Off with the mask you!

Masks. Masks everywhere. Each of us have masks we wear and act out scenes in our daily life. The funny part is when people see you and see you through. This farce act gives out when you are trying to live a life that you are not. It is really interesting when you want to be in my good books and behave in a particular way and when you don't need help, you have a different mask. 

In every team there is someone who plays out the others for their advantage. Unfortunately, people fall for this. In life brands also try the same. They try to put up masks and act out in a peculiar way to win your confidence. They talk like they care, act like they care and lure you to believing, but when the act comes down, what do you do? You boycott the brand like a dreadful plague and it takes immense confidence building to get back the consumer psyche to like you again. Strange as it sounds, there may be a momentary gain when you play out to the audience and not be truthful but you lose this game. 

As a marketer, if you pick the best mask to wear, pick the most truthful one, the one you don't need to act out to and you are etched into the consumer psyche. 

Applies to people too. Alas! Only few live to learn this. What mask are you wearing today?

Monday Blues: Let us protest

One of the disadvantages of growing up is that one needs to be sane and think like a grown up! Comes with the package, this responsibility I mean. No. The ability to do the needful doesn't get upgraded on its own. We need to grow this ourselves, unlike the hair, nails, tummy... you get the drift. Unfortunate to see how some of us can stay there as mental, psychological toddlers while we don bigger roles, move on from one job to another, demand higher salaries, better positions, respect, and claim to fame while our opinions are still the same as in the kindergarten.

Let me explain. Did you ever get up one day and think, "What value add am I doing to my company, my job, my clients, my family, my life?" Do you even care to know or do you even know! If you think I am trying to make you feel bad about yourself, then you are damn right I am. What is the point of the boring job you are doing or same thing you do repetitively every day without questioning the heck out of it when zombies of humanoids can do a better job than you and maybe they can be trained to smile while doing it? Have you heard the story of a guy who worked in a factory all his life doing what he thought was his job. He was punctual, readily available to volunteer, witty and smart in his dictionary! Well, that's the story he was all that in HIS dictionary. No one cares about him. Or will care about you when you end up like him. Time to wake up out of the perfect bubble you have designed for yourself. There is nothing called holding up, staying afloat, being flexible, surviving. Either you are surviving or dying. Nothing in between. 

Why do we protest or support certain things? Why do we beat up people when we see an accident? Why don't we rise up in protest when there is a rape incident or molestation like Nirbhaya? Why do we think voting is not important? Why do we think politicians beating up each other, drinking, throwing mikes, tearing off shirts is politics? We voted for these unruly rowdies? Do we know why we are doing what we are doing? Great revolutions were born out of passion and had a purpose. When you say you want to be in a world that appreciates what you are doing, better start contributing positively to what you are passionate about. I can be really passionate about Swachch Bharat (Clean India) movement on social media but be as dirty as I can when I am alone. I can be the flag-bearer of anti-corruption drives while ranting on social media but do things my way when I need. I can protest against MNCs trying to change our culture but live off a dozen of them every day. There is nothing more hypocritical than that. While screaming swadeshi, we choose to depend on thousand things that we have grown accustomed to even if they are made by MNCs. We chose to dump our parents in old age homes while giving lectures about how parents are a gift of God. Mob mentality shows how week our society is when it comes to taking decisions. Are we growing humans or zombies? 

Next time you are faced with a cause you feel like supporting or resisting, think like a grown up and decide. You might want to learn more about the cause, check facts, before actually protesting. If it is genuine, give your everything. If it is not, stay home. The maturity of a generation is measured on its ability to accept, adopt, challenge, grow and improve. The maturity of a wo/man is judged on his/her ability to take sane decisions, change, question, evolve and be compassionate. You got to be truthful at least to yourself. And if you are not adding value to your job, get a new one. If you are not adding value to a relationship, better start to contribute positively as you might not be very useful if you don't. If you have nothing positive to say or help grow, shut up! Don't be the noise, be the informed, concerned, rational voice. Have a great Monday.

#Jallikattu #Demockrazy #Rantpost #Hypocrisy #ProtestingCulture

Beware! Those carrots could make you sick

Niranjan Kaggere writes in today's Bangalore Mirror...

