All posts by : ShyamalB

The dictionary definition of Confirmation Bias (noun) is the tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of one’s existing beliefs or theories. The term Confirmation Bias was coined by the English psychologist Peter Wason.

So confirmation bias is basically processing of information to confirm one’s previously existing beliefs or biases. It is a type of Cognitive Bias (a systematic thinking error which affects our judgements and decisions) where we try to search for or interpret information according to our beliefs. So, due to our confirmation bias, we tend to give more importance to those information which helps us to prove our point and make up our case, even if such information is totally non-relevant.

One of the most common areas where Confirmation Bias leads to negativity or negatively impacts the outcome is the priocess of talent acquisition, mostly through personal interviews.

A candidate comes a bit shabbily dressed for a position where the basic job demand is for a well dressed person. At the first sight, majority of the interviewers believes that the candidate is not suitable for the post. Once the questioning happens the interviewer seeks for information to substantiate his/ her belief and so the questions happen accordingly. Even if the candidate is able to successfully answer to the questions, the Confirmation Bias remains and opportunity is sought for to confirm the already decided hypothesis “Unsuitable for the post.” On the other hand, if the candidate is unsuccessful in answering the questions, then the questions are always in the same area or topic to fully confirm the belief. The candidate is unable to answer and so the hypothesis is accepted.

In very rare occasions, in the above example, the Conformation Bias of the person is proved wrong. This is due to the rational thinking of the person, ability to overcome his beliefs and make decision based on evidence or information.

Life is beautiful, happier, if we overcome our Confirmation Bias…

I am trying and hope to succeed. Will You?????

Thank You very much for reading; hopefully you liked and shall be of use to use. 

Pasighat, a 108 year old town of Arunachal Pradesh, India is the headquarter of  East Siang District of the state. A picturesque town, mostly inhibited by the Adi people, is also said to be the oldest town in the state is on the banks of river Siang, which is the mighty river Brahmaputra after entering the plains of the state of Assam.

Towards east around 5 kms away from the main point of the tow, one reaches the ‘Ranaghat Bridge’ over River Siang. Just as you approach the bridge, you take a left and move downwards and you will find the Selfie Point of “I Love Pasighat”.

Sirki Waterfall, about 12 from Pasighat, it is a must visit. The road starts to ascend into the hills and after driving for approx 20 minutes enjoying the beauty of the hills you reach the destination. The steps are steep and at the end of the steps, climbing you reach the first phase of the waterfall. Next, is the more arduous climb, with no steps, over the stones, luckily a water pipe to hold and balance. the climb is really difficult but worth. Its just WoW…

Sangam, the confluence of two water bodies; where the Green Water of River Siyom meets the Murky Water of River Siang as seen by us and is a natural phenomenon which is to be seen in a lifetime. Its around 70 kms drive from Pasighat and on the road towards Aalo. After crossing the Pangin town, which is bypassed, another 5-6 kms of road, that will require good driving skills, one reaches the point.  But, the pain of driving was ably rewarded by the spectacular view…

As there is no bridge to cross the River Siang at Panging, the Komsing Hanging Footbridge (around 395-metre-long ) is the the only mode of communication for nearly 9,000 villagers spread across eight villages was constructed long back.  There is a wooden motorable bridge over the River Siyom which connects a place called ‘Medog’ and from that point one should go towards right without crossing the bridge by driving uphill to reach the Hanging Footbridge. Again, when we reached the site, it was really astonishing, a cautious walk on the footbridge over the River Siang is really a treat…

When in Pasighat, just opt out for adventure and visit “Sirki Falls”, “Sangam” and “Komsing Hanging Footbridge”. The road conditions have definitely improved now.

The Story of Nupur

The drive uphill from Pasighat (headquarter of East Siang district, Arunachal Pradesh, India) till now was enjoyable, amidst the beauty of nature and the mountain curves. Less traffic and habitat made it more enjoyable. 

