!
Your views are 26Your friend's views are 23 ( or vice-versa )
And 49 is your joint view. And 7 is the solution to your problem.

Thus, "Baseline of friendship is mutual understanding."