The fresh and nutrition- rich vegetables sold in the markets of Bengaluru have left the state government worried! In a major shock to veggielovers several vegetables and fruit sold in the markets of Bengaluru tested positive for pesticide residue, particularly organo chlorine pesticides that can take toll on your nervous and digestive system and weaken muscles! 

A random check conducted by the Horticulture department run Bio Centre in Hulimavu on different vegetables has revealed shocking details about the 'freshness' and nutrition value of vegetables. 
Fruits like papaya, vegetables including cabbage, green chilli, capsicum, carrot, tomato, bottle gourd and ginger were found to contain considerable amounts of the banned pesticide. 

Acknowledging the results of the test, Horticulture minister Dr Shyamanoor Shivashankarappa said, "In a random check conducted recently at our centre on vegetables and fruits available from Bengaluru's markets, traces of the banned organo chlorine pesticide were seen. 

"The department has been advising farmers not to use these pesticides and use only those pesticides suggested by the department." Shivashankarappa added, "Dicofol pesticide was preferred by farmers to prevent flies and pests in Bhindi (okra), brinjal, bitter-gourd, chilli and beans crops. But the demand for these pesticides has drastically come down after awareness drives by the department."
Sources in the Horticulture department said that even though the number of farmers using organo chlorine pesticide has come down, a few still use it. 

"The government has already banned pesticides with these contents. Yet farmers continue to use them. Even though it safeguards the crop from pests and insects, the residue will remain in the vegetable. 

"Proper washing in warm water will help remove the content," revealed a senior official from the Horticulture department. 

Meanwhile, a consulting physician from a leading hospital told Bangalore Mirror that a short-term exposure to organo chlorine pesticide would result in convulsions, headache, nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness, slurred speech and sweating. 

"Long-term exposure due to consumption of such vegetables may damage the liver, kidney and central nervous system," he said. Senior BJP Leader and MLC Ramachandre Gowda caught the government's attention about this trend at the Legislative Council and urged the government to discourage the use of pesticides with any of these harmful contents as they are a health hazard. 

What is this Satya Nadella?

Satya was celebrated when he reached the helm of one of the brightest companies of the world and we all shared the borrowed halo. Now that he messed up, that too in a bad way, we don't want anything from him! Aren't we human?

Poor Satya said something that most of the menfolk, not just in India, all over the world believe in! Thought not discussed openly, every change, promotion, hike, success of a woman is associated with something funny, dirty and sneered with jealousy. Women have reached pinnacles of the most cherished companies, proved their worth in many fields including space research, defense and science which they were late entrants to! And with time they grew tougher, stronger, more able than men can ever be and while most women choose to ignore, skip and look down upon the remarks, snide comments, some women, or should I say, many women feel depressed, pressurized and forced to step back and suffer. It is a shame we are a society who despise others success and cheer their failure. It is a shame we don't appreciate the contribution, more if not equal, of women for the success and upbringing of our culture, society and economy. It is a shame that people like Satya Nadella are still among us choosing to carry values that should be denounced and scrapped.

I like Satya Nadella for what he has achieved in his life with grit and hard work. I am all for men doing well but let me say this with optimistic prayer, for every Satya Nadella who climbs successfully up the corporate ladder, there are more than one woman who could do that given a chance. It is all about chances and choices. When will we move to an equal world with open chances and open minded people? May be I shouldn't ask or hope for anything and wait for my karma.

Satya, I believe you didn't mean what you said and you will do everything possible to change my opinion about you and your respect for women. Until then you can keep your two penny opinions to yourself.

Pic is from here

Mango Frooti Fresh and Juicy roaches

How easy it is for a consumer to walk out on a brand. How easy it is for a brand to lose a consumer? Just one mess up and a bad one at that. What does it tell me? It tells me to be extra careful, extra clean, extra passionate and ensure the experience with my clients is of the top notch and uncompromising. 

Blame it on the guy who stores it before it is handed over to you - the retailer. Blame it on the poor condition of his shop or the pathetic transport system you use but I am blaming you - the brand: Parle Agro!

