Teach me

Oh, teach me, Lord, that I may teach,

Thy precious things Thou dost impart;

And wing my words, that they may reach

The hidden depths of many a heart!


(Frances R. Havergal, 1836-1879)

Redefining Vogue

Irving Penn (June 16, 1917 – October 7, 2009) was an American photographer known for his portraiture and fashion photography well known for redefining Vogue!

RIP Penn.

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Austerity ! Desi style!

Via BBC: This is an austerity drive, Indian style.

Sales of gold jewellery are traditionally at their peak this time a year. In recent years, people would crowd around the stalls, hoping to get the best deals, but this time the sale has been less popular. Traditionally, more than 95% of gold bought in India is in the form of jewellery. But at this year's sale, it seems many were instead looking to buy gold in the form of coins and bars or biscuits.

According to one estimate, Indian family vaults have almost 15,000 tonnes of gold locked away, a volume comparable to the stockpile held by the US Federal Reserve.

The fact that there are still plenty of people with plenty of money out there is clear for anyone operating in India's often lucrative wedding industry.

So wedding budgets remain large, yet fashion has changed to reflect the nation's new mood. Bridal wear designer Ritu Kumar says people have cut back on bright colours and bling.

"Most of my clients want simpler-looking outfits over something which is bright and has a lot of shiny stones in it," she says.

"The cost may actually be the same, but the look is definitely more subtle and not in-your-face expensive.

"The community in general is fairly conservative when it comes to weddings. Over the last couple of years, the conspicuousness in society had pushed bridal fashion to something flashy and over the top , but we are now going back to classics."

Despite the rising commodity costs, the sweets are one thing that have not been scaled down. This time many seem to have switched from conspicuous consumption to conspicuous cutbacks.

Beyond the facade, it is increasingly clear that among the wealthy, the restraint is skin deep.

Go shop! Plzzz

Journal Record: With the 2009 holiday shopping season just around the corner, there is growing concern about what the national and local retail markets can expect this year. The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) offered a small ray of hope this week as they released a report stating that they believe U.S. holiday sales will rise 1 percent over 2008. Their prediction is one of the more hopeful forecasts considering Retail Forward recently announced it was predicting flat activity for the upcoming shopping season.

Mike Niemira, chief economist for ICSC, said the following about the upcoming holiday shopping season:

“This year’s holiday-spending season will be a lot better than last year. The wear and tear of the recession and financial crisis on the consumer psyche is slowly giving way to renewed hope, optimism and most likely gift buying.”

Hopefully, ICSC’s prediction will come true because if the national market endures another tough holiday shopping season, it will most likely result in more national retail downsizing and bankruptcies and create a much longer timetable for true recovery to occur.

Eternal love and life!

Grant them the joy which brightens earthly sorrow;
Grant them the peace which calms all earthly strife,
And to life's day the glorious unknown morrow
That dawns upon eternal love and life!

(The only hymn of Dorothy B. Gurney, 1858-1932)

+ve Mental Attitude

"A strong positive mental attitude will create more miracles than any wonder drug."

Patricia Neal

Monday blues: Mundane monday

"Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier."

Mother Teresa

What a gem of a weapon! This is easily as cool as the lightsaber! Applies to HR, sales and just to every relationship you can define.

As a HR your job is to keep your employees focused and happy. Solve problems, mend egos and as my HR friends tell me sell smiles. As a manager you should ensure your team is in its full emotional capability. Confidence, trust and support works wonders to boost an individual's performance. This is more than what a good package, high sounding profile can do. Build trust, confidence in your team.

As a sales person your job is more clearer. You are not there to sell the products or provide services but to help the customer solve his/her problems. This goes a long way in building a relationship and repeat walk-ins if not repeat sales. So what if you were not able to sell a product that the customer wanted?

"Sorry! We don't have the natural insect repellent patches. Want to try a vaporizer?" is a shut-the-door statement.

"I am afraid we have run out of stock on Don't Bite Me! patches, I guess you can find them at the store a couple of blocks away. Let me guide you reaching there!" is an excellent way of ensuring the customer would walk in next time.

As a member of a team, be proactive, help, problem solve, educate, learn and be the best. Once you add value to people who interact with you on a daily basis, you are the SPOC.

So ready to be armed with a lightsaber? Go add value!

Top movies this week

Top movies this week:

1. Zombieland
2. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
3. The Invention of Lying
4. Surrogates
5. Whip It
6. Capitalism: A Love Story
7. Fame
8. The Informant!
9. Love Happens
10. Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself
11. Pandorum

The 'giving' generation!

TOI: They've often been called the "me-first" generation and stereotyped as the lot that doesn't give a damn about the rest of the world so long as their lives are one long picnic. But, is that how young urban Indians see themselves? Not in the least, it turns out.

In an eight-city survey of youth's attitude to charity we found that 80% of those aged between 18 and 35 thought of themselves as charitable. Women were more likely to regard themselves as charitable (84%) than men (76%).

But the constantly pillorying by older people about being too self-centred by far does seem to have affected young people's perception of themselves. More than 60% of those surveyed felt they were less charitable than their parents or grandparents.

