Random quotes

The arrow is intention projected into space.

After practising a lot, we no longer think about all the necessary movements. They become part of very exsistence.
-- Source: The Asian Age (2 April, 2006)

I saw with one eye what others could not see with two.
Attitude are more important than abilities,
Motives are more important than methods,
Character is more important than cleverness,
And heart takes precedence over head.
--- Denis Berkit

Education is an ornament in prosperity and a refuge in adversity. - Aristotle.
---- Source: The Asian Age Saturday 22-July-2006

It's very important to know what people want, and you can always surprise them by giving more.
- Alfred Hitchcock (Source: Sakal (Sunday 20-August-2006)

Read to Lead

Regular reading carries numerous benefits.

1. it enhances knowledge
2. strengthens vocabulary
3. exposes us to a ocean of experiences
4. stimulates imagination
5. streches attention span
6. fosters development
7. converts negative attitude to positive thoughts and actions

The more you read, the better you get at it.
The better you get at it, the more you like it.
The more you like it, the more you do it.
The more you do it, the more you know it.
And, the more you know, the smarter you grow.

ESS Read - Effective / Speed / Smart Reading

SQ3R --> Survey, Question, Read, Restate and Review

Vision & entrepreneurs

Samples of vision by some companies:

• Nokia - Less wire, more life
• 3M - Forever new
• Intel - Take risk, have fun, produce results
• Disney - make people happy.

For budding entrepreneurs:

Having a passion, clarity on the course of action and getting good mentors is important.

Get the right people on board and manage cash-flow carefully. Ideas need to be backed by strategy and execution.

Those who brave all hitches and incidental problems, make it to the books of fame & glory.

Innovation

To measure innovation, measure inputs, outputs and process performance.

Innovation is about finding new ways to create customer value.

Differentiate between innovation and invention.

Incremental innovation is by Toyota.

Breakthroughs are important but not urgent.

Three best innovations of recent years are:

1. the Web
2. Google
3. iPod

All these three have following characteristics:

1. They all have simple UI
2. Reuse existing information
3. Created by small groups of people, not cumbersome committees.

Beauty of the web is that you just click on the blue word. These three innovations make existing information easier to find and organize and allow person to recombine text, photographs and music in ways uniquely useful to the user. None of these are philosopher's stone, turning lead into gold. Rather, each recycles.

Ray Ozzie is the creator of Lotus Notes program.

Old fashioned methods delivered in new fangled ways, can spur innovation.

Negotiations

Negotiation is to discuss with the goal of finding terms of agreement. Most important part of successful negotiation is that everyone can leave the negotiation table feeling satisfied and compensated fairly.

Interest mapping --> negotiators to create a interest map - list of the opposite stakeholders, their interests in the outcome and the reasons behind them. This helps negotiators:

1. To focus on the information they need.
2. the assumptions they have to question.
3. areas of common ground in the negotiation.

On the negotiating table:

1. ask as many questions as one can
2. assumptions are dangerous as they lead to mis-leading trap
3. questions help to clear the mist

Listening is the forgotten art.
Active listening can change the rules of the game and raise the level of civility in the negotiation.

Knowledge

M. K. Gandhi's belief:
Civilisation consists not in the multiplication of wants but in deliberate and voluntary reduction of wants.

Acquisition of knowledge is a continuous affair and knowledge should be gathered the way bee gathers honey.

People, and not nations, will determine flow of needs, desires and wants.

The state of nature is about simplicity. The state of human thought has become progressively complex because we seek sophistication over simplicity. The most wonderful things in the world are also the simplest. For example, Google.

War & politics

Make politics, not war in Iraq. Most war is a failure of politics, a failure of political imagination. American foreign policy doctrine states that US national security policy rests on 3 pillars:

1. Defense
2. Diplomacy
3. Development

Source: The Economic Times, dated 30-July-2005. Jeffrey D. Sachs

The Economic Times - August 16, 2005 - 2

American Express may be the ultimate example of ingenuity. It's built on a simple product - a card - but it constantly reinvents itself. Strategy is important in a company, but you also have to consider execution.

The Economic Times - August 16, 2005

The merger of R&D, technology and customer relationship management (CRM) yields an important competitive advantage. An effective CRM initiative can help build a positive business reputation. In turn, that reputation will lift customers' comfort levels and drive revenue.

Innovation should be a highly prized part of a company's policy.

In the US, a market economy drives corporate behaviour. China has two-track system - driven by the market and by a command-oriented government.

Source: Express Careers, Indian Express, dated August 23, 2005.
Article title: Find your Cup of Tea.

"Remember that money would always come as a bye product - if you love what you do."

"It does not matter what you are at school, it matters what you are at the school reunion."

Welcome Post

This is a welcome post.

I have created this blog to share some lines, comments or thoughts about the English readings that I make.

Readers are free to share their comments and views.

Regards,

Shailendra
23 August, 2005