  Case Studies The Mastek Pyramid | Empowerment Pyradigm™ | Interview with a Cartis™ User | Use of Pyramids in Ford | Application of Pyramid Building in Organizations Interview with a Cartis™ User - Mallika Kalle by Lavanya Gupta If you walk up to Mallika and mention the word "pyramid" to her, her eyes light up! It doesn't matter that you are talking about the pyramids in Egypt, the very mention of the word sparks something for her. Why? Mallika has her own life design mapped on to a pyramid! And she carries this pyramid with her wherever she goes, because she believes that it has helped her change her life and it continues to give her new insights every single time she explores her pyramid. We decided to interview Mallika because we wanted to learn more about both pyramids and pyramid building workshop. In addition, we wanted to understand why Mallika keeps volunteering her time in a for-profit organization whereas she could be doing the same in a not-for profit organization. We met Mallika at her home for lunch and had a long chat. Here is the gist of our interview. Who is Mallika Kalle? Mallika volunteers her time at SelfCorp past one year (should we add, after seeing the value pyramids brought to her life!). She has a Bachelor's degree in economics and a two-year computer degree from NIIT. What is SelfCorp? SelfCorp is a California corporation located in Campbell near San Jose, CA. It is developed web-based solutions for executive development. In addition to working with executives, SelfCorp is also training others to take its technology and make it available to broader audience including to college students. What Pyramids are we talking about? Dr. Prasad Kaipa, CEO of SelfCorp has developed a three-dimensional thinking tool, called a 'Pyramid' (more accurately, a tetrahedron or a tetrad) to map the 'genetic code' of people or organizations. This kind of mapping on a pyramid has beeb used in a variety of areas: for career and personal development for individuals, business modeling, strategy, new product design and mergers and acquisions in companies like Ford, Boeing, Cisco etc. How did you find out about these workshops? I knew Prasad for past three years informally. Often he would talk about the work that he has been doing with pyramids and how they are being used in the area of personal and career development. In June 1998, he mentioned that he was organizing a pyramid-building workshop and he encouraged me to participate. I had never done anything like this before and I was very reluctant to participate in a 3-day workshop. However I decided to take the risk and I am glad I did. What is the most immediate result you got out of it? The most immediate result I got out of doing the workshop was that I finally felt that I was capable of doing so much more than I had thought I was. I decided to start exploring my creativity through various different hobbies. What is the most powerful thing that you got out of it? What was most powerful for me was the hope that I got out of doing the workshop. I felt I could go beyond the limits I had set for myself. I saw all the opportunities I had right in front of me. This gave me a lot of strength. What were some of the common issues you wanted to address in this workshop? Before I took Prasad's workshop, I was quite happy with the way my life was going. I was getting used to being a housewife, and I sometimes felt guilty that I was not working. I would give explanations to others about why I was at home. I lived my life one day at a time and never really gave much thought to what my life could be and what I really wanted for myself. I was quite content, yet I had a nagging feeling that something was missing. I felt that my life lacked something, though I had no idea what it was. I was hoping to discover what it was through this workshop. I also knew of certain areas in my life where I wanted to take action, but didn't know how to. I was hoping to find a way to actually do something instead of just thinking about it. What did you do in the workshop? It was a 3-day workshop. It consisted of conversational interactions between Prasad and the participants. Prasad was sensational in the way he conducted the workshop. Although we did all the thinking, Prasad knew just what to say at the right times. His facilitation was superb and he helped us identify patterns in our lives that we were completely unaware of. Once we had discussed issues such as fears, approaches to life etc, we began working on our personal pyramids. What issues of your life were you able to address in the workshop? I was able to address issues such as a lack of confidence, always seeking approval, my tendency to get stuck and not take action. I realized that I have a lot of potential. I also felt that I was letting my life go by, and that I needed to take some concrete steps to get what I need from my life.
After doing the workshop, I made many changes in my life, and am still in the process of realizing my potential. My confidence level shot up, and I actively pursued my interest in various hobbies. I have done a lot of art-work for my home. I also volunteer my time for SelfCorp, which has been a big change for me. This is the first time I have entered the workforce, and I have learnt so much thanks to that. I have also become more assertive and can pursue what I need out of my life actively. I don't just let life happen to me anymore. What areas of your life have been most affected by this workshop? My perception of my self has been altered because of this workshop. I now love who I am, and am comfortable with you I am as. This is the best thing that could have happened to me. Most areas of my life have been affected by this workshop, in large or small ways. I can see how I am a totally different person today. People around me have commented on how I have done so many things for myself recently. What kinds of fears were you able to see clearly? As soon as I identified my Core Incompetence- Inaction, I realized how my fear of rejection and fear of failure often left me unable to take even the first step towards achieving something. These fears would lead to inaction, and I was not able to take the plunge. Once I realized this, my fears just simply faded away and stopped getting in my way of action. I started taking action in many different areas in my life. This left me feeling powerful and competent. What would you say to other people who are considering taking this workshop? I would strongly recommend that people do this workshop. People don't spend enough time on themselves. This workshop will help them think about their needs and their goals as well as what motivates them. This workshop is a great way to introspect and to really come up with answers to your own questions. For me, this was the turning point in my life. I would love for other people to get the same thing out of their lives. Can you tell me a little more about what a Pyramid is? A Pyramid is a three dimensional representation of four contrasting aspects of your personality. Prasad uses a pyramid to help you map out relationships between various areas of your life, your personality and your competencies. He helps you draw out powerful and sometimes hidden relationships between different facets of your personality and life. Once these are mapped onto the pyramid you feel as if the pyramid represents your genetic code! It becomes easy to see how you interact with your environment and what your life patterns are and how they play out in your relationship with others. How do you use your pyramid in your everyday life? I carry my pyramid with me all the time. Whenever something is not going right in my life, I take it out and I can quickly see why I feel stuck and where I do. It is the most accurate representation of me! In the workshop, once I worked out what my personal cornerstones are, I saw how my need for approval was always in the way of my success. I seek approval in many areas in many relationships and I would get quite upset if I feel that someone rejected me or disapproved of something I did. Once this pattern became clear to me, I stopped looking for approval from people and am a much more confident person today. I also feel that I gained a lot of confidence, because the Pyramid revealed my real self to me, and I love the person I am. This has done wonders for my self-esteem and confidence. Do you feel that the pyramid is still valid and represents you 2 years after having mapped it? It's amazing how accurate the pyramid is for me even today. I have made many changes in my life since the workshop, but, my basic genetic code has not changed and the pyramid remains extremely useful. I continuously draw energy from my pyramid. I can always find something new about myself when I look at my pyramid from a different point of view. |
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