Top 5 ways to deal with Office Politics!

Office politics can be a frustrating and challenging aspect of any workplace. Whether it’s navigating power struggles, dealing with difficult colleagues, or fighting for resources and recognition, office politics can take a toll on your professional and personal well-being. But with the right approach, you can navigate the political landscape and emerge as a respected and successful professional.

1.Anticipate any Potential conflicts:

First and foremost, it is important to understand the dynamics of your office and identify the key players and decision-makers. This will help you to anticipate any potential conflicts or power struggles and to navigate them effectively. For example, if you know that a certain colleague is known for being difficult to work with, you can prepare yourself for any potential conflicts and come up with a plan for addressing them.

2. Maintain a positive and professional attitude:

Second, it is essential to maintain a positive and professional attitude, even in the face of difficult situations or conflicts. By remaining calm and composed, you can defuse potentially volatile situations and maintain your own professional reputation. It’s important to remember that how you react to office politics says a lot about you as a professional and can impact your career in the long run.

3. Build strong relationships:

Third, it is crucial to build strong relationships with your colleagues and to work collaboratively with them to achieve shared goals. By building a strong network of allies, you can gain support and backing in the event of a political conflict. Strong relationships with colleagues can also help you gain access to valuable information and resources and make it easier to navigate the political landscape.

4. Be transparent about your motives:

Fourth, it is important to be aware of your own motivations and to be transparent about your goals and intentions. By being upfront about your own political agenda, you can build trust and credibility with your colleagues. Being transparent also means being honest and direct in your communication, which will help to build trust and credibility with your colleagues.

5. Be prepared to listen to other’s perspectives:

Fifth, it is important to be prepared to compromise and to be willing to listen to other perspectives. By being open-minded and willing to find common ground, you can build bridges and foster a more collaborative and productive work environment. It’s important to remember that no one person or group holds all the answers, and that by working together and being willing to compromise, you can achieve better results.

Finally, it’s important to set boundaries and to not get dragged into unnecessary conflicts. Not every situation requires your involvement, and by not getting dragged into unnecessary conflicts, you can keep your focus on your work and professional goals.

It’s important to keep in mind that office politics is a part of every workplace, and it’s not going away anytime soon. By following these strategies, you can navigate the political landscape and emerge as a respected and successful professional. It’s also important to remember that it’s not always possible to avoid office politics, but by being aware of the dynamics and knowing how to navigate them, you can minimize their impact on your professional and personal well-being.

Love,

Pratik Jadhav

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Cheers! 🙂

15 Sure Shot ways to hit the Jackpot by Priyanka Mashelkar book review

I absolutely love books about finance, especially if the terms are explained in layman words. They really boost the financial knowledge which I think is almost like a super power in this growing competitive age! The title made me think if this book is in the league of the already existing ’13 steps to bloody good wealth! by Ashwin Sanghi’. Was my expectation precise? Let’s find out!

Blurb:

Life is just tough sometimes.
And we survive—physically, emotionally, even socially. But financially? Nope.
But what if someone told you that you need to complete just fifteen steps to have your financial life set up forever? Not just set up, but actually hit the financial jackpot, every single time, and that too without depending on the grace of Lady Luck? Well, guess what, it’s true!
In fifteen quick and practical steps, I will teach you how to luck-proof your money, beat the credit card companies at their own game, pay off all your debts, catch the next big investment trend, and retire early, and all this while you continue to sweat it out at that high-end gym and delicately peck at your food in the newest molecular gastronomy café in town.
After all, it’s only once you master your finances that you can win the jackpot of life.
So, let’s get started with the mastering, shall we?

The LazyScoop Book Review:

First of all, the cover of the book is quite attractive. I love the way fingerprint designs their book on a white template. Makes the book look rich and authentic. Anyways, coming back to the content of the book, it begins with various milestones. Author Priyanka takes you on a financial journey to various milestones and imparts great financial knowledge. What immediately hooked me up to the narration was the casual tone of writing. Although the knowledge shared is serious and really impactful but the way its structured and explained, anyone with zero understanding of financial planning would also relate to it. Huge kudos to author for not making this one yet another boring book on money which is full of technical terms and difficult words.

The first time I picked up the book to read, I thought, I’ll just read for few minutes and get back to other work I had and continue reading the rest of it later. When I finished the first few pages, I forgot about the work and got completely immersed in the book. There were so many relatable perspectives which really made me ponder about lot of things such as early buying of Life Insurance, Health Insurance, Credit cards, Bank accounts, Investments, handling of debts, picking of insurances, the logic behind choosing policies, etc. The author has written it chapter wise and has given each chapter a milestone. There are 15 milestones in the book, each chapter is like a pill to destroy your ignorance in regards to personal finance. She also tells you to move to another chapter once you practically apply the chapter’s knowledge in real life. Basically, to move to next milestone only after finishing the previous milestone in real life.

