Showing posts with label Career. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Career. Show all posts

Sunday, November 04, 2012

Recently Added!

What's the first thing we do after we transfer some new songs to our ipod or iphone? We just choose the playlist "Recently Added" and get going. Easy, isn't it. I am sure lots of surveys would have led to the finding that the first thing one wants to do after downloading new songs is to listen the recently acquired songs.

What next! If you like some of them, you quickly make an "On the go" list and here is your quick playlist. Once we start liking the songs, we try making a rather permanent playlist and name it, right. 

Now, see if we can apply the same routine to our newly acquired skills or habits. Think.

Step by Step
  1. Recently Added
  2. On the Go
  3. Thoughtful Named Playlist
Let me explain a bit, say if you acquired a new skill - some expertise in statistics, a new IT certification - keep this on top of your mind for quick access, as this "recently added" playlist does for your music. Apply this skill "On the go" see if it works. If working, then add it into the Thoughtful Named Playlist and practice when required. 

If this new skill is damn good and working, try "On the Loop" but don't overdo that you or others get a fatigue.

Go Play!

Saturday, June 30, 2012

The Bombay Times & Your Career!

I must admit that I am a regular reader of Bombay Times because of my love for Bolywood, and it’s the only paper where every Page is a Page 3. I also read Mint because I am highly impressed with the quality of columns, its editor R Sukumar and his ethical editorial practices. (won't boast here that He follows me on twitter)

Well, this article is not about Mint or Bombay Times, it’s about your career. Ok, You are welcome. The key difference between Mint & Bombay Times is their approach towards the “sponsored” items.

Mint & Sponsored Columns:
The Media Marketing Initiatives on Pages 13 and 29 are the equivalent of paid-for advertisements, and no Mint journalists were involved in creating these. Readers would do well to treat them as advertisements

Not only this, Mint Editor puts this on the front page itself ! 

Bombay Times & Sponsored Columns:
Coming to our Bombay Times, these are good guys, just below their masthead, in very fine font, they write: Advertorial, Entertainment Promotional Feature .
Simple Na, no botheration to tell which is sponsored column, which is not. 

Your Career:
Now, to be successful in the Corporate Rat Race, what we all need is our own "Bombay Times" in our offices. If you think working hard will get you all those deserved promotions, this is the end of column for you. Wait, All the best. 

If you have a “Bombay Times” as a spokesperson in your office, He shall keep promoting you at every possible opportunity. If there’s no opportunity, he’ll create it to plug you and sing praises about you. He’ll also structure the conversation that will be interesting enough to grab attention, subtle to not make it very obvious and also give you enough airtime which you can’t ever get yourself. 

Sample this in Bombay Times, today , June 30, 2012:
Very innocuous sounding headline: "When Karan apologised"…. With a steamy picture to attract the average Indian. Now that you are at it, it ends with “Watch Jhalak Dikhhla Ja, tonight at 9pm on Colors”.  Now you know that this was nothing but to promote the Colors show Jhalak Dikhla Ja. This is what your own "Bombay Times" shall do for you.

Let's say, In a meeting of all VPs where your Boss’s Boss is also there: Hey, did you watch yesterday’s Spain vs Italy? Good match na. Actually, I had almost slept but Ajith from Marketing called me to discuss Project Sandwich then. Must say guy is really passionate about his work.

So, go and start finding your Bombay Times, now. 

PS: In case you come across Mint types, stay away. They are pretty straight forward and sometimes, brutally honest.