However, as lunch time was approaching, with no eateries seen, we were a bit apprehensive. Suddenly, by the roadside, a wooden construction, deemed to be a hotel in future, few semi-permanent shops, mostly made of bamboo and wood, women selling vegetables and oranges and another hotel, luckily was open, brought the light back in our faces. Wife started chatting with the ladies and purchased oranges, papaya, chillies and lemon; a la organic ones. I went to the hotel and was delighted to find that food including Maggi will be available till 3 pm. 

As, we were about to restart our journey towards the confluence point of River Siyom and River Siang, an old man with shorts, a hat and the traditional Knife hanging came and chatted with me. After asking about where I work and after saying that I work in an oil company, he surprised me by uttering the name of my beloved company Oil India Limited. I was so touched, that in such a remote corner, we are able to make an impact. I asked him about the distance to our destination, but he was unable to understand and could not make out. As, I took the name of Panging (a small town in Arunachal Pradesh, India), he seemed to understand and told that the place is called ‘Sangam’.  It will be more than an hour’s ride and some portion of the road are not in good condition due to landslides and the occasional rain. Nothing such could deter us from undertaking our journey to the destination. He then inquired politely if we could give a lift to her cousin (sister’s daughter) to Panging as she has to carry back half a sack of rice, some vegetables and a blanket. She had come from Panging to collect these as she stays in a hostel there to study. I readily accepted which was also agreed upon by my wife and son, as we three were only travelling and we had enough space to accommodate her. But, I made a request that if possible she could guide us to ‘Sangam’ and the ‘Komsing Hanging Footbridge’ which was gladly accepted.

The shy young girl introduced herself as ‘Nupur’ in Hindi, student of Govt. High School, Panging. She stays in a rented accommodation with her elder sister to pursue her studies. Her home is across the River Siang amidst the hills, in a place called ‘Medog’. As there is no bridge to cross the River Siang at Panging, the Komsing Hanging Footbridge (around 395-metre-long and the only mode of communication for nearly 9,000 villagers spread across eight villages) was constructed long back for communicating. The distance from Panging to the Komsing Hanging Footbridge is 13 km which is about 30 minutes’ drive through the hilly terrain with poor road condition. But, she along with her sister has to track 17 kms to reach her home after crossing the Komsing Hanging Footbridge, and the total time taken is around 3 to 3 ½ hours due to the hilly terrain. Each time they go home, they carry essential items back home and bring back other necessary items like rice, vegetables etc., the weight carried on their back equaling to around 25 to 30 kgs. We were shocked and speechless after hearing her.

To our astonishment, she just smiled and said that it is a part of their life and they are happy. Seemed like; ‘Oh, it’s nothing.’ She also added with a smile, that they are lucky as there are other villages which are much far away with no means of communication expect foot. She also informed that she had gone to her aunt’s house in the morning travelling though ‘Sumo’, the only public vehicles that ply across and was waiting for her return. These ‘Sumos’ leave to Pasighat from Aalo ( headquarter of West Siang district, Arunachal Pradesh, India) (110 kms ; 4 hours ride) in the morning and return back in the afternoon, reaching Panging by around 2 PM. Most of these vehicles are overcrowded due to inadequate number of vehicles and we were so much happy and satisfied with our decision to give her a ride. So, it’s a bit easier for her to fetch things from her aunt’s house than her own home.

Her guidance helped us to reach ‘Sangam’ and ‘Komsing Hanging Footbridge’ with ease.

On our return journey, after dropping her, we were just uttering; Why life is so different?

For her, the track of 17 kms for 3 ½ hours with a 30 kg weight on her back is a necessity; a means to survive and for others it’s a pleasure. It is her routine and for people like us it’s a thrill, once or twice in a lifetime, maybe.

But, her smile and non-complaining attitude won our heart.

It reminded me of a quote by Thomas Paine, an American philosopher and revolutionary, 

“I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection”.

Lesson learned and Belief Reinforced, 

“Let’s be content and happy; To Enjoy life with Gratitude.”  

