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November - 2007 - issue > Editor's Desk
Applying Thought, the Premji Way
Pradeep Shankar
Thursday, November 1, 2007
At certain points in life we may need some one to tell us what the purpose of life is and inspire us to take on the world. He will change our way of thinking, our perspective, and help us realize our dreams. Among people around us, none could be as inspiring as Azim Premji is. He is a person with “A sharp focus, embodies simplicity, and strongly believes in ethics.” His actions speak louder than words.

I remember, on one of the occasions Azim Premji said, “Winning is not about being the strongest or the fastest but of persistence and a fanaticism for excellence. You have to change quickly, often and consistently. But, principles, values, and integrity do not change. Constancy of integrity differentiates between the successful and not so successful.”

Someone who has observed him over the years will know how important it is to be extremely disciplined, hard working, and goal-oriented. From Subroto Bagchi’s book The High Performance Entrepreneur we learn Premji works an average of 80 hours a week. “The man measures and tracks the number of hours he works every week. He does not expect everyone in the organization to work as hard as himself.” But he stipulates that to be a member of his team a person must be “comfortable” working 60-70 hours a week. “But Premji never asks someone to change holiday plans, once these have been approved, never recalls someone from vacation.”

That’s Premji—a person whose life clearly articulates that the man is the maker of his own destiny. As we celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights this month, we sincerely hope Premji’s message will encourage, inspire, and remind us of our goals.

Please do drop me a mail and let us know how Premji inspired you in life. We will publish some of the interesting letters in our next issue.

Pradeep Shankar
editor@thesmarttechie.com

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