Facilitating Impact

The Joy of Running

2012-01-12T20:23:00.002+05:30

The Joy of Running

"Go as far as you can see. When you get there you'd be able to see farther"
- Thomas Carlyle

I've been an ON-OFF-ON-OFF runner for about 4-5yrs now, with the longest stretch of running lasting for about 4-5weeks before hibernating for 4-5months. However, since Aug'11 I started running regularly taking my instructions from this lovely article in Zen Habits blog. I then discovered that I have a colleague who is a marathon runner and a coach himself. November this year, he enrolled me to Runners High - an organization dedicated for running. The lovely coaches over there have put us through a very systematic training routine and come 14-Jan, I'd be running my first 10K (A great coincidence that its happening on my birthday), in preparation for my first race scheduled on 12-Feb in Auroville, Pondicherry.

The training and the encouragement received in the last 8-9 weeks has been tremendous, thanks to passionate coaches, seniors who have achieved so much and who take special care to motivate us, novices and fellow trainees who help one another to achieve the best. The idea of this blog though is to share some very very interesting things that goes on in the mind and some very fascinating life lessons I seem to be learning every time I run. Here are some, not necessarily in the order of any importance:

1. The race is always with you and only with you: When running all that matters is how YOU are doing, thats all. Friends can cheer, coaches can push, mentors can cajole - but no one can run the race for you. Isn't this same in life? Why then we constantly keep comparing? Why can't we just focus on becoming a better person in comparison to ourselves.

2. Journey is the reward, not the destination: Yes, there are some races going around and you might win a prize or two. But nothing gives pure joy running in trails away from the city. During the misty days of December running into thick fog is almost a magical or even I'd say a divine experience. In life though, we often forget the journey chasing something or the other all the time. When was the last time you saw a sunrise, a full moon, smelt a rose or got drenched in the rain?

3. Its about overcoming self imposed limitations: Perhaps the biggest lesson. On my first day of training, I asked my coach whether its possible for first timers like me to be able to run 10K in about 12weeks. He said the first training is only to remove the cobwebs in the mind which seem to say "you can't do, you can't do". I ran 8.5K last Sat and now looking forward for my first 10K this Sat. Unless you actually do, you'd never know what you are capable of.

4. Its about "keeping it simple": Before my formal training started, I was paralyzed by the fear of never being able to run more than 2-3kms. The training has taught me not to worry about the end point, but to focus on running the 1st km, then 2nd, then 3rd etc., For beginners there always is an option of abandoning the race midway. But all of us have always completed the race. Why then, in life we complicate things and not achieve our potential.

5. Being "smart" is more important that being fast: I've learnt that running is all about managing your energy. The tale of tortoise and hare is drilled in. Any impulsive action is doomed. I now understand the true meaning of "in the long run". I've learnt to intelligently manage uphill (we tend to walk in these sections to conserve energy) and make it up in the downhill runs. I now better understand the meaning of "uphill" and "downhill". In life we seem to take many decision that appears to make sense in the short-term, we can always step back and see whether or not we are smart "in the long run". The learning is also to manage or survive the "uphill" moments and thrive during the "downhill" moments. And remember, you are bound to get a "downhill" after an uphill.

6. What matters most is not what you are getting, but who you are becoming: With due apologies to James Allen, I'd like to say "as you run, so shall you become". You won't get much prizes, nor big monies by running. Yet to hear a running version of a Sachin Tendulkar. There are additional benefits of being fit, strong, improve endurance etc., But running is more about stretching one's potential, breaking self imposed limitations and about becoming better and better everyday. We ought to be asking all the time "what am I becoming".

7. Self-Discipline: Self-discipline is the process that ties together all your efforts of controlling your mind, your personal initiative, positive mental attitude and controlling your enthusiasm. Many experts believe that self-discipline is the biggest differentiator between successful people and also rans (pun unintended). Want to learn some self-discipline, start running today.

