Mass Customization may seem like an oxymoron. When you think of something as individualistic as career choices, it begs the question how far such a thing is possible. Organizations have long defined successful careers to represent a ladder. Ladders were for lads and too bad if the ladies chose to opt out of it. With the changing demographics, all that is changing at a reasonable pace.
Is Fidelity Outdated? When you ask such a question on Valentine's Day, it tends to grab attention. Anuradha Verma of The Times of India. Pritish Nandy, Suchitra Krishnamurthy, Rupa Ganguly have all shared their views. Columnist and film maker Pritish Nandy says, "Fidelity is not the issue. Has never been. What is at issue is fidelity on demand. You cannot get fidelity on demand in a marriage or any other relationship for that matter. People are faithful when they love someone enough to give up every other option, every other choice. And trust me, despite the contempt with which it is treated by many people today, fidelity is still pretty much common. It is not that impossibility which we think it is."
Business and opportunities will all lie at intersection points. By that I mean opportunities will be at the intersection of mutiple sectors. Intersect telecom and entertainment and you have the next big wave of opportunities and emerging careers. The ability to devise entertainment on the mobile platform will be where business lies and the best opportunities too. Intersect Healthcare and Engineering or for that matter Healthcare and Information - you have a mega opportunity.
How do companies identify high potential employees? Different organizations use different approaches. There are a host of assessments that can provide data on various competencies that makes leaders successful. There are competencies that leaders need to translate their vision of the future into a strategy. They need to have the competencies to communicate and inspire the stakeholders to buy into that vision. They also need to be able to cobble together a team that will execute that plan.
Sixty years back, the Preamble to the Indian Constitution made a bold promise of a dream. The preamble went on to articulate a direction in which we wish to see India grow. It saidWE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens:JUSTICE, social, economic and political;LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; ...
He looked at the photo by the bedside. She was smiling at him. She always did especially when he would do something awkward. If he spilled water from the glass at the lunch table. Or say something awkward when they had company. She would remind him to have his medicine as he enjoyed his cup of tea and newspaper every morning.
Just a short drive from Mysore is the village of Bylakuppe. It is an inconspicuous detour off the main road. The town is called Kushalnagar that can be best described as Little Tibet. The town is home to the Namdroling Monastery which has over 5000 Tibetan monks and nuns.
Take away this ritual of NYRs and you have a greater chance of improving the level of honesty of the masses. The world needs flawed people like me – in urgent need of making resolutions. Heck most of us know just exactly what improvements we have to make in our life. Why wait for the stroke of midnight of the New Year to start doing what we should have been doing anyway? Who needs more broken promises? Here I am – resolution free and loving it. I like the freedom from guilt and broken promises. Any takers?
These were two memorable days spent meeting my classmates from the batch of '84 at XLRI, Jamshedpur, the B-School (see photo) where I was a student. We were all having a grand reunion back at the Alma Mater. The last few months have been spent by the enthusiastic organizers of our batchmates trying to trace out every friend now liberally peppered across the world. Some have turned entrepreneurs, some are stay at home parents, some of them are leaders of the corporate world. It was if anything, a time to change and a time to celebrate.
