The World's Most Influential Companies

- A Business Week Article

• "Power lasts 10 years," goes an old Korean proverb. "Influence, not more than a hundred."
  
• In a year that brought the mighty to their knees, some of the biggest players in business have seen their power whittled away. As the proverb points out, influence has a shelf life, too. And it's probably getting shorter as the cycle of change accelerates. Companies that once wielded a seemingly unshakeable hold over their industries—General Motors (GM), Sony (SNE), Microsoft (MSFT)—now find themselves following the lead of more nimble players such as Toyota (TM), Apple (APPL), and Google (GOOG). "There's no standing still," notes veteran strategy guru Gary Hamel. "Influence is like water, always flowing somewhere."
  
• The core characteristics of influence are unchanged, whether it's inspiring a loyal following, spawning big ideas, or building up mammoth market share. What has changed is how players achieve it. A company's physical assets are less important now than the force of its ideas. In the age of blogging and instant communication, consumers are less the recipients of corporate influence than powerful actors who help shape it.
  
• With that in mind, BusinessWeek developed a list of the World's Most Influential Companies. BW chose 10 companies that have devised winning strategies in their industries. They are the ones with the game-changing ideas, the greatest impact on consumers, and the bold tactics rivals emulate. None is infallible or without controversy. BW believes that each company played a major role in business over the past year and could shape the corporate landscape for years to come.
  
• In honing the list, BusinessWeek worked with an advisory board of 14 academics, consultants, and industry leaders worldwide. Several themes emerged. For one, the developed world is no longer the sole repository of influential companies. Nearly a third of the board's suggestions were for companies based in emerging markets, where a vibrant workforce and global capital play a vital role.

Click here to check the slideshow.

Click here to read the complete article.

Eat That Frog!

- Movie by Mac Anderson

The founder of Simple Truths, Mac Anderson says, "I heard Brian Tracy's "Frog Story" about 5 years ago. I immediately began to apply it to my business and personal life. It's made a huge difference in my ability to take action on things that matter most. So here it is, a little piece of Brian Tracy's best-selling book...Eat That Frog! It takes less than 2 minutes to watch, but here's betting...you won't forget it!"

Click here to see the movie.

Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture: “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams”

Article Shared by Atul Shinde. Thank you!

Randy Pausch (Oct. 23, 1960 - July 25, 2008)

Randy Pausch was a professor of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University. He was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer at 47 and survived more than 10 months before he lost his battle this past July. Randy gave his last lecture at CMU on Sept 18, 2007, before several hundred in a packed McConomy Auditorium. The Last Lecture was his farewell speech to the CMU students and has been acknowledged as one of the finest inspirational discourse.

In his moving presentation, "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams," Pausch talked about his lessons learned and gave advice to students on how to achieve their own career and personal goals. This video has now been viewed on YouTube by millions of people. It’s enormously inspiring, tear-rendering and well worth your time if you haven’t seen it. Click below to see the video.

Click here to read the transcript of Randy Pausch's Last Lecture

Click here to read select quotes from Randy Pausch's Last Lecture

Click here for Randy Pausch's Website

21 select quotes from Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture

1. “Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted…”
   
   
2. “Be good at something; it makes you valuable…. Have something to bring to the table, because that will make you more welcome.”
   
   
3. “Brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want something badly enough. They are there to keep out the other people.”
   
   
4. “Be willing to apologize. Proper apologies have three parts: 1) What I did was wrong. 2) I’m sorry that I hurt you. 3) How do I make it better? It’s the third part that people tend to forget…. Apologize when you screw up and focus on other people, not on yourself.”
   
   
5. “Find the best in everybody. Just keep waiting no matter how long it takes. No one is all evil. Everybody has a good side, just keep waiting, it will come out.”
   
   
6. “It is not about achieving your dreams but living your life. If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself, the dreams will come to you.”
   
   
7. “Be prepared. Luck is truly where preparation meets opportunity.”
   
   
8. “Better to fail spectacularly than do something mediocre.” [Randy Pausch gave out a First Penguin award each year when he was teaching to the biggest failure in trying something big and new because he thought this should be celebrated. First Penguins are the ones that risk that the water might be too cold.]
   
   
9. “Loyalty is a two way street.”
   
   
10. “Get a feedback loop and listen to it. Your feedback loop can be this dorky spreadsheet thing I did, or it can just be one great man who tells you what you need to hear. The hard part is the listening to it.”
    
    
11. “You can’t get there alone. People have to help you and I do believe in karma. I believe in paybacks. You get people to help you by telling the truth. Being earnest. I’ll take an earnest person over a hip person any day, because hip is short term. Earnest is long term.”
    
    
12. “When you are doing something badly and no one’s bothering to tell you anymore, that’s a very bad place to be. Your critics are the ones still telling you they love you and care.”
    
    
13. “Don’t complain, Just work harder.”
    
    
14. “If you want to achieve your dreams, you better learn to work and play well with others…[you have] to live with integrity”
    
    
15. “The best piece of parenting advice I’ve ever heard is from flight attendants. If things get really tough, grab your own oxygen mask first.”
    
    
16. “Tell The Truth. All The Time. No one is pure evil.”
    
    
17. “Show gratitude. Gratitude is a simple but powerful thing.”
    
    
18. “I’ve never understood pity and self-pity as an emotion. We have a finite amount of time. Whether short or long, it doesn’t matter. Life is to be lived.”
    
    
19. “Never underestimate the importance of having fun. I’m dying and I’m having fun. And I’m going to keep having fun every day because there’s no other way to play it….Having fun for me is like a fish talking about the importance of water. I don’t know how it is like not to have fun…”
    
    
20. “Never lose the child-like wonder. It’s just too important. It’s what drives us. Help others.”
    
    
21. “To be cliché, death is a part of life and it’s going to happen to all of us. I have the blessing of getting a little bit of advance notice and I am able to optimize my use of time down the home stretch.”

The Seven Secrets of Inspiring Leaders

– A Business Week Article

Carmine Gallo's research reveals techniques common to the leaders who best know how to inspire their employees, investors, and customers. According to a recent Maritz Research poll, only 10% of employees look forward to going to work and most point to a lack of leadership as the reason why. But it doesn't have to be that way.

Mr. Gallo has interviewed renowned leaders, entrepreneurs, and educators who have an extraordinary ability to sell their vision, values, and themselves. What he found were seven techniques that you can easily adopt in your own professional communications with your employees, clients, and investors.

Click here to view the Slideshow (Recommended)
Click here to read the Article

What Leaders Can Learn from Children

– A Harvard Business Publishing Article

­Author Vineet Nayar says, “Unlike children, we adults draw comfort working within predictable boundaries. The sudden turn that used to delight us when we were kids raises our guard as adults.” When children are caught in the rain they splash in the water and find new games to play. Once you are wet, the fear of getting wet is over and you start enjoying the rain. With the fear gone, you return to your work with unmitigated enthusiasm. However, if you freeze indoors because of rain, there is no way you will reach anyplace. There is a forgotten lesson we leaders can learn here as we deal with the thundering rain in the world of business right now.

Click here to read about other lessons that leaders could learn from children as observed by Vineet Nayar.

Quotes on "Solution"

"To solve any problem, here are three questions to ask yourself: First, what could I do? Second, what could I read? And third, who could I ask?"
- Jim Rohn (American Speaker and Author. He is famous for motivational audio programs for Business and Life)

"Impossible only means that you haven't found the solution yet."
- Anonymous

"Sometimes a scream is better than a thesis."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson quotes (American Poet, Lecturer and Essayist, 1803-1882)

"The important thing about a problem is not its solution, but the strength we gain in finding the solution."
- Anonymous

"If you find a good solution and become attached to it, the solution may become your next problem."
- Dr. Robert Anthony (Self-help author)

Reference: http://thinkexist.com/quotations/solution/

Difference between Focusing on Problems and Focusing on Solutions

- Shared by Rohit Puri. Thank you!

Rohit shared this article to highlight the point of looking for simple solutions to seemingly complex problems. This article shares two examples – one from NASA and one from Japanese Soap Manufacturer to bring about the point.

