The world economy at large is in the midst of difficult times. The recession is deep and widespread and seems like that it is not about to relent anytime soon. While India isn’t as badly hit as USA and some western countries, it is gloomy out here as well.
Times like these can turn out to be a great boon if used to our advantage. It is in times like these that companies put greater controls in place, great talent is readily available and selectively hired, cost rationalization is undertaken, bench-time is used for creation of IP and products, competitors go out of business and operations are streamlined. We are trying too.
It’s a time when we embrace the ambiguity and the opportunity rapidly, and re-purpose and reorient ourselves, and be more sensitive to the context than ever before. In summary, as individuals and as an organization we must be responsive to change.
Here are the top THREE imperatives:
Change I: From being Brand Led to being Sales Driven:
QAI has been a brand led organization. Each one of us contributed in no small measure to the creation of highly respected brand in our space. The brand has had the power to pull customers in. It has enabled us to charge a premium. We have been called to the “party” most of the times. We have lost a few and won many. Thanks to our sales team we have fought many a battle, many hard ones and many not so hard.
NOW we need to transform into being a “sales” driven organization. In such organizations sales people are hunters, sales targets are tracked monthly, incentives are in place, people have a sense of urgency in meeting the numbers, low performers are coached and eventually if necessary urged to find a more rewarding place. Markets are analyzed and systematically penetrated. With goals, dates and targets…
As QAI we may be the tiger in the marketplace…but lets remember…In the forest the deer wakes up and worries that if it doesn’t run fast enough it will get eaten by the tiger. The Tiger wakes up and also worries that if it doesn’t run fast enough it will go hungry.
Change II: From being Strategy Stalwarts to being Finance Focused:
Strategy has been QAI's forte. Strategy is all about where we compete (areas and lines of business) and how we compete (value capture mechanisms, value delivery etc) We have a great business model, great portfolio, great brand, great team, great partnerships, great timing, great talent acquisition, great history and a great purpose for existence.
We must now change to build in the controls, collect the money, disallow client cancellations, not tolerate individual demands, negotiate right, discount only that much, and know the numbers.
It is said that the Top-line is vanity, Profits is sanity but it's the Cash that’s reality and King. The cash in the bank, keeps the organizations going, and is critical in such times. Financial metrics become key for managing survival and growth.
Selling a deal and celebrating is one part. Collecting the cash is when the deal is actually worth anything.
We are taking many steps in addressing the financial controls, augmenting the bandwidth, moving towards sanity and reality. Policies are being drafted.
Your contribution and participation is seeked.
Change III: From being Individual Thought Leaders to also being Organizational and Business Leaders:
Most in QAI are thought leaders, effective consultants and trainers. It is who we are. Some at QAI are far more than this.
Here’s a thought for those who aren’t.
The organizations...QAI and Client would increasingly require a greater participation and empathy in its business mission, an understanding of the bigger picture …a greater engagement. Especially in times like these, it may no longer be adequate to deliver great consulting for the attainment of a specific goal…although that’s what the contract requires. Organizations and CEOs want business improvements, they need hard advice on all matters, and they need our programs to have lasting impact and our improvements to shore up the bottom lines. They want solutions even though they might be signing up for an offering.
Fortunately we have both the talent and the deliverables, the various practices and the IP. Every sign up can be a massive follow on opportunity, much greater than the sign up amount.
Similarly the internal organization wants us be and do more than show up for consulting days and do a terrific billable day. It needs your time and attention for creating IP, it needs your assistance for organization building, it needs every non billable day not to go waste, it needs presence in the office and participation, your leadership coaching to new joinees. It needs you to “sell” yourselves to various Practice groups and make your contribution valuable. To acquire customers.
I will repeat once again what we have heard so often….when the going gets tough, the tough get going. I seek your participation and enrollment for this one year to reinvent ourselves, create a stronger, and better QAI. It cannot be done by a few. It can be done if we all participate. This is a call to action.
Let’s do it.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Robin Sharma and QAI
Here’s wishing you a Happy New Year!. I hope we have a great year ahead.
The last year was amongst the worst ones for India (although there were some bright spots.)
I know of people who know of people who lost dear ones to terrorism in Mumbai. The incident was a tragic one and a watershed event. Something has changed since and I hope the change will be substantial enough to make some difference to our lives.
The coming year is also going to be challenging for most organizations across the world. The world is in the midst of a deep economic recession. Most I speak to are talking of the bloodbath. I meet people who have been laid- off. I have met companies who are implementing massive efficiency programs. I hope this situation improves soon.
As we look back and look ahead on Jan 01, 2009, I thought I would share a few thoughts I believe in and feel strongly about. These will keep us enthusiastic, wonder struck, engaged, hopeful and in pursuit of happiness and in pursuit of excellence. The following 13 tenets have been taken from Robin Sharma’s Guide to Greatness Part 1 and 2. There many others …grab the books if you relate to these.
Best wishes again, for the year.
