DIMENSIONS VOL.11, ISSUE 2, FEB 2019

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Pro ject Management Consul tants Pvt . L td

IN This Issue FROM THE MANAGING

DIRECTOR’S DESK

EDITOR’S NOTE

MILESTONES

DAMPNESS IN BUILDINGS

LEGAL – DISPUTES &

TERMINATION OF

CONTRACTS

SOFT SKILLS FOR ENGINEERS

PALAK PARANTHA

APPENDIX

Cover page photo: Architect’s impression of a completed PES University, Bangalore

THE ISSUE OF DIMENSIONS IS FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION ONLY

Managing Client

Expectations:

Quite often, I have been stressing the

importance of maintaining client

relationship and meeting client

expectations through constant

contact.

The question of managing

expectations boils down to two things:

(1) Keep communicating; and (2) Do

what we said we would, by the

deadline we agree.

During an ongoing job, it is worth

keeping in touch with our client on a

regular basis, possibly even weekly.

Let them know about progress, send

them interim versions of documents or

programs, and generally keep them

posted about what is happening. This

will avoid: (1) Their worrying that we

are not doing the work and stressing

us at inconvenient times; and (2) Our

doing a lot of work that is not quite

right and will need to be revised later.

Regular contact means that we will

be aware immediately if anything

changes, and can react to it. It also

means that we are in a better position

to discuss changes to deadlines if the

work scope increases, and/or we

suddenly have a lot more work to

manage.

It is also important to deliver on our

promises, whether quality, quantity or

time-related.

This means sending the work,

completed to the required and

agreed standard, by the agreed

deadline. It also, however, means

following up any promises we made

to keep in touch, or to invoice

monthly, or anything else.

We have an agreement, and it is

essential to meet it.

For example, if we agreed that we

would invoice 24 hours after we have

sent the final version of the work,

provided that they had not been in

touch to say that they needed more

work, then do so.

Read more

at: https://www.skillsweneed.com/lea

d/freelancer-managing-client-

relationships.html

We have recently subscribed to a

quarterly journal dedicated to Building

Services. In his editorial message, Ar. N

Mahesh observes that the efficacy of

Building Services substantially

determines the success of any

building. Since the plan of the editorial

team is to make each issue a

Collector’s item, it is good to have a

copy of all the articles with us.

This inaugural issue contains several

excellent articles such as Indoor Air

Quality, Basics of Lightning protection

& Chilled Beam Air-conditioning

System.

The Journal is available with Natarajan

at HO and could be borrowed for

reading by whoever interested.

FROM THE MANAGING DIRECTOR’S DESK Editor’s Note

DIMENSIONS VOL.11, ISSUE 2, FEB 2019 2

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Pro ject Management Consul tants Pvt . L td

Birthdays in the month of March

SWASTIKA PRADHAN,

Bangalore HO, 8th

RAVINDRA MIKKERE, VBIS –Karjat, 10th

MOHAMMAD RIZWAN R, Bangalore HO, 15th

ROY ZACHARIAS, Bangalore HO, 16th

Birthday celebrations – February 2019

Achyut’s (extreme right) birthday was

celebrated after office hours since he had

gone out for an inspection early in the day

R Suresha wishing Achyut

Birthday of ANP’s grandson Maxmillian was

celebrated on the 27th.

Nemmadi Activities

Suhas N M of Nemmadi being

congratulated by R Suresha for completing

100 inspections individually

Prizes

The prize for the Best Answer to the

question asked in the last issue of

Dimensions was awarded to Siva Rama

Krishna A of Jayabheri, Vijayawada

Siva Rama Krishna from Jayabheri – The

Capital site (Vijayawada) receives the

prize from B L Suresh

Gifts: The MD’s Gift to Balasubramanya

was handed over later as he was at a site.

Balasubranya receiving the gift from Uday

Prakash

Workshop:

Future Ready Learning Solutions

conducted a workshop on "The Art of

Growing Your Money" as part of the

Investor Awareness Program

mandated by SEBI. The session is

aimed to encourage and educate

the workforce on financial and

investment planning.

Sessions have been conducted in

many companies. It was conducted

free of charge at ANPCPMC premises.

“Change is the only constant in life”,

with this as her mantra, Jayshree

Mehta is on a mission to help people

review and realize their financial

dreams.

As Financial Trainer and Coach, she

has helped over 12000 families in

achieving financial freedom over a

period of 15 years.

She is the founder of Future Ready

Learning Solutions, a company purely

into financial trainings and coaching

for corporate employees and

individuals on enhancing their

financial literacy. They have

conducted more than 1000 plus

workshops PAN India.

She has been certified by The

American College & Indian Institute

for Financial Management in

Professional Ethics and Compliance,

Sales & Marketing and Retirement

Planning.

To know more, kindly get in touch with

Jayshree Mehta Ph: 09342527560

Jayashree Mehta being welcomed by

Megha Muppadi

MILESTONES

DIMENSIONS VOL.11, ISSUE 2, FEB 2019 3

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Pro ject Management Consul tants Pvt . L td

Jayashree Mehta explaining about the

"The Art of Growing Your Money"

Jayashree Mehta continues speaking

A N Prakash gives his views on the subject

R Suresha thanking Jayashree Mehta at

the end of the session

Orientation:

R Suresha conducts the Orientation

program at HO for new employees

News from the Sites

CMR Hostel, Bangalore

Vice President of India Shri M. Venkaiah

Naidu inaugurated CMR University Campus

in Bengaluru on February 10, 2019.

