Mumbai : For a writer, the process of writing is a lumpy affair. It is like tyranny – it captures your mind but does not move your hand, exclaimed renowned writer R Gopalakrishnan, Director, Tata Sons, when asked to recount his experiences as a writer.
Speaking at the release of his fifth book: ‘Six Lenses – Vignettes of Success, Career and Relationships’, Gopalkrishnan said he draws from lessons his own life has taught him in his new book. He said: “It gives me immense pleasure to launch a book that addresses some of the most fundamental challenges we are facing currently.” Six Lenses was launched on Friday evening by Cyrus P Mistry, Chairman of Tata Sons.
Gopalkrishnan said even though the inspiration for this book comes from his life and family’s experiences, there is also an academic genesis to the book. This lies in a study conducted by two psychologists from Stanford University, who narrowed down precisely six human emotions that affects the decisions humans take. He narrowed down to precisely ‘six’ lenses though which reality is perceived by humans, from over eleven hundred alternatives. He chose the lenses of Purpose, Authenticity, Courage, Trust, Luck and fulfillment on the basis of the study.
Gopalkrishnan also drew from the Vedantic idea of myth and reality to conclude in his book that the idea of reality does not exist and that all man sees is through his perception of the world around him. Since two men may recount different versions of the same experience or event, reality cannot exist, he said.
“The basis of my book is the contention that perceptions can be altered to achieve a desired result. Every choice man makes has an outcome, which can be controlled by the individual who makes the choice in the first place,” he said. According to him, by altering our perceptions, we can overcome challenges we face in professional and family life in a better manner.
Giving insights into the book, Gopalkrishnan said, “I have drawn examples from all walks of life, from religion to invention and technology to history. To prove my point that no two people perceive the same reality, I have resorted to the example of Mahatma Gandhi’s relationship with Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhash Chandra Bose. One idealized the man and the other called him a threat to the nation.”
Gopalkrishnan is the author of four other bestsellers – The Case of the Bonsai Manager: Lessons for Managers on Intuition, When the Penny Drops: Learning What is Not Taught, What the CEO Really Wants from You: The 4As for Managerial Success and A Comma in a Sentence: The Extraordinary Story of an Ordinary Family over Six Generations.