She has shaped the book in such a way as to first give tools of financial defense to the reader, and then for attacking i.e investing. There were also so many tips and ideas which I had no clue about. And I am really glad to have chosen to read this book since it really opened my eyes in lot of aspects. Be it credit history, debts, loans, buying house or renting it, car loans, budgeting, ideas to save, etc. The comparison with government job employee and private sector employee, tricks to get the ambitious retirement corpus, planning retirement through various government schemes and stay in the league with government employees as far as pension and other things are concerned, this book just lays down a very practical perspective and washes all your ignorance about the opportunities which already exists in the market.

This book explains everything important related to finance in depth yet without exaggerating any topic. The pace is just perfect. Although you would require to get a highlighter with you since the knowledge shared in this book is worth retaining. There were lot of good examples shared and lot of insights given to make me understand the logic behind what has been written.

If you are looking to buy a book which not only educates you about investments and wealth creation but also educates you on ways to retain the wealth, get the benefits from the existing financial eco system and increasing your financial health, then this book is for you. An Absolute must read!

The LazyScoop Rating:

Cover: 4/ 5 Stars

Content: 5/ 5 Stars

Narration: 4.5/ 5 Stars

Knowledge Quotient: 5/ 5 Stars

Entertainment: 4/ 5 Stars

The LazyScoop Rating: 4.5/ 5 Stars

The LazyScoop Verdict:

This book is a must have if you love wealth, you are ambitious and want to win this game called wealth building in your life. Basically, read it if you love money. Read the first chapter and you wont be able to put it down. 15 Sure Shot ways to hit the Jackpot by Priyanka Mashelkar absolutely recommended by The LazyScoop!

You can buy this book by clicking on this link!

I’ll be back with another interesting book very soon,

Till then, stay happy,

Keep reading,

Pratik Jadhav

The Justice by Nikhil Khasnabish book review

This 100 pages kindle book seemed to be a short and crisp story about women safety in the country. The cover was an animation still of a girl and a bunch of men in background. From the blurb, it seemed to be quite a gripping story. Was it interesting enough as I expected ? Read on to know!

Blurb:

Ime Borah, who is Uddipan Saikia’s fiancée, is brutally raped at the foot of the hills, the abode of cursed souls and witches. The rapists plan to kill and make her a feast of jackals. But they fail to do so. She finally manages to escape from the hills. Unable to forget that she is a rape victim, she makes the hard decision to spend the rest of her life alone. But luck steps in to walk her to meet with the unexpected happening.

The LazyScoop Review:

The Justice by Nikhil Khasnabish is a novella dedicated to women safety in the country. It’s a story about an ambitious girl named Imi, in a fictional town named Garden Town. She is also a state level champion and won various accolades for the same. She has a fiance named Udipan and a best friend named Zumur. The city she lives in has an increasing number of crimes, especially rapes. Her life is going smoothly with a loving fianc’e and great family untill one day, unfortunately, she becomes victim. How will Imi overcome this tragedy? Will the culprits be caught? How would her life change? Read the book to know.

Writer Nikhil Khasnabish has woven a simple yet impactful story on victims of rape and moslestation in the country. While reading, you get connected to the characters. I liked that there are lot of dialogues throughout the story which makes the narrative smooth.

What I liked?

The story is rightfully only 100 pages long and it seems perfect according to the length of the story. The words used are lucid. Some characters in the book are nicely described such as Zumur, Udipan and Pinto Das, Zumur’s parents. The climax is good and gives out a good message.

What I didn’t like?

I think the description of post rape victim’s mental agony could have been described with a bit more depth. Their trauma in real life is much more than how this book tries to portray.
Also, addition of characters like witch and old man made it suddenly shift from a serious story to a fantasy fiction. The story could’ve maintained a darker tone in writing since the topic which it’s writing about is very dark.

Overall, this book is a good one time read. Some parts of this story is good, whereas some are not so good. However, the message it gives in the end is good and needs to spread. Read it if you like to read short books with a story of twists and turns.

The Ratings:

Cover: 3/ 5 stars

Narration: 3/ 5 Stars

Story: 3/ 5 Stars

Characters: 3.5/ 5 Stars

Entertainment: 3/ 5 Stars

The LazyScoop Rating: 3.5/ 5 Stars

The Justice by Nikhil Khasnabish can be read if you like crime patrol episodes with some twists and turns in the end.

You can buy this book by clicking on this link!

See you soon with another new book review!

Happy Reading,

Pratik Jadhav

Gita and Vedic Wisdom by Pranay Book Review

Having read other books by Pranay, I was expecting it to be exactly how the rest of them are. His speeches converted into books where he talks about various religious topics. The cover of this book was quite attractive and so I was curious to know if this book is any different than the others. Was it different? What exactly has Pranay talked about Gita and Vedic Wisdom? Let’s find out.

