Crucial Success Skills Forged Through My Journey
In my 34-year tenure as an IPS officer, I harnessed a spectrum of core skills to navigate challenges and institute transformative initiatives. These skills encompassed effective communication, combining the potency of both verbal and written expression, critical thinking, problem-solving acumen, and social skills such as empathy, leadership, ideation, and creativity.One pivotal episode that shaped my approach was the aftermath of the Human Bomb assassination in Sriperumbudur in 1991. The spontaneous assistance I received from an untrained civilian inspired me to conceptualize and initiate the Friends of Police (FoP) movement.
This narrative, highlighting the empowerment of ordinary individuals and fostering their goodwill and support, earned recognition in a national contest organized by the renowned success coach Jack Canfield. The FoP movement subsequently garnered prestigious accolades, including the inaugural flagship British Gurukul Chevening Scholarship for Excellence and Leadership in 1997 and the Queen’s Award for Innovation in 2002.Beyond the FoP movement, my tenure was marked by the ideation and creation of various pioneering concepts and structures.
These include Factor X, VOP (Very Ordinary Person), Shorecare, Sense X (a concept synonymous with Financial Intelligence), Social Justice Tea Parties, X Cell (for corporate intelligence collection), Excenomics (for the study of Excellence in all dimensions and its impact on Economics), and Eqthinking or Equilibrium Thinking, along with Equilibrium Psychology (TM, word marks registered). The latter serves as a holistic alternative thought process, fostering creativity and enhancing emotional intelligence (EQ).Arvind Verma, a scholar and author, encapsulates my initiatives in his book "The New Khaki," acknowledging the genius behind empowering people through innovative and imaginative ideas such as FoP and Social Justice Tea Parties.
Crafting Creative Opportunities from Every Challenge
Critical thinking skills play a pivotal role in effective decision-making. Eqthinking or Equilibrium Thinking, a registered trademark and wordmark (Dr. Prateep V Philip IPS R PhD), stands out as a form of critical thinking distinct from the default negative thinking, which is the prevalent mode for untrained individuals, and the one-sided positive thinking that doesn't foster the development of critical thinking skills. Eqthinking emphasizes an overwhelming balance of positive reinforcement alongside a judicious consideration of negative elements in a state of equilibrium, leading to what can be termed as “cautious optimism.”This mindset cultivated through Eqthinking gives rise to a philosophy centered around "cautious optimism."
It recognizes two types of emotional wiring or circuitry – positive emotions as the green signal, encouraging forward movement, and negative emotions as amber and red signals, serving as warnings or cues to stop. Given the absence of an external traffic policeman in self-management, Eqthinking becomes a thought process to guide individuals, enabling them to follow positive wiring and navigate or respond to negative wiring.Developed over forty years and tested with thousands of individuals and groups, Eqthinking proves to be a transformative thought process. It not only contributes to holistic health but also enhances emotional intelligence (EQ), decision-making capabilities, productivity, communication, problem-solving, empathy, and creativity in those who practice it.
The core tenets or tools of Eqthinking, encapsulated in the phrase "be at it :: beat it," succinctly reflect the mindset needed to confront various challenges. This approach has been personally tested and refined through significant life experiences, including surviving two near-death situations, notably the human bomb assassination attempt on former Prime Minister Mr. Rajiv Gandhi. The insights gained from these experiences are documented as 3333 maxims in the bestselling book of maxims titled "Fillipisms." One chief insight among them is the resilience to make a comeback, regardless of the extent of a setback.
My Impact
Being perhaps the only person to survive both an assassination attempt and drowning, my story has served as a source of inspiration for diverse audiences and readers. As a published best-selling author and holder of a World Record for the maximum number of original management, leadership, and life quotes, my writings have left a lasting impact on a significant number of individuals. Additionally, as the author of the largest number of nonfiction books, with 28 published in a single year, the series titled "The Alphabet of Life" aims to have a considerable impact, particularly on young readers.
Several ideas and initiatives from my repertoire have influenced both Indian and international political and non-political movements:
FOP Movement: This movement has had a profound influence on community policing initiatives both within India and globally.
Concept of VOP (Very Ordinary Person): This concept played a role in the inception of the Aam Aadmi Party and contributed to a shift away from the VIP culture in India.
Social Justice Tea Party Movement: This movement led to the empowerment of marginalized sections of society and served as inspiration for the subsequent Tea Party Movement in the USA.
KYC (Know Your Criminal) Concept: This concept influenced the development of an app to track criminals in the Tamil Nadu police force.
