Professor M. S. Rao’s Vision 2030: One Million Global Leaders

© 2015 MSR Leadership Consultants India. All Rights Reserved. This is a nonprofit blog to share Professor M.S.Rao’s passion and vision to build one million students as global leaders by 2030. The use of this material is free provided copyright is acknowledged and reference or link is made to the Blog http://professormsraovision2030.blogspot.in. This material may not be sold, or published in any form, or used in the provision of business services to a third party without permission.

Saturday, 25 April 2026

Professor M. S. Rao’s Vision 2030: One Million Global Leaders : The Significance of Building Bridges—Professor M.S...

Professor M. S. Rao’s Vision 2030: One Million Global Leaders : The Significance of Building Bridges—Professor M.S...: Tips to build bridges to enhance your leadership effectiveness and success “ People never care how much you know until they know h...

Friday, 24 April 2026

The Significance of Building Bridges—Professor M.S. Rao, Ph.D.—21st-Century Philosopher & The Father of “Soft Leadership”

Tips to build bridges to enhance your leadership effectiveness and success

“People never care how much you know until they know how much you care.” ―John C. Maxwell

Successful leaders know how to build bridges with others to achieve their organizational objectives. They know the importance of building relations for the successful execution of activities and effective interpersonal relations. They spot the barriers and break them, and build relations that bring magical results to their organizations. In this chapter, we will discuss the significance of building bridges.

Bridges are the links while barriers are the obstacles. Life is in your hands and you can choose the way you want to lead. Either you can build bridges or create barriers. As man is a social animal who craves the company of others and wants to move with others, he definitely wants to build bridges.

A bridge allows you to cross to the other side smoothly. You can build bridges with others through love, warmth, friendliness, cooperation, understanding, forgiveness, and a willingness to accept people as they are, rather than how we want them to be. A grateful attitude for the ability to build bridges helps to connect with others easily.

Leaders and Relations

Leadership is all about relationships, breaking barriers, and building bridges. Leaders must walk their talk to build relationships. They must create trust and goodwill among others. Unfortunately, most leaders are currently busy with their deadlines and pressures and do not find time to build relationships. They do not allow others to grow relations. As a result, they find very many casualties; and then they get busy firefighting those casualties rather than building relations. However, if the leaders find time to build relations and exercise patience for a while, they can avoid organizational casualties, thus ensuring organizational excellence. Building relations is like a 'ripple effect', and it takes time for the waves to reach the shore. Leaders must have time to think through and demonstrate their leadership similarly.

Tips to Build Bridges

Building relations is not that easy as people have different emotions, feelings, needs, and expectations. It is essential to know the other person to build relations. There must be a degree of flexibility to adjust and accommodate others. Here are some tips to build bridges:

• If you want to build relations, you must listen to others first. Listening is a great soft skill that connects with others easily. When you pay attention, it indicates respect toward others. While listening, pay attention to eye contact and a warm smile, as it helps to connect with others easily.

• Empathize with others. Empathy is about looking from others’ perspectives. It helps to step into the shoes of another person and view the situation as they would, thus connecting with others quickly.

• Learn to appreciate others. Everyone craves appreciation. It is the biggest tonic for any person. While showing appreciation, make sure that the other person deserves it, and that it should not sound like flattery.

• Remember the names and important dates and events of others and surprise them through greetings. It is the best way to connect with others and also indicates how much you remember and care for them.

• Praise quickly and criticize late. When the other person deserves a pat on the back, praise immediately by specifying the context and situation. And if you want to criticize others, ensure that the criticism is depersonalized and attacks only the specific behavior. Delay the process of criticism as your mind gets reformatted several times with better and more polished phrases, words, and sentences. As far as possible, avoid criticism.

• Attend to and console people when they are in distress. During good times, people might not need support from others. But they certainly need your support when they are in distress.

• Your intentions are more important than actions. Have a clear heart and express your intentions clearly, as it will then last for a longer time. And effective communication is the key to expressing your true intentions.