The Story

Case 1
When NASA began the launch of astronauts into space, they found out that the pens wouldn't work at zero gravity (ink won't flow down to the writing surface). To solve this problem, it took them one decade and $12 million. They developed a pen that worked at zero gravity, upside down, underwater,in practically any surface including crystal and in a temperature range from below freezing to over 300 degrees C. And what did the Russians do...?? They used a pencil.

Case 2
One of the most memorable case studies on Japanese management was the case of the empty soapbox, which happened in one of Japan's biggest cosmetics companies. The company received a complaint that a consumer had bought a soapbox that was empty. Immediately the authorities isolated the problem to the assembly! line, which transported all the packaged boxes of soap to the delivery department. For some reason, one soapbox went through the assembly line empty. Management asked its engineers to solve the problem.Post-haste, the engineers worked hard to devise an X-ray machine with high-resolution monitors manned by two people to watch all the soapboxes that passed through the line to make sure they were not empty. No doubt,they worked hard and they worked fast but they spent a whoopee amount to do so. But when a rank-and-file employee in a small company was posed with the same problem, he did not get into complications of X-rays, etc., but instead came out with another solution. He bought a strong industrial electric fan and pointed it at the assembly line. He switched the fan on,and as each soapbox passed the fan, it simply blew the empty boxes out of the line.

Moral
Always look for simple solutions. Devise the simplest possible solution that solves the problems. Always focus on solutions & not on problems. So the end of the day the thing that really matters is "How one looks into the problem".

Three Steps to Innovating in Struggling Industries

Innovation is tough in the best of times. What do you do when times are tough and your industry's very survival is in question? It's a tough challenge, and it highlights just how important it is to start innovation efforts when times are good, when you have the time and resources to allow your efforts to reach escape velocity. Telling people they should have done something a decade ago isn't particularly helpful, of course. Giving the example of the Newspaper Industry, author Scott D. Anthony, an Innovation Consultant, provides some good advice on innovating in struggling industries.

Click here to read the complete article on Harvard Business Publishing.

The Mayonnaise Jar and Two Cups of Coffee

- Shared by P. G. Kamath. Thank you!

"All our lives we strive to achieve our ambitions. Somewhere in between, we often forget the very reason for our living - our family & friends. The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Cups of Coffee is a telling truth of what we need to keep reminding ourselves on before it is too late. Please share it with your readers." - P. G. Kamath

The Story

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes".

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, " I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things in life. Your God, your family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions: things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car.

The sand is everything else: the small stuff.

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.

Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean house and fix the disposal.

Take care of the golf balls first; the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

Quotes on "Innovation"

"Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower."
- Steve Jobs (American Entrepreneur Apple co-Founder, b.1955)

"Innovation is the ability to see change as an opportunity - not a threat."
- Anonymous

"If you're not failing every now and again, it's a sign you're not doing anything very innovative."
- Woody Allen (American Actor, Author, Screenwriter and Film Director, b.1935)

"Innovation is the specific instrument of entrepreneurship. The act that endows resources with a new capacity to create wealth."
- Peter F. Drucker (American Educator and Writer, b.1909)

"Innovation is not the product of logical thought, although the result is tied to logical structure."
- Albert Einstein (German born American Physicist who developed the special and general theories of relativity. Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921. 1879-1955)

Reference: http://thinkexist.com/quotations/innovation/

Quotes on "Water"

Water quotes - Initially compiled by the Water Office -US EPA

Some quotes from the above link:

“Water has become a highly precious resource. There are some places where a barrel of water costs more than a barrel of oil.”
- Lloyd Axworthy, Foreign Minister of Canada (1999 - News Conference)

“More than one-half of the world's major rivers are being seriously depleted and polluted, degrading and poisoning the surrounding ecosystems, thus threatening the health and livelihood of people who depend upon them for irrigation, drinking and industrial water”
- Ismail Serageldin, Chairman of the World Commission on Water for the 21st Century- Water Forum, Netherlands, November 30, 1999

“Water has no taste, no color, no odor; it cannot be defined, art relished while ever mysterious. Not necessary to life, but rather life itself. It fills us with a gratification that exceeds the delight of the senses.”
- Antoine De Saint-Exupery, (1900-1944), Wind, Sand, and Stars, 1939

“Children of a culture born in a water-rich environment, we have never really learned how important water is to us. We understand it, but we do not respect it.”
- William Ashworth, Nor Any Drop to Drink, 1982

“When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.”
- Benjamin Franklin, (1706-1790), Poor Richard's Almanac, 1746

Woopidoo! biography: T. Boone Pickens

T. Boone Pickens is a well known American investor, hedge fund manager, and oil billionaire. In 2008 the Texan billionaire developed what he calls "The Pickens Plan" which puts forwards a plan to move the United States from oil dependence to using alternative sources of energy like natural gas, wind, and solar power. Pickens, the BP Capital Management Chairman and CEO, has also been listed as one of the richest Americans by Forbes magazine and has given over $700 million to charity. To read the complete biography click here.

Water May Be the New Oil in a Thirsty Global Economy

Knowledge @ Wharton discusses if water is truly the new oil in their recent article "Ebb without Flow: Water May Be the New Oil in a Thirsty Global Economy".

Excerpts from the article are highlighted below:

• Is water the new oil? The answer is yes, according to a number of economists, business leaders, scientists and geopolitical strategists, who argue that it's time to stop taking for granted the substance that covers 70% of the planet and makes up a similar proportion of the human body. Just as the late 20th century saw an oil shock, the early 21st century may feature a water shock, where scarcity leads to a sharp price hike on a resource that has always been plentiful and cheap. Such a scenario could have an even bigger impact than peak oil, transforming markets, governments and ecosystems alike.


• Some quick facts:
  - 97% of the world's water is salty. Humans use the remaining 3%.
  - 10% of the globe's fresh water goes into ordinary people's drinking glasses, showers or cleaning buckets. Twice that amount is devoted to industrial use, while 70% -- higher in many developing countries -- is taken up by the agriculture sector.
  - 40% of Fortune 1000 companies believed the impact of a water shortage would be severe to catastrophic, only 17% said they had prepared for such an eventuality.
  - It takes 13,000 liters of water to raise one kilogram of beef. A similar amount of wheat requires 1,300, and a like quantity of potatoes takes just 100 liters.
  - Over the past decade, oilman T. Boone Pickens began buying up acre after acre of subterranean water rights across the Texas panhandle. Today, he owns more water than any other individual in the United States. His plan: Build a pipeline across the state in order to sell the water to the city of Dallas.
  
• Plain old water is fast on its way to becoming "blue gold," a commodity to be sought out, fought over, trundled from country to country and possibly sold to the highest bidder -- a situation that represents a threat and an opportunity all at once.

“Great Quotes from Great Leaders”

“Throughout history the words of great leaders have inspired us to do great things”, say author Mac Anderson. His recent book “Great Quotes from Great Leaders” is a beautiful coffee table edition with 160 pages, 75 wonderful photographs and over 400 great quotations from leaders in all walks of life. To watch this short movie presentation of Mac’s 15 favorite quotes click here and scroll below to see the link “Watch this Movie”.

America's Best Young Entrepreneurs 2008

In the fourth annual America's Best Young Entrepreneurs contest, BusinessWeek readers nominated candidates aged 25 and under who are running their own companies that show potential for growth and establish the talent of the founders behind them. Richard Branson, BusinessWeek contributor and Duke University executive-in-residence Vivek Wadhwa, and the Kauffman Foundation's Bo Fishback helped to pick the 25 most impressive candidates from among this batch.

A few of the top 25 finalists include Richard Ludlow, 22, who turned down a job offer from McKinsey and deferred admission to Harvard Business School to start New York's Academic Earth, an online hub for videos of university lectures and other educational content. In between homework and basketball practice, high school senior Jasmine Lawrence, 17, landed deals with Wal-Mart (WMT) and Whole Foods (WFMI) to carry her line of natural cosmetics.