I got Cockroaches in my pack of Frooti and I am shocked. I usually pick up packs of 8 that you send in one plastic bag and yes I use these straws to consume it. It is one of my childhood's best memories when long unending train journeys from North India to South were punctuataed by the five rupee Frooti packs that came our way to quench our thirst. This nostalgia makes me buy your drink though I don't want to. All these years you built a brand and in one single silly move you committed suicide.

I don't care who does what and who is to blame, I see that you haven't packed my drink properly and these cockroaches crept out of my packs, all eight of them, and they made me go crazy. I felt pukish and sick. You not just spoilt my day but also killed my expectations and as of now you are history for me. Oh yes... Parle Agro's Mango Frooti is fresh and juicy. Don't know about the drink but the cockroaches are!

Lessons from Virat Kohli

Virat is angry. 
Virat is young.
Virat is a genius.

When you are talented, blessed with opportunities and are severely clinically examined for every move and are always in the limelight like Virat, I think it is fair enough to be carried away and sometimes be yourself. When Virat gets angry, I understand he can be upset. I see many negative comments about him getting angry and irritated when he is given out and there are always many such occasions in Cricket. It is a game after all and we all know how unfair it can be sometimes. But to let out the anger and show disapproval and behave in a childish mood is being questioned. I beg to differ. I am glad Virat gets angry, I am glad Virat is showing it.

Why do we equate Virat with Sachin and behave as if he has to follow the little master? Let Virat be himself - angry, passionate, challenging, aggressive and expressive. We love him for his knocks, passion and for being himself. Be yourself, be brave, be expressive and be natural. Let people like or dislike you for what you are. Focus on improving, changing for better and moving forward.

Pic is from here.

I am not a data point

Firefox comes up with a brilliant message in the form of an open letter and along with all the netizens I am loving it. The Web is our largest shared resource. Let's keep it free and open for us, and for the next generation.

Jamuna vs Brahmaputra

We were searching for a friend's house in Assam on Google Earth and found Jamuna river flowing through Guwahati to the shock of my life. Now how did that happen? This should have been Brahmaputra and not Jamuna. Refresh and it is still the same. I have loaded the screenshot here and am notifying the team at Google too.

Interestingly this is a prominent river and not a small tributary. In fact it is the only masculine-named-river in India. I hope Google quickly corrects it.

You can be really careful but there can be mistakes. If you wake up and rectify, there shouldn't be a problem. After all we are all human. Google... Are you listening? Or should I search for Taj Mahal here in Guwahati?

Monday blues: Being thankful

This monday, let us be thankful! Here is why!

• Being thankful is one of the ways to keep your spirits up.
• Being thankful helps you acknowledge what you have, what you earned, what you are blessed with and should value.
• Being thankful aids in being happy.
• Being thankful helps you to appreciate what you don't normally see.
• Being thankful helps you relax.
• Being thankful is being cheerful.
• Being thankful helps you mend relationships.
• Being thankful is good.
• Be thankful today.

 All pics displayed here can be downloaded and used for free. Just give a link here. You can find more pics here: t3i photography.

The unfair treatment experiment

How about treating with fairness? Well. Everyone seems to be doing that, so let us see how unfair treatment motivates and initiates action in your team/employees. The chimps don't know how to inhibit but the reaction is the same with humans too.

I ate your candy :)

I love this series. Don't you?

Monday blues: Lead to the golden street

Have patience, perseverance and consistency.

Only a little while of walking with weary feet,
Patiently over the thorny way that leads to the golden street!

(M.P.A. Crozier)

The Law of the Garbage Truck

How often do you let other people’s nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day? Unless you’re the Terminator, you’re probably set back on your heels. However, the mark of your success is how quickly you can refocus on what’s important in your life.

Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson. And I learned it in the back of a New York City taxi cab. Here’s what happened.

I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, the car skidded, the tires squealed, and at the very last moment our car stopped just one inch from the other car’s back-end.

I couldn’t believe it. But then I couldn’t believe what happened next. The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at us. How do I know? Ask any New Yorker, some words in New York come with a special face. And he even threw in a one finger salute! I couldn’t believe it!