The Vice President inaugurating the CMR

University Campus

The Vice President unveiling the plaque to

inaugurate the CMR University Campus

Jayabheri – The Capital,

Vijayawada

Skipping Competition Effect

Siva Rama Krishna A of Jayabheri –

Vijayawada thanks the organizers of

the Skipping Competition since he has

reduced his weight by 2 kg while

practicing for the competition.

Mass Tool Box / Condolence Meeting

Shaikh Abid Ali conducting the Tool Box

Meeting

Shaikh Abid Ali conducted a Mass

Tool Box Meeting on the 16 Feb. After

the meeting, as a mark of respect to

those who lost their lives in the

Pulwama incident, a two minute

silence was observed.

An aerial view of the Tool Box Meeting from

the second floor

A closer view of the Tool Box Meeting

It is raining baby boys for Jayabheri – The

Capital staff

Ananda with his baby boy

Jagadish with his baby boy Kavish

DIMENSIONS VOL.11, ISSUE 2, FEB 2019 4

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Pro ject Management Consul tants Pvt . L td

Know Your Colleague

Sree Kumar K G, Bravely facing

the Toil and Strife

Born and brought up in Fraser town

during the good old lazy days of the

seventies when everything moved at

a slow, slow pace, Sree Kumar’s eyes

wells up as he sometimes walks on the

road he then lived and does not find

even the traces of the building he

stayed in and the surroundings

grounds he played in.

But not everything has changed so

drastically - like the school he studied

in - St. Germains, which still stands like

a solid rock although not without

minor changes.

St. Germains school as it looked when

Sree Kumar studied there.

After schooling, Sree Kumar studied at

Sri Jayachamarajendra Polytechnic

(SJP) which is still going strong. It is the

same about his wife Brinda’s Alma

Mater - Maharani’s college, next door

to SJP.

SJ Polytechnic in the days when Sree

Kumar studied. Note the absence of

any traffic.

Sree Kumar’s wife Brinda, after

graduation from Maharani’s College,

Bangalore has done an MBA and

teacher’s training course. Now she

works as a teacher at the Police

Public School near home

(Koramangala).

Sree Kumar with wife Brinda during one of

their temple visits

We are not able to show any

childhood photos of Sree Kumar since

it all got burnt down one day

decades ago when his cot caught fire

from the sparks which fell from the

agarbati he had lit to do the puja.

Sree Kumar believes that incident to

be an omen signaling the start of trials

great or small which was to visit him. It

turned out to be true, the happy early

days was over, after which he has

spent years battling problems of all

sorts with the no light still being seen at

the end of the tunnel.

Elder son S.B Sagar is studying the

tenth standard at Baldwin Boy’s High

School.

Elder son S.B Sagar posing with the prizes

won in sports (best sportsman of the year)

Now that Sagar is writing the tenth

standard exams, Sree Kumar is worried

and hoping that the results would be

as good as his sports achievements

since he feels that excellent marks in

academics is as important as being

good at sports.

Younger son Samridh who is in the

third standard at Baldwin’s Boy’s

school has a liking for music and plays

on the keyboard.

Younger son S B Samridh on the keyboard

An additional bonus to wife Brinda’s

earnings (the color of which money

he has not seen so far) is her talents in

drawing.

Sree Kumar with family

With every member of the family

being talented in someway, Sree

Kumar does not think it necessary to

develop any special talent himself

and so just relaxes by reading,

watching current affairs news &

movies and spending time with the

younger son, walking in the park and

so on.

Why spending time with only the

younger son, one may ask? That is

because a child when young thinks

that a father knows so much. Later,

the same boy (or girl) feels that the

Father knows so little.

Sree Kumar has now worked for 6

years with ANPCPMC, having stayed

for some time at the Hassan project

(Himmatsingka) too.

Sree Kumar at the recently completed

CMR Ekya school at Byrathi, B’lore

DIMENSIONS VOL.11, ISSUE 2, FEB 2019 5

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Pro ject Management Consul tants Pvt . L td

DAMPNESS IN BUILDINGS This is the first of a two part article by Dr.

Arjun Dass, published by him with

permission from the Director, Central

Building Research Institute, Roorkee

Dampness in building – a general

appraisal of its causes and

remedies

Dampness is caused in the building

mostly due to factors of omission or

commission. Many features of old

buildings which used to act as

safeguards against the entry of water

into it are found missing in modern

constructions. Little heed is paid to

the importance of supervision at the

construction stage. These factors

have contributed to the excessive

incidence of dampness in new

buildings. Removal of dampness from

an existing building is not only costly in

terms of money, time and effort but

limits the scope of a permanent

solution to the problem as well.

Correct diagnosis of the causes of

dampness is essential before adopting

any remedial measures for its removal.

Most common causes and remedies

have been given in this paper.

