I've recently read some books about people I admire - Branson, Semler, Dhirubhai... I was hoping to learn something from their experiences.
If you expect these people to have written about decision-making, finances, deals and learn some 'rules' about successfully running a business, you will be disappointed. I was surprised to find that many of their major decisions had been based on gut feeling rather than reason, and against widely respected 'business sense'. The common threads were passion ('I really have to do this'), vision (dreaming of the 'considered-impossible'), and their faith in their people. I guess this is what differentiates the 'explosively-successful' entrepreneurs from the also-rans. You need to really want to do something, believe you can, and trust other people to do it.
The last part is probably the hardest. If you have a big dream, you can't achieve it alone. You have to depend on others. And when you are dependant, you cant have have everything your way. A much better approach is to get others to believe in your dream, motivate them to give it their best, accept their failures and be honest with them.
I can personally vouch for the last. At work, there were a few times I was given a target which I didnt consider realistic. My subordinates also questioned me when I told them what they had to do. At this point, I've tried two approaches.
The common one - is to give people a load of crap about what is good for the business, and why the problems foreseen won't actually come up, and insisting they'd better do it or face your wrath. This will always fail and they will later say 'we told you so. Now do whatever you want. And I feel I'm under-paid.'
The other - and the one I prefer - is to honestly admit you are doing something stupid but you dont really have a choice. And to tell them you'll try your best, and hope they will too. You'll be surprised what your people can achieve when you actually trust them with responsibility.
A couple of quotations I remember from my time at P&G, which I consider golden truths:
- An organization is perfectly designed for the results it achieves. (Corollary for bosses: your team's results reflect how much they trust you. If the results aren't good enough...)
- People spend more than half of the time they are awake, in their office. They should be happy in office.
May 24, 2007
Choices Choices Choices
Well, I've bought a new car. Why don't I sound thrilled? You see, I have a bit of a maverick image, and buying the most common and popular car doesn't quite go with it. A Santro is too commonplace.
Anyway, as i didnt originally want a Santro, i set about selecting a car. What bothered me in this whole process of car selection, was the mind-boggling choices. In the glorious days not so long ago, the only car i could have bought was the Maruti 800. The only decision to be made was - could I afford the one with an AC? Even color choices were limited. 'Loan' was a bad word. And if some low-life wanted to buy a car he couldn't afford with his savings, he'd have to go to his PSU bank branch, and face as arduous a task as performing an elaborate Hindu religious ceremony.
Cut to 2007. There are at least 4 serious small car manufacturers. Most of them have multiple models (If you want to buy good-ol' Maruti, they offer you the 800, Zen, Wagon R and Swift - and this is only in the small-car segment!) Each model has several variants. You have to decide whether you want body-colored bumpers? Do you really need an under-seat ash-tray and suchlike. Then you receive SMS offers from multiple dealers. Each has tie-ups with at least 3 banks that offer you various loan rates and deals. At the end of weeks I still have to decide between Sony, JBL, Pioneer and Blaupunkt speakers for my car audio system. I still have to decide whether spending another 4.5k for Tubless tyres, and 3k for leather seat covers, are prudent decisions.
One can argue that having so much choice is a good thing, but I'm not too sure. I mean - if I install the 245-watt Blaupunkt rather than the 260-watt Sony, will it change my life significantly? Will i even notice a difference at all? The problem is not having choices. The problem is - there are no clearly 'good' or 'bad' choices. Everything has its pros-and-cons and it all evens out in the long run. And a huge amount of time and energy is wasted evaluating the pluses-and-minus of all the choices available. Life was so much easier a decade back...
(Psst - by the way, I chose a 'Deep pearl blue' Santro XO, and am planning to buy Blaupunkt speakers. Do u think its the right choice? And leather seat covers? Tubless tyres?)
Anyway, as i didnt originally want a Santro, i set about selecting a car. What bothered me in this whole process of car selection, was the mind-boggling choices. In the glorious days not so long ago, the only car i could have bought was the Maruti 800. The only decision to be made was - could I afford the one with an AC? Even color choices were limited. 'Loan' was a bad word. And if some low-life wanted to buy a car he couldn't afford with his savings, he'd have to go to his PSU bank branch, and face as arduous a task as performing an elaborate Hindu religious ceremony.