Check out all the top 25 finalists. Also, the top five winners of the contest were announced on September 26, 2008.

Three years of sharing articles!

This month is our third anniversary of sharing articles since September of 2005. Thank you so much for sharing management-related inspirational and motivational articles over the last few years. A lot of members have been suggesting for quite some time to have an online repository of the shared articles. Hence, to celebrate our third anniversary today I am launching our blog named “Inspirational and Motivational Articles”. Moving forward, all new articles will be shared on the blog. All the old articles since 2005 have been segregated by topic and presented in today’s blog. Please feel free to let me know in case you have any ideas/ comments/ suggestions on improving the blog - blog name/ content/ organization, or anything else.

230 articles have been shared in the last three years. They are organized by different topics on the blog.

Biographies (22)
Book Recommendations (12)
General Management (22)
Leadership (16)
Movies (11)
Short Stories & Notes (29)
Success (26)
Workplace (46)
Miscellaneous (46)

Thank you for again for sharing such wonderful articles.

Keep sharing and have a great year ahead!

Vishal

Miscellaneous articles shared since 2005 to 2008

Teamwork
A short presentation that shares some valuable lessons on teamwork. Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by Dr. Ira Dash Rajguru on August 09, 2008


Think differently and creatively
A nice story that depicts the value of creative and positive thinking. Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by Chandresh Limbachiya on August 09, 2008


ANTS’ Philosophy
Four good lessons that we can learn from Ants! Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by Kaushal Khandor on August 09, 2008


Promising business ideas from Springwise.com
Check out their latest newsletter on http://www.springwise.com/weekly/2008-07-09-message.html to know some new business ideas like a Fashion brand launching its own second-hand store, Prepaid card to lock-in gas prices, Café’s for senior citizens, and more

Shared on July 14, 2008


90/10 Principle by Stephen Covey
Stephen Covey, the management guru, says that 10% of life is made up of what happens to you. 90% of life is decided by how you react. We really have no control over 10% of what happens to us. We cannot stop the car from breaking down. The plane will be late arriving, which throws our whole schedule off. A driver may cut us off in traffic. We have no control over this 10%. The other 90% is different. You determine the other 90%. Read some good examples and lessons on: http://www.irastimes.org/The_90-10_Principle.htm

Shared by Christopher Thomas on April 14, 2008


Best of 2007

• 100 Best Products: http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,131935-page,13/article.html
  Best Business Books: http://800ceoread.com/bookawards/
• Best Product Design: http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/07/0723_idea_awards/index_01.htm
• Three best and worst CEOs: http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/12/31/2007s-three-best-and-worst-ceos/
• Best Young Entrepreneurs: http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/10/1022_25and_under/index_01.htm?chan=smallbiz_best+u.s.+entrepreneurs+25+and+under+2007
• Most Important Trends: http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/12/1210_bestworst_trends/index_01.htm?chan=autos_special+report+--+best+and+worst_best+%2B+worst+products%2C+peoples+and+trends+2007
• Top Brands: http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/07/0726_globalbrands/index_01.htm?chan=search

Shared on January 06, 2008

The New Language of Competition: Are You Friend or Froe?

This is a short article by William (Bill) C. Taylor, an agenda-setting thinker, writer, and entrepreneur. He talks about clever little terms like ”Frenemies”, a combination of both friends and enemies, which has caused a huge transformation in the way competition is viewed today.
Check the article on: http://discussionleader.hbsp.com/taylor/2007/09/the_new_language_of_competitio.html?cm_mmc=npv-_-listserv-_-NOV_2007-_-StratExec

Shared on December 03, 2007

Death by PowerPoint (and how to fight it)

• Presentation consultant Alexei Kapterev put together a must-see slideshow on creating great presentations. Flip through it and see how to stop killing your audience with boring PowerPoint presentations (no audio, the slides speak for themselves). This one's essential (and entertaining) viewing for students and professionals alike.
• ­Check the slideshow on: http://lifehacker.com/software/presentations/stop-death-by-powerpoint-323554.php

Shared by John Dillard on December 03, 2007

Innovator? Problem-solver? Learner?

• This is one of the most interesting articles on the mind of an innovator. Author Matthew E. May points out the traps of traditional thinking through some very interesting examples.
• May suggests that we need to stop thinking about innovation as an outcome, and start thinking about innovation as a process. Because as a practical matter, innovation, problem-solving and learning employ the same iterative process—blending supposition, logic, creativity and reflection. Time frames and territories always change, so the central challenge is having the proper mind-set, discipline and tools at our disposal so that we’re able to combine “blink” and “think” strategies in an effort to create something new.
• Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by John Dillard on August 12, 2007

Buffett’s Biggest Blunders

• Warren Buffett is an investing legend, but he's also human. Even the man behind Berkshire Hathaway has been way off from time to time.
• Check out the slide show and read the story on: http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/07/0702_buffett/index.htm

Shared on 16th July 2007

Social Networks

• Interesting article on growing Social Networks. For example - CarbonNYC is an exclusive social network targeted at Manhattan’s highly successful, thirty-something, male community. To join, you not only have to be invited, but must pass an approval process for membership that ranks “success” as its primary criterion. Carbon describes its membership as “founders and CEOs of public companies, entrepreneurs, leading actors, entertainment and media executives, renowned doctors and restaurateurs.” Read more on: http://www.frogdesign.com/?p=251
  

Shared by Dr. Marty Roth on 28th January 2007

Smart Small-Business Ideas

• BusinessWeek.com asked four experts with backgrounds in franchising, social entrepreneurship, retailing, and trend spotting to tell which types of small businesses or franchises they encourage entrepreneurs to start in '07.
  Read on for their responses on: http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/01/0110_smallbiz_ideas/index_01.htm
  

Shared on January 21, 2007

Best of the Year 2006

The Best (and Worst) Leaders: http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/12/1207_bestleaders/index_01.htm

The Best (and Worst) Ideas: http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/12/1207_bestideas/index_01.htm

The Best (and Worst) Products: http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/12/1207_bestproducts/index_01.htm

Top 10 business stories: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16327022/

Best Inventions of Year: http://www.time.com/time/2006/techguide/bestinventions/

Best Books of the Year: http://www.economist.com/books/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8380365

World’s Top airlines:
http://www.worldairlineawards.com/Awards-2006/AirlineYear-2006.htm

Tech's Hot Growth Companies: http://bwnt.businessweek.com/tech_hot_growth/2006/

Best Companies to Work For: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/full_list/

Shared on 7th January 2007

Taking Tiny Loans To The Next Level

• Article on microfinance published in BW issue 11/27/06. It is especially timely given the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize award to Muhammad Yunis and his Bangladesh-based Grameen Bank, pioneers of micro financing. Microfinance is micro credit, the practice of offering small, unsecured loans to poor people not served by banks.
• Read the article on: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_48/b4011089.htm?chan=search
  

Shared by Dr. Marty Roth on 18th December 2006

Where Entrepreneurs Find Inspiration

• Who do Richard Branson, Hugh Hefner, and other marquee-name entrepreneurs and innovators look to for wisdom? Who inspires the inspired? How do some of the most successful entrepreneurs view their own innovations? What is the best piece of advice they ever received? BusinessWeek.com put these questions to a group of eight top entrepreneurs and innovators who have shaken up industries or started new ones.
• Find the answers on: http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/11/1120_heroes/index_01.htm

Shared on 2nd December 2006

Karma Capitalism

• Times have changed since Gordon Gekko quoted Sun Tzu in the 1987 movie Wall Street. Has the Bhagavad Gita replaced The Art of War as the hip new ancient Eastern management text?
• Check out the article and the slideshow on: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_44/b4007091.htm

Shared by Dr. David Schweiger on 19th November 2006

Is There a Gene for Business?

