WHO DO YOU BELIEVE IN ?

Here is a person who could not make it to Cambridge!!!

After securing admission to Cambridge the financial conditions did not allow him to go there. However this situation did not deter his self belief. He became determined to solve an even larger problem – how others with limited financial resources did not meet with similar fate. He went on to establish an academy of highly intelligent young people and he helped them coach for one of the toughest exams in the country. Through diligence and belief, he successfully started help 30 people every year gain admission to IITS. This person, Anand of Super 30, helps nurture and develop promising children from Bihar achieve dreams of best education in the country.

WHO DO YOU BELIEVE IN ?

When you want to do something – who do you go to for advise ? Who decides whether you should attend school tomorrow – is it your friend ? Who decides which shoes to buy  ? A friend who bought some shoes.  Which movie should you watch after the exams ? is it a friend, or a newspaper columnist or the Radio DJ. What should you eat  - does a parent decide that for you.

We are surrounded by advise – interestingly only a small part of it comes from you. Most of the time it is either a parent, friend, office colleague, TV anchor, neighbour, extended family and the list goes on and on. The world is full of commentators, advisors, analysts – the recipient is YOU. Is a world filled with abundance of information and advise – the person who gets forgotten is YOU.  And in case YOU – do decide to act on your own – there is enough people working to prove you WRONG, and tell you that you are not capable of taking your own decisions.

Just like we often learn by contradictions – by doing the reverse of what our parents or boss tell us, it is time to figure out and put your own thinking cap. Each time you need to make a decision small or big, give it a thought and then Act of your own belief.  Irrespective of whether the outcome is positive or negative, you would have started giving your brain exercise – and developed a THINKING network –which can help you take your own decisions. These decisions will help you INCREASE your OWN Confidence and BELIEF.

Imagine if you will NOT BELIEVE in YOURSELF – how can you expect someone else to believe in you. Next time, you are trying to get up on time, or avoid eating high calorie food – remember YOU CAN DO IT – you just need to make a commitment to yourself that you BELIEVE in yourself. In case you do let yourself DOWN, by not following through – remember to confront yourself  and be accountable for the outcome. By palming off responsibility for failure to someone else – you are only lowering your self belief.

…And when you do succeed – remember to PAUSE – and PAT yourself -  YOU Should be the first one PATTING YOURSELF for your SUCCESSES. Its important to recognize success and make it a habit of repeating small successes, and slowly but surely converting them to big ones.

As the story of Anand shows, often what separates us from SUCCESS is BELIEF in ourselves.  Our own confidence can stand the greatest adversity. As the saying goes

“Where there is a WILL, there is A WAY”, 

 and

“When going GETS TOUGH, the TOUGH gets GOING”.

5 Trends that will RE-DEFINE our FUTURE

5 Trends that will RE-DEFINE our FUTURE

1.    TELECOM Revolution has increased multi-fold the SPEED of CHANGE in the last 10 years -Industries which cannot keep up will be wiped out.

Lets take the example of 2 industries

a.    400 year old print industry is under threat

While players like google are making all books and information electronic, e-ink like amazon kindle are making print redundant. And guess what happens next – while companies like Amazon gain, others such as HP (whose significant business is printing) – get into trouble.

b.    50 year old TV industry is being re-structured.

10 years ago could you have imagined have a cricket series played by India – only to be watched on TV. The IPL last year in South Africa was a defining moment for India. Not just that, you could also watch it on you-tube.

Traditional industries such at TV are being rewritten by IPTV and mobile -this is being followed by a major budget and an Advertisement Shift from TV to the Internet media.

2.    10 years ago Computing and Communications were separate industries. With the advent of smart phones and tablet computers, there is an everlasting marriage of Computing and communications. As processing power has increased, the next 10 years will involve significant innovations in Data and Tablet led Applications.

Large companies such as HP have had to suddenly shift gears and focus from Hardware to software and applications. Several industries such as healthcare, education, logistics will go through immense transformation in the next 10 years.