Blurb:

A MUST-HAVE SPIRITUAL GUIDE! The Bhagavad Gita is a treasure trove of spiritual guidance, its sacred words followed by people all over the world. It is considered to be one of the most fundamental texts of Hinduism—a vast spiritual philosophy that has been in existence for thousands of years. Collected in this mystical guide are powerful teachings from the revered Bhagavad Gita and India’s ancient Vedic wisdom as a whole. Containing simple yet deep life lessons and the author’s original take on important spiritual principles, this is a book filled with boundless spiritual wisdom, a book that will show you how to overcome challenges with grace while leading a life filled with ultimate joy, courage, and success. Collected in this mystical guide are powerful teachings from the revered Bhagavad Gita and India’s ancient Vedic wisdom as a whole. Containing simple yet deep life lessons and the author’s original take on important spiritual principles, this is a book filled with boundless spiritual wisdom, a book that will show you how to overcome challenges with grace while leading a life filled with ultimate joy, courage, and success.

The LazyScoop Review:

We all know Bhagwad Gita is Krishna’s message to Arjun in the battlefield. But how that knowledge is important to the whole world is what is shared in this book by the author. The writing this time, is more crisp and chapters seemed more structured and to the point as compared to the previous books by Pranay. This really made me enjoy the reading. The topic here is serious spiritualism but still I no where felt bored. I didn’t feel that author is trying to drag a topic or over explaining something.

The writer explains how the knowledge imparted by Lord Krishna to Arjun is applicable to the whole world. He says Arjun is just like a metaphor, the real Arjun is us all. He explains how Krishna makes Arjun realize the potential of inner peace. When there is confusion, threat, fear and anxiety, no wars can be won. Whether it be of battlefield or life. And when Arjun realizes that, he comes out victorious because all his dilemma was relates to outer world and Krishna makes him realize that true victory is achieved when we are at peace from within. In life too, the one who understands that its the inner glory which matters more, emerges victorious in the outside world too.

Author further elaborates how people associate themselves with ego. People like to feel great and cherish their futile ego, but Krishna takes Arjun back to his innocence. And due to this, his discontentment disappears. He is no longer influenced by worldly definitions of success and failures. He realizes that true victory comes from inward inspired energy.

I really liked many of the topics in this book and one of the most interesting one is where author talks about Low and High energy. He says it is natural to feel high or low due to work life balance or due to other aspects. But the fundamental essence of ancient hindu texts is that no matter you feel high or low, the idea is to remain at peace in both of these moments. He says its up to us to decide to have inner peace. To affirm ourselves that no matter what, my inner peace will be undisturbed, undiminished! So inspiring. Out of many takeaways from this book, this one is one of the most profound ones for me.

Author dives into various interesting topics such as Importance of Soul consciousness over body consciousness, Yogic Secrets, Beyond happiness and unhappiness is bliss, How everything is about energy, Five secrets of Hinduism, Death etc. Each chapters unfolds a different perspective of life through the author’s interpretation of Gita and Vedic knowledge. I loved the crisp narration and also the short chapters which led me dive into different topics sooner without getting bored. Since books on Spiritualism do have potential to get boring after a point.

This book is like the cream of Bhagwad Gita and Vedic knowledge. The epics are huge and require great analysis to really understand and the author has tried to help the readers get the best lessons from Bhagwad Gita. If you haven’t read Gita yet and if you read this book, you will be filled with life changing lessons and an urge perhaps to read Gita and to know more about it.

The Ratings:

Cover: 4/ 5 Stars

Language: 4.5/ 5 Stars

Knowledge Quotient: 4.5/ 5 Stars

Narration: 4/ 5 Stars

The LazyScoop Rating: 4.5/ 5 Stars

The LazyScoop Verdict:

The best thing about this book is the simple narration, quick pace and deep knowledge explained wonderfully. Hinduism is full of insightful knowledge and this book successfully sheds light on it. There are 222 pages in this book, but if you really like spiritual wisdom then you wont realize how fast you turn the pages. Gita and Vedic Wisdom by Pranay absolutely recommended by TheLazyScoop!

You can buy this book by clicking on this link!

See you soon with another intersting book. Till then,

Happy Reading,

Pratik Jadhav

Vishwadarshan A glimpse of the Universe by Mahatma Ramratna Thapaliyal Book Review

Universe, the greatest mysteries ever. No matter how much humans think they know, the fact remains that there are zillions of things about this Universe spiritually as well as materialistically that we have no idea about. My expectations with this book was that it will give me insight and knowledge about various ambiguous subjects related to lives, humans and universe in general. Was it exactly what I was expecting it to be? Let’s find out.