8. Its the preparation, stupid: The training we are receiving every week is systematically pushing us towards success. Preparation is just not about running alone, its about training the right muscles, drills both at the beginning and at the end, and also about the gears. I can't believe that I was struglling to run 2-3kms just a few weeks ago. Seniors keep reminding us that we may not be interested in "just 10K runs" very soon. I'm fairly confident of doing a 21K run sometime towards the end of 2012. I wonder why we don't give such importance to prepare for everything that life throws up - be on the professional side or on the personal front. We seem to believe that just by simply turning up things will somehow pan out in the way we want, if not, we seem to be fine with that. How nice the life would be if we can prepare for every test that comes our way.

9. Solitude: A few minutes after the run begins the distance between you and co-runners would invariably widen. You suddenly start seeing things which you were never able to see. Solitude brings that kind of a power. I had not got the kind of solitude I get while running even during intense meditations. You start seeing lot of possibilities that were hidden. Solitude rejuvenates mind and body. At the end of the run one sees everyone smiling, though they are tired. Never underestimate the importance of solitude and being in the moment. When was the last time you took a solitude break?

10. Its a marathon and not a sprint: No need to elaborate on this. Just remember that life too is a marathon.

If you are running, would love to hear from you some lessons you'd have surely learnt while running.

Thank you very much,

RamP!
ramp.ramp@gmail.com

Reflections of 2011

2011-12-31T17:17:00.000+05:30

After a tough 2010, 2011 was more than satisfying. While there is always scope to improve, I was able to achieve most of my goals - both on personal and professional fronts. As I completed my goals and the accompanying score card for 2012 today, I just thought of remembering a few things that gave immense satisfaction in 2011:

BridgeCo, the India development center that I started and which I subsequently helped turn into the only engineering center got acquired. Some of the people that I have groomed and mentored continue to work there and I hear they are doing very well. For a teacher, parent, guru, mentor, nothing gives more satisfaction than the fact that the folks they helped are standing on their own. It is also a biggest gift for any leader. Well done folks!
My reading is back on track, almost about a book per week on varied subjects. #books that I read is an indication of how am I doing in several other fronts.
Started trekking! Formed a club of sorts with a set of all weather friends and we trekked in 3 different seasons and 3 different terrains. The best one was the one we did in Monsoon.
Had fun with the family and we took three vacations in 2011, including a week long road trip covering distant places like Kanyakumari and Rameshwaram. More adventurous trips planned in 2012.
Even my younger son started playing cricket and has been selected to represent the school, along with his elder brother. Made time to watch some of the matches they played and it was a different experience!
I assumed responsibility as a Director on the board of SoL South Foundation (a not-for-profit society) and took additional responsibility as its Treasurer. Its an unique experience leading a bunch of volunteers. It also gives governance experience which is unmatched.
Jumped to twitter bandwagon in April and have shared about 500 tweets mostly on technology. It has helped me to stay on top of things that are going on in the tech world and to expand the network.
Was invited by IBM as a mentor for their Bangalore leg of Smartcamp and since then have been associated with the Smartcamps held around the world. Its a great experience to interact and share knowledge with young entrepreneurs and at the same time learn from industry veterans and VCs.
At work, started with connectivity toolkits (WLAN, GPS, BT, Zigbee, etc.,) and later in the year was asked to lead all the toolkit development which includes cellular toolkits also (LTE, WCDMA, CDMA2k/EVDO etc.,). Learnt quite a lot on the job. It has been a special year for us as we are poised to cross $1B in revenues for the first time in our history. We are also named as Top-25 global companies to work for.

A thoroughly satisfying year. With recession looming large, I expect another year full of challenges and excitement.

So many people help you along the way. I want to thank the almighty and each one of my loved ones, friends, and my mentors who continue to love me and help me grow - life would have been meaningless without you all.