But there were some interesting variations in the answer to that question across the eight cities polled. In Hyderabad and Chennai, the majority saw themselves as more charitable than previous generations. More than 40% said so as well in yet another southern city, Bangalore.

The survey, done exclusively for TOI by Synovate, a leading market research agency, was conducted in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Lucknow and Jaipur. It covered respondents from socio-economic categories (SEC) A and B1.

About half the respondents were aged between 18 and 25 years and the other half were in the 26-35 year age group. The ratio of males to females was 60:40 and the total number of respondents 1,000. It asked questions about the kind of charity work that young Indians find most acceptable, how much of their own time and energy they devote to charitable work and how far they trust charitable institutions.

I'm on the top of the world

Such a feelin's comin' over me
There is wonder in most everything I see
Not a cloud in the sky
Got the sun in my eyes
And I won't be surprised if it's a dream
Everything I want the world to be

Is now coming true especially for me
And the reason is clear
It's because you are here
You're the nearest thing to heaven that I've seen

(*) I'm on the top of the world lookin' down on creation
And the only explanation I can find
Is the love that I've found ever since you've been around
Your love's put me at the top of the world

Something in the wind has learned my name
And it's tellin' me that things are not the same
In the leaves on the trees and the touch of the breeze
There's a pleasin' sense of happiness for me

There is only one wish on my mind
When this day is through I hope that I will find
That tomorrow will be just the same for you and me
All I need will be mine if you are here

Repeat (*) twice

A Great Marketer

More than a holiday, Oct 2nd should be remembered as a day that gave us one of the best gifts of mankind, the father of our Nation: Gandhi. The individual who changed the thoughts on how you work against pressure, oppression and gave you an option. He was able to convert a dream, an idea to reality and most important of all could get the masses follow him. I should say one of the greatest marketers of all time.

Happy B'day Bapu!

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Count your blessings

Too many times in life you look at things and feel you were left out when God was blessing. This is depressing, disappointing and lures you to start cursing luck and how it could have been. Then you should look at how winners are made. This kid seems to be having the best time of his life. But look closely and you would find a hard truth. His smile and confidence would defeat you. Isn't it amazing?

Adversities come and go on life. No one's life is filled only with them. May be your share is more tilted towards them.. now. It is going to change. YOU can change it. Just keep smiling and don't let your confidence wither away. The greatest winners and heros are not the ones who won when everything was helping them. Don't lose confidence in yourself. October is a month of challenges turned to awesome wins. Go and make yourself one. The title asks you to count your blessings. But in reality you can not. Keep smiling and winning. Happy October!

Pix from ritemail.blogspot.com

Quantum leap

From Robin Sharma's blog...

What makes the best performers better?

He met a European karate champion who trains more than most athletes in his field. And his commitment to preparation drives his spectacular results. But what was most interesting was that he said sometimes he'd be practicing consistently for 3 years straight with no apparent improvement. He just stays focused. Puts in the work. And stays on course.

Then one day, seemingly out of nowhere, his whole game transforms. It just leaps to a new level.

It's so easy to think that just because we're not seeing any immediate results, we're not improving. Not true. Personal change and leadership transformation happens INVISIBLY AND INCREMENTALLY. So just because you can't see your little daily shifts doesn't mean you're not progressing. And those small tiny improvements, when done with care and dedication, will lead to a remarkable shift in time. Your quantum leap.

Angels ahoy!

A ransomed earth breaks forth in song,

Her sin-stained ages over-past;

Her yearning, Lord, how long, how long?

Exchanged for joy at last-at last.

Angels, carry the royal commands;

Peace beams forth throughout all the lands:

The trees of the field shall clap their hands-

What will it be when the King comes!

(Emily E.S. Elliot, 1836-1897)

Ink vs memory

The weakest ink is stronger than the greatest memory. So write down what you want to do today, this week, this month. This would push you to reach there and achieve it.

Good luck.

Img credit

Branding online

You’ve probably heard it a thousand times. “Don’t judge a book by its cover!” Tell me when you bought a book that had a cover you didn't like? Yes... we all do it. Judging someone else using non-verbal cues to determine another person’s confidence, professionalism, honesty, attitude and success is part of human nature. And like people, similar cues are used by customers visiting your people, office, website to determine the quality of your products and services and professionalism of your business.

Customers use non-verbal, less-tangible, emotional symbols to asses your business, your brand image. So online branding and Web site branding is important to build the image of your business you want customers to have. Whether you want to be viewed as high quality or low cost or ultra luxurious, visually “dress” your business to reach that goal.

A good looking web site builds trust in your business and helps in starting a relationship with potential customers. Considering the average visitor to your Web site will judge you on your professionalism, honesty, and the success of your business in just three to four seconds ensuring that you score on the first look is important.

Much to be done

K. Seetha Prabhu examines Financial Inclusion as a path to rural recovery in WSJ... read on...

To be sure, the global financial crisis and related emerging issues such as the large scale return of migrants who have lost their jobs in towns, prospects of a drought in many parts of the country due to insufficient and irregular rainfall, and the continuing rise in the prices of commodities for daily consumption have cast a shadow on prospects of rapid growth that is difficult to ignore.

