HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD

RAVI ,THE CHANGE MANAGEMENT EXPERT!!!

While on a tour of the Harvard campus I chanced to be invited to attend a free seminar by Philip Kotter the change management guru. I developed a passion for the subject after listening to the master .Thereafter I read all his books. When I returned to India I decided to bring about some change in my surroundings. Settled for some months in Chennai I once called people of my locality—R. K Salai—to a meeting to discuss how we could solve some civic problems that affected all of us. I found them cynical since all their earlier efforts had failed. But I resolved to work single-handedly.
· My first port of call was a street adjacent to where I live. This was a one- way street but few vehicle drivers bothered to follow the rule. Quite a few accidents had taken place injuring innocent people who did not expect a fast moving vehicle coming form the wrong direction. I spoke to the policemen standing thereabouts but they pleaded helplessness.
‘Who listens to us ?” they said despondently. But I had learnt that change is possible if you are persistent in your efforts. I did what no one had done earlier—I stood right in the disallowed entrance to that street for hours at a stretch and obstructed anyone from entering the wrong way. Some brushed past me, some abused me, some asked me if I had nothing else to do. I nevertheless stood my ground.
THEN CHANGE HAPPENED.
Motorists started driving into the wrong end of the street in reverse gear!! The policeman grinned at me.
· The second experience was when I noticed my locality was affected by frequent power outages. Repeated representations had no effect. My neighbours had even stopped worrying about this and had also forgotten the helpline number, I feretted out the number and pestered the clerk at the other end till he stopped answering the phone and even kept it off the hook. Then on one occasion I located the telephone number of the Electricity board chief. I started pestering him every time the power went off. It usually took me a dozen reminders to this august official before power was restored One night the power outage lasted seven hours during which time I rang him up twenty times till—I later gathered—the Chief had to himself stir out of his bed and supervise the repair operations. But the next time the light went off I saw something interesting
THEN CHANGE HAPPENED.
The Board Chief changed his mobile number!!

· I had made it my mission to change the dressing habits of an esteemed cousin of mine. I used to invite him to a café where I sang on the karaoke and was appreciated by the teenage crowd .The only eyesore was my cousin who used to show up clad in a veshti—that attire that I have an allergy to if worn outside one’s home. Repeated entreaties to him to show up at least in hep places in modern dress fell on deaf ears. I saw a golden opportunity for change when he was invited to the U.S for a 6 month sojourn by his sister. ‘At least after visiting the US I hope you will learn to dress smart’ I chided him.
‘Let’s see I may even set a new fashion trend in the US’ he said.
‘What do you mean?’ I enquired.
‘I may even walk down Broadway in a veshti and Hawaii chappal and set a new trend in fashion wear. If you are as smart as you think you are ,you can set up business as an exporter of veshtis to Victoria’s Secret and other hi- fashion stores.’
I almost gave up trying to change him
Six months later he returned to Chennai and rang me up excitedly about his adventures in the US.
‘Come to Geoffrey’s bar this evening’ I told him ‘I am singing to a group of Bollywood celebs. Who knows I may introduce you to SRK’
I settled before the microphone at the bar and was belting out a number when in walked my now modern cousin.
CHANGE HAPPENED.
He was dressed in a denim veshti!!
K.R.RAVI
WWW.KRRAVI.COM