Reading list for Jan-2012

2011-12-30T22:28:00.000+05:30

The Myth of the Garage: And Other Minor Surprises

This a collection of the best columns written by celebrated authors - the Heath brothers for the Fast Company magazine. In Myth, the Heath brothers tackle some of the most (and least) important issues in the modern business world:
• Why you should never buy another mutual fund (“The Horror of Mutual Funds”)
• Why your gut may be more ethical than your brain (“In Defense of Feelings”)
• How to communicate with numbers in a way that changes decisions (“The Gripping Statistic”)
• Why the “Next Big Thing” often isn’t (“The Future Fails Again”)
• Why you may someday pay $300 for a pair of socks (“The Inevitability of $300 Socks”)

... and some more. Promises to be a very entertaining and insightful read. You can get your free copy (iTunes/Kindle/Nook/PDF) here.

Tom Peters Business School in a Box
The Tom Peters Business School in a Box helps you develop management expertise and try out business strategies without the risks of real-world failure. In this innovative simulation, you and a group of friends/colleagues gather at home or at work. You each play the role of a key executive and together face a major business challenge. You think... argue... negotiate... make critical decisions, then analyze the results and evaluate your performance. Executives, managers, front-line workers, entrepreneurs and students who have used this simulation all agree: they learn--about business and about themselves--as they never have before

Infinite Possibilities: The Art of Living your Dreams
I have become a big fan of Mike Dooley after reading his Notes from the Universe. Mike Dooley argues manifesting the magnificence of our dreams isn’t about hard work, but rather about belief and expectation. These principles transcend belief, realizing the truth about our human nature.

Creative Visualization: Use the Power of Imagination to Create What You Want in Your Life
Now considered a classic, Creative Visualization teaches readers how to use their imaginations to manifest their deepest desires. In a straight-talking narrative, Shakti Gawain uses the first part to cover the basics, with chapters such as "How to Visualize," "Affirmations," and "Creative Visualization Only Works for the Good." Once she shows readers how visualization actually works, Gawain moves on to loftier discussions, such as "Contacting Your Higher Self," "Meeting Your Guide," "Setting Goals," and "Treasure Maps."

Reading list for Dec-2011

2011-12-12T19:43:00.000+05:30

Two weeks ago I just counted #books in my personal library. I have a proud collection of 630 real/physical books and about 170 kindle books. I also noted that I haven't read about 70 of physical books and over 100 kindle books. Thats about 3 years of stuff, even if I read one book per month. That didn't ofcourse stop me from buying 7 books in the annual Strand book festival. Reading book has become an addiction, well almost. Many people ask me why do you read so many books? My answer is simple - its better than watching TV and killing time. Some of these also seem to be thinking that this guy has not grown much, though he seem to be reading so many books, but are afraid to tell so directly. Anyways, I ignore them as their opinion is immaterial.

Tough month at work. Have only two books planned this month:

Confession of a Venture Capitalist: Inside the high-stakes world of start-up financing
I'm a start-up guy at heart. Having seen the VC industry closely as a part of my job, I'm always intrigued by the mystery and charm of this industry. I'd be reading many books about VC funding and chose this one as the first.

The author, a VC herself, reveals an insider view of the VC industry. The chapters are short and looks like an easy read (though the review comments are bad).

Outwitting the Devil: The Secret to Freedom and Success
I'm a big fan of Napoleon Hill and reckon his Think and Grow Rich is one of the must read for anyone who can read. I was surprised to know that this particular book of his was unpublished as Hill wanted it to be done only after his death. So, I jumped and grabbed a copy when the book was released in India.

Using his legendary ability to get to the root of human potential, Napoleon Hill digs deep to identify the greatest obstacles we face in reaching personal goals: fear, procrastination, anger, and jealousy, as tools of the Devil. These hidden methods of control can lead us to ruin, and Hill reveals the seven principles of good that will allow us to triumph over them and succeed.

When LinkedIn Has A Problem With Your Name

2011-11-24T22:27:00.001+05:30

My name is RamPrasad Moudgalya. Readers of this blog and people in my professional circle know me mostly as RamP!. No one had any problem with my name or nickname if you will. Or so I thought. But LinkedIn has a problem. They have problem with my putting professional nickname also in my LinkedIn page. They said it is not professional - "(RamP!) undermines the professional nature of our site and services" . They have threatened to delete my LinkedIn account if I don't comply.