May God Bless her… Please Pray for her success and well being…

I was looking outside the window and was engraved in the beauty of nature when a few rain drops brought me in senses. The first thing that came to my mind was that I should get a Rickshaw, once I get down to take me home. By the time the bus reached the bus-stand, it was raining heavily and no one was around. It was about to be dark and I was a bit worried. As I landed my foot on the ground, I saw an old man with a Rickshaw waiting for me. It felt like a God sent a gift for me. He welcomed me with a smile and addressing me as ‘daughter’ asked me the intended place I want to go. I got up quickly as it was still raining and directed him towards my home. As he starts paddling, he starts a conversation by saying that rain may be pain for others, but it is a boon for him. When it rains, he is always available and so he gets passengers. As I didn’t respond, was out of my mind a bit due to the work overload, he asked me whether I was annoyed with him for him calling me as ‘daughter’. His question brought me back to my senses. I said that its fine as I am the age of his daughter, further I also told him that due to the weather and a hard day’s work I was a bit absent minded. I felt like, he was trying to say something, or in this rain why he would try to start a conversation. With my encouraging words, he was boosted up and sought my permission to speak about himself and his family, if I intend to hear. I was eager to hear his story and asked him to speak. He started by telling that his family leaves far away in his native place. He lives a simple plain life and with the savings, he had educated his two daughters and got them married to good families. He only son has graduated and is now preparing for UPSC Exams. In fact, he has cleared the Prelims. He also told me that if someone clears the UPSC Exams, he/she can become a Deputy Commissioner or Superintending of Police of a District, pointing out to the Office of DC that we just crossed. He also said that, whenever he meets his son after long gaps, since the latter’s childhood, he used to make his son dream of becoming a DC or SP after growing up. In fact, he took his son to the district headquarters to show the office and residences of DC / SP. I expressed my surprise and satisfaction and acknowledged his contribution and said that may God bless him and his son with success to achieve the goal as the mains exam were at hand. The conversation ended as I reached home.

I forget about the incident, until a few months later I again saw him at the bus-stand. I waved at him and he immediately recognized me and the ride began. I asked him about his son. With grief he informed that his son was unable to clear the mains. However, he has not lost hope and has started preparing with full force. Altogether, now he has started taking tuitions and is managing his expenses. With the money earned, he has enrolled himself in coaching and is fully determined to crack the exam. I found the person a bit worried, he was talking about getting his son married. I suggested him to wait for another couple of years and then decide as he no longer needs to send money to his son. He was relieved and thanked me and asked to pray for his son’s success.

           This is one of the many examples / real life stories of a father dreaming of his son/ daughter becoming someone of status in society. One important ingredient of this is that every father wants his son/ daughter to become someone of greater heights than himself. But, to dream big, really big, like this person, the person has to be special. This person was special. He had a caring heart, cared for his family and others, even the people he carried. He himself said that he did not have any bad habits. His vision was clear and he planned, took steps towards its achievement. He inculcated in the young minds of his son the seeds of his dream. His son too was able to live up to the expectations of his father.

           Money is never a hurdle, although it makes the journey easier. High ethical standards, caring for others, preparing a roadmap, are some of the traits which helps in achievement of one’s goal.

Road to success is tough but not impossible if we try honestly and conscientiously.

What not to do !!! if Appearing.                     Part 3  

Body Language

Positive body language helps to create a positive impact. We all know it and always strive for it, but, sometimes it happens that for some reason or the other at
the end we flatter. Why such happens…

In the context of appearing in an interview, what are the signs of nervousness which can be termed as non-desirable body language or posture???

A candidate comes, sits down and then starts to fiddle with his/her hair, touches the nose, touches or wipes the forehead, looks towards the roof/ceiling while
answering are very common signs of negative body language/ postures which creates a negative impact.