Blurb:

Vishwadarshan is an insight into the workings of life and the universe, its inception, creation, and cessation, received as a revelation by Mahatma thapaliyal as a consequence of his seventeen-year-long penance in the Himalayas. From the tiny ant living on Earth to intuitive revelations about the solar and lunar systems, This work touches various universal aspects. The seer brings a fresh perspective to how the ever-constant Supreme consciousness and Prakriti together conceive the universe, in the form of Brahma and Saraswati, how sustenance of the universe is taken care of by Maha Vishnu and Maha Laxmi, and its ultimate destruction by Shiva and Maharani. Mahatma thapaliyal’s work comes highly recommended by the likes of Sri Aurobindo, Gurudev Tagore, Mahatma Gandhi, and Madan Mohan Malaviya. They, and others, considered this Smriti to be unique in the annals of philosophy and spirituality. Rupa and A.K. Srikumar’s lucid English translation makes this seminal work a must-read, particularly in this harrowing time when mankind is searching for its moorings.

The LazyScoop Review:

They say meditation provides answers to all questions about life, purpose and universe. Vishwadarshan is a like a result of great deep meditation. While reading, some parts of the book seemed a bit confusing, but upon reading it again, it seemed like a real eye opener. The writing is as simple as it could be, but the knowledge shared in this book is so insightful, detailed and enriching that you can’t help but think about it after every paragraph.

This book is an understanding of the Universe through the eyes of Mahatma Ramratna Thapaliyal who gained this knowledge through extreme meditation in Himalayas for seventeen years. He speaks about topics which everyone of us do have queries about but no source for a valid answer. Questions such as why we are granted this life? What is the purpose of our existence? Why and how the entire universe is structured with Maha-Sukra and Maja Raj components.

This book also talks about Semen retention, which makes you wonder how the writer of this book gained knowledge about semen retention years back when there was no one talking about it, nor there was any scientific study based on it. And now, years later, the world is trending with NoFap movement. This is quite impressive. It also talks about ways to overcome sensory agitation for semen retention.

The book further dives deep into the creation of Universe through the Union of Purush(Male Component) and Prakriti(Nature- Female Component) . It also talks about Supreme Time limit which I found quite interesting- it says that everything in this world follows time. Whether it be birth, childhood, youthfulness and old age. It is this time limit which help the state of nature reach awakening, creative stage and in the end destructive.

The writer says that all the human being are made up of same stock, it is the voice, names and language that differs them. Voice even though formless, it gives shape to the lives of the people through conscious communication.

The author talks about Supreme time changes of the universe. It shifts it’s state from awakening to destruction and from destruction to awakening and this propels the universe to grow. It says that Supreme time is to be understood as Nature’s discharge.

There are many concepts in this book which are quite complicated to understand and can be enjoyed only after reading it slowly and steadily pondering about each sentence. Since what author is trying to say has multiple layers of wisdom which if skim read would go off the brain.

Although the narration is simple, I feel some words in this book could’ve been a lot more simpler and could’ve been made a bit easy to understand. From what I read, I retained a lot though because I read it slow. But had the language been more easy, it would’ve been even more enjoyable.

The LazyScoop Ratings:

Cover: 4.5/ 5 Stars

Narration: 3/ 5 Stars

Language: 3/ 5 Stars

Knowledge Quotient: 4/ 5 Stars

The LazyScoop Rating: 3.5/ 5 Stars

The LazyScoop Verdict:

This book has all the answers you seek about the universe. From life, death to Creation and Destruction. What it lacks is an easier to understand narration however it is still an enjoyable read due to the insightful knowledge shared in it. Reading this book is itself like a meditation as it leaves you with lot of thoughts to think and knowledge to talk to about.

Vishwadarshan: A glimpse of Universe by Mahatma Ramratna Thapaliyal recommended by The LazyScoop if you like books with deep, heavy knowledge which you can treasure for a long time!

You can buy this book by clicking on this link!

Till then, Keep Reading!

Pratik Jadhav

Uncle Pai by Rajessh M Iyer Book Review

Growing up tinkle has been one of my all time favourite reading content. Tinkle Digest, Mythological Amar Chitra Katha, etc were one of the big reasons behind my love for reading. Their ability to tell a story in a simplistic, comical and entertaining way was something that made it highly addictive. When I read the title, I was more than curious to know when and how the journey of Amar Chitra katha began? Also what was the journey of Uncle Pai, the pioneer behind Amar Chitra Katha. Was the book really what I was expecting it to be? Let’s find out!

Blurb:

Three decades of storytelling, over six hundred comic books, an extremely successful children’s monthly magazine, and millions of readers In India spanning at least four generations… This is the legacy of Uncle Pai, and this is the story of the man often referred to as “India’s master storyteller”. 
Children growing up in the India of the 1970s, 1980s, and the 1990s, had one common factor uniting them—their lovely association with Amar Chitra Katha. They bought copies, exchanged them, bound them in sets to proudly display to everyone… And, even flicked them from friends, if they didn’t own a particular issue! Growing up reading his creations was an essential rite of passage that escaped no one. And all this fun, frenzy, and madness was thanks to the epoch-making vision of one man: Anant Pai.
From a small village in Karnataka to Mumbai, Anant Pai’s journey and vision, which eventually touched countless lives across many generations, is as interesting as the books he created. Filled with little known stories from the creation of these epochal brands, Uncle Pai by Rajessh M Iyer chalks his journey and serves as a testimony of the man’s indomitable spirit that helped millions across India get to know their cultural roots. Little wonder then that we too, like innumerable children, acknowledge his contribution by saying: Thank you, Uncle Pai.