I've two problems with this.

First, the interaction from their customer care center was one that of an intimidation. I had (free) premium account with them and wanted them to "downgrade" me back to the basic account (I was not willing to $20 just to see a bigger list of people "who saw my profile"). I requested them to do this change and in response they said "Once these changes have been made, please reply so I can assist you with canceling your subscription". Afraid that it was one of their tricks to make me pay for the premium account, by delaying the downgrading, I tried removing my credit card details and realized you cannot do that.

I wrote a lengthy mail saying:
- That my name has got nothing to do with canceling premium services
- That their mail amounts almost to blackmail
- That I have name like that ever since I opened my account, 6 years ago
- That I'm indeed known as "RamP" (people recommending me on LinkedIn have called me RamP, my twitter ID is @ramp, my gmail is ramp.ramp@gmail.com etc.,)
- That I'm trying to build my personal brand around this word.
- That I should be allowed to talk to someone higher up and get a waiver

I got a response that they had a discussion about my name and they can allow RamP, but not RamP!. Currently my name in LinkedIn appears as RamPrasad "RamP!" Moudgalya and they want it to be changed to RamPrasad (RamP) Moudgalya. Thank god they seem to be OK with the name my parents choose and my surname. Surely, Reid Hoffman has some brilliant set of people in his staff (I wonder how he'd react to someone in his team strictly going by the rulebook and not using an iota of discretion and being a little polite in their communication).

I do see a bigger problem. I just realized that in the absence of another similar network, we have given complete control to LinkedIn. LinkedIn is so vital in getting connected to world professionals, remain competitive and be up-to-date. I've no option but to comply with their dictat, unless someone helps me connect with Hoffman.

BTW, I added the humble exclamation mark infront of my name after being inspired by managment uber guru Tom Peters. The red exclamation mark stands for the "Spirit of WOW" - for the people who understand what "WoW" is and can be and NOT for the "spirit of bureaucracy" - sorry LinkedIn you disappoint.

Thank you very much,

RamP!
ramp.ramp@gmail.com

Reading list for Nov-2011

2011-11-01T18:01:00.000+05:30

October was good. Loads of holidays, bit of travel and all that ensured that I had no trouble reading the books I wanted to read. November promises to be normal month.

Steve Jobs
Flavor of the month definitely. Based on more than forty interviews with Jobs conducted over two years—as well as interviews with more than a hundred family members, friends, adversaries, competitors, and colleagues—Walter Isaacson has written a riveting story of the roller-coaster life and searingly intense personality of a creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized six industries: personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing.

Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins: How to Use Your Stories to Communicate With Power and Impact
Story telling is a powerful communications tool that is becoming more and more recognized in the business community. These stories are not the usual speech openers or ice breakers, but stories that will influence others to trust the storyteller and shape decisions and actions that are important to both individuals and organizations. You need to show up when you communicate - the real you, not the idealized you.The missing ingredient in most failed communication is humanity. This is an easy fix. In order to blend humanity into every communication you send, all you have to do is tell more stories and bingo - you just showed up." This book teaches readers how to tell six kinds of stories.

The 3rd Alternative: Solving Life's Most Difficult Problems
From the multimillion-copy bestselling author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People—hailed as the #1 Most Influential Business Book of the Twentieth Century—The 3rd Alternative introduces a breakthrough approach to conflict resolution and creative problem solving. One of Time magazine’s 25 most influential Americans, Dr. Stephen R. Covey has helped millions transform their lives. In The 3rd Alternative, Covey turns his formidable insight to a powerful new way to resolve professional and personal difficulties and create solutions to great challenges in organizations and society.