These are signs of nervousness, which is always there for any person during the start / initial phases of an interview. However, the sooner one overcomes such
nervous gestures its better. Coupled with a few tricky questions by the panel, the matter becomes worse. 

Albert Mehrabian, Professor Emeritus of Psychology, UCLA, master on the relative importance of verbal and nonverbal messages.  His “7%-38%-55% Rule”, for the relative impact of words, tone of voice, and body language when speaking emphasises 55% on Body Language, 38% on the tone of voice and only 7% on the words spoken.

Many literatures are readily available in the market/ world wide web. 

The key is to study and practice to overcome the negative signs/ postures. 

Body Posture

Sitting neutral, a bit straight is the best as Leaning back may indicate that you are lazy, arrogant, easy going; leaning forward shows aggression, slouching is just worse, lazy. Too much hand gestures are signs of negativity.

Crossed Arms

May mean hostility, closed, arrogance. So, the best posture is to keep the arms either on the side or on the lap. It indicates openness, approachability. Hands on the back or pockets indicates frigidity, arrogance.

Avoiding Eye Contact

Sign of nervousness, lack of confidence. Distracted or upward eye movements suggests lack of confidence in the answer or simply lying. Good eye contact shows confidence, attentiveness. Occasional nodding head on agreement with eye contact makes a desirable positive impact. Beware, not to stare or nod on
everything.

Handshake

Initiate the handshake to show confidence. A handshake should be of comfortable grip, not too strong, not too loose. Avoid sweaty hands, be careful.

Fidgeting

No fidgeting. Fiddling with your hair, adjusting your collar/ tie, touching the nose, wiping the forehead are signs of nervousness, insecurity and creates negative energy. A common perception,  people who touch their faces while answering questions are dishonest. Leg wobbling / fiddling, tapping the floor, playing with objects in the table or with pen/ pencil are some other negative acts.

Not Smiling

Not Smiling / Stone Faced does all the bad that is not desirable. A smile is a sign of warmth, comfort, acknowledging and makes the interviewers at easy and creates a pleasant atmosphere.

Only one solution; Practice, Practice and Practice.

27th November, 2018, accompanied my wife to Koomchang TE ME School, (https://goo.gl/maps/f4tNTTPD3fE2) around 4 kms from Kakapathar, Tinsukia district, Assam, India on her duty as external evaluator for Gunotsav.

(Gunotsav is a quality enhancement initiative of the State for bringing about improvement in learning level of students at Elementary level, http://gunotsavassam.org/).

These 4 kms through the tea garden was a difficult drive and the dry season only made it possible. Wonder, how the people commute in the rainy season.

The school was so clean both inside and outside that it stands as an example. One specific observation, after chewing the betel nut, a person went outside the campus to spit in the drain. Truly unbelievable. 99.99% students are from the tea community and naturally the SMC members also belong to the same community. The cleanliness speaks of the inherent feeling for the same among the students, teachers and the community. The nearby football field was so clean that no litter was seen. Garbage were dumped in a specific dump. It was somewhat unexpected. On the flip side, the roof blown away by the devastating thunderstorm of 2012 is still missing in spite of the efforts made. The visit around with the Gaonburah ( a young energetic youth) was another experience to be cherished for days to come….

The people living in such a remote corner of the country are so much aware about the need for a clean surrounding and environment. In spite of the shortcomings, like, a minimum travel of at least 7 kms in such deplorable road to reach a market coupling with the fear of attack by wild animals is truly outstanding and commendable. 