The LazyScoop Book Review:

Talking about physical aspects, the cover is simple, elegant and attractive. It does look fun in terms of being a biography. The sketch on the front looks catchy and brings a smile on your face.

Anant Pai has been a well known persona, especially in my family where all my aunts and uncles were huge Amar Chitra Katha fan, and they always tell me how they collected the titles and were crazy for it. As a kid, this influenced even me to read and love Amar Chitra Katha comics. In fact lot of my mythological knowledge comes from these books. My late uncle Sanjay Gumte was even working in Amar Chitra Katha at the start of his career. All this led to me hearing Uncle Pai’s name often, and all I knew about him was that he was the founder of Amar Chitra Katha. That’s it. And after reading this book, I am so glad to know about his journey, his life, his struggles and success story. Never had I thought how motivational his story would be for me.

This book is all about Anant Pai’s journey from being an avid read to turning millions of Indians avid readers, thanks to his comics! There are many inside stories and anecdotes in this book which I had no idea about. e.g how Amar Chitra Katha began, how Phantom was initially a craze in India and how it ruled the market before Amar Chitra Katha bloomed with Indian Stories, how Anant Pai left his job at TOI to chase his ambition, his chemistry with his wife Lalita, how famous marathi series named Faster Fene has a connection with Pai, ACK’s one comic’s cover poster which has some error and funnily is published even now, the birth of Amar Chira Katha and much more.

Usually I find biographies very boring, I think they lack the fun element which fiction books have. But this book proved me wrong. As soon as I read first few chapters, I got totally sucked into it. The best thing about this book is Author Rajessh M Iyer’s writing. I liked how the author has tried to explore Mr. Anant Pai’s mind while writing this book. Not just his achievements but his story right from the bottom where he started, how his inclination towards books began, is beautifully carved. Author has tried to dive deeper, from his childhood trauma’s, turning points in his life to meeting the love of his life, the journey has been incredibly written.

I loved the crisp writing of the author, it just flows like a breeze, never did I feel that author was going off topic, in fact the transition of various life events in Anant Pai’s life was smooth and just didn’t let me realize that how fast I am reading and turning pages.

One of the things which writer talks about in this book is how Anant Pai wanted to make Indian stories global. He wanted to imbibe Indian Epics and stories in the hearts of the readers. This was so inspiring and this thought is relevant even now after so many years when most of us run after foreign shows and stories when our own history has more magnanimous and rich stories.

I also found Anant Pai’s story and thoughts to be very relatable. Every reader would easily relate to the story. Especially, his love for reading books and hunger for growth. Throughout many chapters writer describes how Anant Pai devoured books, and I think psychologically, even the readers start devouring this book in their hand while reading.

The book also has many personal pictures of Anant Pai with his family and younger days and achievements. They make you somewhat emotional and also reminds you of how short life is.

Ratings:

Cover: 4/ 5 Stars

Writing: 4.5/ 5 Stars

Language: 4.5/ 5 Stars

Entertainment Quotient: 4.5/ 5 Stars

Story narration: 4.5/ 5 Stars

The LazyScoop Readometer: 4.5/ 5 Stars

The LazyScoop Verdict:

I read this book with zero expectations and was surprised to find it highly interesting, entertaining, inspiring and a gripping read. This book deserves to be read and re read after some time again to remind yourself about how dreams do come true if there’s conviction and ambition, just like how Anant Pai had.

One of the best biographies out there. Uncle Pai by Rajessh M Iyer absolutely recommended by The LazyScoop!

Click on this link to order this book right now!

See you soon with another book review very soon. Till then,

Happy Reading,

Pratik Jadhav

Vedanta: Spirituality for leadership and success by Pranay Book Review

Vedanta are known to be the oldest texts in Hinduism with timeless teachings through Vedic and Upanishadic knowledge. This book seemed slightly different than the rest of the book in this series since Vedanta is completely unknown subject for me untill I read this book. Was the excitement and learning worth it? Let’s find out!

Blurb:

Whether you are a leader, a potential leader, or a regular individual, the ultimate goal of your life is to realize your own divinity, which is, in fact, your true nature—this is what the ancient philosophy of Vedanta propagates, a philosophy that is quintessential to Eastern thought and mysticism. Such timeless and important teachings have been judiciously collected and transformed into relevant take a ways by the author in this self-help guide. Through the distillation of Vedic and upanishadic knowledge, This book expounds vedanta’s eternal principles of life and living, and offers crucial lessons for awakening your highest leadership and success potential.

