- Support the blog, visit it often.
- Contribute content liberally. Pen comments to the blog posts
- Distribute the link within your professional and social circle your views, perspective and network will enrich everyone's learning.
- Provide me with related links that add content value to the site - see the Useful Stuff tab on top of the page.
- Provide me feedback and site improvement tips
Saturday, December 15, 2007
What do I need from my blog visitors & subscribers?
What do I need from my blog visitors & subscribers?
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Rising Asian rentals are not all that bad!
Commercial & residential rental spike are affecting business costs and competitiveness within Asian businesses? Is there a way to view this in a positive light?
Rental spikes have caught organizations and operating budgets by surprise especially those who are renewing leases originally set out in the post 9-11 era in a gutted real estate market.
While some regional governments have been kind in providing tax reliefs, organizations will need to go back to time tested business fundamentals to address and prevail in these circumstances. They will need to focus on costs that are within their control & reduce these to counter & soften the impact of rent related cost escalations
On a more optimistic note I see rising rents flagging a robust economy! Overhead costs are up - but so are the opportunities for incremental revenue! Higher expenses can be justified if these expanded expenses generate expanded revenue while keeping the expense to revenue ratio at par with previously prevailing levels. Efficient organizations will take this in as a cost of doing business and get on with accelerating their growth within a buoyant economy.
Rental spikes have caught organizations and operating budgets by surprise especially those who are renewing leases originally set out in the post 9-11 era in a gutted real estate market.
While some regional governments have been kind in providing tax reliefs, organizations will need to go back to time tested business fundamentals to address and prevail in these circumstances. They will need to focus on costs that are within their control & reduce these to counter & soften the impact of rent related cost escalations
On a more optimistic note I see rising rents flagging a robust economy! Overhead costs are up - but so are the opportunities for incremental revenue! Higher expenses can be justified if these expanded expenses generate expanded revenue while keeping the expense to revenue ratio at par with previously prevailing levels. Efficient organizations will take this in as a cost of doing business and get on with accelerating their growth within a buoyant economy.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Non-cash modes for employee motivation and retention
Experimenting with alternate non-cash modes of employee recognition for motivation and talent retention
At work over these years, I have tried to think beyond financial and productivity metrics when considering compensation changes and employee recognition. While these metrics have been important in maintaining a successful operation, I am very aware of the fact that high-quality, strongly motivated people make or break corporate success. I believe an amicable balance can be achieved through subtle rewards - monetary, such as pay rises, bonuses and one-time cash awards, or otherwise.
Non-monetary rewards can be as impactful if not more if implemented sincerely. Organization leaders have the option of rewarding people through congratulatory notes, mentions at public forums and letting employees sincerely know that their presence and contributions make a difference. I have had no regrets whatsoever in implementing these methods and their impact in creating and maintaining a first-class work force has been very fulfilling for me.
At work over these years, I have tried to think beyond financial and productivity metrics when considering compensation changes and employee recognition. While these metrics have been important in maintaining a successful operation, I am very aware of the fact that high-quality, strongly motivated people make or break corporate success. I believe an amicable balance can be achieved through subtle rewards - monetary, such as pay rises, bonuses and one-time cash awards, or otherwise.
Non-monetary rewards can be as impactful if not more if implemented sincerely. Organization leaders have the option of rewarding people through congratulatory notes, mentions at public forums and letting employees sincerely know that their presence and contributions make a difference. I have had no regrets whatsoever in implementing these methods and their impact in creating and maintaining a first-class work force has been very fulfilling for me.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Its not about the money, stupid!
MONEY may seem like the obvious draw but surprisingly it isn't ! Commitment to continuous learning, a performance metrics based culture where personal growth and related rewards are linked to achievement of quantifiable goals, an environment that promotes risk-taking, where business is run with a broad worldwide outlook rather than an inward focused approach and tight hiring standards that brings in the best talent into the organizations are more powerful drivers.
Top talent also thrives in an environment that provides constant feedback about them from their superiors, subordinates and peers, what they think about their organization and their work environment and how satisfied the customers are with the organization.