INTRODUCTION

Dampness is undoubtedly the worst

problem in a building and water is its

biggest single enemy. Other agencies

responsible for weathering and

deterioration of building materials

such as ultraviolet light, heat, termites

and salts remain ineffective if water is

not present. Most of the troubles

which occur in a building are,

therefore, directly or indirectly

associated with water. Dampness

may cause the plaster to become soft

and crumble. It may bring about the

development of mold growth which

creates stinking and unhygienic

atmosphere inside the building.

Blistering and ugly marks on painted

surfaces, flaking and disfiguring of

coatings and deposition of

efflorescent salts are common effects

of dampness. These troubles are a

constant drain on maintenance funds

and time, besides being a constant

source of discomfort and mental

irritation to the occupants.

DIAGNOSIS OF DAMPNESS

When dealing with dampness it is

essential to diagnose its causes

correctly. The remedy may or may

not be simple but the reasons due to

which the problem has come up must

definitely be established. In the first

instance not many materials are

available commercially to deal with

the problem with ease and from all

angles. Generally steps are taken to

rectify the defect in ad hoc manner

depending upon the means and

materials available. Second, a

treatment which is successful in one

case may not be successful in the

other and occasionally may cause

more harm by aggravating the

trouble. If the real cause of the

trouble becomes known, the person

dealing with the problem will be able

to rectify the defect more easily with

the means available to him. It is,

therefore, important that every case of

dampness is considered individually.

A careful and thorough examination

of the trouble should be made before

deciding on any course of remedial

measures.

To begin with, it is necessary to

consider whether the structure is

comparatively new or an old one.

Factors which need specific attention

are the nature of defect and its

incidence. It should be seen whether

the defect is local or widespread; its

location whether restricted to outer

walls or inner walls and floors also;

lower portion of construction or over

the entire wall, near a door or window

opening or related places of structural

features, etc. It should be

investigated if the intensity or behavior

of the trouble varies with the

atmospheric or weather conditions

such as degree of rainfall, humidity

and temperature. These

investigations if carried out properly

can provide clue to the possible

cause or causes of the problem.

Main causes of the dampness are:

Inspection for dampness being done

by Manikant of Nemmadi Team

i. Direct rain penetration;

ii. Water from other sources

such as defective pipes and

gutters, etc;

iii. Moisture already existing in

the structure if it is new;

iv. Moisture rising from the

ground;

v. Dampness due to the

presence of hygroscopic salts;

and

vi. Dampness due to the

condensation of water vapor

inside the structure.

Often it has been found that the

trouble arises from a combination of

two or more factors.

CAUSES AND DAMPNESS AND THEIR

REMEDIES

The most frequent cause of dampness

is the direct entry of water into the

structure specially in the new ones.

There is a variety of conditions which

give rise to this trouble. Mainly these

are the faults of omission or

commission by the architects and

builders, faulty designs, use of

unsuitable materials and method of

construction, higher speed of

construction and over emphasis on

economy.

DIRECT RAIN PENETRATION

CRACKS IN NEW BUILDINGS

Cracks are increasingly becoming an

inevitable feature in modern

construction. These cracks may be

superficial or structural. Structural

cracks may be active or static. Active

cracks keep on widening while static

cracks once formed usually remain

dormant. There can be several

reasons for the development of

cracks in buildings. For example,

cracks in walls as well as roof slabs

can take place due to movements in

the soil below or around the

foundations. Besides atmospheric

conditions, excessive entry of water

into the foundations due to gardening

and from drainage and water pipes,

etc., results in the movement of soil.

Geological faults, vibrations due to

DIMENSIONS VOL.11, ISSUE 2, FEB 2019 6

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Pro ject Management Consul tants Pvt . L td

heavy traffic and machinery and

tremors also cause such faults.

Cracks due to drying shrinkage and

thermal movements in building

materials and components are of

common incidence. Different

building materials dry out to different

extent. Drying shrinkage affects

considerably several materials such as

lime based components, light weight

concrete products and cement

plaster. The extent of shrinkage

depends upon the cement and

water/cement ratio. Considerable

use of cement and steel is being

made in modern construction. These

materials possess high co-efficient of

expansion as compared to brick or

stone. Changes in temperature

induce stresses in building elements

which are partially or wholly

restrained. These stresses sometimes

result in serious types of cracks.

Cracks in the building also occur due

to wrong design and details thereof

such as abrupt changes in section,

long walls and roof slabs without

provision of expansion joints.

Use of sub-standard materials or

wrong use of otherwise good

materials may also be held

responsible for the incidence of

cracks in buildings. A wall absorbs

excessive amount of water if poor

quality bricks have been used with

weak mortar for joints. On the other

hand, combination of harder brick

with rich mortar also does not solve

the problem. Water enters into the

capillaries of joints without being

absorbed by the brick and mortar

because the rich mortar while drying

out shrinks more and forms

microscopic channels between itself

and the brick. Dense rendering,

which is otherwise an effective way of

preventing the entry of rainwater into

the inside of a structure, may become

a major source of dampness on inner

surface of the walls if somehow water

is able to penetrate through cracks

developed in it because of improper

curing, excessive steel-trowelling or by

thermal movements. This water gets

trapped there and its only way to

come out is through the inner side

where it shows permanent signs of

dampness.