The LazyScoop Review:

The cover of the book looks elegant and attractive. The OM graphic is appealing and certainly infuses curiousity to know what’s inside.

To all those who don’t know what Vedanta is, it is conclusion of the Vedas, the earliest sacred literature of India. It applies to Upanishads, which were elaboration of the Vedas, and to the school that arose out of the study of Upanishads.

Vedanta being an ocean of knowledge, this book too was a great source of leadership wisdom for me. I think knowledge-wise this book is more condensed with thought provoking concepts about leadership than other books in this series.

The author in of the chapters explains how we humans misconcept about ourselves being limited in scope. Whereas, the truth is we are singularity of unlimited conscious energy. Author sheds light on Yogi Vashishta’s saying- ‘If you are bound from all sides by idea that, “I am the body”, cut that bond by the sword of knowledge, “I am consciousness” and be happy.’

What a profound thought, after all, our body is perishable but our soul AKA consciousness is immortal, and there’s much more to life than what we perceive as humans.

Author goes on to explain how we are a small part of the great universe and that everything we do is just a fraction of the greater plan by the cosmos.

Book states that according to Vedanta, in times of crisis, a good leader would evoke the feeling of fellowship in the team mates. The feeling of Sadbhava and Sahakarya. If work-life is a battle, the force to function as one singular entity, with fellowship, is utmost importance. It is very essential, to understand this concept of mutual support. Author explains how a good team is supposed to be. i.e an organic whole that is deeply rooted in an interdependency of friendship.

I liked how minute details about leadership are also explained in this book. Example, most communication between people is non verbal- its through body language, which is energy more than anything else. A good leader must seek to address that than anything else – to create a fellowship, a sense of care within the team.

The book further delves into ways to create inner joy for outer affluence and ability to rise amidst crisis and tough situations. Author gives the example of Lotus and Swan being greatest symbols of thriving leadership. Just like how swans keep moving seeking clear water, depicts how a leadership should aspire for greatness. How Lotus blooms even in the dirtiest of locations, shows how inner peace and positivity can bloom you personally even in worst situations around you.

Vedanta has some really heavy chapters as well. By heavy I mean, chapters which would make you sit and think on it. This book doesn’t seem to me as a book to read fast and finish. Every paragraph needs to be pondered upon. Every chapter makes a lasting impression on the mind. It makes you question different ideas about life.

There are many chapters in this book which would compel you to highlight them. The language used is extremely lucid and narration is simple. I would’ve liked if author would’ve touched some topics more deeply though. Some of the chapters are amazing whereas some seem flat.

One of my favourite chapters was The visionary Leader. It talks about how a leader should be open to change and also motivate the team mates to be open to newness. What differentiates a visionary leader from the rest is that they are not attached to their past. What a beautiful thought, indeed.

Ratings:

Cover: 4/ 5 Stars

Narration: 3.5/ 5 Stars

Learning Quotient: 4/ 5 Stars

Content: 4/ 5 Stars

The LazyScoop Rating: 4/ 5 Stars

The LazyScoop Verdict:

This book is filled with ever green lessons. If you are a leader or a person aspiring to lead, this book will teach you many important lessons to remember for life.

You can buy this book by clicking on this link!

I shall see you soon with a new book very soon. Till then, keep Reading.

Love,

Pratik Jadhav

Vivekananda: Spirituality for Leadership and Success by Pranay Book Review.

Vivekananda is name that doesn’t need any introduction. The name is itself enough to pique the interest of the readers. Although I’ve been familiar with some of his values and teachings since school days, only little was known about his life and outlook, and I expected this book to give me that. Did the book justify the name it carries? Let’s find out!

Blurb:

Swami Vivekananda a reformer and spiritual leader who was a key figure in the revival of Hinduism and in introducing it to the Western world, Swami Vivekananda has been an inspiration to people globally. He stood for fearless and all-round leadership success, and his teachings and writings have had a profound impact on many prominent leaders. The pages of this book are filled with the deepest insights of this great mystic genius, and with the authors unique take on them. Imbibe the lessons delineated in this book, and you will see that everything good leadership capabilities, limitless personal excellence, to well-being in every part of life—will be yours.

The LazyScoop Review:

The cover of this book is minimalistic yet attractive, the graphic impression of Swami Vivekananda looks amazing. Having read 2 books in this series by Pranay, I’ve understood that even though the books being named Vivekananda, Gita, Hinduism etc, they are insights about leadership teachings derived from these people and religions, these books are not biographies about them. Anyone who buys this book thinking that he would get to know more about Vivekanda’s life from start to end would be quite disappointed as this book is more about leadership qualities which we can Learn from Swami Vivekananda.

So keeping this thing in my mind, I read this book and I must say, it offers a lot of teachings which can up your leadership game in any field.

