Slow down folks

Interesting article..in this fast fast world..someone is actually trying to slow it down..chk it out

Slow Down Culture

It's been 18 years since I joined Volvo, a Swedish company. Working for
them has proven to be an interesting experience. Any project here takes
2 years to be finalized, even if the idea is simple and brilliant. It's
a rule.

Globalize processes have caused in us (all over the world) a general
sense of searching for immediate results. Therefore, we have come to
posses a need to see immediate results. This contrasts greatly with the
slow movements of the Swedish. They, on the other hand, debate, debate,
debate, hold x quantity of meetings and work with a slowdown scheme. At
the end, this always yields better results.

Said in another words:

1. Sweden is about the size of San Pablo, a state in Brazil.

2. Sweden has 2 million inhabitants.

3. Stockholm has 500,000 people.

4. Volvo, Escania, Ericsson, Electrolux, Nokia are some of its renowned
companies. Volvo supplies the NASA.

The first time I was in Sweden, one of my colleagues picked me up at the
hotel every morning. It was September, bit cold and snowy. We would
arrive early at the company and he would park far away from the entrance
(2000 employees drive their car to work). The first day, I didn't say
anything, either the second or third. One morning I asked, "Do you have
a fixed parking space? I've noticed we park far from the entrance even
when there are no other cars in the lot." To which he replied, "Since
we're here early we'll have time to walk, and whoever gets in late will
be late and need a place closer to the door. Don't you think?" Imagine
my face.

Nowadays, there's a movement in Europe name Slow Food. This movement
establishes that people should eat and drink slowly, with enough time to
taste their food, spend time with the family, friends, without rushing.
Slow Food is against its counterpart: the spirit of Fast Food and what
it stands for as a lifestyle. Slow Food is the basis for a bigger
movement called Slow Europe, as mentioned by Business Week.

Basically, the movement questions the sense of "hurry" and "craziness"
generated by globalization, fueled by the desire of "having in quantity"
(life status) versus "having with quality", "life quality" or the
"quality of being". French people, even though they work 35 hours per
week, are more productive than Americans or British. Germans have
established 28.8 hour workweeks and have seen their productivity been
driven up by 20%. This slow attitude has brought forth the US's
attention, pupils of the fast and the "do it now!"

This no-rush attitude doesn't represent doing less or having a lower
productivity. It means working and doing things with greater quality,
productivity, perfection, with attention to detail and less stress. It
means reestablishing family values, friends, free and leisure time.
Taking the "now", present and concrete, versus the "global", undefined
and anonymous. It means taking humans' essential values, the simplicity
of living.

It stands for a less coercive work environment, more happy, lighter and
more productive where humans enjoy doing what they know best how to do.
It's time to stop and think on how companies need to develop serious
quality with no-rush that will increase productivity and the quality of
products and services, without losing the essence of spirit.

In the movie, Scent of a Woman, there's a scene where Al Pacino asks a
girl to dance and she replies, "I can't, my boyfriend will be here any
minute now". To which Al responds, "A life is lived in an instant". Then
they dance to a tango.

Many of us live our lives running behind time, but we only reach it when
we die of a heart attack or in a car accident rushing to be on time.
Others are so anxious of living the future that they forget to live the
present, which is the only time that truly exists.

We all have equal time throughout the world. No one has more or less.
The difference lies in how each one of us does with our time. We need to
live each moment.

As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy
making other plans.

Comments

G3 said…
Prejent sir!!!
G3 said…
Wow.. That was a wonderful post which reminded me of my first project. I had to support for EMEA customers. Knowledge transfer aarambikkum bodhu enga PM sonna modhal stmt idhu dhaan.. "You can be happy as France ppl do not encourage late wrkings. And there is a rule in France that if an employee falls sick due to overworking then the manager is punished" :-D

And EMEA clients are more easier to handle as far as I have seen :-)
G3 said…
Ovvoru postukkum oru pudhu template-a asathareenga :-)

Slow world padikka nalla irukku.. Namma oorlayum konjam implement panna sollungappa :-D

//"Since we're here early we'll have time to walk, and whoever gets in late will be late and need a place closer to the door.//
This was top.. Naama ennaikku aduthavana pathi yosichirukkom :-(
gils said…
:D :D velgum velgum...hahah.overworkingnala sicka.. :D sathyama unga teamuku tally aagathamattera irukay :D
gils said…
namma atha pathi yosika 2k employeeskum car vaangara alavukusambalam kuduakara company venum firstu :)
Heidi Kris said…
slow and steady wins the race :D namba oor la aamai and muyal kadiayadhan ivanga suthi valachu sola varanga laa?
gils said…
as for emea ppl being gud..well it depends..sila country makkal mega kadiyana irupan...avanga written skills in english kodumaiya irukum..it might sound horribly harsh to read..but fonela padu bayangarama kozhanju pesuvanga..lusupasanga..but japs are the tuffest to deal with..ithu unanimousa naan keta oru feedback..ena solreenga :)
gils said…
a:) apdyum solalam heidi :) aamayo muayalo..jeyikarathu matters :)
G3 said…
//but japs are the tuffest to deal with..ithu unanimousa naan keta oru feedback..//