Shorecare Committees Movement: Originating in Ramnad district, this movement led to the establishment of coastal security setups in India.
Excenomics: This innovative interdisciplinary discipline has influenced hundreds of educational institutions and promises to impact more individuals and institutions in the future.
Eqthinking or Equilibrium Thinking: This philosophy has benefited thousands of individuals, helping them overcome obstacles and succeed in life.
Scambusters Initiative: This initiative prompted central and state statutory authorities to proactively create awareness in the general public.
FoP Movement Roadmap: Published on the internet in the early days of the web (around 1993), this roadmap has been replicated in various forms in many states and countries, quietly impacting both police forces and communities.
Social Justice Tea Parties: Conducted in villages and towns with over a million attendees, these events have had a mass impact, raising awareness of social justice issues at the grassroots level.
These diverse innovations and ideas collectively showcase the far-reaching impact on individuals, communities, and institutions, contributing to positive change and empowerment.
Scaling New Heights in Personal and Professional Triumphs
My personal definition of success revolves around the accomplishment of both personal and professional goals, with a focus on making substantial social contributions that have enduring impacts and positive influences, akin to a ripple effect. These criteria have driven me to aspire to individual excellence while simultaneously striving for broader social impact.From my early days, a passion for holistic excellence has been my guiding force. Holistic excellence, in my view, goes beyond task-oriented objectives; it involves recognizing each individual, regardless of status or designation, as a trinity of spirit, mind, and body, with specific needs and capabilities. This mindset, which emphasizes the overall well-being of those working under or with me, has touched numerous lives and created a synergistic environment.
This approach, rooted in caring for the hearts and minds of individuals, has left a lasting impact both directly and indirectly.In each role I've undertaken, I engage in creative questioning, introspecting on the key problems that can be solved and exploring the best ways to address them. Embracing the concept of "TEAM" (Together Everyone Achieves More), I've partnered with a diverse array of people to face challenges collaboratively and find resolutions. Empowering individuals to be their best in an environment of mutual trust has been instrumental in achieving our set goals.The benchmark I've established for myself and the teams I've led across various fields is a commitment to all-round excellence, continual learning, and improvement.
Success and social recognition, in my perspective, involve a process encompassing pre-cognition (dream phase), goal-setting, cognition (conscious efforts), re-cognition (adapting methods based on experience and learning), meta-cognition (inspiration and intuition transcending reason), and ultimately resulting in recognition.For every innovation attempted, empirical methods have been employed to monitor and measure success or failure. Surveys have been conducted, and statistics analyzed, with mid-course corrections implemented as needed. Even my doctoral thesis was a longitudinal study of the impact of the Friends of Police movement, reflecting my commitment to evidence-based evaluation and continuous improvement.
The Synergy Between My Path and Recognition Values
The journey to growth and transformation involves defining values, translating them into principles, and embedding those principles into daily practices and habits. In my early days as a young IPS officer, I took a proactive step by writing a circular that outlined the values to be upheld by every member of the force— "Truth, Justice, and Pragmatism." This directive aimed at combining idealism with practicality, emphasizing the harmonious blend of theory and practice.Additionally, I embraced the role of a servant leader, aligning myself with the needs and aspirations of the common man, ordinary citizens, and the underprivileged.
The acronym "FoP" (Friends of Police) also carried deeper connotations, symbolizing "Friends of Poor, Friends of Pupils, Friends of Patients, Friends of Principles (ethics), Friends of Progress, Friends of Press, and Friends of People." Today, FoP volunteers actively engage in serving the poor, providing food to the needy, teaching children, offering tuition, donating blood, and assisting people during natural disasters.One of the 7300 maxims I coined, "Respire, Aspire, Perspire, Inspire, Expire," encapsulates the values of courage, determination, hope, positivity, and leadership that have guided my life. Through coaching and mentoring programs, I strive to instill these values in the youth.
The positive messages in my speeches and social media posts, shared daily, reach a large audience, inspiring, equipping, and empowering individuals.This award, centered on the power of narrative to inspire and transform, aligns seamlessly with my life story and endeavors. It resonates with my mission, including the startup I lead, which aims to create an AI-based wearable device for measuring mental and emotional well-being. My world record book, "Fillipisms: 3333 Maxims to Maximize Your Life," serves as a source of inspiration for thousands across the globe. My coaching sessions and keynote addresses impact diverse individuals, leveraging the narrative of my unique journey—a story of resilience, survival, and the transformative power to not just rise from the ashes but to guide others to run and fly.