Navyug
1. The Power of Simple.
"A simple message that everyone is a leader - no matter what they do or who they are. Adopt simple ideas and tools (that actually work) to help people and organizations get to world-class. And living a simple life. Simple, is so powerful. Success will come from Simplicity!"
2. Be So Good That They Can't Ignore You.
"Life favors the devoted. The more you give to life, the more life sends back. It's just not possible for you to be great at what you do, always reaching for brilliance and standing for excellence and not win in the end. Life is always fair in the end. Trust it!"
3. Be Unreasonable.
"Don’t be so scared of failure a that you fail to dream. Don't be so reasonable and practical and sensible that you refuse to seize glorious opportunities when they show up. Push the envelope. And know that every outstanding piece of human progress was achieved through the heroic efforts of someone who was told that their idea was impossible to realize. The unreasonable souls fight the urge to be ordinary!"
4. Are You Jokeable?
"The best among us don't take themselves too seriously (no one else will take you seriously if you take yourself too seriously). They do their best and then let go, letting life do the rest. Life has its own intelligence. So be jokeable. Relax. Yes, go for world class. But blend that drive with a sense of amusement. Hold on to life with a loose grip. And know that life was never meant to be an ordeal. It was meant to be pure joy!"
5. Stop Trying So Hard.
"It is important to let life lead you. If you have tried everything possible to realize an outcome and it just hasn't worked out as planned, stop trying so hard. Maybe nothing's wrong. Maybe the timing is not right. Maybe what you wanted is not in your best interests. And once you let go of what you thought was best, space is created for something even better to arrive. Because every ending ushers in a brand new beginning. Life will always lead you to a place that's better!"
6. Your Team's Only As Good As You.
"Your team will never be greater than you are. You set the standard to which all can rise. Each finger affects the strength of the hand. Forget blaming others- that's just excusing yourself. And it all starts with your inner world. You can't help in the building of an excellent organization until you commit to becoming an excellent person. External leadership begins with internal mastery!"
7. You'll Know When You Know.
"No one gets to world class without a relentless devotion to not giving up. All acts of heroism were accomplished by human beings who refused to lose. They just wouldn't let go- no matter how bad or impossible things looked. But sometimes, you just get to a point where you just know it's time to change strategy. It's not about losing hope. It's about trusting life. You just know. Trusting that there's something better waiting for you. Do your best and let life do the rest!"
8. Be Unpopular. Leadership Isn't a Popularity Contest.
"Businesses that try to be all things to all people end up being nothing to anyone. You need to stand for something. You need to play ferociously. Passionately. Emotionally. To get to world class. Or don't play at all. Great leaders fearlessly make tough calls. They speak their truth. They run their own race, making the right decisions and worrying little about public opinion. They are courage in action. Extraordinary leadership is a balance between being tender yet tough, compassionate yet courageous, part saint and part warrior, friendly yet firm. Being a leader isn't about being liked. It's about doing what's right!"
9. Whatever Happened To Commitment?
"We live in a world seduced by the easy. Nothing comes for free. There are no free lunches. The best things in life require sacrifice and devotion. Each of us must pay the price. And the more we pay, the more we will receive. Great lives just don't occur out of the blue. They are crafted and built, block by block, day by day. Give your best and the best will come to you. Guaranteed!"
10. Live An Intense Life.
"Live like there is no tomorrow, achieve the best within yourself and love like you really mean it. Do your part to elevate the world. Live with intensity. Sure we need to enjoy the journey, tread lightly and balance our courage with striking kindness. But do it all with rare passion, with bravery and with a sparkle in your eye. Do it with intensity. All of the great ones do!"
11. Getting What You Want While Loving What You Have.
"Enjoy the view from where you are at. Savor how far you have come. Be grateful for where you are along the journey that is your life. Live in the moment. But also remember that with the gifts that reside within you come great responsibilities. We must continually walk toward our fears and make more of our lives. We must constantly play a bigger game and use our creative talents to do, be ad see more. So love what you have. And then go for what you want. Enjoy the climb up the mountain. But never take your eyes off the summit!"
12. Do You Play?
"As adults, we stop playing once we assume the responsibilities of life. It doesn't have to be that way. Make the time to play. Find the time to be a little reckless and silly. Be imaginative at work and bring curiosity back to your days. Get back to that sense of wonder you knew when life was all about make-believe, riding your bike and enjoy every second of this journey called living. Adults are nothing more than deteriorated children!"
13. Revere Great Design.
"Human beings need mystery to be happy in life. If life is bland, we experience no joy. Good design adds to that mystery. It makes life interesting. It connects the artist that resides within each of us. It surprises us. "
The last year was amongst the worst ones for India (although there were some bright spots.)
I know of people who know of people who lost dear ones to terrorism in Mumbai. The incident was a tragic one and a watershed event. Something has changed since and I hope the change will be substantial enough to make some difference to our lives.
The coming year is also going to be challenging for most organizations across the world. The world is in the midst of a deep economic recession. Most I speak to are talking of the bloodbath. I meet people who have been laid- off. I have met companies who are implementing massive efficiency programs. I hope this situation improves soon.