In any conflict, the 1st Alternative is my way and the 2nd Alternative is your way. The fight usually boils down to a question of whose way is better. There are many methods of “conflict resolution,” but most involve compromise, a low-level accommodation that stops the fight without breaking through to amazing new results. The 3rd Alternative is about more than just an armistice—it’s about creating a new and improved reality. A departure from the usual approaches to conflict resolution, negotiation, and innovation, this book reveals a new way of thinking that will be embraced not only by the many fans who have flocked to Covey’s prior books, but also by anyone who is seeking solutions in their professional or personal lives.

Reading list for Oct-2011

2011-10-09T23:39:00.000+05:30

Continuing with the theme of "change", I plan to read two books on the incredible turn around of Indian Railways - both authored by folks that led the change. And the next by my favourite authors: Seth Godin's new book titled "We are all Wierd" and Richard Leider's "Whistle while you work". Here are some notes on these books:

Bankruptcy to Billions: How the Indian Railways transformed itself
With around 1.4 million employees and 1.1 million pensioners, one of the world's largest railway networks (over 63,332 kms of routes) running approximately 15,000 trains each day, the Indian Railways is one of the world's largest state-owned, single-management enterprises, second only to China's.

This book is a case study of how the Indian Railways were transformed in three years, written by SudhirKumar, officer on special duty, who led the dramatic change. Defining and assessing the existing policy approach to reforming large state-owned enterprises that provide economic infrastructure, the book explains in depth why the prescriptive approach to reforms was not applicable to the Indian Railways. It shows how through an unconventional, egalitarian approach the railways transformed from near bankruptcy to a US$ 5 billion annual surplus while retaining state ownership. This case study helps to distill lessons for other state-owned enterprises whereby they can improve infrastructure services in developing countries.

Changing Tracks
Innovation in Indian Railways? Got to be kidding? Not really. A great turnaround was indeed achieved. From a cash surplus before dividend of Rs 1,071 crores in 2000, it achieved an estimated Rs 25,000 crores (or around Rs 13,000 crores after accounting for all expenditures, receipts and depreciation) in 2008. Alongside came a dynamic and differential tariff policy, and technical changes that led to an enhanced carrying capacity. How all this was accomplished is the focus of this riveting study of change and innovation in the Indian Railways.

We are all Weird
We Are All Weird is a celebration of choice, of treating different people differently and of embracing the notion that everyone deserves the dignity and respect that comes from being heard. The book calls for end of mass and for the beginning of offering people more choices, more interests and giving them more authority to operate in ways that reflect their own unique values.

As Godin has identified, a new era of weirdness is upon us. People with more choices, more interests and the power to do something about it are stepping forward and insisting that the world work in a different way. By enabling choice we allow people to survive and thrive.

Whistle while you work: Heeding your life's calling
In Whistle While You Work, Richard Leider and David Shapiro counter the clichéd query about what you want to be when you grow up with a more intriguing question: "What is your life's calling?" The authors define calling as "the inner urge to give our gifts away in service to something we are passionate about in an environment that is consistent with our values." Drawing upon psychologist James Hillman's metaphor of the acorn programmed to grow into an oak tree, Leider and Shapiro guide readers to discover their "core gifts" and the work they were born to do. Each chapter describes a conversation with a cabdriver in a different city to introduce a key idea about the process of heeding your life's calling. These lively conversations are followed by stories of individuals--from a Motorola executive to a building security guard--who have identified their calling. The stories are paired with bulls-eye exercises that allow readers to discover their calling. Tools include "calling cards" to identify core gifts, a "calling journal" and the "calendar/checkbook" exercise to align values with time management.

Reading list for Sep-2011

2011-09-05T08:21:00.000+05:30

My reading is picking up. The theme for this month is "Change". I'd be reading three of the very popular books by John Kotter on this subject.

Leading Change
In this celebrated book, which is used as a text book in many organizations for their internal training programs (including mine), Kotter offers a practical approach to an organized means of leading, not managing, change. He presents an eight-stage process of change with highly useful examples that show how to go about implementing it. Based on experience with numerous companies, his sound advice gets directly at reasons that organizations fail to change, reasons that concern primarily the leader.

