Attributes for Innovation

(via Schumpeter Column  in Economist) Everyone wants to be associated with innovation. Innovation remains the competitive advantage for countries, social movements, companies and individuals. Rich-world governments see it as a way of staving off stagnation. Poor governments see it as a way of speeding up growth. And businesspeople everywhere see it as the key to survival.

Inside the mind of successful innovators we find the following, innovators keep associating, questioning, observing, networking and experimenting. IDEO, an innovation consultancy, argues that the best innovators are “T-shaped”—they need to have depth in one area as well as breadth in lots.    read more >>>>

Portfolio in the News, Sept 2011

Clover Greens Hosts First Pro Tour:  The blustery conditions may have played havoc with the scores on the opening day but most pros found a way to tackle the wind, which was far worse in the second round, to return low scores in the third leg of the Hero Moto Corp- Women’s Professional Golf Championships at the newest and most picturesque venue on the pro tour, Clover Greens, on Wednesday. >>>

Sridhar Rajagopalan, CEO of EI interviewed in Huffington Post.  “The goal would be to have an educational system that allows people to reach their full academic potential. This will enable India to compete globally and to have a domestic society where people are engaging meaningfully and are able to solve the problems faced by their society. The system would need to focus on academic excellence and research, and also on developing compassionate and caring individuals.”   read more >>>

(via Entrepreneur India) Town Essentials was covered in Entrepreneur magazine.  Farm Fresh!  Town Essentials has organized a one window grocery supplier to the B2B segment in Karnataka. This has made life easy for restaurants, industrial canteens, fine dining that can now focus on running their business and engaging customer,s rather than getting up early in the morning to purchase groceries.  >>>

(via economictimes) Microbreweries, the newest addition to India’s expanding alcohol market.  Both Kingfisher and Doolally slug it out to attract the young. Doolally, a British slang for going mad, sells nearly 4,000 litres (7,000 pints) of beer at the pub each month, tapping in to a growing thirst for new tastes and experiences.  “It’s fresh, has no preservatives and I know what’s gone into it,” Dakshindas, a 33-year-old professional, told AFP as he decided on a wheat beer. “And you don’t get a hangover.”    read more >>>

Lessons via Travelling

There are a number of lessons in formal education. It is only when you travel, the exposure adds tadka to your education. Your knowledge converts to a complex compound some call wisdom.

A great article first tweeted by Nikhil Kadadi, life lessons learned in travelling the world for 8 years straight, the author shares 29 learnings on this increduble journey read more >>>

After having lived in 3 foreign countries and visited over 43 countries I can vouch for the learnings.

The Software Services Game is Over

On Jul 12th shortly after Infosys announced the first quarter results, my blog witnessed traffic 20 times the daily normal. The blogpost everyone wanted to read was “The Infosys Bubble” written about five years ago. The article was written just after the company had celebrated its silver jubilee and everyone was celebrating. Everyone believed that Silver was going to turn to Gold. Lot of people that include students, teachers, parents and other civilians truly believe this run is going to continue forever. I am not saying that these companies will disappear but the current business model is under severe stress. I want everyone to know that joining these leading services companies as an employee will give you good experience but won’t make your rich. For investors I have no story whatsoever. For those sitting on profits it is time to cash in on their profits. Please note I am giving you all this advice for free which is the best part of this limited tale. I would everyone to read some of my  other articles on the same subject.

Infosys Gets Desperate

Infosys Rattled

The Infosys Crack, Character or Infrastructure 

The Service Game is Over

The Infosys Bubble

Opinion from Australia, On the Indian Services Game

Software Services Update

 

The Silent National Anthem

The Silent National Anthem, an ad campaign that features deaf and mute children, singing the ‘Jana Gana Mana’ through sign language, won a silver at advertising’s highest awards – Cannes Lion 2011.

