The Talkative Man

Satyajit Ray, Michelangelo Antonioni, and Akira Kurosawa at the Taj Mahal

Satyajit Ray and Akira Kurosawa at the Taj Mahal Three of the greatest auteurs of world cinema, India’s Satyajit Ray, Italy’s Michelangelo Antonioni, and Japan’s Akira Kurosawa at the Taj Mahal around the mid-1970s.

Satyajit Ray (1921–1992) was a Kolkata-born an Indian filmmaker regarded as one of the greatest auteur of world cinema. Michelangelo Antonioni (1912–2007) was an Italian film director, screenwriter, editor, and short story writer. The celebrated Akira Kurosawa (1910–1998) was a Japanese film director, screenwriter, producer, and editor. Akira Kurosawa is widely regarded as one of the most influential filmmakers in the history of world cinema.

Difference between Bottom-Line and Top-Line Growth

Bottom-Line and Top-Line Bottom line refers to a company’s net income — the “bottom” number on a company’s income statements. Therefore, bottom line is a company’s income after all expenses, charges, costs, and are subtracted from its revenues. A company’s bottom line is the same as its net earnings or net profits.

Top line refers to a company’s gross revenues or sales.

The terms bottom-line growth and top-line growth refer to the growth of the company as measured by the respective numbers. Both these numbers are helpful in understanding the financial strength of the company. They are not exchangeable.

Bottom line trends measure how efficient the company is with expenditures, operating costs and controlling these costs. Top line trends measure how efficient the company is at selling its products and services. Top line trends do not measure operating efficiencies.

Behavioral Interview Questions by Competency: Assertiveness

Behavioral Interview Questions: Assertiveness

Assertiveness is the ability to maturely express one’s feelings and opinions in spite of disagreement; accurately communicate to others regardless of their status or position.

Behavioral Interview Question: “Some of the best business ideas come from an individual’s ability to challenge others’ ways of thinking in a mature way. Tell me about a time when you were successful in challenging others’ ideas. What does this say about your ability to be assertive?”
Evaluating the candidate’s answer: Did the candidate honestly, persistently, and tactfully challenge the other person’s idea? Was there aggression/anger/abuse or withdrawal/dependency/ submissiveness?
Behavioral Interview Question: “It is realistic to say that no job is completely free of conflict. Tell me about a time when you were able to express your opinions maturely in spite of disagreements or objections.”
Evaluating the candidate’s answer: Did the candidate directly state an opinion without having been abusive/harsh/apologetic/defensive? Was there an emotional expression of an opinion or failure to express an opinion to avoid conflict?
Behavioral Interview Question: “Some situations require us to express ideas/opinions in a very tactful and careful way. Tell me about a time when you were successful with this particular skill.”
Evaluating the candidate’s answer: Did the candidate communicate with clarity and directness, and without evidence of negative feelings? Was there evidence or expression of negative feelings such as aggression or withdrawal, which interfered with effective communication?
Behavioral Interview Question: “Describe a time when you had to sell an idea to your boss, authority figure, or technical expert.”
Evaluating the candidate’s answer: Did the candidate make an honest, well-planned presentation including benefit statements, responses to objections, and guidance to a decision? Was there dislike for selling an idea, dishonesty/distortion, and/or either withdrawal/passivity or bragging/pressure?
Behavioral Interview Question: “Describe a time when you communicated something unpleasant or difficult to say to your manager or work team. How did you assert yourself?”
Evaluating the candidate’s answer: Did the candidate accurately and tactfully express a fact/opinion on a sensitive/important issue? Was there avoidance of an issue, passive aggression, and/or an aggressive/tactless presentation?
Behavioral Interview Question: “Give me an example of a time when you had to be assertive in giving directions to others.”
Evaluating the candidate’s answer: Did the candidate give firm, clear direction, perhaps with concern for another’s feelings? Was there an emotional reaction such as anger or anxiety?
Behavioral Interview Question: “Tell me about a time when your job required you to say, maturely, how you really felt about a situation. What did you say and how did you say it?”
Evaluating the candidate’s answer: Did the candidate present a feeling honestly and tactfully? Was there a negative feeling such as anger/ fear/anxiety/depression that interfered with mature communications?
Behavioral Interview Question: “Sometimes it is important to disagree with others, particularly your boss or team members, in order to keep a mistake from being made. Tell me about a time when you were willing to disagree with another person in order to build a positive outcome.”
Evaluating the candidate’s answer: Did the candidate disagree tactfully and in a timely fashion, balancing the need to communicate an opinion/ information with respect? Was there avoidance of disagreement or a tactless presentation?