OTHER SOURCES OF WATER

Water may enter into the building due

to omission of many features from the

modern construction, which helps to

shed rainwater as well as to allow

thermal movement to a reasonable

extent without showing surface

cracks. They include non-provision of

projections of various types such as

chajjas on the ventilators near the top

of the wall. Common faults in

construction are: resulting in retention

of water by the chajjas for longer

periods, embedding rainwater or

service pipes in walls with no provision

for cleaning, inspection or repair.

Structural movements in building may

cause fractures in pipes and failures of

joints, which feed water into the

building fabric.

REMEDIES

In order to remedy the defects

caused by the direct entry of water

into the building, external treatments

are generally preferred because

water in some form or the other will

continue to enter into it which is not

always desirable. Ideal treatments

are not possible in all cases because

of a variety of reasons including cost,

appearance, non-availability of best

materials, etc., but the measures most

commonly adopted in such cases are

filling up of cracks followed by re-

pointing, rendering, coating and roof

waterproofing.

REPAIRING OF CRACKS

Superficial cracks or fine cracks are

generally removed by such

treatments as white washing or other

coating compositions including soft

distempers, silicates and cement

paints. Static or dormant cracks

should be raked along the exposed

surface to a groove with a width of

15mm and depth of 10mm. These

should then be cleaned with water to

remove dirt and filled with a slightly

stiff paste of 1:2:9 cement, lime and

sand composite mortar with

compaction. In the absence of lime

1:6 cement, sand mortar with an

integral proofing compound can be

used. Active cracks should also be

raked or routed similarly in V-shaped

groove and cleaned preferably dry.

A suitable mastic composition should

then be filled into the groove after

priming it with liquid primer for better

contact with the surface. In case of

active cracks in roof slab, final

finishing of the groove should be done

with mastic in the shape of a hump

and thereafter a non-rigid

waterproofing treatment should be

given on the roof. Mastics usually

available are based on bitumen and

if they are to be used, the repair work

should preferably be carried out in

summer when the width of the crack is

maximum and the surface is free from

water or vapor layer. Polysulphide

materials are recently being

introduced which have excellent

elastic characteristics. Sealing by

epoxy mortars having 1:6 composition

(epoxy:hardener:sand) can be used

with advantage in both active as well

as dormant cracks. Epoxy possesses

excellent adhesive and sealing

properties although the cost of this

treatment is high. In case of cracks

due to foundation movements it is

always necessary to adopt preventive

measures simultaneously such as

checking the entry of water into the

foundation by providing ground cover

around the wall and leading the

water away from it by adequate

drainage.

REPOINTING AND RENDERING

Repointing is a great help in cases

where the entry of water is taking

place through porous joints in the wall.

Rendering should be resorted to if wall

materials are highly absorbent.

Mortar to be used for repointing

should not necessarily be stronger

than brick. Cement-lime-sand mix

1:2:6 is a suitable mortar for this

purpose. The joint should not be stuck

in such a way that it makes a ledge at

the bottom (overhand). The best form

of making joint is that it is forced well

and finished slightly concave. For

rendering 1:2:9 mix of cement, lime

and sand should be used. If,

however, lime is not available, use 1:3

mix for repointing and 1:6 mix for

rendering with integral water-proofer.

Thermographic Image being captured by

Shridhar of Nemmadi Team

DIMENSIONS VOL.11, ISSUE 2, FEB 2019 7

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Pro ject Management Consul tants Pvt . L td

LEGAL – DISPUTES & TERMINATION OF

CONTRACT

From an article by N N Shrikande

who lists the common causes behind

disputes and tips on how to minimize them:

Insufficient investigation and survey on

issues such as contours, type of strata,

subsoil water level, access to site,

availability of water, power etc., prior

to floating tenders or signing

contracts.

Tenders prepared at short notice,

resulting in omissions and errors, or

carelessly prepared tenders with

ambiguous stipulations.

Sketchy drawings, defective design

concepts, carelessly prepared

specifications and bill of quantities.

Delays in handing over project sites,

drawings or specifications.

Unrealistic time frame for completion

of project often imposed on

Contractors.

Escalation clause based on indices

that are not necessarily related to

engineering items.

Desperate quoting by Contractors in

order to get a job and then having

difficulty in meeting the requirements.

Frequent alterations or changes in

work without valid reasons.

Rejection of acceptable work, as in

some areas what is good or bad is

subjective

Remedies:

Prepare concise, comprehensive,

accurate and unambiguous

contracts.

Record every change or instruction

issued.

Avoid verbal instructions or

agreements as they can lead to

different interpretations despite good

intentions.

Have regular weekly meetings with all

parties concerned while work is in

progress.

4 ways to end a contract on legal

grounds:

1 Dispute prevention – termination

clause

A clear draft termination clause offers

the quickest, cheapest and ‘cleanest’

result. These clauses set out how the

contract can be terminated and the

consequences for both parties. You

should therefore consult with a lawyer

before agreeing the terms of a

contract to ensure that it enables you

to exit the contract should you need

to do so.

Dispute resolution

In the absence of being able to rely

on a termination clause, you will need

to take legal advice from a dispute

resolution lawyer. This may not be as

expensive as you think and ultimately

could save you a great deal of

money and time. This advice will

determine if there are grounds in law

for your bringing the contract to an

end

2 Frustration – the contract is illegal,

impossible to perform or radically

different due to an event outside of

the parties’ control.

