Gerald D'Cunha

W henever a young one says, “I want to be an Entrepreneur” or “I want to start a start-up,” I get into a teasing mode… “What is that?” I ask. Some days ago, in one of our PD sessions, 17-year-old Balpreet was telling us about his immediate plan… “I want to go to Canada for further studies,” he said, “I am preparing for some entrance tests.” “What do you want to ‘study’ in Canada?” I probed. “Sir, I want to be an entrepreneur,” came the reply, “I want to start a start-up.” “Lovely,” I said, my tongue a bit tucked in my cheeks. “Tell me, can’t you be an entrepreneur here in India? Can’t you ‘start a start-up’, here?” “I can,” said Balpreet, “but, Sir, I should study that first.” “The tuition teachers, the fruit vendors on the roadside, the paperwala and doodwala, the young men who run most of the mobile, stationary , jewelry, medical, hardware and sanitary stores in the city of Mumbai,”   I pointed to all of them and...

I have observed an interesting thing during our Personality Development programme (summer). A few parents, particularly the mothers, of our little ones or young ones end up learning more from the programme than their children do. I, always, encourage the enthusiastic parents to feel free to sit for our sessions whenever they are free or like. A couple of them end up sitting for the entire two-month programme and enjoy it more than their children do. On the Certification Day, I, often, surprise these ‘deserving’ parents with a specially-worded certificate. When they come forward to collect it, they go speechless. They cry! Whose learning was it, anyway? Did they actually come for thier kids or for themselves? It has, always remained a mystery to me! For last two summers, a mother of young *Sam wanted to enroll her son for our programme. She was extremely keen. But, Sam, who studied in 9 th standard at that time, was not. Sam’s dad and mom were working p...

When I am attending a Mass inside a church, I can not behave the way I do while watching an IPL match in a stadium. Likewise, I cannot talk with my son’ college Dean as I do with my next-door neighbor… Nor, can I eat in a fine restaurant the way I do in my house.  There is the social decorum… the convention... the unwritten code of conduct, which demands me to behave at a certain place in a certain manner. So, these are  Manners and Etiquette. Maybe, plain common sense! “May I come in sir?”  “Excuse me.” “Thank you.” “I am sorry.” “My pleasure.” “It is alright.” Well, why do we keep saying these phrases? When did we learn them? Who had taught them to us? Why do we need to compliment others? Why do we need to thank for every compliment that we receive? Why should we be careful when we criticize others? And, how should we deal with when we receive criticism? Why should I keep pace with othe...