New York Landmark Katz’s Delicatessen turns 125

Katz's Delicatessen, Kosher-style Delicatessen

A short time ago, we visited New York City landmark Jewish deli Katz’s Delicatessen and devoured its signature dish, the pastrami sandwich on rye with mustard, along with hot dogs, sauerkraut, dark green barrel pickles, and Dr. Brown Cherry sodas.

Pastrami Sandwich on Rye with Mustard at Katz's Delicatessen

Katz’s Delicatessen Turns 125

This kosher-style delicatessen recently turned 125! Katz’s Delicatessen has been serving from its location on the southwest corner of Houston and Ludlow streets in the Lower East Side of Manhattan since 1888. Katz’s address is 205 E. Houston St. (Ludlow St.) Manhattan, NY 10002. Locals and tourists often regard Katz’s Delicatessen’s corned beef, pastrami sandwiches, and hot dogs among New York’s best.

History of Katz's Delicatessen, New York City landmark Jewish deli

Katz’s Delicatessen commenced serving customers in 1888 originally as “Iceland Brothers.” In 1903, the Katz family joined partnered with the founders and changed the name to “Iceland & Katz.” By 1910, the Katz family fully owned delicatessen and changed its name to “Katz’s.”

Jake Dell of the Dell family that purchased this Lower East Side landmark in 1998 recently claimed, “Over the course of the week, we can go through about 8,000 pounds of corned beef, maybe 15,000 pounds of pastrami, and 4,000 hot dogs.”

“When Harry Met Sally” at Katz’s Delicatessen

Scene from When Harry Met Sally was made in Katz's Delicatessen

One of the most memorable scenes of the 1989 romantic comedy “When Harry Met Sally” was made in Katz’s Delicatessen. Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal filmed their fake orgasm scene on a table marked with a sign that is now labeled, “Where Harry met Sally… hope you have what she had!” This phrase refers to a famous line rendered in the movie by a woman on an adjacent table who observes the character played by Meg Ryan and comments, “I’ll have what she’s having!” Often, patrons of Katz’s re-enact the scene at the table to the amusement of patrons and attendants alike.

Chinese Car Company Logos That Look Appallingly Familiar

The car industry in China is the largest in the world, as measured by total annual automobile unit production volumes. Since year 2009, the number of automobiles manufactured in China has exceeded that of the European Union and that of the United States and Japan combined.

45% percent of cars produced were BYD, Lifan, Chang’an (Chana), Geely, Chery, Hafei, Jianghuai (JAC), Great Wall and Roewe. The rest were produced by joint ventures of international automotive giants Volkswagen, General Motors, Hyundai, Nissan, Honda, Toyota, Mitsubishi etc. Further, that China car market is expected to grow tenfold through 2030.

Several Chinese car makers have been accused of copying designs of other companies. In addition, to increase sales and build up brand equities, Chinese automakers have rapidly expanded the number of brands they offer and some Chinese automakers have even taken inspiration from internationally-well-known brands. Here are side-by-side comparisons of brand identities—international brands in the left column and the Chinese derivatives in the right column.

Logos of the Acura and Changan Brands

Acura and Changan » Chinese Car Company Logos That Look Appallingly Familiar

Chang’an Automobile Group, based in Chongqing, has quickly grown to become one of the top four Chinese automakers along with Dongfeng, FAW Group, and Shanghai Automotive. It also has joint ventures with Ford, Suzuki, and PSA Peugeot Citroen.

Logos of the Cardillac and Emgrand Brands

Cardillac and Emgrand » Chinese Car Company Logos That Look Appallingly Familiar

Emgrand (literally the “Imperial brand”) is an automobile marque owned by the Chinese automaker Geely. Englon and Gleagle are the other marques owned by Geely, as part of Geely’s strategy of expanding its number of brands to encourage sales and evade a reputation for unreliability and poor quality.