Examples: The contract is for a

manufacturer to deliver goods and a

storm leads to the sinking of the

container. Or, a pharmaceutical

company is contracted to supply a

drug which is legal at the time of

entering into the contract, but the

drug is made illegal before delivery.

3 Vitiation – the contract was never

validly formed and should be

rejected for reasons such as one party

being induced to enter into the

contact on the basis of a

misrepresentation.

Examples: A car company states the

product can travel at 100mph when

in fact the maximum speed is 60mph.

Or, as has been in the news recently,

the emissions ratings stated are in

reality incorrect and the buyer

purchases the product based on the

information provided.

4 Repudiation – termination due to a

breach of the contract (termination

may not always be possible, and you

may only have recourse to a

damages claim).

Examples: There was an obligation on

a tenant to look after premises but the

tenant allowed the property to fall

into a state of disrepair which caused

the landlord to suffer financial loss.

Breaking a Contract Due to Fraud,

Mistake, or Misrepresentation

You may be able to break a contract

if the other party does something

improper, such as commit fraud or

make a misrepresentation regarding a

matter that's material to the contract.

You can also break it if you and the

other party both made the same

mistake in making the contract.

Breaking a contract for these reasons

is called rescission.

For example, imagine that a person

agrees to sell you a computer. You

take the computer, but realize that it

does not turn on; the seller tried to

give you a broken machine. You can

rescind the contract, on the basis of

fraud and misrepresentation.

Similarly, imagine that someone

agrees to sell you her ticket to a major

concert. But unbeknownst to both of

you, the concert has been cancelled

because the performer passed away.

Again, the contract can be rescinded

based upon mutual mistake.

Another important category of

voidable contracts involves minors.

Sometimes a person can get out of a

contract because the law says he or

she is not of age to make one in the

first place.

Similarly a contract by an elderly

person can be rescinded, because he

or she was not mentally able to

understand its terms.

DIMENSIONS VOL.11, ISSUE 2, FEB 2019 8

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Pro ject Management Consul tants Pvt . L td

SOFT SKILLS FOR ENGINEERS

Suhas N M, Nemmadi,

HO

When we see some Engineers

behaving in a rough or rude way, we

begin to think their education has

been lopsided.

The five (or four) years of an

engineer’s bachelor’s degree

program or a three year Diploma

course are filled with complex math

and science. Indeed, almost all of an

engineer’s training pertains to the

hard skills they will directly apply to

problems in their field during the

course of their career.

Yet, what most new engineering

grads discover as they enter the

workforce is that they are woefully

under prepared to function in the

workplace because they have failed

to develop their soft skills.

Hiring managers are always looking

for well-developed soft skills, even in

engineers. The ability to

communicate, to work in teams, to

think creatively and adapt swiftly to

new situations are mandatory in the

modern workplace, and it is unlikely

that an engineer will find success

without cultivating such skills.

Fortunately, it isn’t difficult to enhance

one’s soft skills, both inside and

outside an educational environment.

Many engineering professionals

assume that their technical expertise

and experience are the only thing

that will get them a job. However, this

is changing as engineers are

increasingly expected to partner with

the business, and these soft skills –

when coupled with the right

combination of technical skills – are in

great demand, and can set you apart

in a highly competitive jobs market.

Most engineering job

descriptions today include some soft

skills. If they are not explicitly

mentioned, though, they are implied

in the context of the job description.

In the next few years, some new and

emerging technologies such as

Artificial Intelligence will eliminate

some jobs. Yet, this is going to create

a huge demand for new skills and soft

skills --also called interpersonal skills--

that many engineers perhaps don't

have today.

Change is going to affect every

industry and engineering is not the

exception. Historically, the previous

industrial revolutions brought massive

change to industries, society, and

workers.

Some jobs disappeared back then

and many others emerged as well.

Just like it is going to happen with the

Fourth Industrial Revolution.

There are soft skills that prove to be

essential in order to develop career

success.

Yet, those skills are often neglected by

professionals in the engineering field

since these professionals quite often

focus much on the hard skills only.

In times of career change or

advancing in the career ladder,

learning or improving soft skills

becomes paramount. Here, we look

at just one of the most common soft

skills that are useful for today's

engineers – Empathy.

Understanding the thoughts and

feelings of another person may sound

tough if you don’t consider yourself an

empathetic person.

The good news is that empathy

doesn’t have to be something you’re

born with. It involves skills that you can

develop through intentionality and

practice.

Here are eight key empathy skills you

can practice to improve your ability to

connect with others:

Curiosity: Take the time to be

curious about what other

people think. Try to fully

understand their point of

view.

Authentic Listening: Most

people don’t truly listen. Stop

planning what you are going

to say, and focus on really

hearing their thoughts and

feelings.

Repeating and

Paraphrasing: Try to tell them

what you heard them say, in

your own words, so they can

correct any misinterpretation

or confirm that you heard

them correctly.

Imagination: Think about

what it would be like to be in

their shoes. What if you woke

up one morning and found

you had switched places in

life with them?

Open-Mindedness: Allow

yourself to be influenced by

their thoughts and feelings.

Almost no one does this, but it

is key if you want to inspire

people to be open to your

own influence.

Vulnerability: Respectfully

share your reactions and

feelings about what the other

person is saying, with the

intent to confirm that you are

fully understanding them.