But then here’s what really blew me away. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly. So, I said, “Why did you just do that!? This guy could have killed us!” And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, “The Law of the Garbage Truck™.” He said:

"Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they look for a place to dump it. And if you let them, they’ll dump it on you.

So when someone wants to dump on you, don’t take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Believe me. You’ll be happier."

So I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the street? It was then that I said, “I don’t want their garbage and I’m not going to spread it anymore.”

I began to see Garbage Trucks. Like in the movie “The Sixth Sense,” the little boy said, “I see Dead People.” Well now “I see Garbage Trucks.” I see the load they’re carrying. I see them coming to dump it. And like my taxi driver, I don’t take it personally; I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on.

One of my favorite football players of all time was Walter Payton. Every day on the football field, after being tackled, he would jump up as quickly as he hit the ground. He never dwelled on a hit. Payton was ready to make the next play his best. Over the years the best players from around the world in every sport have played this way: Muhammad Ali, Nadia Comaneci, Bjorn Borg, Chris Evert, Michael Jordan, Jackie Robinson, and Pele are just some of those players. And the most inspiring leaders have lived this way: Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King.

See, Roy Baumeister, a psychology researcher from Florida State University, found in his extensive research that you remember bad things more often than good things in your life. You store the bad memories more easily, and you recall them more frequently.

So the odds are against you when a Garbage Truck comes your way. But when you follow The Law of the Garbage Truck™, you take back control of your life. You make room for the good by letting go of the bad.

The best leaders know that they have to be ready for their next meeting. The best sales people know that they have to be ready for their next client. And the best parents know that they have to be ready to greet their children with hugs and kisses, no matter how many garbage trucks they might have faced that day. All of us know that we have to be fully present, and at our best for the people we care about.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take over their lives.

What about you? What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by?

Here’s my bet: You’ll be happier. 

—DAVID J. POLLAY

Start with Sorry

Sometimes a simple sorry can solve problems. Sometimes it might not. I for one do not believe in saying sorry for things that I know I am right. Sometimes you have people who love to use the 'I-am-the-customer' tag too often to show that they are in control and can say what they want. I am sorry. I disagree.

So here is how you get out of situations like that. Stick to what you have done correctly and what you have done wrong. If there is a mistake, don't hold back - apologize. If you are not, then stay put.

To avoid confrontations, try and document every possible interaction and make of note of things you might forget. If you are a leader, ensure your team is on time, always. You wouldn't want to reprimand someone for your letting things go easy. If you are a team member, do it to stay accounted for anything you are asked for. After all this is what you would need to teach your team.

Like I said, if you are right, stay put. The fight is worth it.

Pic is from Emily's blog.

Why Society Still Needs Feminism

My friend Niyati shared this post by Soraya Chemaly and it is brilliant. Read on.

