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Admittedly this is not exactly new, but I was going through my books this morning and came across “New Thinking For The New Millennium” by Edward De Bono. As I read the synopsis and the first page, it hit me ~ this is so relevant today, actually more so today than it was at the start of this millennium when this book was first written.

So here they are, the words that caught my attention. I hope they spark something in your mind and add value to your thinking in the year ahead.

“The thinking of the last millennium has been concerned with ‘what is’ – the thinking of analysis, criticism and argument.

We need to concentrate with ‘what-can-be’. This is thinking that is creative and constructive and seeks to solve problems and conflicts by designing a way forward.

The emphasis is on design, not judgement.”

“It is time we moved forward from the constipated, judgemental thinking of the last millennium and all the strife it caused, to thinking which is more concerned with design and value creation.

You can analyse the past, but you need to focus on designing the future”. This is my learning (and goal) verbatim, for the new year 2011, and the decade ahead. Thank you Edward De Bono!

Let the designing begin!

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How about some #BlackbirdPie? My experiment with the #Wordpress – #Twitter integration? http://t.co/zjtuewA

November 9, 2010 2:38 am via Tweet ButtonReplyRetweetFavorite

@noshtradamus

Mehernosh Shapoorjee

I’ll say it again, if Taylor Swift put on black eyeliner and flushed her head in a toilet full of glitter she’d be Ke$ha.

November 8, 2010 4:17 am via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@kellyoxford

kelly oxford

Yes, I agree that a stable Pakistan is good for India. But who would send the horses there? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stable

November 7, 2010 1:27 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@fakingnews

Faking News

Five smart brands and innovations from ‘emerging’ markets — http://bit.ly/exceptionall

November 3, 2010 8:21 pm via bitlyReplyRetweetFavorite

@springwise

Springwise

The stairway to Heaven is now closed. An elevator is currently in progress.

November 6, 2010 3:52 am via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

@jesus

Jesus Christ

hmm

Continue reading »]]> I am trying to blog every day.

Why? Because writing forces me to think in depth. And I love thinking and writing about things that affect or concern me; about things I love or want; about things that would interest others, add value to their lives, and of course in turn, have them return to my blog for more!

Research indicates, for a blog to be successful, the blogger needs to put aside an average of five hours a day researching, thinking and writing!

Wow. I don’t have five hours, to put aside, but I do manage around two hours on the structure and craft of every blog post. The thinking however takes up much more time – sometimes days thinking about a particular subject or post.

On weekends I get even less time to write. And if I was to go by research again, its okay if I don’t post on weekends, because blog traffic dips on Saturdays and Sundays.

But I do ‘think’ on weekends, so write I must.

Hence this Sunday Post

The question is, should my Sunday Posts be about all the “work stuff” or “fun things” ?

Well since life’s not a choice of either/or of the two, and since work is a pleasure for me, and pleasure is… well pleasure, I am going to blog a mixed bag of stuff I’ve seen, felt over the week, which I think would be of interest to a larger audience

Here’s my Top 3 blogables of the week gone past:

Obama Comes Job Hunting. Yep, that’s the front page headline in the Economic Times – taking a dig at the fact that most of the measures and efforts announced by the US President on his visit here, aim at creating jobs back home in the US.

C’mon guys, give him a break… don’t we do the same thing? Pushing to increase employment of our own, rise in manufacturing, increase in our sales across sectors…  The guy’s got a tough task ahead of him, given the state of the US economy. And given the fact, as someone posted on twitter yesterday, he’s just another American who lost his house to the economic crisis!

Lol, and while we’re at it, someone please break an egg on Rajiv Pratap Rudy’s head!

Marriage Gems are Universal! I discovered this blog a month or so back. It’s one woman’s effort to share research based marriage tips and insights, which she does so beautifully. And reading her posts you’ll realise, that the insights and tips shared, are as relevant here in India, as they are in the west, and around the rest of the world I would imagine!