• Never dig up the unpleasant past as it vitiates a peaceful climate. Let bygones be bygones. Cherish the pleasant days of the past, not the unpleasant ones. Sometimes, recalling the unpleasant past opens a Pandora’s Box, thus breaking relations.

It takes years of effort to build bridges and seconds to break them. In fact, there is a bigger challenge in sustaining relations than in building them. Relationships are essential for leadership effectiveness and success. Hence, leaders must build bridges at the workplace to enable the growth of their people and organizations. In addition, it enhances their leadership effectiveness and success.

Share if you care!

“Things You Don’t Know about Professor M. S. Rao” http://professormsraovision2030.blogspot.com/2015/10/things-you-dont-know-about-professor-m.html

Read my ‘Vision 2030 One Million Global Leaders’ URL: http://professormsraovision2030.blogspot.com/2014/12/professor-m-s-raos-vision-2030-one_31.html

Note: I had a brain hemorrhage. I was in bed for five months. My right hand has been numb and paralyzed. I am recovering. Thanks for empathizing with me. With gratitude. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFJrSRLHPUk&ab_channel=ProfessorM.S.Rao

Life is great!

Professor M.S. Rao, Ph.D.

Founder of MSR Leadership Consultants, India

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/M.-S.-Rao/e/B00MB63BKM

Vision 2030: https://professormsraovision2030.blogspot.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/professormsrao

Substack: https://professormsrao.substack.com

X: http://twitter.com/professormsrao

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProfessorMSRao

Meta: https://www.facebook.com/Professor-MS-Rao-451516514937414

See the Light in You: https://www.amazon.com/See-Light-You-Spiritual-Mindfulness/dp/1949003132

Thanks for reading!

Kindly share your thoughts and comments below. I’m sure someone out there will find your story useful.

This nonprofit blog will share Professor M.S. Rao’s passion and vision to develop one million students as global leaders by 2030. Please do not cut articles from my blog; redistribute them via email or post them online. The use of this material is free, as long as the copyright is acknowledged and a reference or link is provided to the Blog http://professormsraovision2030.blogspot.com. Without permission, this material may not be sold, published, or used to offer business services to third parties.

Professor M. S. Rao’s Vision 2030: One Million Global Leaders : The Art and Craft of Interviewing Celebrities—Prof...

Professor M. S. Rao’s Vision 2030: One Million Global Leaders : The Art and Craft of Interviewing Celebrities—Prof...: “ The best interviews―like the best biographies―should sing the strangeness and variety of the human race.” ―Lynn Barber There is a...

The Art and Craft of Interviewing Celebrities—Professor M.S. Rao, Ph.D.—21st-Century Philosopher & The Father of “Soft Leadership”

“The best interviews―like the best biographies―should sing the strangeness and variety of the human race.” ―Lynn Barber

There is an assumption that conducting interviews and giving interviews are easy tasks. They are tough tasks indeed especially when you conduct interviews with celebrities. If becoming a celebrity and giving interviews is one thing, interviewing a celebrity is another thing. Both tasks need the right platforms to share ideas and build leadership brands. In this post, I will discuss interviewing celebrities, etiquette, and tips to interview celebrities successfully.

You must join appropriate platforms to connect with celebrities and use your connections wisely to reach them through various means including email, telephone, and personal interaction. It is advisable to approach them through your reliable connections because they give comfort and confidence to the celebrities. Additionally, celebrities have their apprehensions and insecurities.

How to Interview Celebrities?

“When I was 15, I left school to start a magazine, and it became a success because I wouldn't take no for an answer. I remember banging on James Baldwin's door to ask for an interview when he came to England. Then I got Jean-Paul Sartre's home phone number and asked him to contribute. If I'd been 30, he might have said no, but I was a 15-year-old with passion and he was charmed. Making money was always just a side product of having a good time and creating things nobody's seen before." ―Richard Branson

Prepare a template and customize your questions according to the interests of the celebrities and their profession. Here is a blueprint to interview celebrities successfully.