In these times of distress, what could have offered succor is a well-established and functioning financial sector that offers a range of products suited for the rural clientele and enables and supports those with meager incomes to tide them over tough times and secure their livelihood. The crisis may offer just the incentive needed to forge a much more active financial sector that will lead a resurgence of the rural sector and, in turn, the entire economy.

There is much to be done. While India aggressively pursued bank nationalization way back in 1969 to widen the reach of banks leading to a network of around 70,000 bank branches, the country continues to flounder on all the indicators of financial inclusion - ease of access, availability and usage of the formal financial system. The overall reach of the banking system has been unsatisfactory. The latest report of the Reserve Bank of India, released last month, indicates that only 59% of the adult population has bank accounts. For the insurance sector the picture is dismal. The insurance density ratio -- defined as the volume of premiums to population -- was only 33.2 in India in 2006. In Europe, it is over 30 times higher.

In rural India, the picture is even grimmer. The RBI study shows that among the 89.3 million farmer households in the country, more that half do not access credit either from institutional or non-institutional sources. Only 27% of farm households borrow from formal sources of credit. Despite several measures to expand banking services to rural areas, rural branches of banks continue to be avenues for deposit collection rather than the active deployment of credit for productive use. The cooperative banking system is also in a state of disarray which limits its reach. In 2006, around half of the Primary Agricultural Credit System, which comprises grass-root-level institutions catering to the credit needs of farmers, was loss-making and the situation has only deteriorated further since. The situation in the poorer states with larger rural populations is even worse.

Happy B'day Avril Lavigne

You're not alone
Together we stand
I'll be by your side, you know I'll take your hand
When it gets cold
And it feels like the end
There's no place to go
You know I won't give in
No I won't give in

Keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through
Just stay strong
'Cause you know I'm here for you, I'm here for you
There's nothing you could say
Nothing you could do
There's no other way when it comes to the truth
So keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through

--- Keep holding on

Lifelong love affair

A life without adventure isn't a life worth living. Up's definition of adventure is not limited to attaching hundreds of helium-filled balloons to one's house and riding it like a Zeppelin to remote South American waterfalls. A masterpiece that depicts near-silent as Carl was when he was smitten as a child by Ellie after the screening celebrating Muntz's travels and banishment from the world.

Up's opening montage is a sentimental recounting of a lifelong love affair, a poetic view on the manner in which dreams are shared, and a bittersweet acknowledgment of how such desires can sour over time or are deferred by the demands of modern living. Old and alone, Carl has hardened by regret, but after the twin intrusions of a noisy construction site surrounding the perimeter of his house and an adorably chunky Asian boy, Russel, hankering to fulfill a merit badge requirement, the old man takes to the skies, his first step in understanding life as something more than a short period of time in which we are alive, but as a short period of time worth living to its fullest and to its absolute grandest.

Up is not just an animated movie. It challenges you to think about what you are, your dreams, priorities in life and gives you chance to fly away... in a fairy tale way to romance the skies, fulfill your dreams. Loved the song sequence and how Carl & Ellie meet, their courtship and marriage, and—in a startlingly somber turn—her illness and off-screen death. In fact it moved me to tears. Up works out adult ideas about our notions of self, our sense of disappointment and complacency, and the hopes—like the people and animals that surround Carl—we're always choosing to either look up or down to. You got to watch this.

Rating: 8/10.

Pics are from here.

Living on the edge

Aerosmith croons from my lappie...

There's somethin' wrong with the world today
The light bulb's gettin' dim
There's meltdown in the sky

If you can judge a wise man
By the color of his skin
Then mister you're a better man that I

We're livin' on the edge
You can't help yourself from fallin'
Livin' on the edge
You can't help yourself at all
Livin' on the edge
You can't stop yourself from fallin'
Livin' on the edge

Tell me what you think about your sit-u-a-tion
Complication - aggravation
Is getting to you

If chicken little tells you that the sky is fallin'
Even if it wasn't would you still come crawlin'
Back again?
I bet you would my friend
Again & again & again & again & again

Women save!

From Business Standard: The campaign is an attempt by Kotak Mahindra Bank to break the clutter by invoking the housewife’s natural instinct to save and curb the profligate ways of the husband. In all their campaigns so far, state-owned as well as private banks have either talked of technology (and hence convenience), branch networks or special offers for target groups. Some have even roped in celebrities in the past. This is the first time a campaign has targeted the good sense of the housewife. It also acknowledges the wife’s important role in planning the finances of the household.

With this in mind, the brief given to the bank’s agency of one year, McCann Erickson, included two things. One was to increase the bank’s top-of-the-mind recall. The second but equally important part stemmed from the research findings, which indicated that while people had begun to take stock of their situation, they weren’t prepared to regress. “Between 2000 and 2007, consumers had extended themselves and now they are taking stock and seeking help,” says Kotak Mahindra Group head of retail liabilities K V S Manian.