3.     If extreme growth happens in one industry, it will open up opportunities in diverse areas

o   When mobile industry grew from … 2 million to 700 million in last 10 years – a lot of other industries were impacted.

10    years ago, we could not do – what we did last year.

We helped a large infrastructure company with assets in 20 states track real time information of filling and utilization of oil using end-users own mobile phones. These end-users were diesel fillers and vehicle drivers. In an industry which spends over 10,000 crores on diesel annually by tracking real time information we were able to provide savings of 20%. This happened in a matter of few months and generated 100s of crores of free cash flow.

This happens by diesel filler owning a basic cell-phone and sending real-time data input via sms– Could you have dreamt of this 10 years ago?

My point is that extreme growth in mobile phones has opened 100s of untapped new opportunities in other industries.

4.    Personalization has never been so important: Unlike computers or the fixed line phones – mobiles have become personalized devices. Identity and personalization will drive growth in the next 10 years – Initiatives such as UID, Microfinance, healthcare, tele education will change the way we work.

5.     Innovation is not always about inventing a new technology – it can be putting together old technologies

a.      What major global event happened on May 2 this year?

o   When Osama Bin Laden was killed by America the first to break the news was not TOI, NDTV or CNN – it was Twitter!!

The point I want to make is --World’s best Media and News companies were not able to compete with the speed and powerof Social Media such as Twitter.

o   Twitter did not have any new Technology – its innovation is in usability

b.      Can you think of the phone you had in 2006?

o   The arrival of iPhone in 2007 brought in new era which set off the smart phone and touch phone revolution

o   iPhone had innovation in usability – it did not have any new Technology

– next 10 years will be about Application of Technology and not inventing core technology.

And finally as individuals, we are still learning to use this effectively

While we keep buying the new gadgets – we are unable to keep up with managing them.

Peter Drucker says best productivity is achieved in un-interrupted work spans of 90 minutes.

            How many of us are able to go 90 minutes without looking at your phone?

 In our blind love for technology, we become addicted and cannot see the point where we start to lose productivity

Slow Down

An interesting reflection:  Slow Down Culture

It's been 18 years since I joined Volvo, a Swedish company. Working for them has proven to be an interesting experience. Any project here takes 2 years to be finalized, even if the idea is simple and brilliant. It's a rule.

Globalize processes have caused in us (all over the world) a general sense of searching for immediate results. Therefore, we have come to posses a need to see immediate results. This contrasts greatly with the slow movements of the Swedish. They, on the other hand, debate, debate, debate, hold x quantity of meetings and work with a slowdown scheme. At the end, this always yields better results.

Said in another words:
1. Sweden is about the size of San Pablo, a state in Brazil.
2. Sweden has 2 million inhabitants.
3. Stockholm has 500,000 people.
4. Volvo, Escania, Ericsson, Electrolux, Nokia are some of its renowned companies. Volvo supplies the NASA.

The first time I was in Sweden, one of my colleagues picked me up at the hotel every morning. It was September, bit cold and snowy. We would arrive early at the company and he would park far away from the entrance (2000 employees drive their car to work). The first day, I didn't say anything, either the second or third. One morning I asked, "Do you have a fixed parking space? I've noticed we park far from the entrance even when there are no other cars in the lot." To which he replied, "Since we're here early we'll have time to walk, and  whoever gets in late will be late and need a place closer to the door. Don't you think? Imagine my face.

Nowadays, there's a movement in Europe name Slow Food. This movement establishes that people should eat and drink slowly, with  enough time to taste their food, spend time with the family, friends, without rushing. Slow Food is against its counterpart: the spirit of Fast Food and what it stands for as a lifestyle. Slow Food is the basis for a bigger movement called Slow Europe, as mentioned by Business Week.

Basically, the movement questions the sense of "hurry" and "craziness" generated by globalization, fuelled by the desire of "having in quantity" (life status) versus "having with quality", "life quality" or the "quality of being". French people, even though they work 35 hours per week, are more productive than Americans or British. Germans have established 28.8 hour workweeks and have seen their productivity been driven up by 20%. This slow attitude has brought forth the US's attention, pupils of the fast and the "do it now!".