Egjactly.. Avanungalodavum wrk pannadhaala dhaan I said EMEA was better. Konjamaavadhu co-operate pannuvaanunga.. Indha japan and HKG makkals irukkaanungalae chancae illama gudhippanunga chinna chinna vishayathukkum :-)
G3 said…
//athyama unga teamuku tally aagathamattera irukay :D//
Egchkuse me.. adhu pazhaiya project.. Indha company pathi naan sollala ;-)
G3 said…
//but fonela padu bayangarama kozhanju pesuvanga..lusupasanga..//
Idhu naan anubavicha kodumais.. Production problem-nu vidiyakaalaila 3 manikku ezhundhu adha solve panni mudichadhum thoonga polaamnu paatha appo pudichu vechikkittu namma oorla enna weather evlo temperaturenellam keppanga paarunga.. mandailiyae 4 saathu saathalaam pola irukkum :-(
gils said…
ditto on HKG...LOL on weather forcast in the mornings :D :D i used to do tt with my counterparts in other countries.. :D :D
Syam said…
namma g3 ellam fast fast nu sonnaley velai seiya maataanga...ithula slow down nu sonna then no wonder y she said wonderful post... :-)
golmaalgopal said…
hey gils u too brutus on d template... :)

dats a gr8 article...u know even d indian it giants are like dat...slow work..they recruit hell lot of ppl n keep them in bench ;)

enna maadhiri "faaaasta" velai seiyaravangalukku idhu oru nalla read :)))
golmaalgopal said…
or rather faaaasta "velai" seiyaravanga... :))
gils said…
ROTFL :D ithunaala thaan neenga blogworldoda notaamai :D kalkal komment :D
G3 said…
@Syam : Notaamai.. Ippadi unmaiya ellam sabaila soldradhu unga padhivukku azhaga?? :-(
gils said…
@golmal:
antha sledai mathiri double quotesa mathininga paarunga...athuu... :) namma katchi makkal eppovumay ellathulayumay fast.. :D
G3 said…
@Gils : // kalkal komment :D //
Dhrogis of India !!!

//i used to do tt with my counterparts in other countries.. //
Neengaluma?? Ungalukkellam manasaatchiyae kedayaadha? Edhir katchila adhellam edhir paakaradhu thappu dhaan.. :P
gils said…
notaamai solati engaluku theriyathukum...thoda..pheelingsu.... :D
gils said…
hehehe...G3..neenga ithula tension aarathuku onumay ila...unga boyfriend matter pathi naan inum sollavay ilaye..ithukay tension aana epdi :D
gils said…
aaha...poatu udachitena..chaaary G3... Narayana narayana :D
G3 said…
Oi.. Notaamai sollati ungalukku mattum dhaan theriyum.. Ippo unga blog padikkara ellarukkum therinjidumae :-(
G3 said…
Naan kooda unga Titanic pose pathi ellam onnumae solla maaten Gils.. :P **Same Narayana Narayana** :P
G3 said…
Vandhadhukku oru velli vizha commentu :-)
gils said…
123456:D :D notaamai solaati yaarukum theriyatha :D :D porkedi porkedinu enga katchi urupinar oruthanga irukanga..avanga thaan ithuku theerpu solanum :D :D titanic stillaam onum ila....*nara*nara*...and danx for vellivizha comment :D
Arunkumar said…
adhaavadhu naan 4th?
Arunkumar said…
i have read this Fwd earlier. i dont think this is feasible in Indian IT sector. no way
gils said…
@arun:
yessungo..namma oor inum antha alavuku varla
KK said…
Namma oorla road'la methuva poga sonnale poga maataanga... ithula vazhkaila yenga....
Ippo utharnathukku G3 ya yeduthukonga.... rendu wheel plus avanga BF kodutha chocolate la irunthu aluminium foil vechu panna vandi vechutu summa sar burnu chennai makkal beedhi'ku undaakuraanga :)
Syam said…
//Notaamai sollati ungalukku mattum dhaan theriyum.. Ippo unga blog padikkara ellarukkum therinjidumae//

@G3,

naan sonnaalum sollatiyum...gils sonna maathiri ulagathukey therium...orutharuku therinjaa thaan athu secret...ellorukum therinja athu NEWS.... :-)
Syam said…
enna gils...G3 oda boy friend matter ah eppo NEWS aakka poreenga :-)
Syam said…
//Titanic pose pathi ellam onnumae solla maaten //

@g3,

ennathu ithu titanic pose ah...puthu kadhai ah iruku :-)
gils said…
//aluminium foil vechu panna vandi vechutu summa sar burnu chennai makkal beedhi'ku //
ROTFL//epdinga ithu...room poatu yosicheengala..chancela ponga

@notaamai:
subera soneenga..last point oru materum ila...orkut fotova pathutu nakka udraanga
Janani said…
Aha.. Erkanave somberi thanama work pannitu irundhavanga ellam innime epd thaan iruppom,gils annathe ye sollitaaru nu sollaranga pa..
gils said…
aaha..naan slowa work panratha pathi thaana potruken..suthama rest edukara matiri pesareenga.. :D

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