Getting Basics Right : DPSA personality model

 BMR stands for Basal Metabolic Rate and it is defined as the amount of energy required to carry out basic functions like breathing and keeping your heart beating. So it is a measure based on a formula. 

Is this relevant to this blog  the answer is Yes and No as BMR seems quite complicated and has no practical value. But this acronym was a short form for "Basics me raada". We meant that students of studious nature always try to give high flown complicated answers to simple problems without understanding the basics. For medical graduates from Mumbai this was applicable to students of the top ranking medical college Seth GS Medical college and KEM Hospital when compared with us lesser mortals from Grant Medical College and JJ hospital. 

The reason for choosing this topic is that increasingly we are facing a problem in all fields of life where the packaging of ideas concepts and theories take precedence over the practical aspects of getting things right from the bottom grass root level. 

The devil lies in the details and all the planning analysis and excel sheets go into the dustbin if the basic data fed is wrong or erroneous. The last blog whole numbers half truths illustrates this in a big way. In my personal experience I have realised that while I have a tendency to imagine ideas and concepts, I need people on the ground who can implement them. In any organization there are four types of persons the drivers, promoters,analyzers and supporters. Among all these the final and most basic component which makes the wheels of an organization run are the actual doers. 

So when we build institutions and work towards lofty goals we look high at the sky and in our upward graze we forget to glance down and check weather what we instruct and tell our staff is percolating to the last mile and reaching every person down the line. Are ideas and concepts at the highest level reaching the base of the pyramid? 

Personality Types are described but are not water tight comparisons. We are a mix of all 4 types, and using strengths and avoiding the weaknesses the different types reveal we can progress in any organization. 

Today, my lament is that we need foot soldiers and the doers. There is a place for drivers but not for reckless ones who are a danger to an organisation even though they maybe successful in the short run. There is a place for the promoters who are good in projecting the organisation in good light but not the pretenders who dazzle without actually performing. There is a place for analysers but not ones who analyse so much that they paralyse the organization looking for perfection at the cost of progress. There are the last category of personalities who like to be led rather than lead and they are the doers or supporters who efficiently get the job done as instructed but cannot be creative. 

This blog has got prompted by an incident where to my dismay basic monitoring of a patient was neglected.  The lapse had occurred on account of lack of training and not following laid down processes. Many of us are creatures of habit simply because we are either lazy or not quality conscious. Our nation is full of undisciplined laissez faire attitude persons and this gets reflected in the performance of many. 

The solution lies in ensuring that the drivers are reined in by the analysers and the promoters ensure that they introspect and value the supporters. In turn the supporters must at times promote and project themselves. The analyzers in turn must also facilitate the drivers and supporters. I think I have created a muddle and instead of clarity created confusion. Essentially each personality type needs to imbibe what they lack and subdue what they have to achieve a fine balance and success. 

So back to the basics is the mantra and "Keep it Simple Sir" is the motto. 

Vispi Jokhi