This no-rush attitude doesn't represent doing less or having a lower productivity. It means working and doing things with greater quality,
productivity, perfection, with attention to detail and less stress. It means re-establishing family values, friends, free and leisure time. Taking the "now", present and concrete, versus the "global", undefined and anonymous. It means taking humans' essential values, the simplicity of living.

It stands for a less coercive work environment, more happy, lighter and more productive where humans enjoy doing what they know best how to do.

It's time to stop and think on how companies need to develop serious quality with no-rush that will increase productivity and the quality of
products and services, without losing the essence of spirit. In the movie, Scent of a Woman, there's a scene where Al Pacino asks a girl
to dance and she replies, "I can't, my boyfriend will be here any minute now". To which Al responds, "A life is lived in an instant".Then  they dance to a tango.

Many of us live our lives running behind time, but we only reach it when we die of a heart attack or in a car accident rushing to be on time. Others are so anxious of living the future that they forget to live the present, which is the only time that truly exists. We all have equal time throughout the world. No one has more or less. The difference lies in how each one of us does with our time. We need to live each moment. As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans".

Congratulations for reading till the end of this message. There are many who will have stopped in the middle so as not to waste time in this globalize world.

When I think of innovation 3 things come to my mind

1.      Innovation is not always about inventing a new technology – it can be putting together old technologies

a.      What major global event happened on May 2 this year?

o   When Osama Bin Laden was killed by America the first to break the news was not TOI, NDTV or CNN – it was Twitter!!

The point I want to make is --World’s best Media and News companies were not able to compete with the speed and powerof Social Media such as Twitter.

o   Twitter did not have any new Technology – its innovation is in usability

b.      Can you think of the phone you had in 2006?

o   The arrival of iPhone in 2007 brought in new era which set off the smart phone and touch phone revolution

o   iPhone had innovation in usability – it did not have any new Technology

Peter Drucker says best productivity is achieved in un-interrupted work spans of 90 minutes.

            How many of you are able to go 90 minutes without looking at your phone?

We can keep up with buying the new gadgets – but are unable to keep up with managing them. In our blind love for technology, we become addicted and cannot see the point where we start to lose productivity

2.      If extreme growth happens in one industry, it will open up opportunities in diverse areas

o   When mobile industry grew from … 2 million to 700 million in last 10 years – a lot of other industries were impacted.

10    years ago, we could not do – what we did last year.

We helped a large infrastructure company with assets in 20 states track real time information of filling and utilization of oil using end-users own mobile phones. These end-users were diesel fillers and vehicle drivers. In an industry which spends over 10,000 crores on diesel annually by tracking real time information we were able to provide savings of 20%. This happened in a matter of few months and generated 100s of crores of free cash flow.

This happens by diesel filler owning a basic cell-phone and sending real-time data input via sms– Could you have dreamt of this 10 years ago?

My point is that extreme growth in mobile phones has opened 100s of untapped new opportunities in other industries.

3.  Unlearning the old process takes 3 times longer than innovating the new process

Security checks are done in all airports globally – however it’s only in India where they still stamp your cabin baggage – this was beneficial 50 years ago when airports were small and not secure

India is one of the only places where cabin bags are still stamped at the airport – a process set in 50 years ago

Last week, as I rushed to catch my flight, I was stopped at the gate – because my baggage tag was not stamped

If you did this at Delhi’s new Terminal 3– you will not be missing your gym that day.

Why has it taken 3 generations to change this archaic process?

Can we start questioning our business processes to ensure that they keep PACE with new technologies and innovations and not let them become – a cabin baggage process?

Innovation is often right in front of us—we just need to look from a different paradigm.

The Last Lecture

I just finished reading "the Last Lecture", http://www.thelastlecture.com/, by Randy Pausch.

Randy is a CMU professor who gets Terminal Cancer at 47. He shares his story of relocation and publishes a book for his kids 6, 3, 2. Through his book he shares some incredible FIRST PRINCIPLES - which all of us can learn a lot from.

I would strongly recommend you to visit the web site and also read the book.