Logos of the Mazda and Haima Brands

Mazda and Haima » Chinese Car Company Logos That Look Appallingly Familiar

Haima is a marque of the FAW Haima Automobile Company based in Hainan. Haima was a joint venture between the government of Hainan and Japanese car manufacturer Mazda. In 2006 FAW Group acquired Mazda’s stake in the joint venture and continues to use Mazda’s technology and an identical branding.

Logos of the Bentley and Riich Brands

Bentley and Riich » Chinese Car Company Logos That Look Appallingly Familiar

Riich is an upscale sub-brand of Chinese automaker Chery. Riich models include microvans, large sedans, a hatchback, a small sedan and a five door wagon. Riich’s logo mimics that of Bentley Motors, the renowned British manufacturer of luxury automobiles, now part of the Volkswagen group.

Logos of the Toyota and Xia Li Brands

Toyota and Xiali » Chinese Car Company Logos That Look Appallingly Familiar

Xia Li vehicles are the Daihatsu Charade and manufactured by FAW Tianjin. FAW group also has a joint venture with between Toyota called the FAW Toyota Motor Co Ltd.

Logos of the Alfa Romeo and Englon Brands

Alfa Romeo and Englon » Chinese Car Company Logos That Look Appallingly Familiar

Englon is also a marque of the Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, which owns manufacturing facilities in Lanzhou (Gansu province,) Xiangtan (Hunan province,) Jinan (Shandong province,) Linhai (Luqiao province,) and Ningbo in (Zhejiang province), and international plants in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Russia, and Turkey.

Copies

In China, rip-offs of all sorts are common. Yet copying and plagiarism, from paintings to literary work to academic research papers, has a long tradition in China. Traditionally, it is considered a way of learning, and of indicating admiration. Recently there were reports of Chinese building replicas of architecturally significant towns and city sections from around the world.

Postscript

Geely (formally called the Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd) is the Chinese passenger car conglomerate that sells cars under five brand names, viz., Emgrand, Englon, Geely, Gleagle, and Volvo. Geely also owns Volvo Cars: Geely purchased Volvo Cars from the Premier Automotive Group of Ford Motor Company in 2010. Geely is headquartered in the Binjiang District of Hangzhou city.

Four Questions Every Mentor Must Ask

Mentoring

When mentors ask the following five questions in the order presented below, they can precisely form an effective analysis of the mentee and therefore can provide specific, practical guidance.

Question 1: “What are your passions? What do you want to be? What are your aspirations? What do you want to do?”

Enthusiasm is what separates good purposes and opportunism from true achievements. Professionals who pursue exceptional possibilities for their career are passionate about their objectives and persistent in pursuing their goals. Many professionals have good ideas, but only a few are dedicated enough to put themselves on the line for their passions and work hard towards their goals. Understand how your mentee defines success. Employees perform better in their jobs when they are doing what they believe matters and work towards their goals and objectives.

Question 2: “What are your strengths? What has enabled you to be successful in the past? What skill sets do you possess that will help you get where you want to be?”

Very often, leadership traits and skills tend to come together in steady patterns. Exceptional leaders with strong technical backgrounds are often also good at building relationships with the people around them, developing teams, and communicating effectively. Remarkable professionals who are exceptional problem-solvers tend to be strong-minded, self-assured, and cheerful. Strengths contain the mentee’s greatest potential for growth. Ask the mentee what his strengths are — the things he does naturally and well.

Question 3: “What do you think you will need to learn in order to do what you want to do? What constraints have you experienced in similar situations in the past? What feedback have you received?”

Building on the mentee’s strengths is not enough for success. Career success comes from delivering value to an organization and value of a professional’s work is eventually measured by the organization. Therefore, competent professionals who want to mature into great managers and leaders must stop doing what makes them successful in their individual roles and assimilate new competencies. Determine if the mentee has any self-defeating behaviors that could inhibit his success.

Question 4: “What can I do to help you succeed?”

Once you examine the drive and learning opportunities of a mentee, you need to determine what is it that the mentee would like to learn and then ask what experience you, as a mentor, have that might be helpful to the mentee. Asking this question will help you determine if you have the relevant experience and time to make this mentoring relationship effective. Analyzing the answer to this question will also help you maintain your mentoring relationship, which can be just as challenging as finding the right candidate to mentor. By understanding the development needs of the mentee, you can provide structure, expect learning discipline and rigor and establish goals that will enable you to close the mentoring relationship.