"Because to men, a key is a device to open something. For women, it’s a weapon we hold between our fingers when we’re walking alone at night.
Because the biggest insult for a guy is to be called a “pussy,” a “little bitch” or a “girl.” From here on out, being called a “pussy” is an effing badge of honor.
Because last month, my politics professor asked the class if women should have equal representation in the Supreme Court, and only three out of 42 people raised their hands.
Because rape jokes are still a thing.
Because despite being equally broke college kids, guys are still expected to pay for dates, drinks and flowers.
Because as a legit student group, Campus Fellowship does not allow women to lead anything involving men. Look, I know Eve was dumb about the whole apple and snake thing, but I think we can agree having a vagina does not directly impact your ability to lead a
college organization.
Because it’s assumed that if you are nice to a girl, she owes you sex — therefore, if she turns you down, she’s a bitch who’s put you in the “friend zone.” Sorry, bro, women are not machines you put kindness coins into until sex falls out.
Because only 29 percent of American women identify as feminist, and in the words of author Caitlin Moran, “What part of ‘liberation for women’ is not for you? Is it freedom to vote? The right not to be owned by the man you marry? The campaign for equal pay? Did all that good shit get on your nerves? Or were you just drunk at the time
of the survey?”
Because when people hear the term feminist, they honestly think of women burning bras. Dude, have you ever bought a bra? No one would burn them because they’re freaking
expensive.
Because Rush Limbaugh.
Because we now have a record number of women in the Senate … which is a measly 20 out of 100. Congrats, USA, we’ve gone up to 78th place for women’s political representation, still below China, Rwanda and Iraq.
Because recently I had a discussion with a couple of well-meaning Drake University guys, and they literally could not fathom how catcalling a woman walking down University Avenue is creepy and sexist.
Could. Not. Fathom.
Because on average, the tenured male professors at Drake make more than the tenured female professors.
Because more people on campus complain about chalked statistics regarding sexual assault than complain about the existence of sexual assault. Priorities? Have them.
Because 138 House Republicans voted against the Violence Against Women Act. All 138 felt it shouldn’t provide support for Native women, LGBT people or immigrant women. I’m kind of confused by this, because I thought LGBT people and women of color were also human beings.
Weird, right?
Because a girl was roofied last semester at a local campus bar, and I heard someone say they think she should have been more careful. Being drugged is her fault, not the fault of the person who put drugs in her drink?
Because Chris Brown beat Rihanna so badly she was hospitalized, yet he still has fans and bestselling songs and a tattoo of an abused woman on his neck.
Because out of 7 billion people on the planet, more than 1 billion women will be raped or beaten in their lifetimes. Women and girls have their clitorises cut out, acid thrown on them and broken bottles shoved up them as an act of war. Every second of every day. Every corner of the Earth.
Because the other day, another friend of mine told me she was raped, and I can no longer count on both my hands the number of friends who have told me they’ve been sexually assaulted. Words can’t express how scared I am that I’m getting used to this.
Because a brief survey of reality will tell you that we do not live in a world that values all people equally and that sucks in real, very scary ways. Because you know we live in a sexist world when an awesome thing with the name “feminism” has a weird connotation. Because if I have kids someday, I want my son to be able to have emotions and play dress up, and I want my daughter to climb trees and care more about what’s in her head than what’s on it. Because I don’t want her to carry keys between her fingers at night to
protect herself.
Because feminism is for everybody, and this is your official invitation.”

Everyone has an audience

Modern life is ruled by social media or social justice. Everyone has an opinion and has an audience. Any act is not gone unnoticed or forgiven. The chance to make news is up for grabs and guess what no one is missing it.

 There are eyes everywhere watching you and your every move. No one would believe what you said as they can now verify. If you know some place where cameras aren't there now, wait and ye shall be seen soon.

It is important for us to behave properly. Though the justice system/delivery is a bit slow, it catches up to you. There are no exemptions. The more famous you are the higher the chances of you to be picked up. That is what the Ecuadoran envoy, Rodrigo Riofrio, forgot when he got into a fight with two women in a supermarket checkout line. It almost triggered a fight between the Ecuador and Peru. Good that diplomacy is going on but it also makes us wonder if we are alone anymore.

So next time you are angry or someone eggs you out, watch out, you may end up as Youtube's next sensation.

Messengers or Leaders?

What is your leadership style? Do you want to create messengers or leaders?
You already know the answer!

Let me list the differences for you here and then you decide what you want to be.

Messengers:

• Do the job
• Are dull and boring
• Are slow
• Not closers
• Are easy to handle
• Don't ask questions
• Agree with you always
• Think what you want them to
• Are easy to mould
• Obey
• Stick to pattern
• Are submissive
• Cannot think outside the box
• Cannot bring you new business
• Cannot bring you revenue
• Are a dumber, older version of you!
• Are mediocre at best
• Don't give their best shot
• Are afraid
• Are dime a dozen

Leaders are the opposite!

So what kind of a manager are you? Are you creating messengers or leaders?
You know the answer.

What should you be doing?
You know the answer.

Pic is from MKG media

The invisible truth

Just because you didn't see doesn't mean it's not there.

Flavored air with potato chips

Sarah and me bought a pack of the family/party pack of chips today and she was wondering why they need such a big pack for so few chips and I mentioned this article. Am sure you would love reading it too.


