Raj Shankar's Blog, page 67
November 11, 2012
Interesting Links This Week : 11-Nov-2012
Hope you find these links interesting as you unwind and celebrate the festival of lights!
About the power and the need of unlearning from Nilofer Merchant. This blog created a lot of thoughts inside http://bit.ly/SgPCOT
What makes companies huddle around each other http://bitly.com/VJJd4O
Written in 2008 – but the title got me reading. The content may give you a couple of good ideas http://bitly.com/RN0LsY
November 9, 2012
Strategy – The first step to success
“Strategy” – its formulation, articulation, dissemination, alignment, measurement and review can add value especially to a high growth business. Since most people running small businesses are not necessarily managerial experts – they are very often given to understand that strategy is only for a big business. And questions that we come across even from high growth seeking small business owners are:
Why should we do a strategy exercise when we know that all we need is more customers?
Do you think I can with my limited resources conduct a competition analysis?
What will be the benefit for me to create a strategy document which many in my company will not understand?
Why should I take time of my senior management which is involved in execution for a strategy formulation work – am I not losing out on revenue?
Can I bring in a HR consultant to solve my retention problem rather than create a strategy?
Instead of creating a strategy, can you tell me how I can reach out to customers better?
And many more…
While many of the questions seem right by themselves, there is one fundamental issue. Since there is no single story / dream / vision that is shared amongst all members of the organization, there is very little buy-in! To become a medium / big organization, we need to create a bigger picture of what is in the mind of the CEO / Founder / Entrepreneur, have it colored and then imprint it in the minds of everyone in the organization. Without an alignment towards a common goal – real progress will remain elusive.
A strategy when created builds confidence in the senior management, when communicated builds trust, when aligned brings buy-in, when measured increases seriousness and commitment, and when singularly focused on, brings achievement!
November 7, 2012
Vedantic Wednesday: The Purpose of Prayer
For many of us even writing on a piece of paper would start with an auspicious mark on the top of the blank page. Few of us get up in the morning taking the name of god. For some of us the most used syllable in our daily life is the name of our ‘personal favorite’ god. This habit is something that is present across all religion. It is present in our routine and on all special occasions and endeavors.
An invocation or auspicious observance is known as ‘Mangalacarana’. It is not surprising to see that the works, which have withstood the test of time (for over 1000 years) have all started and ended with a verse of prayer and submission. The great sage Patanjali says that the work that will stand the test of time will only be that of a noble person who invokes the Lord at the beginning, the middle and the end of any work. So true are his words. Look at any of the long-standing works such as Vivekachoodamani, Atma-bodha or any other work and it starts with an invocation and ends with one. Since the wise and realized sages of ancient India have done it, there must be a purpose to it. But a purpose, that is beyond wanting a favorable outcome and putting the onus for that on almighty.
The purpose of invocation as seen by the wise is twofold:
To surrender to the Lord or the Guru before the beginning of any work. It is a another chance to express our gratitude to the Lord or the Guru through whom we have been blessed with all the strength to even begin the work at hand. It is only through their grace that we have been able to even think about beginning such a work and we request their benevolence to make the effort successful without obstacles.
By thanking and surrendering to the Lord and / or Guru, we are allowing them to work through our gross instruments (Body, Mind and Intellect) and complete the work. Any matured person will acknowledge the fact that all that is happening is the grace of the Lord. We are but instruments. If we remove our ‘ego’ and allow ourselves to be used for the Lord’s work, we would have served our roles well. Once you are just an instrument you naturally have no hold whatsoever on ownership of results. This means you can perform nishkama karma – desireless action. Hence the second reason for invocation is to remove the ego from ourselves.
If we could remember the true purpose of this simple habit that has become such an integral part of our daily routine, our output could really become so much better and blessed!
November 4, 2012
Interesting Links This Week: 04-Nov-2012
Links that caught my attention this week. Hope you will enjoy them too!
Another article to re-emphasise how important selling is for entrepreneurs http://bit.ly/Sf5tAq
Information democratization via online search gets thumbs-up from teachers. However they express concern on shortening attention span due to distractions http://bit.ly/SJ0ubx
A treasure trove from Robin Sharma http://bit.ly/XcasTu
October 28, 2012
Interesting Links This Week: 28-Oct-2012
This week these are the ones that caught my attention
Microsoft Windows 8 – a promise to change our interaction with computers for the better! But is there more to assuring in such a change than a great innovative product? An article that voices the view of Rosabeth Moss Kanter – that could raise some thoughts in all of us who seek and work with change http://bit.ly/S0TROf
It does make sense to revisit basics once in a while – as we all often tend to forget these first. An interesting one on Networking http://bit.ly/Ve8sMn
Yet another one on slow-down in recruitment, but with a glimmer of silver linning http://bit.ly/P79VAx
October 27, 2012
Books and Me: The story behind the story
Book Title : The story behind the story
Author: Swami Kriyananda
This was my first visit to this newly opened book store in my area. Being the first visit, I felt obliged to pick up something from there. As I was browsing through the books, I realised that I wasn’t really finding anything that caught my attention. But I also did not want to leave without a book. Call it the excuse of a bibliophile or a sentiment towards anything entrepreneurial, there I was persisting in my efforts to pick a book.