Behavioral Interview Questions by Competency: Team Work

Behavioral Interview Questions: Team Work

Team Work is the ability to share due credit with coworkers; display enthusiasm and promote a friendly group working environment.

Behavioral Interview Question: “Helping a team organize itself to get results is often a difficult thing to do. Tell me about a time when you had your greatest success in helping organize a team. What specific results were accomplished by the team?”
Evaluating the candidate’s answer: Did the candidate help create a common goal/vision, and/or use a feedback/reward system, to coalesce a team? Were there an absence of team activity and/or use of pressure to achieve results?
Behavioral Interview Question: “The term ‘participative management’ has been used for years to describe a technique of building a team spirit by collecting suggestions from others. Describe a time when you used suggestions to build team commitment.”
Evaluating the candidate’s answer: Did the candidate commit to productive participation by such things as asking meaningful questions, defining group authority and/or provision of adequate resources/time? Was there inexperience with, or rejection of, participative decision-making?
Behavioral Interview Question: “It is sometimes important to deal with a negative attitude to build team motivation. Give me an example of a time when you confronted a negative attitude successfully with the result of building teamwork and morale.”
Evaluating the candidate’s answer: Did the candidate recognize a negative attitude in himself/herself or another person, have insight into its causes, and take constructive corrective action? Ws there a reaction to an attitude problem with little evidence for productive action?
Behavioral Interview Question: “We cannot do everything ourselves. Give me an example of a time when you dealt with this reality by creating a special team effort. Highlight the special aspects of the situation which best demonstrate your skill in this area.”
Evaluating the candidate’s answer: Did the candidate use participative decision-making, goal setting, and/or constructive confrontation to build commitment to perform separate tasks in an integrated/productive way? Was there a directive/autocratic style in establishing team roles and supervising performance?

William “Bill” Ackman’s Recommended Books on Investing

William 'Bill' Ackman's Recommended Books on Investing

William “Bill” Ackman is the founder and CEO of New York-based hedge fund Pershing Square Capital Management. Bill is the subject of the book “Confidence Game” by Christine S. Richard. The book explains how Bill Ackman used credit derivatives to short municipal bond insurer MBIA.

The Essays of Warren Buffett: Lessons for Corporate America: Warren E. Buffett, Lawrence A. Cunningham is a thematically arrangement of the lengthy writings of Warren Buffett. This classic book provides an understandable and consistent understanding of the principles and logic of Warren Buffett’s attitude to life, investing, and business.
Security Analysis: Benjamin Graham, David Dodd is the most is perhaps the most influential books on investing and finance ever written, ever since it was first published in 1934. Benjamin Graham and David L. Dodd’s classic discourse on valuing securities and their timeless value investing philosophy.
Quality of Earnings: Thornton L. O’glove on the importance of reading corporate reports, understanding of accounting practices and changes thereof, and how interpreting data related to accounts receivable and inventory levels might help spot problems with a company before these trends can affect a stock’s price.
The Intelligent Investor: The Definitive Book on Value Investing. A Book of Practical Counsel: Benjamin Graham, Jason Zweig updates timeless “value investing” wisdom from the greatest investment teacher of the twentieth century, Benjamin Graham. This beloved book has been the investors’ bible since its original publication in 1949.
Confidence Game: Christine S. Richard on how hedge fund manager Bill Ackman of Pershing Square Capital Management used credit derivatives to short municipal bond insurer MBIA.
One Up On Wall Street: Peter Lynch, John Rothchild describes a well-revered bottom-up approach to investing in stocks by selecting companies familiar to the investor followed by a comprehensive fundamental analysis with emphasis on a company’s prospects, its business, it’s competitive environment, and then determining a reasonable price for the company’s stock. Peter Lynch is Vice Chairman of Fidelity Management & Research Company.

Title Song Lyrics from the TV Series Mahabharat (Hindu Epic)

Title Song from Mahabharat (TV series)

The TV Series Mahabharat was a fixture on Sunday Morning televisions across India when it first broadcast on the state-owned television channel Doordarshan from 02-Oct-1988 through 24-Jun-1990. The 94-episode series was produced by acclaimed Hollywood producer B. R. Chopra and directed by his son Ravi Chopra. Rahi Masoom Raza (a person of the Islamic faith) composed the script and songs. The music director was Rajkamal and most of the songs were sung by veteran playback singer Mahendra Kapoor.