Self-Awareness: Understand

how your emotions or feelings

may be affecting your

thoughts and reactions.

Sensitivity to Others’

Emotions: Develop your

“emotional radar” to pick up

on what people are feeling

by watching their body

language and facial

expressions, and listening not

only to their words, but to any

“between the lines” meaning

in the event they are not

being direct and transparent.

While some of these empathy skills

may not come naturally to you, the

more you practice the better you will

become – and connect with and

influence people.

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Long gone are the days of harsh

authority generating positive results –

in today's world, you need to establish

real connections with your team and

show empathy if you want them to

follow you.

Demonstrating emotional intelligence

often happens verbally, but it can also

be conveyed through body

language. If you want to

create camaraderie with your team

members, do the following:

1. Practice Engaged, Active Listening

(Without Taking Notes)

If you take notes like a court reporter,

it may come across as you are

documenting something. Listen and

verbally summarize what your team is

saying and ask questions to get

the team to respond. Don't furiously

take notes on your laptop or a

notepad. Engage with your eyes and

let people talk, listening with

compassion. Say things like, "Let me

know if this is what you are saying."

2. Sit Next To Your Team Members

Instead Of At The Head Of The Table

Preferably, change the shape

of your decision-making tables from

rectangular to round. If that's not

possible and you are stuck with

rectangular tables, don't sit at the

head of the table, and don't always

run meetings yourself. Rotate that

responsibility, and then participate as

if you were one of the team. That's the

strongest body language -- being one

with them, not standing apart.

3. Adopt Empathetic Mannerisms

Empathy is one of the components of

emotional intelligence, and 55% of

communication is body

language. Empathy can be

communicated by being fully present

to your team through squared

shoulders, a soft focus in your eye

contact, nodding of your head when

they are expressing themselves and

having your arms at your sides. When

it is time to respond, first reflect back

to them what you heard them say.

4. Use Your Eyebrows

Eyebrows express empathy really well.

While no one body part alone will

ever cut it, you can convey so much

with your eyebrows. While making eye

contact, shift your eyebrows upward

slightly as you tighten your forehead.

This shows that you are concerned.

You care. You're right there with them.

Add a little squeeze of your cheeks,

purse the lips and a slight tilt

of your head to really connect.

5. Mirror The Other Person's Body

Language

When speaking to a group, open

yourself up. Put your shoulders back

with arms relaxed and slightly out to

the side. Use your hand to motion to

the group and then yourself, as

though connecting the two. For one-

on-one conversations, match/mirror

their body language and voice tone,

speed and energy to leverage the like

attracts like principle to build a bond

of trust naturally.

6. Relax Your Face

You know those people who look like

steel but are said to have a core of

marshmallow fluff?

Showing empathy just doesn't come

naturally to them. Realize that

showing empathy for you may be a

physical, practiced art to achieve.

Softness is the key here in expression,

smile and eyes. Stop moving,

let your face relax, let your eyes linger

gently. If nothing else, focus on the

open smile.

7. Get Out From Behind Your Desk

It may sound simple, but seating is

important. Come around from

behind your desk when meeting

with your team in your office, or even

better, move the meeting to a more

open and collaborative space that

sets a level field for everyone to feel

more comfortable sharing their

thoughts.

8. Be Present

Be truly present in the conversation --

not thinking about your reply or what

you'll have for lunch or the last

conversation you had. Be present.

Listen, breathe, see. People know

when you're present with them. It's not

about manipulating your body

language. Frankly, your body will take

care of itself. When you are

present, your team will know it.

9. Open Your Palms

The best body language for

expressing empathy are physical

triggers that prompt you

to express openness and receptivity.

Signaling others before you're

in your desired state of being will work

against you. When sitting,

place your palms up. It promotes

openness. When standing,

get your hands out of your pockets,

open your palms out at your sides.

You'll feel more open and people will

feel it, too.

10. Convey Respect

Through Your Handshake, Smile And

Gaze

The body language of respect offers a

firm handshake or greets all with a

smile. It acknowledges the presence

of all, looks others in the eye and holds

the gaze. It lets others speak first,

allows others to finish speaking, listens

actively with neutral hand placement

and nods to convey understanding. It

refrains from eye-rolling or negative

facial gestures and offers a

handshake at departure.

11. Sincerely Smile And Slowly Nod

Nodding your head slowly or offering

a sincere smile signals you are present

and that you are there and listening.

Even in our hardest situations, those

small nuances communicate support

and humanity without an overuse of

authority. When we

convey empathy for a situation, we

show our own vulnerability, and in

turn, our teams trust us more by

opening up.

If you think that as a Leader you could

do without Empathy, you will

reconsider your opinion after

watching the video below:

The surprising science of alpha

males

In this fascinating look at the "alpha

male," primatologist Frans de Waal

explores the privil... more

ted.com

DIMENSIONS VOL.11, ISSUE 2, FEB 2019 10

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Pro ject Management Consul tants Pvt . L td

By Mary A

In this fast paced world none of us

have the time to eat healthy. But

here's an easy and quick recipe that

combines great taste and healthy

green vegetables to give you a dish

that's full wholesome

goodness. Punjabi food like paranthas

lives up to its reputation of being very

healthy.