Author Pranay starts the book stating how Swami Vivekananda has influenced not only Indians but people worldwide. From Dr. John D. Rockefeller to Nikola Tesla, everyone owes a part of their success to the priceless teachings from Swami Vivekananda. He explains how Jamshethji Tata created Easter World’s most pioneering scientific research institute apart from putting his mind to modern industry after having a detailed conversation with Vivekananda. How the charitable nature of Bill Gates and Warren Buffet are hugely influenced by Swami Vivekanda’s teachings is also stated in this book. Writer explains why Swami believed that confirming to Ideologies leads to inferiority complex because it limits a person’s actions and thoughts. Vivekananda believed that being free of ideologies enables a person to look at challenges with more open mind and come with more tailored precise solutions.  

Dare to be free, dare to go as far as the thoughts lead, and dare to carry that out in your life.

Swami Vivekananda

I really liked a line from the book-‘Real religion lies in renouncing our attachment to our work.’, The book says that our work is actually just a small part of a greater goal of cosmos. Swami believed the concept of Leela by Lord Krishna, which says that everything we do is a playful of the divine, and we are only the channels though which this play is enacted. Having this belief allows us to enjoy our work as it being a play of the universe. Swami believed that whenever we complete a work, we should terminate the feeling of doing something great, or it may result in ego. It should be done without a sense of ‘doership’. This really made sense. I completely agree that lot of people at work are egoistic about completing certain tasks which require greater expertise, I think they should be humble about it and teach others as well so that the task becomes more achievable for the whole team.

There are lot of such great eye opening lessons in this book which really makes you question lot of your past beliefs. e.g in one of the chapters the authors states about Vivekananda’s Vedantic credo i.e. He believed that truly great people no matter in what spheres of life always have a sense of detachment. This creates a sense of clarity and dynamism. He further explains how being possessive obstructs you from being open to change. How possessiveness leads to fights with your own thoughts. This can also be evidently seen in many breaking relationships. The main reason behind their breaking is being super possessive.

There are many such great lessons to learn from this book such as Why it is important to rely on your individuality and not your ego, how to realize your own potential/ worthiness( in swami’s language – ‘Atma Mulya’, The power of sharing with open heart, how love is the greatest secret of leadership charisma and much more.

The LazyScoop Rating:

Cover: 3/ 5 Stars

Language: 4/ 5 Stars

Narration: 3.5/ 5 Stars

Learning Quotient: 4/ 5 Stars

Content: 3.5/ 5 Stars

The LazyScoop Rating: 4/ 5 Stars

The LazyScoop Verdict:

Vivekananda by Pranay is an easy to understand guide for all who seek leadership knowledge. Even after you’ve done reading it, you can open any chapter and get a life lesson, the book is written in such way. This book is not about Swami’s life. It’s about his thought process, what ideas he believed in, what was his mindset and how all of it can improve your leadership skills. Read it and amplify your leadership game.

You can buy this book by clicking the above image.

I shall see you around with a new book very soon. Till then,

Happy Reading,

Pratik Jadhav

Buddha: Spirituality for Leadership and Success by Pranay Book Review

Buddha and his teachings are well known by almost everyone. His story and how he realised the deep secrets of human behaviour always had me interested in him. This book was an opportunity to know what Buddha’s teachings have to offer as far as leadership skills are concerned. Was it really a learning experience for me ? Let’s find out !

Blurb:

‘I teach because you and all beings want to have happiness and want to avoid suffering. I teach the way things are.’ – Buddha

Buddha is inarguably one of the most influential figures in world history. Over 2500 years ago, this extraordinary man founded the path of Buddhism that encompasses all his valuable teachings. Today, Buddhism is practised predominantly in East and Southeast Asia, and is growing its influence in the West and globally. Buddhism and its tenets have been extolled for its virtues by many great leaders. Even though Buddha never saw himself as a leader, never aspired to be a leader, he continues to be a constant source of inspiration and guidance for many world leaders today. This book is filled with many profound, philosophical yet practical teachings of the Buddha, and lessons that can be learnt from them to be an effective, efficient, and excellent leader and to achieve true success in life.

The LazyScoop Review:

The first chapter itself explains the importance of careing for the team. I like how Pranay explains from the team perspective. The need to have empathy for team members and respect for the leader is wonderfully stated. I got to learn about ‘Boddhisatva’ as well as buddha’s monastic order or ‘Sangha’. It was quite new for me. It basically stands as a template for how a group or team can be together in harmony.

In one of my most favourite chapters, it has been said that actions taken from silence of being(Sheetalta/ sitibhava) and coolness of being, are much more powerful than actions taken from noise of the mind, of anxiety, confusion and so on. This is one of the most profound teaching of the Buddha to the world. I couldn’t agree more, it immediately reminded me of Captain Cool AKA M.S Dhoni. The innumerable times he has been super cool even in difficult situations on field, and have contributed hugely to the wins is a concrete example of this teaching.

