FromtheDiaryofMentor

Why you should listen to Heart over Brain while making business decisions!

noreply@blogger.com (.) — Sun, 7 Apr 2013 19:18:00 +0530

Quote of the Day

noreply@blogger.com (.) — Sun, 7 Apr 2013 18:41:00 +0530

“Failure is not a single, cataclysmic event. You don’t fail overnight.
Instead, failure is a few errors in judgment, repeated every day.” – Jim Rohn

Diversified strategies for a single task

noreply@blogger.com (.) — Thu, 9 Aug 2012 20:17:00 +0530

It’s tough to survive in business if you can’t see the multiple ways to do the same thing. What if it’s a do or die situation and the only trick you knew to get this job done didn’t work? Leaving technical aspects apart for few situations, no matter how small or how big the task is, you should have more than one technique at your disposal to make things work in business. If you are not able to find the way out, seek help, you don’t have to go far; there must be someone in your team, in your office who will help you out, don’t hesitate don’t underestimate anyone. You want your job get done, don’t you?

Burden of Number one?

noreply@blogger.com (.) — Fri, 3 Aug 2012 14:17:00 +0530

If only No. 1 would have mattered world would have been a dangerous place. Business is not being run by just one percentage of business community. It takes rest 39% to manage the show and another 60% to validate the show. Being at no. one might be a good idea, but draining all the resources and getting frustrated on the way just to be no one is insane race, doesn’t lead you anywhere. Reaching no. one position is not a big deal but maintaining yourself as a business or individual at no. one position is a challenge. Chase for no. one only if you have made up your mind to stay at no. one. Being no. one has its own burdens associated with it - the constant performance pressure, vigilant eyes of customers and critics, lack of leisure time, being surrounded by greedy people and associations waiting to grab a pie of success are some. You are not supposed to commit slightest mistake at the apex position, not because things might go grossly wrong, but because of perceived sanctity of the position. You choose. It might be a good idea to focus on the things you do best and try to improve, innovate it, rather that wasting your time money and energy to mindless rat race to no. one position.

If you didn’t care till now, this is the time

noreply@blogger.com (.) — Sun, 29 Jul 2012 20:17:00 +0530

If you have been like this in relationship dynamics of new and old friends and acquaintances, pause for a moment, step back a bit, shed the translucent screen of reliance, understand the dynamics from a fresh perspective, appraise the situation, face the facts, pleasant or bitter, and take a decision, to continue, to keep a safe distance or to discard, because you have to reinvent such associations from time to time in the light of changed situations, newly emerged influences, new environment, sensing others changed temperament, believes, and attitudes. You might find after situational analysis that you don’t have to change anything at all in the present association dynamics, but if you have to, you can’t afford not to realize it as early as possible. You don’t want to be a victim of ignorance. Even friendship and business associations need recurring validation for a healthy relation to continue. Reality check is name of the game.

You do need someone to warn you from dangers in business

noreply@blogger.com (.) — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 23:16:00 +0530

Call it inertia, call it ignorance or stubbornness, we tend to get caught in our own illusionary perspective of what is a safe business environment and who are trustworthy and dependable people in your domain. You got to acknowledge the fleeting and dynamic nature of relationship in business environment. You got to be aware of the powerful external influences which can alter the perspective and behavior of business stakeholders without you notice or without warning. You have to be conscious, attentive and adaptive to the ever changing business and corporate landscape. No point complaining. Just intuition is not enough; you might need someone or few trustworthy people around you who can validate your intuition.

Dream big but dream wide awake.

noreply@blogger.com (.) — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 03:11:00 +0530

Dream today, dream often, but dream with your will not leave it at the mercy of time. Best thing about willful day dreaming is that it’s all yours, no one else knows, there is no limitation on your dream, no boundaries. You realize something only if you dream it first. Don’t delay don’t postpone, do it now, when you are travelling in a public transport, when you are driven in your car, dream in your bed before you are asleep tonight, dream in your bed when you wake up tomorrow, dream when your are sitting idle now, dream if you don’t like something, dream when you really like something, dream of what you think is achievable and dream of what nobody think is achievable. You dream and you realize your dream, only if you dream.

Avoiding negative people is much more crucial than seeking positive company

noreply@blogger.com (.) — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 18:18:00 +0530

Get rid of them from your hangout list as soon as possible, from your social network list, take a different route, come early or leave little late from office even if this is what it takes to avoid people with negative vibes. Don’t get into argument with such people, simply change the topic or leave the discussion spot. You don’t want to argue with a person, whom you don’t even want to face, do you. Argument is not going to change that person or his or her behavior, nor your point of view about him or her. It will only reinforce your previous not so good experience. If you can’t avoid them due to situation just mind your own business. Find out innovative ways to avoid them like you find out innovative ways and means to get in touch with positive influences in your life.

