Orientation

At the beginning of the academic year, it is customary for faculties introducing themselves and say something about life in general and welcome the new students to the institute. The following address is what I had planned to say during that occasion, since I had to leave XIMB before the orientation, I am posting it here. Since I am new to XLRI, I will not be using it in the similar program at XLRI.

I am George Joseph, belonging to OB/HR area and constantly attempting to teach something. Welcome to XIMB.

For some of you, joining XIMB might have been a dream, and you have succeeded in getting admission. For you it is more like a love-marriage. 

And for others, joining at XIMB might have been the default option, after attempting many trials with other premier business schools. And for you it is more like an arranged-marriage.

Both love and arranged marriages can be a stupendous success or monumental failure. For it to succeed, five factors are very important:

1.Being Grateful for what has happened to you. Accept the fact that you have been placed in a unique position. Destiny has given you an opportunity and it is up to you to make full use of it or throw away this opportunity to the dustbin. 

2.Cultivate genuine respect for the other, respecting the strength of companions and understanding their weakness. 

 3.Remain focused, work hard and grow in the spirit of perseverance. 

4.Develop a ‘constant feedback system’. Evaluate your actions and behaviors on daily basis. 

5.Be firm and resilient at the face failures and disappointments. Your goal is winning the war and you can always afford to lose few battles. In fact they teach you valuable lessons which success hides them from you.

I thought of including one more factor and that is incorporating a sense of humor no matter what is the situation, but it is not an independent variable, it is more of a dependent variable. If you have all the above five variables, then the sixth one automatically happens as a byproduct.

In case you do not want to have all these variables in your life, then keep away from marriage and become a priest.

Since we are talking about your marriage with XIMB, these variables are essential for being a successful student, and if you do not want to possess these factors, then the only option left for you is becoming a faculty.

Now you know why I had decided to become a priest and a faculty. Wish you all to become bright and successful students, all the best.