Cut to 2007. There are at least 4 serious small car manufacturers. Most of them have multiple models (If you want to buy good-ol' Maruti, they offer you the 800, Zen, Wagon R and Swift - and this is only in the small-car segment!) Each model has several variants. You have to decide whether you want body-colored bumpers? Do you really need an under-seat ash-tray and suchlike. Then you receive SMS offers from multiple dealers. Each has tie-ups with at least 3 banks that offer you various loan rates and deals. At the end of weeks I still have to decide between Sony, JBL, Pioneer and Blaupunkt speakers for my car audio system. I still have to decide whether spending another 4.5k for Tubless tyres, and 3k for leather seat covers, are prudent decisions.
One can argue that having so much choice is a good thing, but I'm not too sure. I mean - if I install the 245-watt Blaupunkt rather than the 260-watt Sony, will it change my life significantly? Will i even notice a difference at all? The problem is not having choices. The problem is - there are no clearly 'good' or 'bad' choices. Everything has its pros-and-cons and it all evens out in the long run. And a huge amount of time and energy is wasted evaluating the pluses-and-minus of all the choices available. Life was so much easier a decade back...
(Psst - by the way, I chose a 'Deep pearl blue' Santro XO, and am planning to buy Blaupunkt speakers. Do u think its the right choice? And leather seat covers? Tubless tyres?)
Apr 22, 2007
I'd mentioned in an earlier post that this F1 season may see a good contest between Kimi and Alonso, so much so that Schumi's absence may not hurt so much.
However' I'd not expected such a thrilling start. In most of the recent seasons, 1 driver has sat on 30 points after the first three races, though others have mounted a challenge later in the season. This time, we've actually had 3 different winners in the first 3 races, and a fourth driver - a rookie at that! - is tied for the Championship lead. Sweet!
It's impossible for even the wisest pundit, one with many grey hairs, to call this one. It really could go any way from here. I'd be cheering for Kimi though. Here's why.
Hamilton's start seems too good to last, and I'd be surprised if he got the better of Kimi and Alonso - in equally good or better cars - in his very first season. Massa also seems to lack that 'special something' that is the hallmark of a Champion.
The reason I dislike Alonso was re-affirmed in the last race at Bahrain. He tried to bottle Kimi up, and I'm sure he allowed Heidfeld to catch up with the pair so that Kimi would come under pressure himself, and give Alonso some breathing space. The move back-fired badly, and Alonso was taken by both of them. The thing i dislike about him the most - he settled for fifth. Hardly the inspiring stuff you expect of a Champion.
Contrast this with Kimi. Now here's a true-blood racer who always goes all out, and never seems happy with anything less than a win. He was clearly disappointed with 3rd place. My best memory from the last season was Kimi being taken by Schumi in the last race. You saw two men going all out - stretching their machines to the limit - wheels scraping and the drive edging on madness - and Schumi finally got ahead coz he had the better car. But it's Kimi's spirit and burning desire to win that makes him such a pleasure to watch.
I hope Kimi can win this one with the prancing horse, and bring the smiles back to faces of fans like myself. And prove to the world - Schumi IS replaceable.
However' I'd not expected such a thrilling start. In most of the recent seasons, 1 driver has sat on 30 points after the first three races, though others have mounted a challenge later in the season. This time, we've actually had 3 different winners in the first 3 races, and a fourth driver - a rookie at that! - is tied for the Championship lead. Sweet!
It's impossible for even the wisest pundit, one with many grey hairs, to call this one. It really could go any way from here. I'd be cheering for Kimi though. Here's why.
Hamilton's start seems too good to last, and I'd be surprised if he got the better of Kimi and Alonso - in equally good or better cars - in his very first season. Massa also seems to lack that 'special something' that is the hallmark of a Champion.
The reason I dislike Alonso was re-affirmed in the last race at Bahrain. He tried to bottle Kimi up, and I'm sure he allowed Heidfeld to catch up with the pair so that Kimi would come under pressure himself, and give Alonso some breathing space. The move back-fired badly, and Alonso was taken by both of them. The thing i dislike about him the most - he settled for fifth. Hardly the inspiring stuff you expect of a Champion.
Contrast this with Kimi. Now here's a true-blood racer who always goes all out, and never seems happy with anything less than a win. He was clearly disappointed with 3rd place. My best memory from the last season was Kimi being taken by Schumi in the last race. You saw two men going all out - stretching their machines to the limit - wheels scraping and the drive edging on madness - and Schumi finally got ahead coz he had the better car. But it's Kimi's spirit and burning desire to win that makes him such a pleasure to watch.
I hope Kimi can win this one with the prancing horse, and bring the smiles back to faces of fans like myself. And prove to the world - Schumi IS replaceable.
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