Some thoughts on Networking, Social Media in Financial Express

God creates all Men equal, once out of the womb, he starts playing favorites

2009 ended with a healthy me, however continuity, consistency, constancy are the key & decided to continue it whole heartedly. Made some points that I would update once a quarter, so here goes:

1) Start a health file
January - Completed & decided that would opt for Bi annual checkup beginning this year.

2) Enhance Health Insurance
January - Evaluated & decided to enhance when it comes up for renewal in April, though luckily have not had to make use of it.

3) Have yogurt daily
January - Am a bit of lactose intolerant, however have begun trying it out at least 2-3 days a week.

4) Maintain a food diary
January - This is happening post the discipline my doctor enforced from November & hope to continue it.

5) Snack more
January - This is happening, quantity is going down, whilst number of times has come up to nearly 4-5 which is a good sign.

6) Get a new haircut
January - Quite a good idea, however let’s see how things go

7) Drink 2 litres of water a day
January - Am practically there, if not everyday, at least 5-6 days a week. The target being 3 litres a day by 31st march.

Exercise for 30 Minutes 5 days a week
January - For the past month, have just found excuses, however am convinced that cannot avoid/delay it any longer.

9) Cut 100 Burn 100 calories
January - Cut is happening, Burn is where the problem lies.

10) Junk old Stuff
January - Thanks to the weight loss, the wardrobe is looking spacious, plan to do that to the other storage place also.

11) Add olive oil to kitchen cabinet
January - Done & at least 50% of the cooking is in olive oil.

12) Spend 15 minutes unwinding after work
January - A practice that is happening, but at a slower pace then would have wished for.

13) Spend more “ME TIME”
January - At least one day in the weekend, this seems to be the case.

14) Master a new skill
January - This requires thought.

15) Count to 5 before reacting
January - Once upon a time it was 10 & now it is 5, guess am improving:)

16) Avoid brooding over losses
January - The most difficult to do & probably needs the most priority.

All of us who have worked for quite a while, always have to give the Pink Slip many a times, reasons too vary. It is never an easy task to do this but it has to be done. Over the years I have had to do it personally a lot of times & believe me it is never easy.

However, over time I have realised that doing so with “Grace” is the best way & have also personally drawn up what I refer to as Appropriate etiquette for communicating bad news/handing out pink slips.

Bad news in face to face meetings only with Human Touch - I never ever believe in giving bad news by telephone, email or via. As the Boss Man to your direct reportees, it is their right to hear it from you straight & without embellishments AND never use 3rd person…’Management has decided; Boss has decided etc’. It just demeans the whole communication and relationship.

Privacy This is another important criteria whilst imparting bad news. Yes even in these days & age of open offices also. If need be take him/her out for coffee or wait till the office is empty.

Spend time Nothing is cut & dried that you announce, get up & walk away. Spend some time, share good thoughts.

Extend Support Unless it is a ‘Termination’ for serious offense, always extend support in terms of reference, help to connect with people etc. It really does not cost anything much.

Keep in touch This is one thing I believe in strongly. There is no need to be apologetic about the whole thing & avoid facing or meeting them or even avoiding their calls. They are your good will ambassadors and there is every chance that a time may come when they would be able to assist.

What are your thoughts on this? Do share and add to these.

I am always asked, how do you manage to recruit people without paying them the Sun, Moon & earth - that too in Retail.

I do not have many points or gyan on this, except that I am Upfront:

I tell people you’re in a very competitive industry.
I am always honest with them.
I tell them that I am Not right everyday, neither do I expect them to be. As long as they are 6/10 times and keep me informed about the others, it works for me.
The reason this works, because in the retail business, you’ve got to be right every single day. There is extremely high day to day intensity associated with retail.

All great leaders Gandhi, Mandela, Washington, were all ordinary individuals, who took a decision to wriggle out of comfort zones. They took a decision to challenge themselves & the world around. Took a decision to look beyond themselves, to get involved, to make a difference to the lives of millions of people around & that is what is required from everyone.

These questions are not nuclear science or invented by me, but learnt along the way of my professional journey, read in a variety of books, articles of Management gurus, still relevant in today’s world.

