Anupam- The Dreamer

Ask any kid aged more than 10 years old about the “Strait of Hormuz” now and he/she will tell you where it is and what is its significance in the energy security of the world! Basically, it is a choke point or a bottleneck passage connecting the Gulf of Persia with the Indian Ocean, through which about 25% of the world’s crude oil shipment passes. If this bottleneck was not there in the waters, then the course of the ongoing US-Israel-Iran war could have been very different. But, it is a geographical feature that nobody can change, hence its importance in this war and for the world’s energy security at large.

The key point here is- BOTTLENECK! I first heard about this term during my training at TATA Steel in Jamshedpur plant. We were taught the importance of identifying “bottlenecks” in the process flow during Total Quality Management (TQM) lectures and try to remove them for a greater output. In easy terms, you can imagine a highway which is 4-lane wide. The output of the highway is the amount of traffic flow per minute. If due to an accident, suppose 2-lanes are closed, then the smooth traffic flow is disrupted at the site of accident, which becomes a “bottleneck”. Because this point will now determine the overall flow of traffic on the highway. It is literally like the neck of the bottle which determines the overall flow of fluid from a bottle, as shown below:

A literal bottleneck

So, the overall focus in TQM is to remove bottlenecks! There is no need to focus much on other areas as they are not a cause for concern. Once bottleneck is removed, then the flow increases and output increases.

One Chief of Raw Material Handling Section (which handled millions of tons of coal, limestone and iron ore) during In-plant training asked our group of 5 trainees “What is the purpose of your life?” The question got us all thinking because such a deep question was not expected by any of us. After we all answered something, I asked the Chief “Sir, what is the purpose of your life?” And you know what he answered? He replied- “TO DE-BOTTLENECK PEOPLE”! That was an amazing purpose- to debottleneck people, meaning to remove the problems in the life of the people around him. The purpose was visionary, it was insightful, it was elevating, it was not selfish, it was altruistic, it was relevant to every aspect of life, it was futuristic and eternal! I was superbly amazed by his answer.

If we can take a clue from what the Chief said, we should try to remove bottlenecks in our life. For example, you know that while performing office tasks, there is an area which could impede the work flow. So, as an officer/manager, you core task is to work upon that bottleneck area and put maximum resources to address that bottleneck. If you try to spread your resources thin over every other area, then the bottleneck will not get the required attention and consequently your workflow will suffer. Even away from the office, there can be bottlenecks in the supply of essential items in your home. So, you have to be extra prepared for procurement of those essential items. We shouldn’t need a crisis situation to realize what are the bottleneck things which could turn our life upside down. Water is an example! Electricity is another example! And so on…Even in your daily schedule, you could identify events which determine the overall pace of your things. Aap chronology samajhiye- first you have to identify the bottleneck, then determine what resources are required to elevate it, then you have to put those resources to work, and continuously monitor the progress, and see if new bottlenecks emerge, and so on…

So, have you identified your “bottlenecks”?