They won’t tell you they already know because they really didn’t know until you pointed out!!

noreply@blogger.com (.) — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 21:14:00 +0530

It’s Showtime!! When it’s time to showcase your expertise on some subject, you have to be little cautious considering you might not be the only one in the room who has expertise on said subject. You will be surprised to know how much that person sitting in front of you knows about the subject which you are talking about. At least it appears so. At least they can pretend to. Don’t be surprised. Here is the catch. There is a chance that the person sitting in front of you might be very knowledgeable, there is an equal chance that this person is faking it, giving an air or knowledgeable person, authority on the subject and even you can do that. You only have to pretend affirmatively and authoritatively that this idea which someone is proposing is not new at all, pretending that it’s your one brainchild or at least you came across this idea or fact or information many times before. This will show your authority, at the same time that person with feel little awkward and will start doubting his own authority on the subject. This is a bad thing to do so don’t do that. But always keep in mind that majority of people around you with apparent knowledgeable authority is faking it, you got to see content of that person beneath his or her confidence. Confidence without real knowledge or content is not going to lead anyone anywhere. And also don’t feel disheartened if someone claims your knowledge or idea as their own, you know it’s yours, and they know it’s a trick that they are playing on you as always just because they are in a position to do that to you.

Secret of business is a myth!!

noreply@blogger.com (.) — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 20:13:00 +0530

How many patents they claim in business innovation domain every year if there is any such thing as “secret formula of business success”. Now compare it with scientific and technical patent numbers. Business is a dynamic environment which mutates and transforms its way of functioning and operation every season, every year and every decade. It might not be a wise idea to conclude and arrive at a single formula for best business result, because landscape also tends to change as per region and catchment of operation. And hence they device tailored business solutions for desired need and outcome. There is no business school which can transform a layman into a businessman; they simply empower and enable those who are already business minded. They teach tricks of the trades based on the centuries of collective business experience of the world leaving them with an observant curiosity and tenacity to learn as they grow. In this open knowledge economy business knowledge is not a constraint. If you have guts, if you have vigor and if you really want and feel to get into business, you can do that anyway and if you don’t feel that surge of thrill when you are up to business go find a day job. If you really want to be a successful entrepreneur from deep within, you will find whole world is there to make your dream come true, you will find every other successful person is willing to share piece of their mind, though there is no business success secrets as such, it’s the experience of your own and others which will empower you. You will start learning from small things and events around you, you will see business opportunity in little things and events with which you encounter every day, but only if you really want to be an entrepreneur. It’s about perspective not the formula.

Two ultimate sources of free mentor tips which you can get objectively

noreply@blogger.com (.) — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 01:32:00 +0530

It was always there, it’s just that you underestimated it.

Discussion Forums: you can get a continuous stream of advice from online discussion platforms when it comes to seeking advice objectively or anonymously, though you always have an option to participate in the discussion of seek direct advice. Though you have to be cautious in filtering the sensible advice out of tons of junk advice, but remember to reach the diamond you will have to filter tons of coal.

Published Interviews: You can get tons of crisp, sensible and encouraging tips from interviews of successful people no matter which stream of life or business they belong, you should prefer online documented text versions rather than interview videos because it’s absolutely fast to search and extract the advice and tips you are looking for from a text file rather than a video format. For instance open a online published interview of any successful CEO, Search for the Key word “Success” in the documents through auto search option, highlighting word “success” located everywhere in the document, and read the relevant paragraph. Going through an hour of interview video or two minute search in a text document to get a single advice, you choose yourself! No matter what published interviews are one of the best ways to learn from others success and experience, objectively.

Talking about mentorship in this information liberalised world,

noreply@blogger.com (.) — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 02:08:00 +0530

Apparently there are more mentors than seekers today. If you search for people on internet similar to you who want to make money, you will find lots of them but you will find even larger number of people willing to teach you how to make money even for free. And many of them are serious. Do it to believe it.

Free or paid, you need a mentor!

noreply@blogger.com (.) — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 03:12:00 +0530

Mentors are there to guide you when you are lost, they are there to validate your dream, and they help you dream big, they help you remain sane. Everyone need a mentor at some point of time in their life and anyone can be your mentor from your wife, your daughter, your friend, your parents, your colleague your boss, or some professional mentor depending on who extend their wise advice to you when you need most.

Never underestimate something which you can’t estimate now!!

noreply@blogger.com (.) — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 02:30:00 +0530

You feel bad when underestimated, don’t you and that’s why you make an extra effort everywhere you go to make your presence felt, to prove your worth. You are not alone, everyone feels the same, no matter at which pedestal of success they are standing.