• BusinessWeek.com recently asked a cross-section of experts if entrepreneurs are made or born. When it comes to being an entrepreneur, is it simply a matter of physiological hard wiring? Or is the entrepreneurial spark something that can be lit? Clearly, qualities such as risk taking and determination, common traits in many entrepreneurs, are part of one's DNA. However, transforming inspiration into a business concept is one thing, and transforming a concept into an actual business is another. Can the characteristics often associated with entrepreneurs—drive, confidence, insight—be acquired? Can they be learned?
• Read the article on: http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/oct2006/sb20061030_540336.htm?link_position=link2
  

Brand Mantra: Going Global, Think Local

• An interesting read about how large companies have made marketing blunders and what should be done to avoid them.
• Read more about: http://www.samachar.com/showurl.htm?rurl=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2172805.cms?headline=Going~global?~Think~local
  

Shared by Piyali Mantha on 22nd October 2006

6 Money Mistakes to avoid

• We all make mistakes. But, where your money is concerned, they can cost you dearly (literally). Here we bring you the six most common money mistakes. Avoid these to ensure that your finances are on track.
• Read more on: http://in.rediff.com/getahead/2006/aug/14money.htm

Shared on 8th October 2006

The 10 Cs of Branding

• “In building and nurturing a strong brand, you have a lot more to think about than these 10 Cs; but no brand is truly a strong brand if it doesn't pass the Ten C Test. So whether you're managing your company's brand or building your own personal brand, think about these 10 Cs”, says William Arruda, a brand consultant and the President of Reach Communications, the global leader in personal branding. Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by Kaushal Khandor on 16th October 2006

Something to smile
Three-Minute Management Course. Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by Shashank Desai 16th October 2006

Consumer’s Awareness Guide to Sales and Marketing Execution
As the CEO of Awaken TheAuthorWithin.com, Glenn F. Dietzel globally consults entrepreneurs, business owners, speakers and coaches on how to build a business using sales and marketing skills not taught in any education program. Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by Sangeeta Puranam on 24th September 2006

Is there value in your value proposition?
With all the emphasis these days on getting your message out using online media—blogging, viral marketing, email marketing, online text, image and video advertising, and so on—we simply forget to focus on how to develop the right message. Many a company goes to market without having fully defined its customer value proposition. Instead, companies market a nice list of "powerful" benefits (which their competitors most likely state they have too). Enclosed is a list of activities (methodology) that can be used to define your company’s value proposition. Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by Kaushal Khandor on 6th August 2006

111 ridiculously obvious thoughts on selling compiled by Tom Peters
Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by Kaushal Khandor on 6th August 2006

Award winning Ads
Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by Kaushal Khandor on 6th August 2006

How to have a great day compiled by Christopher Guerriero
Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by Herman Carneiro on 6th August 2006

One thing I wish I knew when I Started my Business

• If you were given one chance to do it over again, what is the one thing you wish you knew when you were launching your business? Here's what a slew of big wigs had to say would be the one thing they learned that all entrepreneurs should know when starting up.
• Please view the slideshow on: http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/06/sb_onething/index_01.htm?campaign_id=rediff

Shared by Rick Rowland on 30th July 2006

The Six Types of Salespeople

• Here are the classic types of sellers you may recognize—along with some ideas on how to manage them effectively.
• Please view the slideshow on: http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/06/six_salespeople/index_01.htm?campaign_id=rediff

Shared by Rick Rowland on 30th July 2006

Seth Godin’s Blogs
Rick has enjoyed reading Seth Godin’s work on Permission based marketing and he shares Seth’s blog on the net which includes articles like “How to give feedback”, “If you can’t make it, fake it”, “Clueless in your world”, and many more. Read Seth’s blog on: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/

Shared by Rick Rowland on 23rd July 2006

Top 100 IT companies

• You won’t believe this but I had heard of only 3 companies among the Top 10 companies in this list. Yes, there is one company from India on the Top 10 list and it is not Infosys, TCS, or Wipro!
• BusinessWeek short listed companies and ranked them on four criteria: return on equity, shareholder return and revenue growth (which were given equal weight), and total revenues (which was weighted). Then, the top 100 companies were reranked as a group.
• Check out the list on: http://bwnt.businessweek.com/it100/2006/index.asp?sortCol=rank_2006&sortOrder=ASC&pageNum=1&resultNum=100

Shared by Kaushal Khandor on 30th June 2006

How to make mistakes
It would be a mistake to try to avoid all mistakes. Indeed, it would be a colossal blunder to attempt doing things right the first time, every time. In today's light speed economy, ("new" economy and "old" economy) if you don't fall on your face both regularly and painfully, you are likely to end up dead instead. The only people not making mistakes are ones playing their game without risk and without novelty - and I might add - without progress. If your company cannot accommodate, even reward, failure - in the long run, you cannot succeed. Read the complete article of author Paul Lemberg on: http://www.learningfountain.com/mistakes.htm

Shared on 5th June 2006

Good Learning
A set of slides with very good sayings. Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by Kaushal Khandor on 27th May 2006


Top 50 jobs in America http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bestjobs/top50/index.html

Shared on 22nd April 2006

Interesting six-figure jobs
You could not have thought about this but it’s true! A look at lucrative careers that let you roll the dice, defend against terror and write about drugs. Read more on http://money.cnn.com/2004/09/08/pf/sixfigs_seven/

Shared on 16th April 2006

Comparison of India (1975 – 2005)
Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by Kaushal Khandor on 3rd April 2006

The 9 Personality Types of Entrepreneurs
Starting and growing your own business requires many skills to be successful. Take a look at the business personality types and find out what you need to succeed. Are you Bill Gates, a Visionary, or an Improver like Body Shop founder, Anita Roddick?

Shared on 17th March 2006

Attitude (Recycled)
In this article, the research team shares some of the basic personality traits as well as tips for making a choice to operate from the positive of your attitude. They state that each person has a basic personality trait and there are seven of these: Skeptic, Idealist, Stoic, Spiritualist, Cynic, Realist and Pragmatist. From these descriptions, you should be able to determine what your attitude is according to their system and take tips to work on the positive of your attitude. Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by Nitin Agarwal on 26th February 2006

10 Keys to Happiness by Deepak Chopra
A five minute read through. Great pieces of advice! Read the article on: http://www.freeonlineschool.manila.ph/deepak-chopra/

Shared by Swamy Ramchandran on 19th February 2006

Lakshmi Mittal’s article on Jamshedpur and on TATAs
“I visited Jamshedpur over the weekend to see for myself an India that is fast disappearing despite all the wolf-cries of people like Narayana Murthy and his ilk. It is one thing to talk and quite another to do and I am delighted to tell you that Ratan Tata has kept alive the legacy of perhaps India’s finest industrialist J.N. Tata. Something that some people doubted when Ratan took over the House of the Tatas but in hindsight, the best thing to have happened to the Tatas is unquestionably Ratan. I was amazed to see the extent of corporate philanthropy and this is no exaggeration.” Says Lakshmi Mittal, Steel Mill Billionaire. Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by Herman Carneiro on 6th February 2006

The Top Creative Minds of 2005
http://www.fastcompany.com/slideshow/slideviewer.cgi?list=creative-minds05&dir=&config=&refresh=8&direction=forward&scale=0&cycle=on&slide=8&design=default&total=10?partner=rediff

Shared on 29th January 2006

25 Top Jobs for 2006
Finding your dream job can be a real nightmare. Career counselors suggest following your passion, and that's sage advice. Yet outstanding opportunities -- jobs that offer high growth potential, good salaries, and intellectual stimulation -- aren't always easy to come by. That's why, for the second year in a row, FastCompany.com has surveyed the labor landscape to determine where the best prospects for the coming years can be found. What's changed in the span of just a year? Not a whole lot -- but more than you might expect. You'll find many similarities between this year's 25 Top Jobs and last year's list: Lawyers, financial advisors, computer software engineers, and stockbrokers all rank highly once again.