The best part of this site, which I as a digital media provocateur find fascinating, is the community of like-minded people around it – from commenters, to bloggers, to professional marriage counselors, who participate and add to make it more than a site, but a vibrant community of people who value relationships and the institution of marriage.

This is “social media” at its best – adding true value to society! Worth a follow, not just a visit.

Find your own Marriage Gems here.

Diwali 2010. All fire, no smoke!

To my mind, this year’s Diwali heralded and indicated the end of really tough times for the market in India. Things heated up all around and I sensed a fire in everyone’s belly these past few weeks – from marketers, to consumers.

The Sensex rose delightfully. Goods and products appeared on and disappeared off the shelves with great fervor. And more and more kids and adults adopted the “say no to crackers” campaign this year!

The result? An overall positive sentiment. And overall reduced pollution. All fire, no smoke

That’s my Sunday Post this week. Monday looms ahead… See you soon

Continue reading »]]> Yes, I am MasterChef in the House with Desperate Housewives… and I am having a Flash Forward about C.S.I  which is in the Amazing Race against Bigg Boss 4  who refuses to recognise How I Met Your Mother over LA Ink on one of our MTV Kickass Mornings.

Well, this article in Adage.com says You Are What You Watch… so tell me, who am I?

I think there is a lot of merit in this article, but, is it so easy to ‘categorise’ people by what they watch? and then target them with ads accordingly?

Well ho bhi sakta, aur nahin bhi ho sakta… (maybe, maybe not).

I think there are two larger type of audience classifications we need to recognise, before we break them down into further sub-types. It’s like landing at a website’s homepage and being given the option of surfing it in ‘hi-bandwidth flash’ mode, or low ‘bandwidth html’.

I think we have to first choose if we want to target the “typical” consumer, or the “atypical” one.

The typical audience is the simple and predictable one: It consists of people who watch the same genre of shows, have very obvious likes/dislikes and values, and are very loyal to their viewing habits.

So you have “housewives” watching ‘soppy afternoon soaps’ and Oprah. Then you have “guys” watching ‘action’  shows and Baywatch. You have “old men” watching only the news. And you have “youth” watching MTV and [V] Dare to Date.

Within these its easy choosing your audience, based on your stated brand personality and objectives.

The atypical audience is complex and unpredictable: It consists of more evolved, multi-faceted people. Women who are as comfortable with C.S.I Miami and 24, as they are with Frasier, Masterchef, and Koffee with Karan. Men who are as comfortable with Anthony Bourdain and Desperate Housewives as they are with NCIS, Alias and Fear Factor.

Actually with rising awareness, gender equality, emotional intelligence, and both men and women showing interest and enjoying things previously reserved for the opposite sex, the quality and complex texture of shows today has dramatically increased to everyone’s advantage.

Shows like Lie To Me, Boston Legal, Numb3rs, and countless other shows cut across gender, SEC and other traditional classifications and have evolved an audience of their own.

So “media buying” isn’t as simple anymore. And of course, TRPs and other archaic ratings are just an indication of numbers, not the quality or character of the audience. Which is why, to me the article is a great starting point, but nowhere near being an authority on “media planning” and/or “audience classification”

A New Web Of Understanding Audiences

I have a theory I strongly believe in. Traditional media planning will be greatly enriched, if we understand online audiences better.

Because the web is free floating, unscheduled and always on, and everywhere – people roam and consume it freely, and in a way that’s not only comfortable to them, but also reflects who they really are and what they really like.

This adds to my conviction that the internet is a great learning tool and a treasure-house of ‘people-watching’ and consumer understanding.

Unfortunately, most of the industry involved in the internet today is still old school, especially when it comes to online media buying and consumer engagement. We still carry the baggage of traditional media, thanks to “online media planning” being done today by either tech-geeks or traditional media buying drop-outs.

But that’s another story.

Until then we will continue to debate the merits of audiences and what they watch. And how what reflects what.