1) What is the new opportunity that we as an organization are not seeing?

2) How might we learn from others - competition & non competition?

3) Can new trends in how people work/communicate open up ways to improve our organization?

4) What is my ‘Best’ today & how do I enable my team to do their ‘Best’ today?

5) If we were starting from scratch, how would we design it?

6) When a meeting is flat & perfunctory - What’s on people’s mind that is unsaid? What’s wrong? What’s going on?

7) What’s the craziest idea that just might work?

What are the most damaging barriers facing us & how do we obliterate them?

9) What do I need to ensure my team understands my driving philosophy & passion?

10) What’s possible today that was not possible last year/month?

11) Is my team focused on doing what matters the most?

I would love comments & additions to the list to make it more comprehensive & encompassing.

Lately on twitter I have experienced spam follows - who use a variety of apps to follow/unfollow to improve numbers, grade & supposedly climb the social media ladder!

To add this sabzi mandi (confusion) there are those mavens, gurus, experts who discuss Social Media Gyan with links, analysis, articles which are repeatedly RT (re tweeted), most of the times without being read, understood in the Indian context.

Any decision on twitter is fraught with SWOT issues, which one would not really need to think whilst taking a JV (joint venture) or business decision.

I intend making some changes in my following list basically at my convenience. It is nothing personal & hidden. I have learnt it the hard way in the past couple of months that People do not like being unfollowed; there is some unsaid rule on Twitter that says following must work both ways etc.

I believe that Life is serious! Reading about it in news, watching it on TV, hearing it being discussed in office is already an information overload for me. I just need less people just talking about serious, political, news, cricket on twitter.

Some other basics of my personal policy/philosophy:

I may follow you if you talk to me, have interesting updates, participate in conversation, are helpful.

I will not/discontinue follow if, you are tweeting only RSS feed of your blog or just RT & links of foreign gurus who have no clue of Indian Social Media. I shall not follow anyone who does not have DP or has a blank bio. Neither shall I follow those stupid trending #hashtags.

I am not looking for everyone to agree with me, to endorse my ideology, work, thoughts but intelligent dissent is always welcome.

This is something I had read some years ago, in the book ‘Execution’ by Larry Bossidy & Ram Charan (confirmed by Soeb yesterday) followed it ever since, quite successfully.

1) Know your people & your business
2) Insist on Realism
3) Set clear Goals & Priorities
4) Follow Through
5) Reward the Doers
6) Expand People’s capabilities
7) Know Yourself

If I remember correctly, this was something I read from Sam Walton’s book years ago, tried to implement in toto, succeeded some places, but came out ahead overall.

1 Remember what Sam Walton said: Trust your customers. Go talk to them.
2 Don’t cut your culture. It won’t recover easily.
3 Ask yourself what you want to look like when recovery comes. Then Manage toward the outcome
4 Run your company in good times the way you would in bad times. You’ll always be ready.
5 Believe in your business. There will be an upturn.
6 Do what it takes to remain profitable. Negative numbers become an excuse for almost anything.
7 Invest in your R&D. You will need it.
8 Talk with your customers, employees, suppliers and shareholders. Keep them in the loop.
9 Cut out what’s non-core. Invest in what is.
10 Understand what business you’re in - emotionally. Be a beacon to your customers.
11 Look for technology-based efficiency. Use the web to cut costs and boost productivity.(No, the web isn’t dead)
12 Leverage relationships
13 Make an economic downturn a good time to re-examine your business fundamentals.
14 Demonstrate leadership to your customers. They’re looking for it from business - and too often, they don’t see it.
15 Enlist your employee’s support.
16 Look outside your own walls for good partners. Doing so can save money or make money.
17 Take a calculated shot at something that could change the game: a new marketing push or a timely acquisition.
18 Do what you already know is right - only this time, make sure you really do it.
19 Simplify something - it’s bound to help cut costs. Complexity equals expense.
20 Use this downturn as an opportunity to make a difference.

In case this is incorrect, feel free to comment so that I can make the necessary changes.