Heart of Change: Real Life Stories of How People Change Their Organizations
The Heart of Change is the follow-up to John Kotter's popular book Leading Change, in which he outlines a framework for implementing change that sidesteps many of the pitfalls common to organizations looking to turn themselves around. "Never underestimate the power of a good story," Kotter and Cohen testify in this highly readable sequel to Kotter's groundbreaking Leading Change. Practicing what they preach, they have culled, from hundreds of interviews conducted by Deloitte Consulting, the 34 most instructive and vivid accounts of companies undergoing large-scale change. With chapters organized by each of the eight stages of change Kotter identified in his 1996 bestseller, the authors deftly contrast success stories with fumbles, then utilize the compare-and-contrast format for lively "how-to/how-not-to" discussion.

Our Iceberg is Melting: Changing and Succeeding Under Any Conditions
Aesop's fables? Remember how interesting and simple they were to understand the underlying message. Lately many authors are coming up with business fables and remember the enormously popular, Who Moved My Cheese. Kotter has tried the same with this fun little book. Kotter and Rathgeber offer a fable in which the central character, an Emperor Penguin named Fred, struggles without much success to convince his colony's Leadership Council that his research statistics indicate "the shrinking of the size of their home, the canals, the caves filled with water, the number of fissures, causing by [their iceberg's] melting." If they do not relocate to another iceberg soon....

Kotter's engaging story introduces the 8 principles of problem solving. Their delightfully told journey illuminates in an unforgettable way how to manage the necessary change that surrounds us all. Simple explanatory material following the fable enhances the lasting value of these lessons.

Reading list for Aug-2011

2011-08-21T21:54:00.000+05:30

Need to utilize the remaining few days to complete the following two books:

Enchantment: The Art of Changing Heart, Minds and Actions
I love Guy Kawasaki. His insights on several facets of the industry conveyed through his popular blog and through a series of books have been very very useful for me in my professional era. I used to think that his Art of The Start is his best book. But Enchantment beats it.

How do companies such as Apple create such enchanting products? And how do some people always seem to enchant others? According to Guy, anyone can learn the art of enchantment. It transforms situations and relationships, turns cynics into believers and changes hearts and minds. This book explains all the tactics you need to enchant. Kawasaki's lessons are drawn from his tenure at Apple, as well as his decades of experience as an entrepreneur. Few people in the world are more qualified to teach you how to enchant.

If you are too busy to read this wonderful book, please find time to see Guy's lecture in Stanford on this very subject.

Anything You Want

Best known for creating CD Baby, the most popular music site for independent artists, founder Derek Sivers chronicles his “accidental” success and failures into this concise and inspiring book on how to create a multi-million dollar company by following your passion. In Anything You Want, Sivers details his journey and the lessons learned along the way of creating CD Baby and building a business close to his heart. “[Sivers is] one of the last music-business folk heroes,” says Esquire magazine. His less-scripted approach to business is refreshing and will educate readers to feel empowered to follow their own dreams. Aspiring entrepreneurs and others trying to make their own way will be particularly comforted by Sivers straight talk and transparency -a reminder that anything you want is within your reach.

Reading list for July-2011

2011-08-21T20:11:00.000+05:30

I took life easy in June and July, being in the maintenance mode and doing only the bare minimum things just to sustain. Which meant, even my favorite pastime, reading, also came to a stand still. I just managed to read the following books (and even forgot to update the reading list, the only thing in this blog lately). Things are changing, though.

The Power of Full Engagement - Managing Energy, Not Time, Is The Key To High Performance and Personal Renewal - Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz
This book has practical advise on managing energy for superior performance. The methodology is grounded in author's experience of working with great athletes (likes of Pete Sampras) for 25 years in helping achieve top notch performance under extreme pressures. This book talks of the following things:
· Mobilize four key sources of energy(physical, emotional, mental and spiritual)
· Balance energy expenditure with intermittent energy renewal
· Expand capacity in the same systematic way that elite athletes do
· Create highly specific, positive energy management rituals
It proved to be an interesting read and with immediate applications.