The result was the “Let’s make money simple” campaign. Kotak has on its crosshairs the big category called “mass affluent” with an annual household income of above Rs 450,000. The focus, of course, is on urban and semi-urban markets. The television advertisements will be followed by a 360-degree campaign with on-ground, outdoor, radio and internet activities.

Personal vs public

When consumers not satisfied with one product, they opt for another. Some products are strong in quality not fervent enough in brand appeal, whereas others are aflame in brand appeal but weak in quality. Mostly this choice is made based on the usage of the product. The products with less brand appeal but good quality are the ones that go for personal usage while the other ones go for public usage. For example you may like eating dosa or having coffee at a particular restaurant but when you opt for a different place when going out with others. This applies to things which are primarily for personal consumption. Therefore several consumers tend to hold dual loyalty, one to a well-structured brand and the other in a more regular one. Is it a problem?

What to chose and what not to is primarily a personal choice. So there is absolutely no problem in a consumer making that choice. But for a brand it is. To break that mould of being a public brand to a personal brand of choice is a huge step. The brand has two choices. One is to provide what the consumer looks at in his personal brand like quality, specific usage, benefit, etc. The other is to maintain exclusivity and stay a permanent public brand of choice. In either case you are competing with two different segments or reaching out to two different needs.

If you don't fit into both, then it is a good time for you to panic.

Why not?

“You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, 'Why not?'”

George Bernard Shaw

Supermarket innovations part 1

Every business has its good and bad days. That can't be an excuse for the service provided. But sometimes things just go wrong. There are many customers who are shouting, want specific color of dupatta to go with the dress, insist there was a discount, the card reader doesn't work which forces the cashier to type in each code of the item and so on. When the whole set up goes wrong what do you do?

The best thing you can do is pool in more effort to help things sort out. Cool out the situation and help your team sort out things they have to do and can do. Finish the have to first and then move to the can do.

What should have been done is that you are ready for the emergency. How do you ensure this?

1. Training to work without technology and in a crisis is a must. This ensures sore experiences are reduced and help the cause. Handle things without the usage of machines once a month when there is a lean. You can do this for an hour on a regular day too
   
2. Keep the place less cluttery at the counter as this is the place I am going to stand and wouldn't want to get irritated. Ensure there is proper space for me to move on and relax. Don't herd this queue like a cattle. Leave enough space and ventilation/ac to keep my irritation low
3. ATM logic can be used to ensure many customers don't expect to be served at a time. This would ensure that the other customer waits till the one before him is served. The best part is he expects to wait
   
4. Shouting never helps. Don't shout at your team, eachother or customer. It only rises deteorates the situation. Stay calm and concentrate on getting the things going
5. Best guy first! Remember the defining moment from Troy? Put your best man to clear the pending queue. Start another queue, shift to a smaller queue and so on

Help the customer to keep his temper down and get out of there. The billing line is what he hates to spend time. So make this a sweet admirable process. It is this cramped billing he would remember than the spacious, gracious stalls you have. Isn't it logical to close with a bang that deserves an applause?

Hope

A better day is coming, a morning promised long,
When girded Right, with holy Might, will overthrow the Wrong;

(Robert Lowry, 1826-1899)

Mentally ill? Who?

What is mental illness? What is peace? The definitions would vary from person to person. Sometimes we don't know who is ill/well. Well this is one just like that. Read on...

It was a sunny morning in 2003 when I first noticed her on my way to work. Her unkempt hair, scornful face and multiples soiled dresses said she is a social outcast but there was certain emotion on her face that adjectives failed to express. She lives in Hyderabad, on the footpath, sitting under a tree with a small sack of clothes, items she picked up from her sojourns perhaps. She is silent and doesn't even beg from the passers-by. Each time I looked at her I knew there was something different in her from others. I wanted to talk to her to find out, but didn't. Few days passed and one day I just stopped and went to speak to her. She didn't like that and shooed me away. I gave her some money, food and kept doing it regularly till she started to consider speaking to me. After many days of bribing, a sweater, fruits, money, food, etc., she opens up. She no longer has that crooked look when I give her something. One day she started speaking. It is 7 AM and the first rays of sun are hitting us. The city is just waking up. She takes one banana from the bunch I gave her and hides the remaining in her sack.

"You are a very stubborn kid," she tells me before settling down. This is a very censored version of her story. I had to change few details, but the essence is till the same.

She is a postgraduate in English literature, used to work as a teacher in a school in Hyderabad till the late 90s. She had a Titan watch, Sunny(two-wheeler), a portable color TV, a small but beautiful house small garden with a swing in it and some jewelery. Her husband used to work in a clerical cadre at the district magistrate's office and she used to compensate by teaching neighborhood kids at home. They made a lot of compromises to fit in all the fancies the kids needed and saw them through schools, engineering college, marriages, bikes and what not. All they did was think about the kids and thought once they get old they will be taken care of by the kids.

She stops peeling the banana, carefully puts the peel in a paper, glances at it and then starts to eat. There is no hurried munching. There is a stylish, cool, calm way she eats it. Once she is finished she washes her hand and wipes it on a dark cloth.