Aloo paratha from northern India

Parathas can be eaten as a breakfast

dish or as a tea-time (tiffin) snack. The

flour used is finely ground wholemeal

(atta) and the dough is shallow fried.

Perhaps the most common stuffing for

parathas is mashed, spiced potatoes

(aloo ka parantha) followed perhaps

by dal (lentils). Many other

alternatives exist such as leaf

vegetables, radishes, cauliflower,

and/or paneer. A paratha (especially

a stuffed one) can be eaten simply

with a pat of butter spread on top or

with chutney, pickles, ketchup, dahi or

a raita or with meat or vegetable

curries.

Mangalorean-style paratha served

with other Indian dishes

Paratha (or paranthas) are one of the

most popular Indian Snacks item and

one of the easy Indian food to

prepare in quick time. There are a

huge variety of Paratha or pan-fried

Indian flat bread available throughout

India. It’s a traditional north Indian dish

and vary in shape - triangular or round

from place to place, with taste.

Generally there are two types of

Parathas - plain and stuffed, which is

further divided by the way of cooking

- either on tawa or on tandoor.

Calorie for calorie, leafy green

vegetables like spinach with its

delicate texture and jade green color

provide more nutrients than any other

food.

Popeye popularized spinach, but it's

too bad he ate it out of a can. Fresh

spinach retains the delicacy of texture

and jade green color that is lost when

spinach is processed. Raw spinach

has a mild, slightly sweet taste that

can be refreshing in salads, while its

flavor becomes more acidic and

robust when it is cooked.

Popeye behaving like a horse

The huge health claims did not

escape the notice of the studio that

created Popeye, which is why they

chose spinach as the super-food that

gave Popeye his strength. In reality

spinach may not have been as

powerful as they thought, nutritionally,

but it certainly had a powerful PR

effect. Popeye helped increase

American consumption of spinach by

a third!

History

Spinach is generally regarded as

being native to the Middle East and

appears to have been cultivated

there for well over a thousand years.

Trading between the Middle East and

Asia is believed to have been

responsible for the migration of

spinach to several Asian countries,

and today there are few places in the

world where spinach is not found as a

cultivated food.

Palak contains large amounts of fibre

along with a lot of essential vitamins

and minerals. When puréed and

combined with the flour imparts a

lovely green colour that's a treat for

your eyes. Enjoy this paratha with thick

fresh curds and some achaar. All in all

its a tasty way to fill your children up

with the essential minerals and keep

them happy and healthy.

Petai Paratha (Smashed Paratha), a

West Bengal variant served with light

vegetable curry

Health Benefits of Spinach

Recent studies continue to

underscore the amazing versatility of

spinach. Because this leafy vegetable

is rich in water-soluble vitamins, fat-

soluble vitamins, minerals, and a wide

variety of phytonutrients, there are

many different ways to incorporate

spinach into your meal plan and enjoy

a variety of nutritional benefits. For

example, we've seen a recent study in

which the sautéing of spinach was

best able to retain its total carotenoid

content (in comparison with steaming

or boiling or frying).

Alternatively, there is an equally

recent study showing far less loss

of vitamin C from spinach when this

vegetable was steamed for 5 minutes

(instead of being microwaved or

boiled for that same amount of time).

Yet numerous studies also point to the

nutrient benefits of raw spinach. For

example, about 25% of the folate in

spinach can be lost from cooking,

and spinach can be thought of as a

special nutritional contributor in terms

of folate since it ranks as our Number 3

source of this nutrient at WHFoods.

PALAK PARANTHA

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Kothu Parotta (Chicken) as served in

Tamil Nadu

Rich in Iron : Spinach is one of the

richest plant sources of Iron and it

should be part of a healthy diet for

everyone, from the youngest child to

the oldest adult. Cooked spinach is an

excellent source of iron, a mineral that

it particularly important for

menstruating women, who are more

at risk for iron deficiency.

Boosting iron stores with spinach is a

good idea, especially because, in

comparison to red meat, a well-

known source of iron, spinach

provides iron for a lot less calories and

is totally fat-free.

Choose spinach (palak) that has

vibrant deep green leaves and stems

with no signs of yellowing. The leaves

should look fresh and tender, and not

be wilted or bruised. Avoid those that

have a slimy coating as this is an

indication of decay.

Dhakai Paratha, from West Bengal

Glycemic Index of Spinach:

Spinach has a Glycemic Index of 15

which is low. Glycemic Index are for

foods you eat, ranks carbohydrate-

containing foods by how quickly they

digest and raise your blood sugar or

glucose levels. Foods rank from 0 to 50

are low GI, 51 to 69 are medium and

70 to 100 are high. Foods that are high

in GI are not suitable for weight loss

and diabetics. Foods like Spinach

have a low GI and hence don't spike

your glucose level as they are

absorbed slowly. Great for weight loss.

Palak Paratha Recipe

Ingredients For Palak Paratha Recipe

250gm Spinach Leaves

(Palak)

2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour

(Gehun ka Atta)

1 Teaspoon Ajwain (Carom

Seeds)

1 Teaspoon Saunf (Fennel

Seeds)

1 Teaspoon Salt, or to taste

1 Green Chilli

3 Tablespoon Cooking Oil

Step By Step Instructions for Palak

Paratha Recipe

Thoroughly wash Spinach

leaves and add them to a

cooking pan. Add one cup of

water and let the Spinach

leaves blanch for 4-5 minutes

till the leaves are wilted.