Research intensively about the celebrity and find out their areas of interest to connect with them before the interview and frame questions accordingly.
Capture the ideas that flash through your mind first. Convert them into questions. Present them in a polished language. Avoid irrelevant questions and repetition. Structure and sequence them. Edit them ruthlessly.
Don’t give the questions to the interviewees in advance to achieve the right outcomes. However, you may share an outline of the interview in advance to enable the interviewee to prepare mentally.
Observe etiquette and respect their privacy.
Avoid close-ended questions. Ask open-ended questions to get the best.
Avoid asking embarrassing, controversial, and personal questions. Instead, hit the bull's eye with the right questions. Don't ask questions based on rumors and grapevine.
Listen attentively and empathetically. Don’t interrupt. If there is a need to interrupt, wait for a pause during the conversation and ask your question politely. Avoid creating an impression that you have cut off the interviewee.
Avoid outsmarting the interviewee. Don’t control the conversation. Let the interviewee speak freely.
Be unique and add value to your audiences by asking innovative and useful questions. Respect the time of your audiences and readers.
Indicate a signpost when you are about to close the interview.

An ideal interview unveils the unknown areas of the interviewee and adds value to the audience and readers.

Conclusion

“Fear has governed my life, if I think about it. I don’t even know why I’m saying this in an interview situation, but I always feel like I’m not good enough for some reason. I wish that wasn’t the case, but left to my own devices, that voice starts speaking up.” —Trent Reznor

Research and preparation are the keys to successful celebrity interviews. Take the liberty to deviate from the questions to have a natural flow of conversation. Take intrapersonal feedback after the interview to improve. Practice a lot and improve regularly to excel as a successful interviewer. To summarize, don't give up if the celebrities don't agree to your interview requests. Be patient and persistent. It is worth trying to add value and stand out from others. Good luck with your successful interviews!

“You need to be prepared for today’s media culture, in which a tweet can become newsworthy and a news interview can become tweet-worthy.” ―Brad Phillips of Phillips Media Relations

“I had an interview once with some German journalist—some horrible, ugly woman. It was in the early days after the communists—maybe a week after—and she wore a yellow sweater that was kind of see-through. She had huge tits and a huge black bra, and she said to me, ‘It’s impolite; remove your glasses.’ I said, ‘Do I ask you to remove your bra?” ―Karl Lagerfeld

Share if you care!

“Things You Don’t Know about Professor M. S. Rao” http://professormsraovision2030.blogspot.com/2015/10/things-you-dont-know-about-professor-m.html

Read my ‘Vision 2030 One Million Global Leaders’ URL: http://professormsraovision2030.blogspot.com/2014/12/professor-m-s-raos-vision-2030-one_31.html

Life is great!

Professor M.S. Rao, Ph.D.

Founder of MSR Leadership Consultants, India

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/M.-S.-Rao/e/B00MB63BKM

Vision 2030: https://professormsraovision2030.blogspot.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/professormsrao

Substack: https://professormsrao.substack.com

X: http://twitter.com/professormsrao

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProfessorMSRao

Meta: https://www.facebook.com/Professor-MS-Rao-451516514937414

See the Light in You: https://www.amazon.com/See-Light-You-Spiritual-Mindfulness/dp/1949003132

Thanks for reading!

Kindly share your thoughts and comments below. I’m sure someone out there will find your story useful.

Thursday, 23 April 2026

Professor M. S. Rao’s Vision 2030: One Million Global Leaders : How to Design an Effective Questionnaire—Professor...

Professor M. S. Rao’s Vision 2030: One Million Global Leaders : How to Design an Effective Questionnaire—Professor...: When my Research Guide asked me to prepare a questionnaire for my PhD work in 2007, I got a bit nervous and confused for some time. I re...

How to Design an Effective Questionnaire—Professor M.S. Rao, Ph.D.—21st-Century Philosopher & The Father of “Soft Leadership”

When my Research Guide asked me to prepare a questionnaire for my PhD work in 2007, I got a bit nervous and confused for some time. I read several questionnaires in my life but designing the same related to my PhD topic created jitters in my mind. I further requested him to teach me the methodology in designing the questionnaire. He was kind enough to guide me and he also advised me to refer number of sample questionnaires to form a firm format. I sincerely obeyed like a disciplined soldier and referred to various formats from books and various websites.