Check out the rankings on:
http://www.fastcompany.com/slideshow/slideviewer.cgi?list=top-jobs-2006&refresh=8?partner=rediff

Shared on 29th January 2006

10 smart eating habits
Dr Neeru Dhingra is the COO -- North India, Gold's Gym. Gold's Gym has more than 680 branches in 24 countries and adheres to global standards with state of the art equipment, cutting edge technology and scientifically designed fitness programs. Read more on: http://in.rediff.com/getahead/2006/jan/16health.htm

Shared on 21st January 2006

How to manage Anger; Techniques to eliminate worries
Last fortnight, columnist Claude Arpi recounted the lessons a heart attack taught him. Last week, in a follow-up piece, he listed an action plan to tackle stress. In the concluding segment of this series, Claude lists advice he was given on anger management by the fine doctors at the Institute of Cardio-Vascular Diseases in Chennai. Read more on: http://www.rediff.com/news/2006/jan/19spec2.htm

Shared on 21st January 2006

Best of 2005
Best Leaders, Best Ideas, Best Products (http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/toc/05_51/B39640551best.htm)

The 100 best IT products of 2005 (http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,120763,pg,12,00.asp)

Top 50 Books (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/feature/-/593615/ref=amb_right-2_132875901_2/104-0773624-8126323)

Shared on 8th January 2006

Simplify
May I suggest that you un-complicate your life? Keep things on the simple side. Try to see difficult, all-consuming problems in another light--as the sum of a lot of little parts. Break down tasks into manageable, little steps. Only do things that are going to bring you joy, peace, and prosperity. Don't do it unless there's some good to come of it. Don't do anything out of guilt, shame, resentment, anger, dread, hostility, or if you are forced or coerced. Look at your schedule, and everything you want or need to do today. Is everything on that big list completely necessary? Can some things wait, or be put aside? Finally, be sure to include some re-creation and reflection time for yourself today—and every day.

Shared by Girija Jethwani on 20th November 2005

Inspirational words of wisdom
Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by Prasad Mamidanna on 14th October 2005

Workplace-related Articles shared from 2005 to 2008

Why Some Teams Succeed (and So Many Don’t) – A Harvard Business Review Article

• Workplace teams have been studied to death in recent years, and the verdicts are in. They’re a success—and a disaster. They lead to big productivity improvements—and they peter out ineffectively. People love ’em. People hate ’em.
• The good news is that teams have been so well studied and that people at so many companies have worked in teams for many years. All this research and experience have produced new insights into what distinguishes the successes from the failures. What matters most, it turns out, is how teams are managed—and whether the organizations they’re part of provide them with the support they need.
• Read the complete article on: http://discussionleader.hbsp.com/hmu/2008/02/why-some-teams-succeed-and-so-1.php?cm_mmc=npv-_-LISTSERV-_-JUNE_2008-_-ORGDEV

Shared on July 27, 2008

5 career needs of every professional

In today's economy, you need to evolve constantly if you want your career to go places. If you don't, there is every possibility that one of your colleagues/ classmates will walk away with the coveted position that you aspired to. So how does one add value to oneself? This article presents five steps that will meet all your career advancement needs. Check the article at: http://www.rediff.com/getahead/2008/jun/06career.htm

Shared by Kaushal Khandor on June 15, 2008

Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time – Article from HBR Editor’s Blog

• Organizations are demanding ever-higher performance from their workforces. People are trying to comply, but the usual method—putting in longer hours—has backfired. They’re getting exhausted, disengaged, and sick. And they’re defecting to healthier job environments.
• Longer days at the office don’t work because time is a limited resource. But personal energy is renewable, say Schwartz and McCarthy. By fostering deceptively simple rituals that help employees regularly replenish their energy, organizations build workers’ physical, emotional, and mental resilience. These rituals include taking brief breaks at specific intervals, expressing appreciation to others, reducing interruptions, and spending more time on activities people do best and enjoy most. Through this article, the authors Schwartz and McCarthy recommend several practices for renewing four dimensions of personal energy.
• Read the entire article on: http://www.harvardbusiness.com/hbsp/hbo/articles/article.jsp?articleID=R0710B&ml_action=get-article&pageNumber=1&ml_subscriber=true

Shared on June 02, 2008

Lessons from GE's Approach to Personal Productivity – Article from HBR Editor’s Blog

• If it’s accepted wisdom that businesses should revisit their strategies and organizational structures and processes on a regular basis to ensure that they are still relevant, doesn’t it make sense to periodically take stock of how you’re spending your time? Given the current economic climate, there’s no better occasion than now to step back and make sure you’re maximizing your value to your organization. Through this article, the author highlights some basic steps to get managers better manage their time and focus on pursuing innovation and growth. Read the entire article on: http://discussionleader.hbsp.com/hbreditors/2008/04/lessons_from_ges_approach_to_p.html?cm_mmc=npv-_-listserv-_-APR_2008-_-OrgDev

Shared on June 02, 2008

Ten Tips for Engaging Employees

Managers get overworked, sidetracked, and ridiculed to boot, but there are some simple ways they can keep in touch and in sync with their teams. Here are 10 painless, cost-free ways to keep your team in the loop and feeling appreciated that even the most time-starved manager can deploy. Read more on: http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/01/0128_ryan_engage/index_01.htm?link_position=link1

Shared on March 17, 2008

Driving Business Results Through Pay-for-Performance

• More successful small and mid-sized companies are beginning to tie compensation directly to employee performance to drive incredible business results. Originally believed only for sales professionals, pay-for-performance is proving to be effective at all levels and in all functions of an organization.
• Written with input from leading HR professionals, this guide provides valuable, real-world insight into how to build a successful pay-for-performance culture that can literally transform your business.
• This guide is attached. It can also be downloaded fromhttp://www.successfactors.com/docs/P4P_MissingLink_eGuide_SMB2.pdf

Shared on February 18, 2008

The Ownership Culture (Article from The National Center for Employee Ownership)

• Compelling research and decades of experience show that employee ownership is a powerful tool to improve corporate performance. This research and experience has shown two distinctive realities: first, overall, employee ownership gives companies a performance advantage-"the ownership edge." Second, there is no ready-to-use process to guarantee that a company will achieve the ownership edge. There are, however, six clusters of practices that appear again and again in successful ownership companies. This article describes these six components of ownership management and illustrates the myriad ways in which companies implement them.
• Read the entire article on: http://www.nceo.org/library/ownership_culture.html

Shared by N. R. Khushalani on November 05, 2007

The Best and Worst Corporate Practices
Read Business week’s article on Top 10 Best and Worst Corporate Practices on http://www.businessweek.com//careers/content/mar2007/ca20070328_625625.htm?link_position=link1. Check out the slideshow link on the same page.

Shared on August 27, 2007

Why employees leave organizations
Check out the article on: http://akssara.blogspot.com/2007/04/why-employees-leave-organizations.html

Shared by Kaushal Khandor on July 29, 2007

Want to retain staff? Think beyond money
How satisfied are your talented people with their everyday tasks? Do you know enough about your employees' values to answer that question? Values are not difficult to uncover, but they are powerful forces in an employee's decision to stay or leave. Imagine your employees as your customers. Now, what do they value most? How can you help them attain it? Read more on: http://inhome.rediff.com/money/2007/jan/12spec.htm

Shared by Kaushal Khandor on March 25, 2007

How Internal Communications Can Engage Employees

• According to research conducted by The Gallup Organization, there are three types of employees: engaged, not-engaged, and actively disengaged. According to the U.S. Employee Engagement Survey recently published in Gallup Management Journal, a startling 69% of workers are either not-engaged or actively disengaged on the job. Further research from the firm estimates that approximately $370 billion is lost annually due to lower productivity from actively disengaged workers alone.
• Read more about how to keep employees engaged and increase productivity, worker retention, and gain enthusiastic advocates for your products and services.
• Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by Kaushal Khandor on December 10, 2006

How to Answer The 64 Toughest Interview Questions?

• A good set of questions and answers that I enjoyed reading. I am sure this can be of great help to individuals looking for good job opportunities as well as to organizations which can use some of the behavioral questions while selecting candidates.
• Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by N. R. Khushalani on November 12, 2006

Are you losing your temper at work?