As we look back and look ahead on Jan 01, 2009, I thought I would share a few thoughts I believe in and feel strongly about. These will keep us enthusiastic, wonder struck, engaged, hopeful and in pursuit of happiness and in pursuit of excellence. The following 13 tenets have been taken from Robin Sharma’s Guide to Greatness Part 1 and 2. There many others …grab the books if you relate to these.
Best wishes again, for the year.
Navyug
1. The Power of Simple.
"A simple message that everyone is a leader - no matter what they do or who they are. Adopt simple ideas and tools (that actually work) to help people and organizations get to world-class. And living a simple life. Simple, is so powerful. Success will come from Simplicity!"
2. Be So Good That They Can't Ignore You.
"Life favors the devoted. The more you give to life, the more life sends back. It's just not possible for you to be great at what you do, always reaching for brilliance and standing for excellence and not win in the end. Life is always fair in the end. Trust it!"
3. Be Unreasonable.
"Don’t be so scared of failure a that you fail to dream. Don't be so reasonable and practical and sensible that you refuse to seize glorious opportunities when they show up. Push the envelope. And know that every outstanding piece of human progress was achieved through the heroic efforts of someone who was told that their idea was impossible to realize. The unreasonable souls fight the urge to be ordinary!"
4. Are You Jokeable?
"The best among us don't take themselves too seriously (no one else will take you seriously if you take yourself too seriously). They do their best and then let go, letting life do the rest. Life has its own intelligence. So be jokeable. Relax. Yes, go for world class. But blend that drive with a sense of amusement. Hold on to life with a loose grip. And know that life was never meant to be an ordeal. It was meant to be pure joy!"
5. Stop Trying So Hard.
"It is important to let life lead you. If you have tried everything possible to realize an outcome and it just hasn't worked out as planned, stop trying so hard. Maybe nothing's wrong. Maybe the timing is not right. Maybe what you wanted is not in your best interests. And once you let go of what you thought was best, space is created for something even better to arrive. Because every ending ushers in a brand new beginning. Life will always lead you to a place that's better!"
6. Your Team's Only As Good As You.
"Your team will never be greater than you are. You set the standard to which all can rise. Each finger affects the strength of the hand. Forget blaming others- that's just excusing yourself. And it all starts with your inner world. You can't help in the building of an excellent organization until you commit to becoming an excellent person. External leadership begins with internal mastery!"
7. You'll Know When You Know.
"No one gets to world class without a relentless devotion to not giving up. All acts of heroism were accomplished by human beings who refused to lose. They just wouldn't let go- no matter how bad or impossible things looked. But sometimes, you just get to a point where you just know it's time to change strategy. It's not about losing hope. It's about trusting life. You just know. Trusting that there's something better waiting for you. Do your best and let life do the rest!"
8. Be Unpopular. Leadership Isn't a Popularity Contest.
"Businesses that try to be all things to all people end up being nothing to anyone. You need to stand for something. You need to play ferociously. Passionately. Emotionally. To get to world class. Or don't play at all. Great leaders fearlessly make tough calls. They speak their truth. They run their own race, making the right decisions and worrying little about public opinion. They are courage in action. Extraordinary leadership is a balance between being tender yet tough, compassionate yet courageous, part saint and part warrior, friendly yet firm. Being a leader isn't about being liked. It's about doing what's right!"
9. Whatever Happened To Commitment?
"We live in a world seduced by the easy. Nothing comes for free. There are no free lunches. The best things in life require sacrifice and devotion. Each of us must pay the price. And the more we pay, the more we will receive. Great lives just don't occur out of the blue. They are crafted and built, block by block, day by day. Give your best and the best will come to you. Guaranteed!"
10. Live An Intense Life.
"Live like there is no tomorrow, achieve the best within yourself and love like you really mean it. Do your part to elevate the world. Live with intensity. Sure we need to enjoy the journey, tread lightly and balance our courage with striking kindness. But do it all with rare passion, with bravery and with a sparkle in your eye. Do it with intensity. All of the great ones do!"
11. Getting What You Want While Loving What You Have.
"Enjoy the view from where you are at. Savor how far you have come. Be grateful for where you are along the journey that is your life. Live in the moment. But also remember that with the gifts that reside within you come great responsibilities. We must continually walk toward our fears and make more of our lives. We must constantly play a bigger game and use our creative talents to do, be ad see more. So love what you have. And then go for what you want. Enjoy the climb up the mountain. But never take your eyes off the summit!"
12. Do You Play?
"As adults, we stop playing once we assume the responsibilities of life. It doesn't have to be that way. Make the time to play. Find the time to be a little reckless and silly. Be imaginative at work and bring curiosity back to your days. Get back to that sense of wonder you knew when life was all about make-believe, riding your bike and enjoy every second of this journey called living. Adults are nothing more than deteriorated children!"
13. Revere Great Design.
"Human beings need mystery to be happy in life. If life is bland, we experience no joy. Good design adds to that mystery. It makes life interesting. It connects the artist that resides within each of us. It surprises us. "
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