She has 3 sons and a daughter, all well settled. One of them stays in Hyderabad in a well-to-do locality. The other two are in Bangalore. Her daughter is a homeopathic doctor in Mumbai. Don't think they have left her like this. She left them. She walked out as she couldn't see how her husband was treated in his sunset days when all her children would make it a point to split his medical expenses and then quarrel insulting him and her. Then they wanted him to divide his pension, gratuity, their house and settle everything before he died. But the old guy had become smart and had changed his will in his wife's favor. After he passed away they found the new will which made the situation worse. They made her change the will in their favor. When forced she complied. Then it became hell. She was seen as a burden and was hated. One of her daughter-in-laws slapped her for borrowing money from a neighbor for medicine. That's when she decided to move out. She started living in the railway station, bus-stand, parks and later ended up in an ashram where she found there were more horrific tales than her own. Then she faced the hypocrisy of the caretakers and decided the street is the best place to try living. And hence the street life and her designated footpath.

She barely speaks to anyone now and has her own world to worry about. What does she eat? Anything that she is given, usually stale food she picks up from a prominent hotel's bin nearby. Once in a while she buys idlies with sambhar from roadside vendors but that's rare.

"I am a regular here. I even get credit from the idly-walah. The police here recognize me and don't chase me away."

"What's your wish?" I ask her to check if I could do something.
"Do a movie with Nagarjuna!"
"No. Tell me something that I can do."

I look at her eyes to see if she is sad. She is not! There is a glow in her eyes, a glint that tells me there is a wicked twist.

"Do they visit you anytime?"
"No!"
"Do you visit them?"
"NO!"
"To them, I am dead and so they are to me."

"Tell me something..." this is the first time she looks at me eye-to-eye, "Why is your generation so selfish?" That look burns my insides and my mouth goes dry even when I know I am not in the wrong.
"I don't know."
"Forget it. You seem to be a nice kid."

"You know I am very neat," she smiles. "I wash my clothes and take bath everyday." I smile back.

"It is getting late. You should go now. All other neighbors would come and literally seize your money and gold away. Worse they will throw me out from here. Leave now." I nod and got up and as I reach to my purse she smiles and tells me she doesn't need any money. She has a bank account and gets her pension. "That is more than enough."

"Moreover, this city takes care of me now. I will be fine. And thanks for your time." She looks away. I smell moistness in her eyes.

I still give her some money and start my bike. I some how carry a lot of weight in me now. I want to do something but don't know what to. I tell myself I will do something for sure.

"Munna! You want to know what I did with my money?" That is the first time she calls me that. And that's the last. I stop my vehicle and look at her blankly.

"I donated everything to the ashram I used to live. It is a small amount, but my children would never get it."

That wicked smile comes back to her face again. Only this time it is not wicked but the joy and satisfaction. I feel a lot lighter and confusingly happy. While I was recovering from this jab she lifts her sacks and walks away into the park opposite to her spot. I look at her disappear into the shadows.

The next day I see her she has her 'mentally ill' look and antics back again and acts as if she doesn't recognize me. She refuses to take the food or money I gave and starts yelling. I try a few more times and then I decide to leave her alone. For her I represent the truth, pain and suffering that she had to face from my generation.

Back in my own life I couldn't taker her off my mind as to why she was calm. Now I know. She is at peace with herself. I'm not.

Pic: Old Age

They know...

I literally mean it. They know. They just know. You got to be watching what you speak. I don't know if I am thinking too much but definitely seeing things that you should be worried about. By you I mean all of us consumers. Let me explain...

During the last few months I have moved across 4 states in Southern India and have been using 5 different mobile service providers and I have seen it everywhere. I think the privacy of my conversation or sms is being compromised! That worries me. I guess this is common across service providers.

I speak to someone on my mobile about eating a pizza and next moment I get sms offering me a pizza at a particular outlet, I talk about doing a PG course in psychology and the next sms is about a distance program in psychology! This just gets better... talk about marriage, paying bills, changing a job, buying a flat, car or whatever and there are high chances that you end up getting offers on you mobile. Now is this common? I don't know if we have that kind of technology being used by service providers now or if it is legal, but you can easily make out certain words and then sell it to a 3rd party who might be interested. That's MY privacy... sold!

Try this and check for yourself. Oh... the rules of the game are loosely like this:

• You got to have a post paid connection
• Avg. bill amt is more than a particular limit(I don't get offers for a BMW)
  
• Splurging age(20-35yrs)
• Working
• In a metro

I am sure you should have seen this and dismissed it but just think. They just know what you need next. Isn't that haunting?

I'll Be There for You

So no one told you life was going to be this way.
Your job's a joke, you're broke, you're love life's DOA.
It's like you're always stuck in second gear,
Well, it hasn't been your day, your week, your month, or even your year.

But, I'll be there for you, when the rain starts to pour.
I'll be there for you, like I've been there before.
I'll be there for you, cause you're there for me too.