• Long and hectic work schedules, lack of sleep, colleagues you dislike, a domineering boss -- these and other factors could lead to one becoming snappy at work. The result -- we slam doors, yell at co-workers, pull faces, snap at our boss, and end up saying things we may regret later.
• It takes years to build up a reputation, and only seconds to destroy it. No matter what, you shouldn't snap. Replace negative emotions with self-confidence and manage difficult situations with grace. Here's how you can keep your emotions under control at work and maintain an unblemished reputation at: http://www.rediff.com/getahead/2006/oct/16snappy.htm

Shared by Sandhya Gopinath on November 06, 2006

Ten Attributes of a Good Employee

“Little do we realize that unless each of us as individuals are committed to excellence in our daily actions there is no way we can create and/or sustain a great enterprise.”, says Prasad in his synopsis of the article - “Ten Attributes of a Good Employee: Bill Gates". Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by Prasad Mamidanna on October 29, 2006

How to Conduct a Brainstorming Session

• Many brainstorming sessions are not as productive as they could be, typically because they are poorly conceived, planned or managed. Here's a proven way to trigger imaginative solutions. And although we use marketing and advertising examples, this method can work for any creative endeavor.
• Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by Kaushal Khandor on September 24, 2006

Talking Straight: Helping Others to Handle "Bad News"

The author Kim Barnes is President and CEO of Barnes & Conti Associates, an independent learning and organization development firm. She holds a Masters degree in Human Development and has over 30 years’ experience, including both internal and external roles for companies in a variety of industries. Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared on August 13, 2006

Make It or Break It – The First 90 Days At Work

It can be very challenging to successfully navigate through the first weeks on a new job, leaving the impression that you are, indeed, the right person for the right job! It’s natural and normal to have some anxiety during the early days and weeks—everybody does. So, while every situation will have its unique challenges, read some guidelines for getting your feet on the ground at a new job and calming those jitters on http://www.management-advantage.com/products/First90Days.htm

Shared on July 10, 2006

Quitting your job? How to resign

You have found a new job! However, before popping the champagne, you have some unfinished business. You must resign, serve the notice period and make a smooth transition. Don't brush it off. The way you quit is just as important to your career as your hot, new job. Read more on tips to resign: http://in.rediff.com/getahead/2006/jun/21job.htm

Shared on June 25, 2006

How to PowerPoint like a Pro!

“Microsoft's PowerPoint program is a blessing and a curse for business professionals. Most of us use it to convey information, but many of us are bored to tears when we watch the finished product. The problem is not in the software itself, which can be an incredibly valuable tool to enhance the transfer of knowledge. It's how we use it”, says Gallo, a Pleasanton (Calif.)-based corporate presentation coach and former Emmy-award winning TV journalist. He’s the author of the new book, 10 Simple Secrets of the World’s Greatest Business Communicators. Visit him online at www.carminegallo.com. Read the complete article on: http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/jun2006/sb20060602_100148.htm?chan=careers_careers+insider+newsletter&campaign_id=nws_career_Jun6

Shared on June 12, 2006

How to cope up with a High-Pressure job

The frantic pace of the corporate rat race could very well leave you feeling exhausted -- physically, mentally and emotionally. While increasing your intake of caffeine or taking refuge in chain smoking may get you going for a while, it is certainly not a long-term solution to cope with stringent deadlines and work-related stress. Follow these work strategies and stress-busting tips on http://specials.rediff.com/getahead/2006/may/25sld1.htm to capitalize on the current high-pressured demands.

Shared on May 27, 2006

How to avoid office politics

The author says that office politics takes up too much space and time. Moreover, by being political, it does not appreciably contribute to his overall efficiency or productivity. So he stays out of it. Being apolitical is both simple and sublime. He gives several tips on how to avoid office politics on: http://slackermanager.com/2006/04/how-to-avoid-office-politics.html

Shared on May 22, 2006

Doing well by doing nothing

Feeling unfocused? Try doing nothing. Or rather, try sitting in a quiet room thinking about nothing for at least 20 minutes, twice a day. It sounds simple, even boring, but transcendental meditation isn't just for mantra-chanting yogis or herbal-tea-drinking hippies. Maxed-out professionals are turning to daily meditation to lower blood pressure, prolong concentration, and crank up creative juices. Read more on: http://www.inc.com/magazine/20040701/perspective.html

Shared on May 22, 2006

Company extensions

An important document to have for reference. It provides definitions of company "extensions" and security identifiers used by organizations across the world.

Shared by Raghuveer Vadlakonda on May 13, 2006

Execution without excuses

Dell's sustained competitive advantage is due to more than its famous business model. Consistent execution requires real-time P&L management, an emphasis on ingenuity rather than on investment, and a culture of accountability. An Interview with Michael Dell and Kevin Rollins. Read the article on: http://www.job.dell.sk/buxus/docs/tlacove_spravy/HarvardBusinessReview_March2005_eng.pdf

Shared on May 08, 2006

Tips to give sensational presentations, by Steve Jobs

• Tip 1: Sell the benefit
• Tip 2: Practice, Practice, and Practice some more
• Tip 3: Keep it Visual
• Tip 4: Exude Passion, Energy, and Enthusiasm
• Tip 5: And one more thing
• Read the complete article on: http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/apr2006/sb20060406_865110.htm?link_position=link2&campaign_id=nws_smlbz_Apr12

Shared on April 22, 2006

Time management skills and techniques

• With good time management skills you are in control of your time and your life, of your stress and energy levels. You make progress at work. You are able to maintain balance between your work, personal, and family lives. You have enough flexibility to respond to surprises or new opportunities. All time management skills are learnable. More than likely you will see much improvement from simply becoming aware of the essence and causes of common personal time management problems. With these time management lessons, you can see better which time management techniques are most relevant for your situation.
• The complete article can be read on: http://www.time-management-guide.com/time-management-skills.html

Shared on 22nd April 2006

The Latest in Recruitment Procedures

A funny article on recruitment procedures…JJJ! Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by P. G. Kamath on April 10, 2006

10 Worst Presentation Habits
“Speakers can be their own worst enemies. Here are our expert's tips on how to make a presentation sing”, says Carmine Gallo. View the slideshow on: http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/02/mistakes/index_01.htm

Shared on 10th April 2006

The Myths of Executive Compensation
There’s a major concern out there for all of us: the perception of excess compensation received by CEOs. And it’s getting worse year by year. The author deals with this concern by describing several myths about compensation. Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by Raghuveer Vadlakonda on 3rd April 2006

Sharpening your Business Acumen

• “The art of business acumen is to link an insightful assessment of the external business landscape with the keen awareness of how money can be made — and then to execute the strategy to deliver the desired results”, says author Ram Charan (editors@strategy-business.com), a Dallas-based advisor to boards and CEOs of Fortune 500 companies and the author of Know-How (forthcoming from Crown Business). He is also the coauthor, with Larry Bossidy, of Confronting Reality (Crown Business, 2004) and Execution (Crown Business, 2002).
  
• Read the article on: http://www.strategy-business.com/press/enewsarticle/enews033006?pg=all
  

Shared on 3rd April 2006

Be smarter at work, slack off

In a world of too much work and too much multitasking, the best way to beat the competition may be to do less, article by Anne Fisher, FORTUNE senior writer. Read more on: http://money.cnn.com/2006/03/16/news/economy/annie/fortune_annie0317/index.htm

Shared on 24th March 2006

How to make good with the boss

• A very good article on Rediff.com, written by Scott Reeves, Forbes. He says, “A good boss depends on you. The reward for good work is challenging assignments in the future. In return, make your boss look good to The Grand Pooh-Bahs who inhabit the executive suite and the corner offices. If nothing else, boosting your boss will advance your career.”
• Read more on: http://in.rediff.com/money/2006/mar/17forbes.htm
  

Shared on 17th March 2006

Appraisal vs Resignation
An interesting note and a fact to some extent. Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by N. R. Khushalani on 4th March 2006

Why smart people under perform?

