How to reach and how to remain? HR message from extremes of physics

The people in corporate should not just learn ‘how to reach’ the goal/success/glory but also must learn the art of ‘how to remain’ successful. This is what from the 4th and 5th physical state of matter, the corporate has to learn. The physics indeed has a very meaningful management cum spiritual message for the corporate world to learn and follow.

Most of us know that the physical matter can generally exist in three forms viz., solid, liquid and gas. But physicists have proved that matter can also exist in two others forms viz., ‘Plasma’ and ‘Bose-Einstein Condensate’ (BEC) at extremes of temperatures such as temperature near absolute on either side of the scale viz., hot or cold.

When a substance is treated at below 1000ºC, the substance converts to a state called BEC. Similarly, if the same substance is heated to above 1000ºC, it reaches to the plasma state. Since the scope of the article is management, the scientific definition of either plasma or BEC, one can read separately from elsewhere if there is any special interest.

Physicists also have proved that both the states of matter such as plasma and BEC are near hypothetical or extremely difficult to achieve. Even a small fraction of a change in the temperature can easily change the plasma or BEC to either gases or solid state. It means matter can easily exist only in the states such as solid, liquid and gases, not plasma or BEC. For any substance to reach either the 4th or 5th state is not so easy and even if it had reached over there, it cannot remain there so easily. ‘As difficult as to reach so difficult is to remain’ is the HR message they communicate to the corporate.

Some ambitious and passionate people work hard to reach success in their carrier life. To reach the summit of success and glory, one has to work hard. The sense of hard work, sacrifice, commitment, passion, vision etc., are required to reach success. To remain continuously in such state, the same proportion of effort is also needed.

Corporate leadership and the HR function must inspire the people on board not only to ‘reach’ but also to ‘remain’. Only when, the art and science of ‘how to reach and how to remain’ are learned, people can maintain and keep the continuity, sustenance and consistency in their achievements. Only such people can add value to the corporate. Success or a state of accomplishment should not be seen as ‘yearly festival’ where the euphoria of festivities will certainly die down soon with the end of the festival.

Makes people achievers throughout. Let the joy of their achievement help them to achieve further and let it flow continuously. That is how they can learn both how to reach and how to remain. The 4th and 5th state of matters are not just the subjects of physicists, the corporate also has a right message to learn from it.

Dr S Ranganathan