These are TRUE UNSUNG HEROES who have made this planet a beautiful place to live in…

May God Bless…

What not to do !!! if Appearing.                     Part 2

Speak about oneself with Confidence and Passion

The first question in most of the interviews is “Tell us / me about yourself?” Everyone going to appear in an interview is aware beforehand that this is the most likely question. On the other side the Interviewer (s) also expects that the process shall make a good start if this question is asked. The answer sets the path fort the next stage of the interview and as going by the common saying “Morning shows the day”, the mark is made at the beginning with an answer to this question. However, to the utmost surprise, most of the candidates are unprepared for this simple yet very important question. Neither is the introduction structured nor proper with all the information desired. Why?????? Simple reason is the lack of preparedness. It is an inherent feeling of human being that one knows about oneself the most; hence no need to prepare for answer to such a question. But, in practical life preparation is the key, it makes the difference. To run a 100 meters race in a world level completion that lasts no more than 10-11 seconds in single run, an athlete spends hours daily in the track preparing. Then only in the competition, the athlete is able to perform up to the best of capabilities. “You are the only person on earth who can use your ability.” is what Zig Ziglar said, and so true in every aspect of our life.

So, the key to success to this ice-breaking yet important question is preparing. The right sequence of putting up of things is very important. Start with, name and from where you are. Touch on about your parents and siblings, and then move on to your educational qualification starting with the latest one, indication your rank and name of the institution. Then slowly move on to hobbies, extra-curricular activities and any other information that may add value to the process. Finally, sum with your strengths and weaknesses. Such a sequence makes the interviewers satisfied and the chances of supplementary questions are mostly reduced. Further, the interviewer does not need to probe any further as most of the desired information is obtained. The smooth path to the next stage is already created. Remember, only continuous preparation shall make it worth listening for the interviewer.

The sequence is Effective for any position, whether fresher or experience. The only addition in case of appearing for an experienced position is the proper detailing about the experience covering all the achievements.

What stops you????? Just PREPARE…

What not to do !!! if Appearing.                     Part 1

‘Tips for appearing in interviews’, ‘How do I prepare for interview?’ etc. are some of the very frequent questions that I encountered from various persons, mostly prospective job seekers. If one surfs the internet then there are hundreds of sites, blogs offering various techniques, suggestions about how to prepare for interviews. However, due to my current position these questions come up very frequently as people want to know about the practical aspects. This has encouraged me to pen down some of the already known aspects of preparation for appearing in an interview, but from a practical stand point; based on real life examples.

Let us start with the wonderful quote of Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, international bestselling author and Certified Hypnosis Practitioner who said “Life is ten percent what you experience and ninety percent how you respond to it.”

One of the very basic aspects is preparation – preparing about self and the job

It reminds me of what Arthur Ashe, renowned American tennis player. “One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.”  He showed us with his action by becoming the only black man ever to win the singles title at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open

In most of the cases may be around 90% of the people who appear are not fully aware of the job they are applying for. This is true even if the job role is clearly specified in the advertisement. So, what happens! Naturally the one who is able to speak about the job is in an edge above the others. This is a very unfortunate and unbelievable aspect, but sadly true. It pains a lot and makes me wonder and I do not get the answer to my question

‘Why?’ , ‘Why so?’.  A majority of such a population are there genuinely for the job. And the end result, to return empty handed.  Who is to be blamed, no one else then self.

Another surprising aspect is that a sizeable amount of the population seeking a job mostly comes either overdressed or shabbily dressed for the occasion. It neither helps them nor the interviewer. The interviewee is not at all comfortable due to the dress, maybe wearing such for the first time and hence not at all comfortable, leaving the interviewer unimpressed. Only in a few rare of the rarest cases amongst such categories, only few can overcome and express themselves and are able to win over the situation.  The old saying of ‘First impression is the last impression’ is known to all of us and even then we are causal. In this context it is worth remembering that “Dressing is a way of Life”, as very meaningfully quoted by Yves Saint Laurent, the famous French fashion designer.

The most shocking situation is when a candidate is asked about one of the most common question in any kind of interview for any kind of job i.e. ‘Describe yourself’, ‘Tell something about yourself’. Astonishingly, most of the candidates flatter in giving a good introduction. Surprise! Surprise! Only the select few who are able to sell themselves in this very first step makes the atmosphere conducive for them, and are able to reap on the benefits.

Other notable lacunae are poor body language, lack of communication skills which encompasses mostly the drawback of proper listening and unable to express oneself due to lack of confidence.