Drain the water and make a

smooth puree from the boiled

spinach. Set the puree aside

to cool for a couple of

minutes.

To make the dough, take the

whole wheat flour in a large

mixing bowl. Add salt, ajwain

(carom seeds) and saunf

(fennel seeds) to the flour and

mix it well.

Add 1 tablespoon oil along

with spinach puree to this

mix. Optionally add one finely

chopped green chilli for little

extra heat.

Gently start to fold in and

knead the mixture so that

puree blends in well with the

flour.

Add little water if required

and knead to make a soft

and smooth dough.

Divide the dough into 8 equal

sized balls and brush them

with a little flour.

Roll the dough into a disc with

a rolling pin. Brush few drops

of oil on top.

Fold it in semicircle (as shown

below) and add another

coat of oil on top of it.

Fold it again halfway such

that it looks like a triangle and

gently press the corners and

edges together.

Dust the surface with some

flour and flatten the paratha

into a triangular shape using a

rolling pin.

Place the paratha on a hot

tava (griddle) over medium

heat and cook one side till

you start observing small

bubbles.

Flip paratha to cook it from

other side as well. Small

brownish patches will start

appearing on paratha as it

gets cooked.

Brush 1 teaspoon oil on the

surface. Cook for 10-15

seconds, then flip the paratha

again and apply oil on the

other side as well.

Press the paratha with spatula

to cook it evenly from all

sides. Cook the paratha till it

becomes slightly brown and

crispy on both sides.

Palak paratha is ready!

Palak paratha

DIMENSIONS VOL.11, ISSUE 2, FEB 2019 12

A Journal of A N Prakash Construction Pro ject Management Consul tants Pvt . L td

APPENDIX

Question of the Month

In the article: Soft Skill for Engineers,

Empathy has been explained in detail,

as a Soft Skill which Engineers should

have. The question of the month is:

Name any other Soft Skill which is

important for an Engineer to acquire

and why you think it is essential.

Please send your replies by 15th Mar.

Question of last Month was:

The question was: Do you agree with

the quote? If so, why? If not, why not?

Result of last month’s Q & A: The best

answer was submitted by Jitender

Bhardwaj of CBR (at IISc) site:

Jitender Bhardwaj

Jitender Bhardwaj’s answer:

The question is whether one agrees

with the quote: ‘None of us is as good

as all of us.’

I certainly do not agree with this

because it says that no individual in a

group is as good as the group as a

whole. Self-belief is something that is

very essential and if one thinks he's not

good enough as an individual

member of the team, he is not good

enough to be in the team either.

A person who has exceptional talent

is better if he or she expresses it rather

than wait for the response of the

whole group which usually rises up

only to the level of the dullest

member. So I would say that ‘Any

one of us could be better than all of

us’.

The following is a story generally

believed to be true about the mindset

of Indians:

At one of the European ports, a lot of

crabs were being transported from

one place to another. There were

crabs from many countries, including

from India. The crabs from different

countries were in different boxes with

stickers showing their country of origin.

The lid of all boxes were closed

except the lid of the boxes which

contained the Indian crabs.

A cost-conscious rival who just

couldn’t bear the suspense finally

asked how they managed to export

his crabs in lidless containers. Didn’t

those crustaceans simply crawl away?

Prompt came the response:

The crabs from other countries had

unity, and if one of the crab tries to

escape from the box, others would

support it to climb till the top of the

box and it would escape easily, so

those were closed. But no problem

with Indian crabs, because if one

crab tries to climb, others feel jealous

about its success and will pull it down

back into the box, so it cannot

escape at all.

So long as he ensured the crabs were

Indian, the exporter did not have to

spend on lids for the containers. The

savings from that was seemingly

significant enough, in a business

where incremental cost advantages

mattered.

Why are we crabs, after all?

Crabs pulling each other down is a

powerful metaphor for what is often

touted as a very typical Indian trait —

of not letting the others forge ahead.

Forget helping each other, Indians are

apparently predisposed to even

pulling others down at the slightest

hint of their doing better. (Note: The

claim that only Indian crabs behave

this way is probably fictitious.)

Crab mentality

Crab mentality, also known as crabs in

a bucket (also barrel, basket,

or pot) mentality, is a way of thinking

best described by the phrase "if I can't

have it, neither can you".

The metaphor refers to a pattern of

behavior noted in crabs when they

are trapped in a bucket. While any

one crab could easily escape, its

efforts will be undermined by others,

ensuring the group's collective

demise.

The analogy in human behavior is

claimed to be that members of a

group will attempt to reduce the self-

confidence of any member who

achieves success beyond the others,

or halt their progress, out

of envy, resentment, spite, conspiracy,

or competitive feelings.

Impact on performance:

The impact of crab mentality on

performance was quantified by a

New Zealand study in 2015 which

demonstrated up to an 18 per cent

average exam result improvement for

students when their grades were

reported in a way that prevented

others from knowing their position in

published rankings.

Editorial team

Roy Zacharias, Editor

Editorial Board: R Suresha, Divya K

We welcome your valuable suggestions,

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