Another walk down the aisle, I finally hit upon this unobtrusive book. I had missed it on the earlier rounds because of its size. Once spotted, the title grabbed my attention and the blurb at the back cover made the decision to purchase easy. Being a writer and a teacher myself, I was inspired to know that this author of over 80 books was initiated into the path of writing by his guru who told him that his work in life was to write, edit and teach!
In a way this is a unique book, first of its kind that I am coming across, the book where the author takes the reader through his writing endeavour book by book. The author provides a short description on the essence of every book written by him and a bit about the inspiration to write it. He intersperses his stories behind every book with short reflections on major experiences that he underwent in chronological order. While it serves as an introductory book to all his works – it also seemed like a frank story telling by an author as he went through the journey of producing over 80 titles.
In line with the expectations of one holding the title of Swami – there are a lot of subtle hints and reminders for search of happiness within and keep our spiritual journey alive.
October 26, 2012
Strategy & Small Business: Some Thoughts
During the course of trying to understand small business and their needs, we seemed to have spotted a pattern. Most (not all) small business leaders feel spending time / money / effort on “Strategy” as not too useful! The predominant feeling is execution, talent, retention are all bigger problems than “Strategy”!
But this thought process has caused them to fall into the symptom Vs root cause syndrome. Issues around execution, talent and retention are often symptoms or manifestation of a deeper organizational disconnect. If that is not addressed, the leaders without their conscious knowledge spend time, energy and effort addressing the symptoms repeatedly. What most leaders forget is that beyond a certain threshold size- articulation, dissemination, alignment, measurement and constant discussions about “Strategy” can bring about faster growth and in fact redress some of the above symptoms quoted as problems!
What keeps the entrepreneur CEO from giving importance to arriving at a comprehensive strategic plan?
If we look closely we can draw parallels to this from how we react to the science of problem solving. Today problem solving has devolved into responding, if not reacting to a situational symptom. Action is always at a premium. Especially when one is small in size; everything seems to hit the core survival aspect. But problem solving in actual, has a much bigger context where all aspects are thought through, options analyzed, decisions debated and actions charted out.
This practice of problem solving in its true spirit is not something that is highly encouraged amongst people. One prominent reason being, it does not result in tangible outcome except suggesting solutions to problems. Since most people have had experiences where the solution has almost always been in line with the intuitive solution – why waste time confirming and constraining the intuitive response? Valid reasoning – isn’t it?
However we have come across many cases where what seems like a problem to the leader may not be the problem in reality. Hence even the most intuitive solution may not provide relief. But nobody wants to agree that they are wrong in their identification of a problem – because very often it reflects their own mistake! So when we take them through the aspect of problem solving the right way, the first revelation that it almost always has, is a redefinition of the problem statement and hence a much more effective solution.
“Strategy” for business is in many forms similar to problem solving. It provides us with options, analysis and routes one can take, the preparation one has to make to reach the choice of their destination. Very often it helps in redefining the destination itself making the journey more meaningful. In business as in any other pursuit of life, the bigger the bet, the more the preparation that it requires. But in reality bigger the bet – quicker is the action sought! These contradicting forces of patient planning and exhilarating action, is one of the key reasons why leaders avoid or rush through strategic planning process. Understanding this could help us give this key process its rightful due in terms of time and effort!
October 22, 2012
Recording of Panel Discussion – Should management be centralized, decentralized or self managed
Knowledge Community Chennai organized a panel discussion on “Should Management be Centralized, Decentralized or Self Managed” as a part of its 33rd edition, on 17th October 2012 at IIT Madras Research Park Auditorium. I was a part of the panel which had some very senior, informed and interesting panelists. I enjoyed the interaction and the learning that came from listening to a variety of perspectives and thoughts on trends in managing and leading teams.
It was wonderful to be a part of a full 90 minutes and more of thought share, questions, humor and discovery. The post panel discussions were equally interesting and enjoyable!
Here is the link to the recording of the panel discussion. http://www.chennaistream.com/kcc/
October 20, 2012
Interesting Links This Week: 21-Oct-2012
This week my favourites are a mixed bag – one from the master of disruptive innovation, one straight from the heart of an entrepreneur and the last one which gives some interesting insights into out-of-the-box thinking in marketing
A must read from the master of disruptive innovation – this time on journalism. http://hvrd.me/QSVc9H
From the heart of an entrepreneur. Words that not only resonate, but provide worthy considerations on how we may be looking at our own entrepreneurial journey http://bit.ly/XmskdM
Out of the box thinking in Marketing. Something that helps all of us; especially the entrepreneurial ones http://onforb.es/QHS6oY
October 15, 2012
Panel Discussion on 17th October, K Community Chennai
Knowledge Community Chennai is organizing a panel discussion on “Should Management be Centralized, Decentralized or Self Managed” as a part of its 33rd edition, on 17th October 2012 at IIT Madras Research Park Auditorium, between 5:30 pm - 7:45 pm
You can check this link for more details: http://kcommunity.ning.com/group/chennaikcommunity