Believe in Yourself - Joseph Murphy

Dr. Joseph Murphy was the author of The Power of your Subconscious Mind. In Believe in Yourself, Dr. Murphy shows you how the power of believing in yourself will help you achieve your dreams. He illustrates his points with wonderful stories about how inventors, writers, artists, and entrepreneurs have used this power to reach the highest of heights. Though interesting and useful, its a tough read compared to his celebrated book The Power of your Subconscious Mind. It would need another read to understanding deeply so that the principles can be put to use.

Reading list for Jun-2011

2011-06-08T16:57:00.001+05:30

I'm visiting Austin. Shall have time on plane to read enough. This month's list therefore has couple of books more than normal.

Graceful
In "Graceful," a short ebook, Godin discusses the attitude, lifestyle, and aura of the new revolutionaries: the gracefuls.

"Graceful is artistic, elegant, subtle and effective. Graceful makes things happen and brings light but not heat."

Godin's "Graceful" is an inspiring read, not only because of its discussion of how consumers will gravitate towards art instead of stuff, but because his advice for assimilation into this new world is based on values and virtues.

The Art of an Idea: And How It Can Change Your Life
As an award-winning playwright, author, and Worldwide Creative Director of TBWA, John Hunt has witnessed again and again the power of original thinking to transform both companies and individuals. In The Art of the Idea, Hunt addresses everyone from the global boardroom to the man on the street, bridging the gap with ease. Few can argue with Hunt's claim that it is ideas that move the world forward, and he refreshingly articulates that anyone can play: there is no hierarchy to original thinking.

The Art of the Idea provides a toolbox for achieving excellence and offers a new way of defining your world. By illustrating how to create space so ideas can breathe, it provides a lifeline to those who find themselves stuck in a rut. Unassuming, original, and accessible, the publication includes insights by this leader in creative thinking, and is accompanied by 20 original paintings and collages by the internationally acclaimed South African artist Sam Nhlengethwa. The Art of the Idea grants permission to trust your instincts, endure initial ridicule, and practice thinking as a team sport.

Be Your Own Brand: A Breakthrough Formula for Standing Out from the Crowd

The science of brand building is typically identified with business products and services, but this book explains how personal and professional relationships can also be seen -- and managed -- in this very practical light. The authors present "personal brand management" as a real-life tool that creates and reinforces strong, enduring relationships fueled by core values and beliefs. Readers will gain more effective ways to communicate, techniques to understand and build powerful relationships, and guidelines to help them stay on course as they continually refine and improve their relationships.

Simplify Your Life
This book is fantastic for those who wish their lives to focus on doing and contributing and experiencing, rather than buying, consuming, storing, moving, weeding-through, tripping-over, collecting, and trying to impress. The format of this book also makes for a strange alternation between huge, life-changing choices (move to where you can be close to your workplace), and weirdly specific recommendations (stop using nail polish). I found some ideas to be defeatist and unhelpful.

The Dirty Dozen: The Twelve Words You Should Eliminate From Your Vocabulary

We are our conversations!

We live in our daily conversations. That's what we do - we are either talking to someone or we are talking to ourselves. Our conversations have a HUGE influence on where we go in our life. Actually, way more than you think they do.

Our conversations can empower us or they can bring us down.

Our conversations are really what we are.

If that's the case, it is in our best interest to notice and eliminate (or reframe) a few words that might be hurting us. Author Raj Setty has picked 12 such words. With every word in the book, the author has a provided a brief commentary of why that word needs to be re-visited or reframed or simply eliminated from your vocabulary.

Please remember that when you eliminate these words for your vocabulary, you not only do so literally but also the way of thinking and actions that these words produce. And, that's what will make a difference!

Pictures from IBM Smartcamp Bangalore 2011

2011-05-15T22:14:00.000+05:30

Some pictures from the IBM Smartcamp's Bangalore leg on 27-Apr-2011. Here is a report in business standard.