You're still in bed at ten, the work began at eight.
You've burned your breakfast, so far, things are going great.
Your mother warned you there'd be days like these,
But she didn't tell you when the world has brought you down to your knees.

That, I'll be there for you, when the rain starts to pour.
I'll be there for you, like I've been there before.
I'll be there for you, cause you're there for me too.

No one could ever know me, no one could ever see me.
Seems like you're the only one who knows what it's like to be me.
Someone to face the day with, make it through all the rest with,
Someone I'll always laugh with, even at my worst, I'm best with you.

It's like you're always stuck in second gear,
Well, it hasn't been your day, your week, your month, or even your year.

But, I'll be there for you, when the rain starts to pour.
I'll be there for you, like I've been there before.
I'll be there for you, cause you're there for me too.

--- Rembrandts - Friends Lyrics

Help!

The best definition of business I have heard is that it creates a culture of value creation. Every thing in business boils down to one main focus: to help customers get to where they've dreamed(dreamt is correct too, only it is British).Too many people have got this wrong and have complex explanations about what business is and how it should be done but the ultimate objective is to help your customers to get what they want by providing your products/services. Once you are clear about this, you know what to pitch and how to win customers over.

Same applies to employees as well. As a manager you are helping your employees achieve what they want. This may be a need anywhere on Maslow's pyramid but that is what you are helping them achieve. While doing that you help yourself achieve yours. So the customer/employee becomes the first priority and you stay back. Now you know who is the focus here. So today.. go help! You would end up helping yourself.

911 & God... A thought

From Stanley...

On the 11th of September 2001 my wife and I were to visit New York and Washington. Sitting before the television after breakfast we were suddenly thrown into a pool of tears to think of what happened to thousands at 9 am and how God spared us.

Almost all the evangelical Christian leaders of America would agree that God is angry with their nation. A country which was founded on God and the Bible has drifted away from Him. God says, " My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters; and hewn themselves cisterns-broken cisterns-that can hold no water" (Jer 2:13). America has invented new gods. The attack on the World Trade Centre is God's rebuke against the god of materialism. The goddess of entertainment received her rebuke when the antenna on the tower fell. The attack on Pentagon is a rebuke on the reliance on military strength. The hijacking of airplanes tells us that we cannot boast of our technological advance. It's time that what's inscribed on the American coin-IN GOD WE TRUST-be transcribed on the hearts of people. King Solomon, the wisest and the wealthiest man who ever lived, said, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding" (Prov 3:5).

By letting such a tragedy happen in the only super power nation in the world, God tells all the inhabitants of the earth, "Everything that can be shaken must be shaken so that only that which cannot be shaken may remain" (See Heb 12:27). It is not the super power but the supernatural power that will stand for ever.

The city of Chennai (India) experienced a tremor measuring 5.9 in the Ritcher Scale on the 25th the same month. Chennai is the Jerusalem of India. Are we heading towards a World War? This is a question that haunts every heart. We don't know anything at the moment for sure. Christ predicted of "wars and rumours of wars" as the "beginning of sorrows" (Mt 24:6-8). We are however admonished to pray for all leaders that we may lead "a quiet and peaceable life" (1 Tim 2:1,2). There is no security in the military strength or monetary power. No place on earth is absolutely safe.

Let's resound the immortal words of the hymnologist Edward Mote (1797-1874)-

On Christ the solid Rock I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand!

So?

Bravery is not an asset of a few. Many times in life you face with this question whether to be brave or to just let it go. Things like responsibilities, duties hold you down. I don't mean you need to show your bravery but wouldn't you love it?

Now coming to this pic, loved it. I stole it from a friend's Orkut profile. Isn't it awesome? Now who all wants to be the penguin? Got to be a good runner though.

RIP Rajasekhara

Its painful to see someone you know die. More so if the death is unnatural. The whole state of AP across genres, parties and sections are mourning the untimely death of CM Y S Rajasekhara Reddy who died in a chopper crash yesterday. The clip of his family members crying will remain etched for long in our minds as the feeling of how feeble human life is and how stupid materialistic life can be crosses all our minds. This is a black day for all of us here.

A visionary and a people's leader as he is known and a well respected parliamentarian who in his trademark style became friendly to rural folks as well as corporates... YSR will be missed for long. He led the state of Ap to great heights, planned huge developmental projects, gave Arogya to the poor, walked a record 1400 kms and won not just the elections but also the hearts of people. With his trademark Ayya Adhyaksha made many pointers which sent opposition realing as well as handled many a pressure with ease. If there is a take away it is that though he was ignored for 20 yrs in a field where if you are not in news for a week you are outdated he came back with a vengance and is at present the most valuable asset for the UPA being in power. Consistency, hardwork, sincerity and patience are his decoration.

RIP Rajasekhara.

Online noise and teens

Today's teens inhabit a "digital marketing ecosystem" where their identities and interactions are virtually inseparable from the logos stamped all over them, new research suggests.