Title Song, Part 1

Atha shri Mahabharat katha
Mahabharat katha
Katha hai purusharth yeh ki
Swarth ki parmarth ki

Translation / meaning: “This is the story of Mahabharat. It’s a tale of honour, greed, the ultimate truth.”

Title Song, Part 2

Sarthi jis ke bane
ShriKrishna Bharat Parth ki

Translation / meaning: “This is the story of Lord Krishna who had become a charioteer (in the Kurukshetra battle) for Arjuna who is descendant of Bharat.”

Title Song, Part 3

Shabdh Dighoshit Hua Jab
Satya Sarthak Sarvatha..

Translation / meaning: “When the great words (Bhagavad Gita) were proclaimed, they showed the path (of righteousness) … the words signified truth that was fit and entire.”

Verse from the Bhagavad Gita (Gita 4-7)

Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata
Abhyutthanam adharmasya tadatmanam srjamy aham

Translation / meaning: “Whenever and wherever there is a decline in righteousness, O Bharata, And a predominant rise of unrighteousness, then I manifest Myself”

Verse from the Bhagavad Gita (Gita 4-8)

Paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskritam
Dharma-samsthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge

Translation / meaning: “To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, To re-establish the principles of Dharma (righteousness,) I will manifest myself era after era …”

Behavioral Interview Questions by Competency: Perseverance and Commitment to Task

Behavioral Interview Questions: Perseverance and Commitment to Task

Perseverance and commitment to task is the ability to start and persist with specific courses of action while exhibiting high motivation and a sense of urgency; willing to commit to long hours of work and make personal sacrifice in order to reach goals.

Behavioral Interview Question: “We all have to make decisions on the job about the delicate balance between personal and work objectives. Give an example of a time when you had difficulty balancing your personal and work objectives. What did you do?”
Evaluating the candidate’s answer: Did the candidate sacrifice time/plans/energy for the sake of a work objective, without compromising values or dignity? Was there resistance/low effort to make a personal sacrifice to reach a work objective? Was the candidate able to balance all objectives to his/her satisfaction?
Behavioral Interview Question: “Getting the job done may necessitate unusual persistence or dedication to results, especially when faced with obstacles or distractions. Tell me about a time in which you were able to be very persistent in order to reach goals. Be specific.”
Evaluating the candidate’s answer: Did the candidate make an uncompromising commitment to a goal, as shown by long hours of work?
Behavioral Interview Question: “We both recognize that being successful takes more than luck. Hard work is necessary in order to achieve. Tell me about a time when you had to work very hard to reach your goals and be specific about what you achieved.”
Evaluating the candidate’s answer: Did the candidate make an unusual commitment in order to reach an objective, reflecting both high effort and accomplishment? Was there a routine response to work demands, rather than self-directed effort?
Behavioral Interview Question: “Tell me about a time when you were able to provide your own motivation to produce even though you were working alone. What were the circumstances of the situation and how did you manage to motivate yourself?”
Evaluating the candidate’s answer: Did the candidate have a performance strategy, which enhanced alertness, productivity, or efficiency? Was there compliance with a standard or requirement set by a team, manager, or organization?

Related Posts

Katz’s Delicatessen Turns 125

“When Harry Met Sally” at Katz’s Delicatessen

Logos of the Acura and Changan Brands

Logos of the Cardillac and Emgrand Brands

Logos of the Mazda and Haima Brands

Logos of the Bentley and Riich Brands

Logos of the Toyota and Xia Li Brands

Logos of the Alfa Romeo and Englon Brands

Copies

Postscript

Question 1: “What are your passions? What do you want to be? What are your aspirations? What do you want to do?”

Question 2: “What are your strengths? What has enabled you to be successful in the past? What skill sets do you possess that will help you get where you want to be?”

Question 3: “What do you think you will need to learn in order to do what you want to do? What constraints have you experienced in similar situations in the past? What feedback have you received?”

Question 4: “What can I do to help you succeed?”

Related Posts

Title Song, Part 1

Title Song, Part 2

Title Song, Part 3

Verse from the Bhagavad Gita (Gita 4-7)

Verse from the Bhagavad Gita (Gita 4-8)

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