Reading list for May-2011

2011-05-08T09:32:00.000+05:30

Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds and Actions

This is the latest book by one of my favourite authors, Guy Kawasaki. This book is seen as an update of Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People, in which Kawasaki asserts that the fundamental goal of influence is not to get your own way, but to bring about a change of heart in other people by working with and through them. Covering subjects like How To Make An Enchanting Product, How To Overcome Resistance, and How To Enchant Your Boss, this is another classic in the making from one of the most respected voices in business.

Today We Are Rich (free kindle edition)

Are you just hanging in there? Have life’s curveballs thrown you off balance? Do you feel as if your life is going sideways?

Bestselling author, leadership coach, and former Yahoo! executive Tim Sanders knows how you feel. Rediscovering the lessons his grandma taught him as a child turned his life around and, in less than four years, catapulted him to financial security and an officer-level role at an S&P 500 company at the center of the Internet revolution. Today, his promise to himself is “I will never forget those lessons. The price is too high.” Join Tim as he rediscovers the classic principles of confident living that some of the most successful and joyful people you know live by.

IBM Smartcamp experience

2011-04-28T08:10:00.002+05:30

I was in elite company as one of the mentors, in the Bangalore leg of IBM SmartCamp 2011. SmartCamp is an exclusive global program bringing together entrepreneurs, investors and experienced mentors who want to build a Smarter Planet.The finals was held yesterday (27-Apr). The Bangalore leg received a record 230 applications, which was pruned to 48 and then after interviewing, it was further shortlisted to the final 5.

Here are some observations:

The buzzwords clearly were cloud technologies, mobile computing, green technologies (energy saving, remote monitoring etc.,) and to an extent social networking. Everyone we spoke to, had atleast two of these in their products.
We saw companies that were just 1-2 (mainly founders) members, to about 15-20 and about 100+ is size. They were looking for funding from just about anything they can get ($250K) to about $8-10M.
We saw passionate entrepreneurs that were so focused on their expertise, technologists that seem to have built a great technical product but struggling to market, companies with professional management that clearly know where they are going and what needs to be done to get there and folks that have created good traction but need funding to scale.
One common theme was that they all have started by targeting the India market, but have clear global ambitions.
Last but not the least - people seem to commit the same mistakes:

Lack of focus - being everything to everyone
Technology taking precedence over market - Latest and greatest? Yes. Hard to copy? Yes. Does the market need it? Not sure. Know how to market? No.
Business model - too many untested assumptions on monetization and being too optimistic on scaling-up
People - Not being able to attract the right talent
The tyranny of competence - The I know all syndrome, which affects all the above four. Its so easy to see in others!

IBM has designed the format to make it very beneficial for the entrepreneurs. The mentors had diverse background - the Technologists, the VC community, Sales and Marketing and Academicians. Each panel had atleast one person from every category and the mentoring sessions were helpful because the mentors could build on each other's experience and no aspect of the business was left untouched for questioning and recommending possible solutions. We also were able to use our own network and help connect entrepreneurs to the right people.

The several carefully designed breaks allowed mentors to talk and network with each other. I had a chance to meet-up with several VCs and my pet question was what was their take on world class products coming out of India. Almost all the VCs that I met-up were emphatic and are expecting a sea-change in the next 3-4 years. They are very confident that some BIG products would come out of India. When I asked them what makes them think so, they pointed out a few things:

Thanks to our economic growth, India is a big market. Product development is easier when you are sitting right next to the market. Indians can now buy.
Spurt in entrepreneurial growth especially post the last recession. People returning from US and Europe helping know-how of product development
Increased activity in the eco-system. More and more VCs have started funding Indian companies, biggies such IBM, Intel etc., taking an active role and interest in the Indian entrepreneurial activities, increased collaboration b/w industry and academia etc.,
Problems that are unique to India (energy management in towers is a classic example)

It was an enriching experience. Made several contacts, learnt a lot and thoroughly enjoyed the whole process.

Thank you very much,

RamP!
ramp.ramp@gmail.com