The questionnaire is the heart of any research topic. It helps in fulfilling the objectives of the concerned study or topic. If it is designed in haste entire research activity goes awry. As long as the questionnaire is framed properly, the desired goals and objectives can be achieved successfully. There are several tools and techniques involved in designing the questionnaire. They are briefly explained as follows:

At the beginning address the participants or state the reasons for conducting the study.
Assess the maturity level of the respondents and format it accordingly.
The language must be simple straight and free from jargon.
It should be in tune with the ideals and ideas of the study.
Personalize the questionnaire.
Your questionnaire should not only be easier but it should appear to be easier.
Imaginative and innovative thinking is essential. It should be a running draft in active voice.
There should be close-ended questions to start with. Ice-breaking questions will smoothly navigate the respondent to the topic.
The questions should not be threatening and too personal.
Leave adequate space for offering comments.
There should be a smooth transition from question to question and logical connectivity.
Create curiosity and generate enthusiasm for the respondent.
It should stand out from the pack of cards.
Be creative and novel in design. And make it convenient to design the questionnaire. Highlight keywords in the questionnaire in bold, italics, or underlined so that the respondent can catch them faster and save time.
The contents of the questionnaire are more important than the length. It becomes stressful for the respondents to answer lengthy questions.
Offer options like ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ or ‘True’ or ’False’ or ‘Right’ or ‘Wrong’ or ‘Like’ or ‘Dislike’ and so on.
Offering multiple choices for each question will encourage the respondent.
Glide the respondent gradually into open-ended questions to elicit the hidden data of communication. Encourage the respondents to open up in depth to get effective results.
Design the questions creatively and constructively so that maximum information can be obtained. The questions can be questioned by posing from both positive and negative sides of the topic so that at the end of the session. You can cross-check whether the responses are consistent or if there is any contradiction. In case if contradiction is noticed then the responses can not be taken as correct. Such methodology will make the research work free from errors and foolproof.
Create a wonderful title to motivate active participation.
Do not design too many questions as it decreases the interest levels.
Enclose a self-addressed and stamped envelope if the questionnaire is to be mailed.
Highlight the 5-dimensional approach 5W's – why, what, where, when, and who.
Create questions by ranking on a scale of 1 to 5 from either the least to the most required or vice versa.
Create a conservational tone.
Use 'you' not the third person. By this, you can personalize the questionnaire.
Use emotions like we all want to feel greater, better, bigger, etc. All these things will connect your questionnaire to the respondents and then slowly get the responses for the study.
Remove repetitions.
The flow of the questionnaire should be smooth and natural.
Read, reread, and change the design and ultimately you will have the best questionnaire. A lot of spade work, rework, and redrafting is essential.
At the end, ask for any suggestions or improvements related to the topic.
Thank the respondents at the end of the questionnaire.

The Role of Researcher

Make the respondent comfortable and convince him to attempt. Be personally with them to clarify any doubts or queries. Encourage them to fill out the questionnaire instantly to get spontaneous responses. Tell respondents that there is fun in responding to the questionnaire.

Post Questionnaire Response

Thank all respondents for their valuable contribution to your research work. Providing them with nonfinancial incentives like gifting either key rings or stationery items of daily utility, chocolates, etc., will not only motivate them but also create everlasting memorable impact in their minds.

Designing a questionnaire initially looks tiresome for freshers but when once tuned to designing then you will find it interesting and entertaining. It is a great mental and creative activity and it teaches many lessons in life.

Share if you care!

“Things You Don’t Know about Professor M. S. Rao” http://professormsraovision2030.blogspot.com/2015/10/things-you-dont-know-about-professor-m.html

Read my ‘Vision 2030 One Million Global Leaders’ URL: http://professormsraovision2030.blogspot.com/2014/12/professor-m-s-raos-vision-2030-one_31.html