• It could be ADT (Attention Deficit Trait)! says Edward M. Hallowell, MD, psychiatrist and the founder of the Hallowell Center for Cognitive and Emotional Health in Sudbury, Massachusetts.
• Like the traffic jam, ADT is an artifact of modem life. It is brought on by the demands on our time and attention that have exploded over the past two decades. As our minds fill with noise -- feckless synaptic events signifying nothing -- the brain gradually loses its capacity to attend fully and thoroughly to anything.
• The symptoms of ADT come upon a person gradually. The sufferer doesn't experience a single crisis but rather a series of minor emergencies while he or she tries harder and harder to keep up. Shouldering a responsibility to "suck it up" and not complain as the workload increases, executives with ADT do whatever they can to handle a load they simply cannot manage as well as they'd like. The ADT sufferer therefore feels a constant low level of panic and guilt. Facing a tidal wave of tasks, the executive becomes increasingly hurried, curt, peremptory, and unfocused, while pretending that everything is fine.
• To control ADT, we first have to recognize it. And control it we must, if we as individuals and organizational leaders are to be effective. In the article, the author has offered an analysis of the origins of ADT and provided some suggestions that may help you manage it.
• Read more on: http://lucypevensie.livejournal.com/471731.html

Shared on March 04, 2006

The Essence of Great Workplaces
One-third of all Fortune 500 companies fall off the list after a seven-year ride. To understand the impact of this churn on employees and companies alike. Business world spoke to Wayne Brockbank, the Clinical Professor of Business at the University of Michigan Business School. Brockbank - who has consulted for the Tata group, ICICI Bank, Unilever and Marico - believes that career planning is not in the hands of employees anymore. As companies try to respond to a fast-changing marketplace, they will have to continually shuffle their employees to businesses with the highest returns. And how well they do that depends on their culture.

Shared by N. R. Khushalani on 26th February 2006

How to survive through career shift
Madhu Menon took his big leap during the recent IT industry bust. A software engineer by profession and a chef at heart, he gave up his job to start 'Shiok Far eastern cuisine' in Bangalore. Menon provides a checklist that he followed during his career transition. Read the article on: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1413347.cms

Shared on 19th February 2006

Seven things to ask your prospective boss
http://www.forbes.com/2006/01/11/cx_sr_0112bizbasicslide.html?partner=rediff

Shared on 21st January 2006

Seven Interviewing Mistakes
http://www.forbes.com/2005/10/05/cx_sr_1006interviewslide.html?partner=rediff

Shared on 21st January 2006

Three rules to impress your client - http://in.rediff.com/getahead/2006/jan/17client.htm
Yati Doshi is a corporate trainer based in Mumbai. She has eight years of experience in the corporate arena and two years of experience in training.

Shared on 21st January 2006

Ready to start a business - http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/01/sbiz_quiz/index_01.htm
Take this quiz and see if the time is right for you to start making your vision a reality

Shared on 21st January 2006

Coping with Stress: Management and Reduction Techniques
A very helpful article on www.helpguide.org. The topics covered are:
- What is stress management?
- What can you do to reduce stress?
- Developing coping skills for stress relief
- When should you seek professional help?
- Causes of stress at work
- Health effects of stress
- How can stress at work be alleviated?

Shared on 15th January 2006

Ideas & Innovation
A short two page article on myths and facts on management of Ideas & Innovation. Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared on 15th January 2006

Marketing IQ Test (http://www.copernicusmarketing.com/iq/index.htm)

• Copernicus has found that the average marketing IQ of senior executives is just 79 (with 100 being 'average' and 160 the top score possible). Just 10 points less, and the average business executive would have been ranked as an "Intuitive Marketer." The following quick Marketing IQ Test will help you assess where your stack up against your peers in marketing knowledge.
• Simply read each question and mark the answer True, False, or I Don't Know. If you don't know, you're better off choosing "I don't know" rather than guessing. In this test, as in the real world, you pay a penalty for a wrong decision. After you answer each of the 20 questions, your quiz will be automatically scored.

Shared on 8th January 2006

Right Postures Ergonomics
A wonderful presentation guiding us on the right postures while working on the computer, in front of which we practically spend most of our time! Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared on 25th December 2005

Strategy+Business 10th-Anniversary Retrospective: Our 10 Most Enduring Ideas by Art Kleiner

• New York, N.Y., December 12, 2005 -- Since its launch, in 1995, strategy+business has sought out the smartest and most provocative ideas. To mark our first decade, we asked our readers -- who are, after all, the real users of those concepts -- to tell us which ones will most strongly influence the way business is done over the next decade. Their top 10 answers provide an intriguing glimpse of the management issues that continue to matter. Read the full article on:
  http://www.strategy-business.com/enewsarticle/enews121205

Shared on 19th December 2005

Move from one job to another, but only for the right reasons – Message from Dr. Gopalakrishnan

Dr. Gopalakrishnan succeeds Mr. Ratan Tata as Chairman of Tata Sons Ltd., the holding company for many of the Tata blue chips like Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tata Power, Tata Chemicals, Voltas, etc. Possibly he is the first Non - Tata person to head the Tata Empire. In his message, Dr. Gopalakrishnan claims that an honest answer to a few questions will decide where we will go in our career - to the top of the pile in the long term (at the cost of short - term blips) or to become another average employee who gets lost with the time in wilderness?.

Shared by Kaushal Khandor on 19th December 2005

Success-related Articles shared from 2005 to 2008

The Contradictions That Drive Toyota’s Success – A Harvard Business Review Article

• Stable and paranoid, systematic and experimental, formal and frank: The success of Toyota, a pathbreaking six-year study reveals, is due as much to its ability to embrace contradictions like these as to its manufacturing prowess.
• The authors Hirotaka Takeuchi, Emi Osono, and Norihiko Shimizu studied Toyota for six years, during which time we visited facilities in 11 countries, attended numerous company meetings and events, and analyzed internal documents. They also conducted 220 interviews with former and existing Toyota employees, ranging from shop-floor workers to Toyota’s president, Katsuaki Watanabe. Their research shows that TPS is necessary but is by no means sufficient to account for Toyota’s success.
• The access to the complete HBR article will need subscription but the excerpt of the article available on the link below helps us to understand the message that the authors are trying to convey. Check the link: http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/hbsp/hbr/articles/article.jsp?ml_action=get-article&articleID=R0806F&ml_issueid=BR0806&ml_subscriber=true&pageNumber=1&_requestid=127442

Shared on June 30, 2008

Principals of Eagles
Interesting to note the principles that Eagles follow to survive and succeed. Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by N. R. Khushalani on August 27, 2007

Great Advice from Serial Entrepreneurs

• There's something a little bit magical about serial entrepreneurs-that rare breed lucky enough to hit on a great idea, skilled enough to ride it to the top, and then crazy enough to try to do it all over again from the beginning. BusinessWeek spoke to five success story heroes who weren't content just to cash in and check out. Flip through the slide show for their advice to those hoping to duplicate their successes.
• Check the slideshow on: http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/06/0602_serial_entp/index_01.htm

Shared on June 18, 2007

The Luxury Touch – A Strategy+Business exclusive, published by the leading global strategy and technology consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton.

• Superb service is the indispensable ingredient of successful high-end brands. Research by authors Robert Reppa and Evan Hirsh have lead to four principles to deliver customer satisfaction year after year. Find out some great inside stories and best practices followed at the Ritz-Carlton, Nordstorm, and Lexus, among others.
• The article is enclosed. You can also read the article on: http://www.strategy-business.com/press/enewsarticle/enews040307

Shared on April 15, 2007

Golden rules for Career Success by Richard Moran

• “Working as a business consultant all over the world I have discovered some basic career-related rules that everyone should know - but many don’t.” – Richard Moran.
• Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by Sandhya Karthikeyan on March 25, 2007

The Silent Language of Success

• Did you know that 55% of communication is visual (body language, eye contact) and 38% is vocal (pitch, speed, volume, tone of voice)? That means only 7% involves your actual words. And when the spotlight is on you- whether one-on-one in an interview or when making a presentation to a large group—you need to communicate effectively on all levels. Here's a look at common body language mistakes, and winning techniques for avoiding.
• Check out the presentation on: http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/02/0208_bodylanguage/index_01.htm?link_position=link1

Shared on March 18, 2007

Seven Secrets of Success

• I found the answers in my room – Roof said: Aim high, Fan said: Be cool, Clock said: Every min. is precious, Mirror said: Reflect before you act, Window said: See the world, Calendar said: Be up-to-date, Door said: Push hard to achieve ur goals.