Writer explains the importance of having a positive self esteem, he gives the example of Hitler and how his leadership was more of a dictatorship and thus had proven destructive for the world. He explains the difference between self esteem and ego, and how the latter is dangerous for a leader and humanity on a whole.

Throughout the chapters some you’ll get to learn many teachings to help you excel in leadership. You’ll learn about growing inner power, how to balance speed at work, how to nourish the inner state to begin the harmony, trusting your own experience, why does how we live matters more than what we desire, going from thoughts to awareness, how self awareness and invoking the inner strenth leads to a great leadership path, how ordinary leaders lead through fear and great one’s through vision.

The best thing about this book is simplicity of language, elaboration of points and teachings. The language used is lucid, narration is to the point. The only thing which lacked in this book is depth in some chapters. The examples had to be more in depth or else the explanation seems flat. It feels as if writer is just saying things without proper examples. However, this happens in few chapters.

Ratings:

Cover: 3.5/ 5 Stars

Narration: 3.5/ 5 Stars

Content: 3/ 5 Stars

Depth: 2.5/ 5 Stars

Knowledge Quotient: 3.5/ 5 Stars

The LazyScoop Rating: 3.5/ 5 Stars

The LazyScoop verdict:

Buddha: Spirituality for leadership and success is a book which provides you the great Buddha’s perspective for excelling in leadership. Many of his teachings are explained in this book which would help you in all walks of life. Read it to enhance your leadership skills.

You can order this book by clicking on this link!

See you next time with another exciting book!

Happy Reading,

Pratik Jadhav

Hinduism by Pranay Book Review

Writing a book on a culture or religion is always risky. There’s always a risk of being judged the wrong way by the devotees. The title of this book was enough to intrigue me to know what has been written about my religion. Was my curiosity worth it ? Let’s find out.

Blurb:

Dating back thousands of years, Hinduism is one of the oldest spiritual paths, and is also the third-largest religion of the world. For millions, it is a way of life. Diverse and multi-layered, Hinduism has always been a rich source of wisdom over the ages. Drawing from this great path and its profound teachings that are especially relevant for current times, the author has presented his original insights that will help people become more effective and powerful leaders. The leadership and success lessons that the author reveals in this empowering and must-have guide are also crucial for improvement of everyday life, for inner peace and fulfilment of the individual, and for spiritual progress and happiness.

The LazyScoop Review:

Hinduism by Pranay is like a box full of gems. Pranay gives the greatest life lessons in the most practical way. Each chapter derives examples from the hindu culture, stories and mythology. The points stated are so relatable that you would actually feel motivated enough to apply them thereafter.

Pranay gives some great examples from hindu epics such as Ramayana and Mahabharata about how sacrifice of ego can help in evolving of true leadership qualities in a person. A real king or leader treates everyone, including him equally.

He compares the behaviour pattern of eastern and western countries. How east has always laid more emphasis on spirituality as compared to west’s idea of materialistic power, has been beautifully explained. Author states the importance of being balanced in the outlook to become a true leader.

One of the many chapters I loved was ‘Co-operation: The key to team spirit’. I think this chapter is gold for everyone who is living a corporate world. Whether an employee or an employer, the best way to bring out great results is described amazingly in this chapter. Trust me, it helped me with my ambiguity related to my seniors.

In of the chapters, writer lays emphasis on the importance of being like a water. Completely flexible and adaptable to change.
Another teaching I liked from this book is how author explains that we all have inner calling, we are all part of the divine fabric. And we must contribute to each other by doing what our divine self wants to do from within.

I liked how author dives deeply and explores the similarity betwen Krishna and Jesus, even Kans and King Herod. This made me ponder about many such similarities our hindu mythology has with even Greek mythology. (e.g Lord Indra and Thor, etc. Some even compare Indra with Loki, for being mischievous.)

Writer gives great examples to make reader understand the logic behind his thoughts. The soul of this book is Hinduism and it’s principles for leadership and success. This book would prove useful for all people from all walks of life.

The language used is lucid, and writing flows like a breeze. This book has to be devoured slowly like a wine. Pondering upon each chapter, putting the learned principle into action. Author doesn’t drag any point and explains with apt examples.

The Ratings:

Cover: 4/ 5 Stars

Narration: 4/ 5 Stars

Language: 4.5/ 5 Stars

Learning Quotient: 4/ 5 Stars

The LazyScoop Rating: 4/ 5 Stars

The LazyScoop Verdict:

This book is treasure for all who seek spiritual understanding for being a great leader. Doesn’t matter, a leader from corporate world or any field you are in. Doesn’t matter if your designation is not that of a leader. This book will guide you to lead in whatever you do and excel in it. There are no unreasonable explanation given. The teachings are explained simply and beautifully in a way that will be remembered with examples from the past hindu mythology.

Read it if you want to grow from within.

You can buy this book by clicking on this link!

I’ll be back with another book review. Till then keep reading, keep growing.

Love,

Pratik Jadhav