Affordable innovation through ‘JUGAAD’

JUGAAD = an Indian slang word pronounced as "joo-gaard"

Jugaad is a term applied to a creative or innovative idea providing a quick, alternative way of solving or fixing a problem. Jugaad literally means an improvised arrangement or work-around, which has to be used because of lack of resources - Wikipedia

The usage of this term is sourced from India where farmers were building makeshift trucks powered by agricultural water-pump engines. These small contraptions came to be known as jugaad. Then there was the television antenna created out of metal clothes hangers, the electric iron that flipped over to become a stove, the bucket with tiny holes that when hung up high, turned into a shower. So, jugaad,

when considered as a verb instead of a noun means to be innovative despite scarcity or to be resourceful even when the odds are against you.

This term recently entered the lexicon of consultants, along with six sigma, total quality, lean, kaizen, etc. A key difference - Lean is supply-side focused; whereas Jugaad is primarily demand-side focused. A ‘jugaad’ mindset strives to create products and services that score high on three attributes: affordability, quality, and sustainability.

In a business context, jugaad is a frugal, flexible, and inclusive approach to problem solving and innovation. It can be considered as an approach to develop products that cost a fraction but offer enough value to attract demand.

Jugaad can also be used in day to day management. We may sometimes be tightly bound by our stringent processes & rigid structures and get constrained by rules. In this context, jugaad could be a sort of out-of-the-box and network-style thinking that could serve us well in times of change, crisis and in extreme circumstances. It implies using strong collaborative skills, an open mindset, and boundless flexibility. Thus, jugaad works as a ‘soft competitive edge’ in business.

Caveat: Jugaad may not be applicable for solving systemic issues which need root-cause analysis. It might be ineffective for changing deep-seated beliefs. Jugaad is not a transformative approach. Instead, it could be considered as an improvisational or makeshift style of innovation due to scarce resources.

Principles of jugaad:

1. Frugal. Do more with less and it doesn’t have to cost a lot

2. Agility. Instead of over-engineering, prioritize what is most critical and aim for the low-hanging fruit

3. Simplicity. Less is more, and sometimes the best ideas are the simplest

4. Thinking laterally. Don’t get constrained by the odds against you, and explore alternatives

Mantra for Jugaad: Think laterally, keep it simple, and do more with less

Resilience enabled my inner growth

Resilience enabled my inner growth

Resilience ***

*** getting stronger with every challenge and overcoming them

*** continuing when times are tough, and you’ve experienced some failures

*** enduring challenges with an optimistic view for a better outcome

Resilience is not cultivated in favorable conditions. During moments of adversity, an individual introspects the reasons for the occurrence, sees the bigger picture, and learns to adjust. This build effective resilience.

Sharing my experience of developing resilience when I was faced with adversities and how it helped me in bouncing back from my failures.

After acquiring my degree in engineering and a brief stint as a hands-on technical engineer’s role in a systems integration company, I decided to take up a role in sales. In an extremely competitive market space, I had to quickly learn various soft skills such as building rapport, presenting, persuading, negotiating, etc.

During these years, I worked in some organizations wherein I was subjected to unrealistic revenue targets, demanding timelines, and destructive criticism from bosses. At times when I couldn’t achieve sales targets, I pondered over the events and analyzed the factors involved. I segregated the occurring failure from my effort towards the goal. This enabled me to fortify my self-worth and helped me reframe the situation. What is done by others may not always be governed or controlled by me. However, the aspects that are in my control were how I think, speak, communicate, follow-through, and collaborate.

While many external factors were at play, in my mind’s eye I kept an optimistic viewpoint. I envisioned a future wherein I would gain respect through my work and positive contribution in the community. I trusted my ability to learn and find a way to surmount my hurdles. This belief helped me to endure tough times.

I realized that the common denominator underlining the path for my success was in maintaining high self-esteem, learning from setbacks, and improvising my approach. I was sure that when my intentions, optimistic attitude, and efforts are in alignment; then success and victory would eventually happen. These habits empowered me to relentlessly pursue my goals with zeal.

As per my observation, emotional resiliency is a mandatory skill for any leader as it enhances their capacity for mentoring.

According to the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute: As adversity presents itself, pushing to expand your emotional capacity by training and ‘flexing your muscles’ of self-control, empathy or patience during these storms, your ability to adapt to and interpret these storms in a positive way may result in you becoming more resilient in any future storms you encounter.

Framework for becoming resilient:

Reflection: meditation and journaling, pondering on recent occurrences in a constructive & non-judgmental manner.

Reframe: reassessing the situation, becoming less rigid in the approach, adopting flexible thinking patterns, exploring creative alternatives & newer pathways.

Reassure: believing in yourself, your unique talents and gifts, having faith in your ability to find a solution, and maintaining a positive outlook for the outcome.

Resolve: breeding inner confidence, pursuing your goals with full gusto, developing a growth mindset.

Quote: “The season of failure is the best time for sowing the seeds of success” – Yogananda