Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Friday 25 January 1980

BIRBAL & BADSHAH

Synopsis: Communication For Productivity
Letters written to some 7500 Workers / Managers / Union Leaders, following a period of strike / Go slow / Murders (1979 - 1987), at Mumbai factory of Larsen & Toubro Ltd. This direct / open / honest communication led to a remarkable atmosphere of trust between Workers and Management, which, in turn, increased productivity at 3% per year (ave). 

25 Jan 1985
To:

Dear friends

One day,  Badshah asked  Birbal, "How  many of my  people are honest?".
Birbal replied, 'None'. A shocked Badshah challenged Birbal to prove it.
Next day, Birbal drained the royal swimming pool and sent an announcer around the town.  people were  ordered to  bring a glass-full of milk and empty it in the  swimming pool, during the night hours.
When morning came, Birbal took Badshah to the swimming pool. it was full of clean sparkling water!
"La-hol-walla-Khuvvat! -  Explain this at once, Birbal.  All through the night, I saw by moon-light, people  streaming in with glasses of milk in their hands! ".
"Jahan-Panah, people did come - but with glasses full of water. Each one thought,  when  thousands of others were going to pour milk in the pool,  what difference  could his ONE glass of water make?".
(Unfortunately, 'the story does not say what the Badshah did to make his people honest'.).
Powai is  not ancient Delhi  and we do  not need a  Birbal to tell us what  happens to "productivity"  when each one  of us think  "well -  what difference  does  it make  to the total production, if just one little myself produces less than expected, when thousands of others are working so hard?".
We know what would happen.  Our children would have no milk - but plenty of water to swim in!!
Let us all

-      work hard
-      be honest
-      prove Birbal to be wrong !

H.C. PAREKH

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