As a student of management, I have been studying the theoretical definition of management and many of its theories. According to the textbook definition, management is “the process of dealing with or controlling things or people”. But I wonder if this definition works in the real life.

There may have been some revisions by the contemporary experts over the meaning and importance of management. The new age management strategy emphasises on the dynamic approach aligning to company’s cultures, core values, people and behaviours. It is high time that the definition of management should be redefined so that the new generations will be able to understand in a much better way. But are our textbook authors, teachers or policymakers concerned about bridging this gap between the classroom and the professional setting?

However, instead of pointing fingers at others, it is important for us to evaluate our actions as well. I am also a firm believer of upgrading myself, which has been aptly put by a wise quote, “To know the world, first know yourself. To change the world, first change yourself.” While it is easy to complain, I feel that being self-aware can also be regarded as the first step towards changing one’s perception and eventually, the way of life.

We should all prepare for it in order to see the world through a bird’s-eye view rather than self-centric approach. To be a changemaker that we desire to be, we have to be ready to readjust and sacrifice many things in our lives. After all, changemakers define themselves by doing admirable work rather than expecting from others.

However, I understand that change is a gradual process, as Rome wasn’t built in a day. During this process, we have to understand that if we do what is easy, our life will be hard, but if we do what is hard, our life will be easy.

We need to take responsibility for what we want to be in life. I believe that when we are at our best, there is nothing that we cannot accomplish. We also need to remember to count our smallest achievements such as giving our due attention to our studies as students and being self-aware of the differences between the

textbook knowledge and real life experiences.

Wagle is currently pursuing an MBA at Charotar University of Science and Technology, India