"It becomes a part of how they communicate with their friends," says Kathryn Montgomery, a communications professor at American University in Washington, D.C. "If they're incorporating brands into their profiles and communicating those with their friends, if the companies are inserting the products into the games young people play, if they're part of the use of mobile technology so there's a brand presence that follows their every move — that is creating a new kind of intimacy."

The brain doesn't reach full maturity until the early 20s and one of the puzzle pieces missing in adolescence is impulse control — a fact that will come as no surprise to any parent of a teen, she says.

"We're known for as long as branded communication has been around that you can't just shout at people, you have to interest and engage and entertain them," Cubbon says. "Most advertising online is still pretty much an announcement, it's noise."

Read full article here.

India... What else?

El Shaddai

One of my favs by Amy Grant...

As a matter of fact

Harsha sent me this... I do not know how far this is true but it has a lesson or two.

An ingenious example of speech and politics occurred recently in the United Nations Assembly that made the world community smile.

A representative from India began: 'Before beginning my talk I want to tell you something about Rishi Kashyap of Kashmir, after whom Kashmir is named. When he struck a rock and it brought forth water, he thought, 'What a good opportunity to have a bath.' He removed his clothes, put them aside on the rock and entered the water. When he got out and wanted to dress, his clothes had vanished. A Pakistani had stolen them.'

The Pakistani representative jumped up furiously and shouted, 'What are you talking about? The Pakistanis weren't there then.'

The Indian representative smiled and said, 'And now that we have made that clear, I will begin my speech. 'And they say Kashmir belongs to them

+ & -

The close link between one's mood and choice of music stretches with the rise and fall of the notes. It is as simple as + and -. Last few days I was listening to Amy Grant and Hillsong and Michael non-stop and it has been peaceful. You must have felt this too. Happy and music that carries a zig is favored when you are in a party mood and when your thoughts pull the strings in your heart some saxophone or Rafi would fill in. Now if you can just reverse this order and try to kick start your mood with the music, yes it is possible, wouldn't it work wonders. Now I am not considering the canned music kind who wouldn't care what is playing as long as his glass is full and there is smoke in the room.

The same logic applies to the kind of people you want to be with. The +ve people are the ones you always want to stick around with as they make you feel comfortable and recharge you, take you along and make you be happy. The -ve kind of people are the ones you run away from as they drain you out. It is surprising how these birds flock together. Unfortunately here a - and - doesn't make a +. It gets worse. SO you know whom to stick around with.

This has a loophole though. What if the -ve guy/gal is what you think he is and is actually +. Then you need to look into yourself and search for an answer. Are you running away from him because (s)he points to your mistakes, is critical and pointy? Is there something you can change? Then why not change? Running away is not the final solution. May be you are running away from yourself?

+ & - is there in your dressing, the way you talk, approach yourself, friends, family, children, pets and what not. Let me tell you something. You can be a -ve person and get what you want or be a +ve person and still get what you want. The difference is in the effort, charm and warmth you put in what you do and who you are.

So what are you? + or -?

Detaining the King? You got to pay.

I seriously do not understand why there is a lot of fuss when someone gets checked at the airport. Dr. Kalam graciously brushed the topic aside and so should SRK. Sharukh might be the king of bollywood but instead of creating a buzz around him being checked and questioned he should make it an example and cooperate. To an extent I have to agree what SRK is decent enough. In his shoes I would have made a lot more noise. But you should also remember that many less illustrious individuals with similar last names go through much more without any fuss.

On the other hand US or for that matter any airport officials should be considerate and check who is a threat and who is not. It is not the short term benefit but the long term relationships that is at stake. Lack of information in a country like US about SRK and Kalam is depressing and stupid. Like Farah said they should at least have Googled him. May be not everytime you check some one but when some one claims he is a VIP. Better they should come up with a list of whom to check and whom not to. You are not dealing with people but with sentiments here. A little more caution and warmth, as SRK put it, would have avoided the situation. They could have turned it to a delight had they recognized him and ushered him out.

"What is the purpose of your visit to US?

What is your name again? Hmmm your passport show you are a frequent visitor!

Wait a minute... I know you... HEY ITS SHARUKH!"

This would have made SRK's day and brought in many roses instead of brickbats they are facing now. What an example they would have set and PR! What an opportunity missed!

Deconstructing the Market and the Consumer Psyche

Murali of BL reports... “Markets are shaped by both consumers and companies — now is the opportunity for responsible marketing, for delivery of better value to consumers,” independent market strategy consultant Rama Bijapurkar said at the Tenth CII Annual Marketing Summit today.

Addressing the Summit session on ‘Deconstructing the Market and the Consumer Psyche’, Ms. Bijapurkar added: “I think we’ve had no recession, we’ve not had a meltdown, but we now have the opportunity to deliver value to the consumer.”

The Summit, which is being held over August 18 and 19 in New Delhi, examines the impact strategy for the Indian market, while providing expert insight and practical strategies for Indian firms to sustain growth in an economically-straitened environment.

Commenting on why India seems to have survived the meltdown better than most countries, Ms. Bijapurkar said: “There are mini Indias within India and these are increasing in number. I think a key reason why we survived better than others is this existence of these mini Indias.” Further, she opined that most of India is yet to begin its consumption journey and that marketers should tap the many island markets that India offers.