Shared by Sandhya Karthikeyan on February 25, 2007

Strategies of Winning Sales Organizations – Executive Summary of a webminar in which Vishal K participated this week.

• Over the past four years, Miller Heiman has been surveying sales professionals from thousands of companies around the world, collecting and analyzing data, and learning why some sales organizations consistently outperform others. By comparing themselves to WSOs and to their peers, sales organizations can learn about strategy, processes, skills and other practices that will propel them toward WSO-like results.
• Please contact Vishal for an executive summary of the 2007 Miller Heiman Sales Best Practices Study. I thank Ms. Stefanie Guerra from Miller-Heiman, who gave me the permission to share this study with our group. In case any of you have any questions or needs in regard to sales development and training, please feel free to reach Mr. Guerra on sguerra@millerheiman.com

Shared on February 10, 2007

Lalu to teach management at IIM-A

• Lalu may be the quintessentially rustic politician whose 15-year-rule in Bihar as chief minister was dubbed by critics as 'jungle raj,' but India's Railway Minister Lalu Prasad is set for an image makeover when he dons the role of a lecturer at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad on September 18, 2006.
• Today it is not only IIM Ahmedabad that wants to fete Prasad for posting a fund balance of Rs 15,000 crore ($325 million) in 2005-06. Even premier international business schools like Harvard and HEC Management School, France, have shown interest in turning Prasad's experiment with the Railways into case studies for aspiring business graduates.
• Read this interesting article on: http://us.rediff.com/money/2006/aug/30iim1.htm

Shared by Prasad Mamidanna on September 18, 2006

The new rules of Corporate America

Once upon a time, there was a route to success that corporate America agreed on. But in today's fast-changing landscape, that old formula is getting tired. Read about the rules followed by today’s CEOs on: http://money.cnn.com/2006/07/10/magazines/fortune/rules.fortune/index.htm?cnn=yes

Shared by Scott Biocic on July 23, 2006

Successful Negotiations

• We all negotiate in our personal and professional lives. We negotiate when we go to a garage sale, or when we want to do something different at work, or when we are dealing with members of the public. Negotiating is an important part of our lives – like it or not!
• Read several tips on Successful Negotiations on http://www.business-english-training.com/nego.htm

Shared on July 10, 2006

How Failure Breeds Success

• Everyone fears failure. But breakthroughs depend on it. The best companies embrace their mistakes and learn from them. The article highlights on how CEOs of Coke, IBM, Intuit, GE, among others embrace failure. In fact, last October in front of some 200 Intuit marketers, an Intuit team received an award from Intuit Chairman Scott Cook, who said "It's only a failure if we fail to get the learning". Interesting article!
• Read the complete article on: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_28/b3992001.htm?campaign_id=nws_insdr_jul1&link_position=link1

Shared on June 30, 2006

Narayana Murthy’s 5 tips for success
BusinessWeek Senior Writer Steve Hamm interviewed N R Narayana Murthy, the founder and longtime chairman of Infosys, who stopped in New York on June 15 on something of a farewell tour. After 25 years at the helm, he's stepping out of his executive role and handing the baton to the next generation of leaders. Read the interview on: http://in.rediff.com/money/2006/jun/21murthy.htm

Shared on June 25, 2006

Lessons from Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz
Three qualities that have helped Schultz stand out as a persuasive business communicator are - (i) Dig deep to identify what you are truly passionate about, (ii) Inspire your colleagues, investors, or employees, (iii) To get the most out of your people, a leader has to tap into their emotions as well as their minds. Read more on how Schultz applies these at Starbucks: http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/may2006/sb20060505_893499.htm?link_position=link1

Shared on May 13, 2006

Never Give up
Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by Sandhya Karthikeyan on March 12, 2006

104 Practical Considerations for International Success

• Business survival in the 21st century will depend on just how much firms are willing and able to compete in the global marketplace. Where at one time international expansion was a “desirable” element for senior executives of mainly large corporations, firms of every size can now no longer afford to ignore the consequences of remaining a domestic player. They realize that they must change, and accept the reality of becoming an international player.
• 104 Practical Considerations for International Success are flags in the ground. The busyexecutive should treat them as observations, a set of practical tips and a quick reference guide for constant referral at every stage of the international expansion process.
• Contact Vishal for the complete article.
  

Shared by Raghuveer Vadlakonda on March 12, 2006

Seven mantras to succeed at work
“Nothing succeeds like success, you see, and living is all about winning”, says Azim Jamal, author of bestsellers like The Power Of Giving (No 4 on Amazon.com), 7 Steps To Lasting Happiness, Corporate Sufi and The One-Minute Sufi. Read the article on: http://www.rediff.com/getahead/2006/feb/08jamal.htm

Shared on February 19, 2006

Startup Secrets of the Successful
What does it take to become an entrepreneur and get your business off the ground? Here are some tips from those who have done it. Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared on January 29, 2006

Notin Nohria – Tips for ambitious managers
Nohria is Richard P. Chapman Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School. His research centers on leadership, corporate accountability and organizational change. He has served as an advisor and consultant to several large and small companies in different parts of the world. A world acclaimed management guru. Nohria has some interesting tips for ambitious managers. Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by Swamy Ramchandran on January 29, 2006

Six Habits of Highly Effective Marketers (http://www.copernicusmarketing.com/univers/docs/six_habits_of_highly_effective_marketers.htm)
The six habits of highly effective marketers enable the kind of transformational marketing that changes brand trajectories, career paths, sometimes entire companies and even industries. The six habits include:

• Making Marketing Dollars Work Harder.
• Challenging Conventional Approaches to Targeting.
• Taking a Position—Make Your Brand Stand for Something
• Selecting the Most Profitable Product, Not the Most Appealing.
• Connecting Inputs to Outputs in Marketing Plans and Compulsively Implement Them.
• Building a Great Brand While Your Competitors Commoditize.

Shared on January 08, 2006

Overachievement – The new model for exceptional performance by John Eliot
Overachievers think differently compared to the average person. How differently? John Eliot compares the overachiever’s mindset with that suggested by the traditional quick-fix motivational speakers and self-help speakers. In short, to join the ranks of the high performers, think differently. Develop the mindset of an overachiever and stay there. Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by Swamynathan Ramchandran on December 19, 2005

Formula for Success
The winners in life know the rules of the game and have a plan. Whether you're looking to heal a relationship, get a new job, lose weight or find inner peace, consider these characteristics which are common to people who succeed. Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by Avani Gondalia on December 11, 2005

Improve your life in One Minute
One page note by Dr. Jill Ammon-Wexler suggesting an approach of just focusing on something you can accomplish in one minute – just 60 seconds. He says, still, the highest mountain is scaled only one step at a time, and the biggest goal is only accomplished one step at a time. So why not just commit to take one small step right now? Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by Nitin Agarwal on November 12, 2005

A Mantra for Success
One page article on importance of perseverance and persistence to Success. It includes excerpts from the life of Honda, Einstein, Norman Jean Baker, among others. Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared by Kaushal Khandor on November 06, 2005

Be obsessive about details – BusinessWeek Online interview with Michael Levine

According to author and media expert Michael Levine, the biggest problems in business stem from ignoring the smallest of details. In his new book, Broken Windows, Broken Business, Levine applies the approach of a social psychologist and criminologist to business. Using the theory that if broken windows in a building go unfixed, the other ones will soon break -- and the neighborhood will deteriorate -- Levine asserts that in order to succeed, business owners must monitor the tiny details or risk failure. BusinessWeek Online reporter Stacy Perman recently spoke with Levine about the importance of appearance and why "big equals stupid" in business. Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared on October 22, 2005

Defining Success
The enclosed document is an address by Subroto Bagchi, Chief Operating Officer, MindTree Consulting to the Class of 2006 at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore on “Defining Success”. [Subroto Bagchi was head of Wipro Global R&D division]. Contact Vishal for the complete article.

Shared on October 03, 2005