A child who comes to your shop and you didn’t entertain him just because he has no serious money at present, he will never come back to you again even when he will have all the money to buy your whole shop. A person who was not entertained well at a brand outlet because that expensive car or clothing is beyond his reach at present, he will never in his life will buy your car of cloth line even if he has to pay extra to go to your rival company. If you fail to estimate potential of a small time writer, actor, artist or any creative soul now, you might have lost a treasure box, something which didn’t clicked you might appeal to someone else.

Pay close attention to your future business prospects now or you will never get it. Don’t underestimate anything at its face value.

Expand intelligence and discard mediocrity

noreply@blogger.com (.) — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 01:30:00 +0530

He was a talkative guy, his habit was to talk and interact, he kept talking, talking something or other, sometime funny mostly nonsense, thinking he is a charmer, thinking he is investing his time in expanding his network of friends and acquaintances, though he managed to make a long list of friends on social networking site, he occasionally got help as well when he needed, thinking all his efforts finally paid off. He was wrong!

What he lost? Though he somehow managed to expand his network and he is content, but due to his constant nonsense chattering he seriously lost the interest of a segment of intelligent breed of people, who are looking for people with substance around them. This guy might be a fun person to be around at times, might be good at mobilising few people, might have gained attention of people and bosses, but what he lost is enormous and irreversible. He chose to be submerged in mass mediocrity, losing companionship of intelligence.

Talking and interacting is a good idea, but you need to be utmost careful what you talk. Talk a lot but talk sensibly, talk content or lose interest. You got to choose carefully what you choose!!

Know whom not to help!!

noreply@blogger.com (.) — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 19:00:00 +0530

If someone is using your stuffs and criticising it at the same time.

Constructive criticism is ok, even that only for few occasions, but if any of your acquaintance of even friend is constantly availing your help or using your stuffs and criticizing, bullying or even blaming you for help not matching his or her expectations, it’s time to get rid of that burdensome friendship or acquaintance without any delay or at least maintain a respectable distance. Learn it now or you will realize later on your own meanwhile getting frustrated for no reason. You have all the right to choose whom to help and whom not, so choose wisely, you are not answerable to anyone for this.

“Help your customer choose what you want them to choose”.

noreply@blogger.com (.) — Sat, 9 Jun 2012 12:30:00 +0530

Some strategies to govern customer’s choices in your favor-

Provide multiple product option in the same category – e.g. same or similar energy drink in different colors, flavors and packaging in single cost bracket. Give them more options to choose.

Broaden your product line – Offer something which is perceived totally different from the existing product without expanding by leveraging your existing production and design capacity. Divert their attention to some other product from your line of product.

Start early – Your product should start targeting your prospective customers in its early interest phase, when children start choosing their own chocolate, when teenage start choosing their own spectacles, when a young couple start searching for their first car, when early grey-haired citizens start looking for investments. Approach early, either through target marketing or through mass promotion.

From “Simply Customer” to “Repeat Customer”

noreply@blogger.com (.) — Wed, 30 May 2012 17:14:00 +0530

There are two choices you make every now and then - either you like something of you don’t. You tend to retain what you like while discarding what you don’t like. It’s same with products, but more prominently practiced because of innumerable options available in market competing for the same position and segment by different brands.

You pick up a soft drink, energy drink or similar kind when you are a kid or teenage- either you like it or you simply don’t. If you like it, you like its color, flavor, smell, you associate it with some nice memory, you link it with some vague memory of an advertisement which you saw long back, you associate that wonderful experience of having that chilled soft drink and that cozy or adventurous environment, and you become a lifelong brand ambassador of that product. Now onwards you will pick up that same drink brand every time in future, given a choice. May be silent or talkative brand ambassador but a lifelong repeat customer for sure.

Now your job as a company or manufacturer or promoter is to help your customer choose products offered by you. How will you do that? We will see some strategies regarding that in the following upcoming post called “Help your customer choose what you want them to choose”.

Don’t let them take the credit you deserve!!

noreply@blogger.com (.) — Thu, 10 May 2012 20:06:00 +0530

If you are accountable for the missed deadline, if you are held responsible for things gone wrong then you equally deserve the credit for the task completed before time, and for that extra effort you made to deliver beyond expectation, but this is not the case for majority of employees in corporate or business structure.

No one is to blame but employees who feel deprived of the attention and credit they deserve, only because of their incompetency to get what they deserve. They are either unaware of their basic moral rights or made to believe they don’t have any such rights. You will find many such people around who are always ready to steal the credit of the wonderful job you have done paving their own way to success, and casting the shadow of their success on you. So, go ahead claim the ownership of your work, grab the credit you deserve. Don’t let them overshadow you.

What you can do?