BTW, I ended up reading this book after about a year of my daughter Payal --wanting me to read it. It is she who had read it and inspired me to read it.

Evolution of Revenue Models in Telecom Stack

Revenues

Operators (MNOs) get 70% of the Revenues  of the industry, where us OEMs get about 15% of the revenue. For instance in the Indian context the revenue from MNOs is about $ 25b, compored to $ 7 billion of all OEMs. Bharti alone does about $ 7b revenue. MNOs make most of the revenues of the industry.

Distribution – while the Telecom Operators get most of the revenue, the largest operator in the world has about 300 million end users. Compared to this Nokia has about 1 billion handsets in the market place. The reach and distribution of OEMs is far greater than the MNOs.

Moving to Capture Value Across the Stack: Apple started in Device Design, however since then has moved across the spectrum. Today it has become

1. a service provider through the App store model.
2. An integrated provider which provides Hardware, OS, UI design.

Similarly Google started as a SERVICE Provider (Search company, ad sponsored),  however has moved on to become an OS provider (Android). With that it will start controlling the customer footprint (end –devices), in addition to being a service provider. Its recent moves in the US, by acquiring spectrum are to meet its aspiration of being a Service Provider in the near future.

Nokia started as a Device manufacturer and providing OS. Its new initiative and aspirations are to become a Service Provider – the Ovi service  has been started to meet these goals.

1990 – 2015 transition

What you will notice is that MNOs focused on being service providers while OEMs focused on being better in their area in the 90s. Today they are moving across stack to increase customer stickiness and get a larger pie of the revenue.

Over the next 5 years – MNOs are likely to strengthen their base by focusing more on Network as a service (Naas)

Mbilling (micro billing)

Widgets (applications)

Service as an inventory (providing  service apps on devices – and making it easy).

OEMs, meanwhile will  cross optimize their strengths in Device design, UI design and core apps, OS. They will also try to move into the MNO segment to get a larger pie of revenues

The chipset manufacturers will focus on scalability, performance and optimization of their OS.

From Hardware to Service Revenues

As we saw above revenues need to move from hardware (one-time) to Services (recurring). They also need to move from Downstream (customer pays the service provider) to Upstream (partners pay the service provider). Google is a classic case of Upstream revenue – For the customer, the service is free – it is paid by the Advertiser (who pays for 97% of Google’s revenue).

Over time

1. Revenue will move from one time to service
2. It will move from Downstream to Upstream

Reactions and Response

Shared by a friend ….. good read …

Suddenly, a cockroach flew from somewhere and sat on a lady.
I wondered if this was the cockroachs response to all the glory that was spoken about it!

She started screaming out of fear.
With panic stricken face and trembling voice, she started jumping, with both her hands desperately trying to get rid of the cockroach.
Her reaction was contagious, as everyone in her group got cranky to what was happening.
The lady finally managed to push the cockroach to another lady in the group.

Now, it was the turn of the other lady in the group to continue the drama. The waiter rushed forward to their rescue.
 
In the relay of throwing, the cockroach next fell upon the waiter.
The waiter stood firm, composed himself and observed the behaviour of the cockroach on his shirt.
When he was confident enough, he grabbed and threw it out with his fingers.
 
Sipping my coffee and watching the amusement, the antenna of my mind picked up a few thoughts and started wondering!

Was the cockroach responsible for their histrionic behaviour?
 
If so, then why was the waiter not disturbed?
He handled it near to perfection, without any chaos.
It is not the cockroach, but the inability of the ladies to handle the disturbance caused by the cockroach that disturbed the ladies.
 
I realized even in my case then , it is not the shouting of my father or my boss that disturbs me,
But its my inability to handle the disturbances caused by their shouting that disturbs me.

Its not the traffic jams on the road that disturbs me, but my inability to handle the disturbance caused by the traffic jam that disturbs me.

More than the problem, its my reaction to the problem that hurts me.
 
The Take-Away :

The women reacted, whereas the waiter responded.

We should not react in life, we should always respond.
Reactions are always instinctive whereas responses are always intellectual