On the way ahead, Ms. Bijapurkar, India's leading market strategist and expert in consumer behaviour, said: “Steady, modest income growth will continue and consumption desire would continue to be strong.” She stressed that the evolution of the Indian consumer would depend on how suppliers/companies evolve the various consumer segments.

Ms. Bijapurkar, author of Winning in the Indian Market and We Are Like That Only, also said that the global slowdown had not impacted the Indian consumer and that “marketers should now go where no man has gone before — deeper and deeper into the hinterland”.

Monday blues: Mundane Monday

Another Monday! What an opportunity to crib, complain and curse!

My work sucks, I hate going to office, no body cares what I do, my potential is not being utilized, I am not getting paid enough, my team doesn't perform!

You can go on like this or get out there with a smile on your face, be a performer and motivator to others. You needn't be a motivator to a hundred people. Just motivating one might make all the difference. Do these and you might feel the difference... dress your best, sing your favorite song,eat your favorite food, start early and exercise. Do whatever it takes to make you feel the adrenalin rush.

Winners never crib, they go and change what is there. Rewrite records by their performance and establish new standards. Are you a winner? Well SHOW ME!

15'th August

It's the occasion of Indian Independence. Consumer psyche salutes all the warriors who sacrificed their freedom so that we keep ours and all the soldiers who guard us 24*7.

Happy Independence day.

Damn recession! My price just went down

How can I not call it a selfish act on the part of the company when they want to get “much more for much-Much less!”.

And especially today when the term “RECESSION” is being thrown around like the spit on an Indian gully. The idea of desperate measures is being sold like hot cakes.

For example: I get a call for an interview… 1000s of questions are asked, insights gained, skills, abilities and personalities assessed over a series of innumerable interview sessions. Then there is one specific meeting where I am highly praised and fawned upon. I am termed as the biggest asset that the company can ever possess. It is then that the long awaited yet, ironically, the most dreaded question is asked, “What is your salary expectation?”. The answer comes as 20-25K in hand per month (this thanks to the spit(e)ful Recession, otherwise it would have been much more and acceptable). Spat! The atmosphere changes! I should not have such high demands/hopes during these dire situations, these are times when I should grab any opportunity that comes my way since the market is in a bad condition. I should not show arrogance in my abilities. The maximum they can offer is 8 or 10 or 12 K. And it would be better for me to accept it.

These are the lines from my friend Swetha's blog. This is not just her feeling but what all the graduates, post graduates, parents are thinking about the firms. This is the best time to invest in HR potential of the companies and hence they are expanding. But what are looking for? Great brains? I frankly think no. Many firms are looking for what they can get for peanuts. You know what comes for peanuts. Don't you.

I can totally understand that the company is hit financially and is looking for a cut in costs but offering salaries that demean a person's stature, ridicule his/her capacity is not fair. At least come to me and speak to me with a decent offer in future which would rise as you pick up your stuff and start walking on the recovery path. HRs are supposed to hire the best talent in the lot for their respective firms but very few actually make an extra attempt to rein in a candidate with 'potential'.

This is no market where if you don't get a drumstick long enough for the price you want buy two small ones and still cook the soup. Ever heard of the term long term investment? You might succeed in bringing my price down... but my value? It is going North.

Boppa's song says it all

No words can explain the sense of independence except feeling it. Listen to my friend Boppa render this beautiful song. For all those who suffered for making us free and independent... we salute you today.

A complete life

I was out, for long, from blogging and here I am... back. For the last 2 weeks I was busy and could come online much as I was shifting base from Bangalore to Kozhikode, Kerala where I am working now. New place, people and work dominated my preferences and availability. Now that everything is almost in order I can spend sometime here too. My posts might not be that frequent as they used to be but I promise my contribution will be on the rise as it always was.

Life gives us many opportunities to change, mould, reinvent ourselves to be better than what we were. These are usually seen as challenges, hurdles and bumps on our smooth road of life. We hate God for bringing all these 'troubles' to our otherwise calm life. We get upset and start complaining all the time. I guess we need to relax and let things go and work towards making them work. When you dive deeper into the ocean and swim up the thrust would be more powerful and hence the distance covered is extremely good too. So just keep your calm and tell ourself that this is an opportunity that you have been waiting for and try to do your best... to win.

For life's an experience God's children go through
That's made up of gladness and much sadness too...
But we have to know both the bitter and the sweet
If we want a good life that is full and complete!
--- (H.S. Rice)

Coming back to life at Kozhikode few things you might like...

• It rains... all the time. Umbrella is an accessory
  
• It is very hot (I am missing Bangalore already)
• Beach is great (yet to see a sunset there)
• Food is *&#$... yes $ means expensive! Have to get used to the coconut oil though
• For once I felt top of the food chain (More in my next post)
  
• People are friendly
• Autos are cheap(Yes I am comparing to Bangalore, Hyderabad & Chennai)
• Work is great :)
  

Well that's all for now. Good luck and wish me some too.