· Be "Report ready": keep the list of tasks you have accomplished in the previous week / day at your finger tip so that you can showcase your hard work at the slightest given opportunity to anyone

· Get noticed on the go: Don’t wait till job is completed, let others guess that "it’s your baby" through excitement you show towards that particular work or task, without disclosing the details

· Distribute the risk: keep more than one people in loop

Govern your own circumstances.

noreply@blogger.com (.) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 22:50:00 +0530

You can’t fabricate favorable circumstances as per your wish all the time and at the same time someone or a bunch of some unlikely few can fabricate a situation not so favorable to you. Sometimes fabricated, sometimes accidental. Unlikely but possible and can happen without your knowledge and at times very swiftly. What would be your strategy? Which way out? Deal it whichever way but just don’t give up, because you know there is light at the end of tunnel. Might be lost today, might be clueless today but when you are out of darkness, out of that mess you will be incharge of your own destiny and showman of your own moves.

In those unfavorable circumstances trust your intuition, stay calm, weigh and assess in long term, don’t bother about every small loss. Your immediate priority is to survive and get going with least damage and to bounce back. If situation demands to calculate- Be Calculative- calculate your risks, create a backup plan, use the part of brain which you haven’t ever used, Use the network you didn’t ever used. You can and you should govern your own circumstances.

Don’t go broke in one go!!

noreply@blogger.com (.) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 22:48:00 +0530

You might like to create a safety net around your business wealth and personal finance in case something goes wrong. Don’t let situations surprise you in unpleasant way. All you need is to acknowledge and understand the Certainty of unpredictability and learn to tackle. You need to create a series of checks and preventive measures around different aspects of business and personal finance and to allocate risks in different times. A comprehensive and composite backup plan made of few larger securities (investments/ assets) and few Micro backup plans (friends/ families/ associates).

High Moral, Knowledge, clean business persona, humbleness, punctuality, crisp dealing practice, commitment, creating dependable network are some of the avenues were one should invest apart from financial securities. Ideas is to have a moral and financial cushion similar to network of absorbent springs to help you sustain major setback.

Dwelling on achievements

noreply@blogger.com (.) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 16:34:00 +0530

One takes pride on his/her achievement. Why not? They have achieved something and should celebrate their success. But past glory of success should not overshadow the present effort and future prospects.

We often get caught in the glorification of past success accentuated by praise of others and tend to miss the present opportunities. When achievement becomes achieved, politely accept it and move forward to achieve the next big target.

Dwelling on past success is affair of an average mentality, its affair of those who does not have anything exciting at present to share or waiting in the cards. Dwelling on self glorified past is a habit, which makes you self obsessed, its little difficult to break, but it’s better to shed. Those memories of successful moments in life of course give you a positive kick, just keep those alive in your mind to share with your grandchildren, but don’t linger on it, don’t dwell on it. Those who dream big, they are always on the move, always chasing, with occasional pause to rejuvenate their mind, body and soul,

Solution also needs maintenance

noreply@blogger.com (.) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 20:20:00 +0530

We are always looking for permanent solution in business and personal life, or solution to solve the problems of world, the poverty, hunger, or financial meltdown, fighting back to solve the problem. There is no conclusion, no single solution when we are searching for answer.

Solutions are temporary and fleeting in nature, larger the issue more volatile is the solution, in business every day throws a new challenge, and one need to respond sincerely with appropriate answer, keeping in mind that this solution is temporary in nature, solution has to be reinvented in course of time in the light of ever changing business landscape and technological evolution, even if the problem remains same.

Its solution, which you were looking for…

noreply@blogger.com (.) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 20:20:00 +0530

He was lost and he lost.

He was confused, lost, caught in the process; he was so much into the process that he forgot the purpose, lost the track of time. He did not know the purpose, he didn’t ask for propose, he had a task given and time ample, he didn’t bothered. When he realized it was too late, and they shouted and they blamed. He listened and he promised but he did same again.

This is a common story of any person who is trying to earn livelihood, in majority of cases and at many occasions. We often lose the focus, the purpose. Purpose is to find out solution, whether its business, a project, a client’s requirement or a question staring right into your eyes. Solution is, what you were looking for, there are many choices to make many ways to define, many ways to solve the same question. A war can be fought in a battlefield, with thousands of lives at stake or same can be resolved in a secret meeting room by signing a peace agreement. It’s not about how we do it; it’s about what we want. Solution. And there are ways and means to arrive at solution, at work place and in business and at home in much more peaceful, effortless, economic and pleasing ways.

You know, you will win.

Which way out..

noreply@blogger.com (.) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 15:56:00 +0530

Delving deep into the question show you the way out, not escaping from it.

Escape or avoidance of particular problem might give you an assumed temporary relief but that problem will be waiting there for you to return, waiting intact, waiting to be addressed, to be addressed with most sincere effort. Apply your brain or seek help, but address it now, might improve it later. You will witness and wonder how many will come forward to help, to lend a hand if you seek help, if they won’t be able to give you money they will surely give to wisdom, a piece of their mind, a piece of their experience.