Meanwhile, the show(s) must go on!

Ps. Here’s the link to the article on Adage.com

Continue reading »]]> We are all coloured people, no matter what shade of skin we sport. Yes? or No? This is a debate playing out in my mind for quite some time now, and no, I am not talking about evil racism or issues of ethnicity!

I am talking about how our past experiences colour our thinking, and the way we deal with our present and our future.

I am wondering whether the journey we have traveled so far, actually strips us of “clarity of thought” and “real objectivity”, and influences our perspectives and interactions in the road ahead.

There is a school of thought, that strongly believes that the actions and reactions of people, is coloured by their history, their geography, their past lives, and most importantly their upbringing and the way their mothers were and the way they dealt with them.

This past of course, includes childhood memories, securities/insecurities, family finances, education or lack of it, youth, surroundings, peers and other influencers, first job, first boss, ex girlfriend, bossy neighbors… everything.

Yes, of course this is true! I whole heartedly agree with this thinking that our present is a summary of our past. And that the way we will deal with the future, depends upon what we learn’t in the past.

But wait a minute… is that really bad?? Does the fact that we may not be starting out on a clean slate of life, take away our ability to think straight, make correct decisions, and do the right thing?

And who decides which perspective is coloured and which is not?

Like a wise man once said “let the one who has never sinned, cast the first stone!” And the truth is, there’s not a single person on this earth, who can claim to be ‘not coloured by his or her past’.

Because, the learnings from our past, are actually what we commonly call “experience”?

So the questions really is, where does Experience cross the line, and become Negative Bias

To my mind, the crux of the matter lies in “intent”.

Where the intent is good, the perspective is uncoloured. People with ‘mutual good’ intrinsic to their intent, cannot be called coloured people in the negative sense.

But where the intent is laced with an agenda to deceive, manipulate or influence for selfish one-sided gain, it becomes a negative bias.

So the question to ask yourself when faced with a seemingly “colourful” situation is “can I trust the person? what is the intent? is it self serving, or mutually beneficial?”

If your answer is yes, you can trust the other person, because you do not believe the person would want to harm you, or cheat you out of the truth and mutual benefit – firstly, congratulations, because such people are rare to find, so hold on to them.

Then the question is, if you know the intent is good, but the issue is contentious, what do you do?

Again, the answer is simple, and a very important thing to do in relationships:
Separate the individual, from the issue at hand.

Yes, good people sometimes have crazy thoughts and can also do bad things. This doesn’t necessarily make them bad.

You need to target the issue, not the person involved in it.

Because if you don’t, you yourself run the risk of being coloured in your reactions and interactions. Because your own intent will be to challenge the person you trust, rather than the issue they’re raising!

In summary, yes, we are all coloured people. And the colour we carry, is what makes us human, and enriches us with experiences that make life beautiful and exciting.

Colour is what adds life, to what would otherwise be a boring, clinical, and black ‘n white existence.

So wear your colour proudly. And of course, share it wisely!

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Image via Wikipedia

There’s a lot being written and a lot being said about the recent “protectionist” stance adopted by some states, and the rising voices against “outsourcing” in the US. I have been watching from the sidelines, because it doesn’t affect me directly, as yet, but I know it may soon… I read something today that pushed me to add my voice to the issue as well!

The truth is, this outcry in the US is not just about losing jobs, but about a much larger American fear of unexpected real competition across the board, and insecurity arising from (and if I may quote Nayan Chandra, editor of YaleGlobal Online) “…The country’s worn-out infrastructure, failing education system and lack of political consensus have prevented it from riding a new wave to prosperity.”

Here’s the candid, thought provoking article by Thomas L. Friedman in NYTimes.com that provoked my blogging this. First, a key excerpt, and then the whole article linked below. Think about it America… And wake up!