Advice from Senior Recruiters

Rise in the Wee Hours

Every successful person since the advent of opposable thumbs has risen at the crack of dawn. Set your alarm and get moving. — Mark Jaffe, Wyatt & Jaffe

Get with the Gratitude

Thank-you notes are a must. E-mail is fine, but be specific as to what excited you about the opportunity,  how you
can   —  Tara McKernan, DHR International

Talk About the Team

Whether interviewing or happily employed, learn to communicate without using the words “I” and “me.” Talk about the players and the total effort, acknowledging and crediting others. It will become contagious and you’ll get your share of the glory, too. —Mark Jaffe, Wyatt & Jaffe

Forget Easy Tricks, Quick Fixes

There are no success secrets. It’s about experience, performance, maturity, and attitude—rather than techniques, protocol, gimmicks, and magic talismans.  – Mark Jaffe, Wyatt & Jaffe

Plain Old Hard Work

Perspiration still wins over inspiration. Being a professional doesn’t mean you have to be super-motivated in everything you do. It means playing at the top of your game and performing as if you were inspired.  – Mark Jaffe, Wyatt & Jaffe

Stay Positive

Play to your strengths. Don’t focus on what you perceive to be your weaknesses and limitations. It’s a huge waste of energy.  – Mark Jaffe, Wyatt & Jaffe

Tell Your Boss the Truth

Here’s an opportunity for an up-and-comer who doesn’t have the universe to lose: Earn your boss’s trust by saying the hard thing, the
thing nobody else has the insight or courage to say.  – Mark Jaffe, Wyatt & Jaffe

Advance by Achieving.

It’s That Simple hit the ground running, and what impact you can make immediately.Don’t rely on recruiters to package or promote you. Seriously. We are not the answer to your prayers. Most of us never even answer our phones. Do brilliant work in your industry or discipline and we will find you when we have the right opportunity.  – Mark Jaffe, Wyatt & Jaffe

Don’t Throw Out the Baby …

Revitalize yourself, but don’t reinvent. Companies need the experience and accomplishments you’ve earned over time. Leave the instant makeovers for people who have something to hide. Leverage what you already have instead of focusing on what you fear you may lack.  – Mark Jaffe, Wyatt & Jaffe

Rein in Expectations

Be realistic and set your goals at achievable levels. Naked ambition is a great thing, especially on reality TV, but baby steps may be more
effective at the moment. Besides, starting at the top is overrated. — Mark Jaffe, Wyatt & Jaffe

Network with Care

Work your contacts, but don’t work them over. Your network is a precious resource and should be treated as such. Now is the time to
use it … but gently. Ask for a reference, not a job. When you don’t put your friends on the spot, they’re more inclined to help you. —Mark Jaffe, Wyatt & Jaffe

Top Misused English Words

(via listverse) Andrew Pepper presents ten words misused by either professional writers or public speakers who, let’s be honest, should really know better. I’m not being paid for this, so I don’t feel so bad if there are mistakes!

The words are refute, instant, enormity, less, chronic, literally, panacea, disinterested, decimate and ultimate. Please read to find how they are being misused   >>>>

2 Great Commencement Speeches ….

One is very recent. Penn Commencement Address given Monday, May 16, 2011 by Denzel Washington, Academy Award-winning and Tony Award-winning actor and director. He makes a good point about falling to see what you will hit rather fall back on

General wisdom is to create a “Fall back option”. I’m sure in your experiences—in school… in applying to college… in picking your major… in deciding what you want to do with life—people have told you to make sure you have something to “fall back on.” But I’ve never understood that concept, having something to fall back on. If I’m going to fall, I don’t want to fall back on anything, except my faith. I want to fall… forward. At least I figure that way I’ll see what I’m about to hit. Fall forward. >>>

Other is a much older speech by JK Rowling at Harvard. She talks about The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination. As is a tale, so is life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters. >>>>

A Society Let Down

India is one of the most corrupt nations in the world. Why corrupt should be investigated and researched. (via kirtimukha) there is an attempt to answer this. The Bhagavad Gita states that this happens when eminent, prominent persons in Society who are supposed to lead peoperly, themselves commence to adopt corrupt practices to enrich themselves. Sri Krishna has this answer in Slokam 21, Chapter III, of the Bhagavad Gita: read more >>>

Pune Shala: Unshackling the The Indian Entrepreneur

I had an opportunity to present at Pune Shala, an event hosted by Takshashila Foundation. The objective of the foundation is to build a community of informed and influential individuals, that will help transform India for a better tomorrow. I had the chance to talk about the Indian environment for entrepreneurship. First of all in any part of the world being an entrepreneur is hard and India makes it tougher. I request everyone to view the talk and give feedback. The audio quality is not that good, so you may need a headset to actually follow the talk.

Link to talk >>>