No technology has had such a ubiquitous impact as the mobile has in the last decade or more. While the internet has been touted as a game changing technology, the mobile has penetrated all segments of consumers, especially in the developing world, and hence has the potential to truly catalyze changes in society.

Consider this – on the one hand, you have the affluent youth using their mobile phones to surf, download music, access facebook, and engage in such “nice to do” activities. On the other hand, we have seen the mobile becoming a tool with which to to be more informed in the hands of the working class. The mobile has penetrated rural areas as well.

It is in this context that the use of mobile devices to carry out financial transactions becomes very relevant; today the mobile is the one technology that can help include the un-banked sector and play a pivotal role in microfinancing.

A book that I read recently, The march of mobile money, by telecom visionary Sam Pitroda, made an interesting read.  The premise of the book is that mobile technology can cause fundamental changes in the financial services industry; also this technology can be the engine of growth in a country like India. The book talks extensively about the concept of a mobile wallet, an idea proposed by Pitroda more than a decade ag0; an idea, he believes whose time may have come.

For those who are following trends in this area, do check it out.

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I have just borrowed a book titled Open – an autobiography of Andre Agassi. If you are not a tennis enthusiast and don’t know who he is, then suffice to say that he is one of the greatest male tennis players in history, who retired recently and is married to one of the greatest female tennis players in history !

I hadn’t heard about the autobiography at all, but just happened to see a very compelling photo of Agassi on the front cover of the book when I made my weekly visit to the library. The power of the “Agassi” brand was so strong that I just picked it up , without even bothering to read the reviews or the summary ( not my normal behaviour ) That is what got me thinking on the key role played by “Personal Branding” in businesses.

We talk about “Infosys and Narayan Murthy”, “Wipro and Premji”, “Reliance and Ambani” – to name a few in the Indian scenario. Needless to say, the bond between personal branding and corporate branding is highly magnetic. In fact, having a solid “CEO brand” is vital to a company’s advertising/marketing/branding strategy – more so now in the age of social media.

As Dan Schawbel, the “personal branding guru” rightly says “You are the chief marketing officer for the brand called you, but what others say about your brand is more impactful than what you say about yourself”.

What are your thoughts on personal branding ?

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Scenario 1: A client has sent you an important communication on email.You clicked on the mail, found it too long, thought you will catch up on it later, and then conveniently forgot about it.The client assumes you are working on the feedback given in the mail, and promptly calls you at the appointed date, and you suddenly realize that you don’t have a clue what its all about. You don’t have an option but to just say “Let me get back to you on that”.

This is just one of the scenarios put forth in Omkar Sane’s rib tickling and equally thought provoking Coming Soon: The End.Sane takes on the Indian Television industry, and exposes it for the sham that it has now become. And he does so in a tongue-in-cheek fashion that will have you rolling in laughter.

This is the story of the Indian Television industry told through four friends, each of whom happens to work in different parts of the television circus-kids channel, music channel, general entertainment, and news. Through the stories of these friends, told to an equally enthusiastic listener, Sane explores the many pitfalls and shortcomings of the industry.

The book also speaks about some of the things which are applicable to the corporate world at large. The endless chain of emailers, where all we do is buy time and postpone making a decision, the penchant to adhere to processes while the work keeps on piling up,etc,etc.

Admittedly, Sane’s book takes a one-sided, slightly pessimistic view of the television industry, but one cannot deny the element of truth lying in those pages.

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Recently, the WSJ put together two articles, with Clay Shirky arguing that for the former – saying that ‘amid the silly videos and spam are the roots of a new reading and writing culture.’  Nicholas Carr argues for the other side, saying that we are turning into ’shallow thinkers.’  Both articles were interesting; read more at:

Does the Internet make you Dumber?

and

Does the Internet make you Smarter?

It is a topic that we can argue endlessly about, but I’d like to  be optimistic on this, and that’s why maybe I am veering towards the former idea (smarter).  But Carr’s article is more scientifically written and it does have a lot of relevant points. And one of my pet peeves is that the younger generations, with their growing online interactions, are losing out on the rich complexity of face-to-face human interactions.

As with most questions of this type, the answer really is – it depends. Like fire, the Internet is a good servant but bad master.  It’s how we use it and what we use it for that determines the end result.  As long as we still use the skills and techniques that make us what we are – critical, cognitive thinking, ability to sort information and use it relevantly, ability to build on concepts to arrive at newer/better applications – then the Internet is just another layer in our learning process.

What is your take?

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According to author and communications and influencing consultant Shelle Rose Charvet, they indeed can. Shelle is in Bangalore to conduct a 3 day work shop based on a book she wrote and the LAB (Language and Behavior) profile technique that she adopts in her workshops and consulting practice.

Based on the premise that you can influence behavior, and that you need to take charge of how effective you can be in any situation that involves communication, the workshop threw a lot of light on how to actively listen and interpret patterns of communication.

The technique has wide applicability, and if practiced diligently, can get us great results both at home and at work. At work, one can apply in any kind of interaction- employee, customer. One could use it to determine fit while hiring, or to find better ways to engage with customers.

I have been attending a workshop by Shelle with a colleague. Today is the third day and if the last 2 days are any indication, we are in for a fascinating day. It has been fun and at the same time highly insightful. Shelle ( not unsurprisingly) is a great communicator and very experienced too. Though this is her 1st trip to India, and perhaps her first formal engagement with an Indian audience, she has adapted to the context with ease.

I am looking forward to apply my learning both at work and at home.

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Sramana Mitra, a Silicon Valley based strategy consultant and an erstwhile entrepreneur has written a 3 part series to give an overview of successful entrepreneurial experiences in the tech field. The books are a compilation of interviews of CEOs of a diverse set of companies interspersed with her own commentary. Through these interviews she discerns some patterns, underscores some points and brings out her own views on future trends in technology as well as what it takes to succeeds.

The books are interesting because 1. the style of compilations is like a set of short stories, so you can actually pick and choose what is most relevant 2. These are first hand accounts from the founders and hence gives rare insights on the entrepreneurial mindset, motivations and the journey itself 3. For me personally, I learned about a lot of companies that are not exactly household names, but are doing remarkable things.

I will write about a few such inspiring stories and more take aways in future posts.

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