With President Obama scheduled to come here (India) next week, at a time when more than a few U.S. politicians are loudly denouncing immigration reforms, free trade expansion and outsourcing, more than a few Indian business leaders want to ask the president: “What’s up with that?” Didn’t America export to the world all the technologies and free market dogmas that created this increasingly flat, global economic playing field — and now you’re turning against them?

Read the whole article by Thomas L. Friedman at NYTimes.com here

Continue reading »]]> I constantly have this battle inside me - “the child in me” vs “the parent that i am” – wherein I wonder about the effect I have on my children when they see me “gaming”.

I wonder where’s the line between “bonding with the kids over games” and “using them as an excuse for my game-fix”. I am not sure for whom I am really buying the new game out in stores.

This blog post I am reposting (thanks Gil) swings the battle one way… or does it..? It’s got revelations and not so revelations. A great read regardless

Enjoy!

In no particular order:  #1. Spare time used to be game time. As a parent, spare time no longer exists. Game time and sleep time are now used interchangeably.  #2. When deciding on a game, game ratings were never even considered pre-parenting. Now mature rated games actually mean something. That meaning is – This is a (cannot be played around the kids) game.  #3. “Kiddie” games are no longer off limits nor are “casual” games.  #4. The PSP becomes les … Read More

via A Pixel’s Point of View

Continue reading »]]> Excerpts from the Inaugural Speech of President Barack Obama… thinking and vision we could all use.

“Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America: They will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the fainthearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor — who have carried us up the long, rugged path toward prosperity and freedom…”

Read the full text here on CNN.

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Last Saturday evening, I spent around four hours with some of the friendliest, most unassuming bunch of people I have met in a long time.

Which is surprising, considering I was at the IndiBloggers offline meet in Delhi. And Bloggers, as their reputation suggests, are a volatile and unpredictable bunch of people.

“True, Bloggers around the world have displayed the power to rock countries, bring down companies, and generally cause much damage with their words when provoked, or when they raise their voices against something they feel is not right – for them, or people around them.”

What’s not talked about as much, is the fact that Bloggers often announce important news before daily press and even television channels pick them up; they are known to share knowledge and insights on things both popular and obscure; and they are known to provide great reading (and watching) content that keeps people around the world addicted and waiting for the next post.

So how come there were no fireworks? How come this meet didn’t become the starting point of a revolution that would address the scores of issues around us?

Well there were two reasons for this as I saw it – 1) the Agenda, and 2) the real nature of Bloggers.

The meet’s objectives/agendaitself, was primarily to get Bloggers from the NCR to meet and get to know each other. For this there was a “One Minute of Fame” session, where all the Bloggers stood up and spoke for a minute about their blogs, and why they do what they do.

The next objective was perhaps to begin a dialogue – which translated into a tentative discussion (“this is not a presentation” claimed the organisers) on the issues most bloggers face – of ethics, of responsibility, of censorship, of self-governance, and of course revenue generation, which naturally led to discussions about Google.

Personally, I think this session could have been better planned, because the issues themselves are very important, and while everyone had a point of view, the discussion went all over the place, without reaching any real conclusion or even direction.

“But it was a great start, and I hope to see more such discussions in this area. Because while we Bloggers are all free-spirits, I do believe we have to be good spirits and be spirited for the right reasons.

The fires we create in our rants have to be to shed light, not singe innocents. And the glow we create with our raves have to be natural, not drug-induced.”

I guess you get the drift. So let me get to my next point.

Bloggers are just human. As I watched the gathering that consisted of writers, coders, photoshoppers, a cartoonist, a fitness instructor (she was one, of the two women Bloggers at the meet), a titilator (for want of a better word for a guy who shares ‘sexy’ clips from popular movies on his blog), and other such Bloggers, it struck me that they were no different from each other!