Appearing in an interview is an unknown territory where the chance of coming out victorious depends on proper planning i.e. preparation and execution. Self-confidence is the key.  Attempt shall be made to elaborate on the important aspects as mentioned above with some sharing of expenses which may be beneficial for some.

I happen to visit this book store for finding out a reference book which was not readily available for my kid. This book store is the main epitome of books in the city and if you are unable to find it here, the chances of finding it any of the large number of bookstores is very bleak. This is the place from where books are dispatched to other bookstores in bulk.

In spite of their very hectic schedule running from 10 am in the morning to 8 pm in the evening, with also erratic customers, the sales people are extremely courteous. In my few visits, I have observed that this behaviour might have been due to the amicable nature of the owner. From continuously writing bills, recording the sales and also effectively handling customers, the person is an “Effective” one. Moreover, during the very few interactions, observing him, I have found to be a person of good heart; his genuine attempt has always been to help the people mostly the students. These were only perceptions till the other day.

I happen to visit to visit the bookstore at around 7:45 pm and the crowd was less. As I handed over the money, I asked the timings of their job to which the salesperson replied that it is from 10 am to 8 pm. My immediate remark was intended to the owner with the phrase, “It might be so taxing for you every day.”

The owner remarked, “I just sit, but these boys have to run here and there and they even do not get time for lunch at the right time. Their job is very strenuous.”

I was taken aback; this person who is the owner is so much concerned for his employees. Oh!!! What a gem of a person. I could not resist saying to the employees, “You are lucky to work under such a good person.” They immediately acknowledged.

I felt like saying something to the owner and said “Sir, since you sit for so long every day, may you please go for a walk in the evening. It will be beneficial for you.”

He replied, “Yes, I have to, but have been unable to manage.”

I continued, “Just a casual walk for 30 minutes, releasing all the tensions / stress generated in the day. I follow this routine as my job also involves working at a stretch for long hours.”

He looked at me for some time and the remarked, his voice low and filled with emotion, “Till date nobody has spoken to me like this, so caring. I do not know you, but I take you as my younger brother and assure you that I will start what you have advised; a sincere advice from a younger brother.”

The happiness I felt was just unbelievable…. This is LIFE.

Location: Book Corner, Panbazar, Guwahati, Assam, India.

During a workshop on Balanced Score Card at Chicago, USA, the faculty member explained with a beautiful example of the thin line of difference between “Doing the Right Thing” and “Doing Things Right”.

Already delayed due to overnight heavy snow leading to a few minutes of cosy sleep, the person finds his car covered under snow. Immediately the person cleans the snow out of the windscreen and hurriedly presses the key to unlock the car. To utter surprise, the person finds that the lights blinked on a different car just at the back. Oh! All the effort went in vain and the job has to be repeated again. A classic case of efficiency vis-a-vis effectiveness. The person, efficient person, did the right thing and might have completed the job, maybe faster than others, but at the end the result was not the desired one.

What would an effective person have done in this situation? The person would have first pressed the key to unlock the right car and then would have stated removing the snow. This is what is called “Doing the Right Thing”.

Definitions available in various sources define an Effective Person as one who is adequate to accomplish a purpose, i.e. one who can produce the intended or expected result. On the other hand an Efficient Person is the one who performs or functions in the best possible manner with the least waste of time and effort.

The thin line of difference is these two types is that an effective person always do the right things, whereas an efficient person does the things right. So, in case of an efficient person the job is done right but the job may not be the right one to be done. In simple terms it may be said as doing a wrong thing perfectly.

Again, if the available definitions are considered then, Effectiveness is about doing or using the right things — things that yield positive results and Efficiency is simply about doing things right — i.e., completing a task cheaper or faster.

In our day-to-day life this thin line of difference makes a huge difference in terms of Task Accomplishment, Productivity and indirectly in our own happiness. Doing the Right Thing gives us mental peace…