Mumbai. Lay’s, the premium producers of packaged flavored air, faced a major crisis today when a production glitch resulted in far more potato chips being put into every pack of air than the “normal” level. Potato chips normally fill around 5% of the packet volume and they are helpful in adding flavor to “packaged air”, which is the flagship product of the company.

The production glitch caused this level to go up to 75%, sending the top management of the company in a tizzy. Before the Quality Control supervisor could detect it, hundreds of thousands of packaged air with “Magic Masala” flavor were already in the market and the news about the production glitch spread like wildfire.

“It was unbelievable!” 15-year-old Ravish Kumar exclaimed as he munched a handful of chips, “I bought the packet, slipped it in my school bag, and waited for my friend to go away before opening it, so that I don’t have to share those 12 chips with him. When I opened the packet I saw that it was full of potato chips! I immediately went back to the shop and bought five packets more, yes, can you believe it? Packets full of chips!”

People couldn’t believe their eyes when dozens of potato chips came falling out as soon as they opened the bulging packets.

Ravish claimed that it was the first time when he tried putting more than two wafers in his mouth in one go.

“I would normally put one at a time as I wanted to enjoy each one of those 12 valuable chips. But sometimes I’d put in two, as no one can eat just one. But boy, the human mouth is capable of taking in at least 12 chips in one go, see!” said Ravish as he enthusiastically crushed a bunch of 12 chips with his 32 teeth.

Hundreds others like Ravish too found out about the high amount of chips level in Lay’s flavored air packets and soon every general store was besieged by hordes of customers and chips enthusiasts, forcing police to resort to a mild lathicharge to disperse the crowd.

“Well, yeah, we always knew that they were packets of flavored air, but we bought them for those little chips,” claimed Ankit, a customer with lathi bruises on his left foot and 20 units of “defective” flavored air packets in his hands, “You know, it’s like some people buying eggs only for the egg white.”

Realizing that a high level of chips in a packet meant for flavored air could have adverse impact on consumers’ health, Lay’s has decided to recall all the defective packets of flavored air. The company has also issued a public apology.

“It has always been our goal to provide people with the finest flavored air that is becoming rare due to urban pollution. This is an aberration and we promise that such mistakes will not be repeated again,” Kareena, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Lay’s told Faking News.

Sources suggest that the production glitch happened when an employee accidentally changed the “Chips in Packet” (CIP) setting from “Commercially Available” to “For Advertisement Only”.

Lay’s PRO dismissed rumors that the top management had beaten up the erring employee because of whom Lay’s profit margins risked being wafer-thin.

“The official position of the company is that we treat our employees well. That particular employee fell down a flight of stairs after he had slipped off on a banana peel in the section where we are coming up with a banana flavored air,” Kareena clarified the “truth” in a press statement.

“There has been a mistake and the company will learn from it, No one will be Lay’d off! We do not give up so easily when the chips are down!” she added.

Someone is listening to you. ALWAYS!

Today's headline and open ed pages in The Hindu, a leading newspaper in India caught everyone's attention. After reading the article its déjà vu!

Now that you know the government is listening to you for your security or at least to help you, what if the technology falls in to the wrong hands? Scary. Such technology should be kept very very safe and out of the hands of miscreants and marketers ;) But given that you are already giving out a lot of information yourself, I might not need to listen to you all the time after all.

Here is a post I wrote in April this year and here is the bit you might like.

Did u get text messages and mails asking you to buy a site, car, loan, camera, etc.? Try talking about buying something on phone and you get these messages. Try speaking about eating out and you will get messages about dining and restaurants. Try speaking about parties, birthdays and you will get offers about gold, etc. You get the drift? Technology intrusion can be appalling.


This information allows me to see when you would feel low and have ice cream or down yourself in booze or call that particular friend, watch that movie, shop! I can understand your profile, your behavior, your psyche and us it to my advantage. I, the marketer, would be glad to shell out greens to have access to that information.


Scary? I feel so. Careful what you type on your Facebook status!

Where's my privacy? It ends where the next person's starts!

Pic is from The Hindu.