Their reasons for Blogging may be different, but they are all just regular Joes (and Janes) out to voice their opinions, share their passions, and generally aim for the moment of glory or fame that perhaps eludes them in real life. Or perhaps they have just chosen Blogging as the channel through which they will get their moment of glory, get themselves heard the big bad world out there…

These people are not here to harm anyone, not pick unnecessary fights, or rant unreasonably… They all have good intentions, and will hopefully have a positive effect on whoever comes in touch with them. Which is far from what you will get from the average Joe on the street!

And then I realised, I was really proud to call myself a Blogger, and be one of these people. And if the folks behind IndiBloggers and IBNMSget their act together to address serious issues, and develop a gameplan to nurture or channel the energies of Bloggers better, the world will be a whole lot nicer place to live in!

You can quote me on that.

Continue reading »]]> I was most happy to read about news, that the Tatas are considering moving out of Singur in West Bengal, and setting up the Nano plant elsewhere!

It is about time the corporate world stops cowering to pressure from mindless mobs led by out-of-portfolio politicians, and stands up to say: “hey! we bring money into the economy. we give people jobs. our companies create an eco-system that goes beyond the walls of our factories and offices – creating further employment and income in services, retail, and what have you!

And on the issue of land acquisition, typically people make more out of their lands from selling it, than they ever would earn from it in their lifetimes. Plus they usually end up being employed in their own backyards, than having to leave their roots and travel to far off places for employment!”

The above statement is particularly relevant, and should betargeted at the Left parties and their time-warped notion of the economics, and their misplaced understanding of the role of government in modern times.

If the Left parties had their way – The rich will be made poor; The poor will not be allowed to become rich; Everyone’s income would be rationalised and standardised at “Low”; And the government would only exist to subsidise the masses, pay for incompetent public enterprise, and eventually go bankrupt in the name of taking care of the people.

The fact that the Left parties are no longer part of the government (from inside or outside) is a big relief for me, as I am sure it is for the entire corporate world.

The problem with Corporate India is, that it is mostly made up of, and run by decent, professional people. People who live by rules and decency, not anarchy and aggression which they have to face and live with every day of their lives.

The problem with Corporate India is, that it underplays its role in the country today. It lets the politicians and mobs believe they run the country, and that they are responsible for the growth and success the country is going through today.

“If it wasn’t for private sector enterprise and capitalism, we’d be exactly where we were twenty years ago – a deprived, dissatisfied bunch of global nobodies, lacking confidence to stand up or stand out in any arena, just waiting for that house or telephone allotment to materialise, bribing or suffering incompetent and arrogant babus, for the simple things of life.”

So when I hear of the political and so-called social hurdles being placed in front of projects such as the Tata Nano project in West Bengal, I cringe. And am embarassed that this is happening in India today.

But when I hear of Rattan Tata deciding to stand up, and willing to lose money now rather than suffer the mobs anymore, I delight! And I hope, this is just a sign of things to come, in India tomorrow.

Note to Mr. Rattan Tata:
Good for you, Sir! May your tribe increase. And as you increase, rest assured there are many states that see value in what you bring – left, right and center!

Note to the Politicians:
Dear Sir/Ma’am, If you have access to, and power over so many able bodies that you can catch the attention of the entire nation, perhaps you should focus energies and getting better compensation for the farmers, rather than giving them back the land which they will have to sweat over thanklessly.

Perhaps you can use your people to address to clean up the streets and build dams and water tanks (remember the old Hindi movies?). Perhaps your people can go to neighbouring Bihar and help with the flood relief efforts? Perhaps you can simply blockade Buddhadeb’s office demanding control over crime and corruption that’s rampant all over…? I am sure you can come up with a list of at least a 100 things on which your efforts would bear greater fruit for the nation.

Related Reading:
Singur type protests will stall progress - Kamal Nath, to the Economic Times
Rattan Tata should pull out of Singur – Subramanian Swamy, via Sify.com
Not against Tata, but demands return of land – Mamata Banerjee, UNI via webindia

Singur and West Bengal, Are you listening? - By Sudheendra Kulkarni