Top talent also looks at the organization’s leadership - their vision, bench strength and ability to execute. They also are financially literate, keenly examining the organization's financials. They understand that revenue and margins can be 'dressed-up' - they focus on the parameter that matters the most - an impressive growing CASH FLOW!
Top talent also thrives in an environment that provides constant feedback about them from their superiors, subordinates and peers, what they think about their organization and their work environment and how satisfied the customers are with the organization.
Top talent also looks at the organization’s leadership - their vision, bench strength and ability to execute. They also are financially literate, keenly examining the organization's financials. They understand that revenue and margins can be 'dressed-up' - they focus on the parameter that matters the most - an impressive growing CASH FLOW!
Outsourced Projects - Setting expectations upfront
My belief about successful projects involving multiple parties is all about setting right expectations and great communication. Common expectations need to be set regarding scope, timeline, budget, back-ups & contingency, resources, down-time (if any) et al. Add to that great communication at all times during the life cycle of the project to keep all the stakeholders in sync. Significant skills and track record are needed within providers to ensure consistent results.
Most often, in-house IT executives handling internal IT projects possess the requisite skills but fall short in their end-to-end implementation experience, which leads to wrong expectations, sub-optimal planning, inadequate communication and insufficient resilience which are all detrimental to the success of the project. I have also noticed that leaders in the outsourcing field 'tell' their customers what they need (based on their experience and track record of success in the customer’s industry vertical) unlike the smaller players who will 'ask' what the customer wants, while at the same time also accommodating any specific nuance that the customer needs addressed.
Customers want to talk to domain experts who know their stuff and can 'take charge' to provide advisory services or even hands-on guidance throughout the entire implementation. Honestly speaking, even the customer in many instances does not know what he/she wants at the end of the project.
Most often, in-house IT executives handling internal IT projects possess the requisite skills but fall short in their end-to-end implementation experience, which leads to wrong expectations, sub-optimal planning, inadequate communication and insufficient resilience which are all detrimental to the success of the project. I have also noticed that leaders in the outsourcing field 'tell' their customers what they need (based on their experience and track record of success in the customer’s industry vertical) unlike the smaller players who will 'ask' what the customer wants, while at the same time also accommodating any specific nuance that the customer needs addressed.
Customers want to talk to domain experts who know their stuff and can 'take charge' to provide advisory services or even hands-on guidance throughout the entire implementation. Honestly speaking, even the customer in many instances does not know what he/she wants at the end of the project.
Expanding business real estate - what is viable?
Alternative business hubs are an important planning agenda item for the governments of all hot Asian economies. Hong Kong and Singapore have evolved traditional residential quarters like Taikoo Shing & Tampines in recent years into residential, business and recreational destinations. Great infrastructure, glitzy commercial and retail outlets and satellite offices of prominent organizations from financial services, technology and media. These hubs help average out real estate valuations providing alternatives to owners and tenants and drive a more holistic economic development process
What normally makes business districts sought after are location and critical mass of businesses, shopping and entertainment options. In Singapore, this will further intensify as the new premier Shenton Way real estate develops and the integrated resort gets ready.
While building new business hubs might ease the congestion and soaring rentals, they will need to provide suitable alternative value propositions, similar to what the original business district does, to be considered as an alternative. The planning process by Asia’s governments’ will need to take this into consideration and put in suitable plans to drive this successfully.
What normally makes business districts sought after are location and critical mass of businesses, shopping and entertainment options. In Singapore, this will further intensify as the new premier Shenton Way real estate develops and the integrated resort gets ready.
While building new business hubs might ease the congestion and soaring rentals, they will need to provide suitable alternative value propositions, similar to what the original business district does, to be considered as an alternative. The planning process by Asia’s governments’ will need to take this into consideration and put in suitable plans to drive this successfully.
Organizations need to innovate in Asia
- A culture that encourages Innovation is a key differentiator and a crucial ingredient of every ‘Gold standard’ organisation in any industry.
- These organisations have embedded this quality into its core fabric and the organisation's leaders preach and live this quality everyday setting the example for the rest of the employees to follow.
- Innovation, besides delivering competitive advantage also contributes towards building employee skills, knowledge, market share, customer base and ultimately shareholder value.
- Singapore and regional organizations can benefit significantly by encouraging an innovation led culture in their quest towards attracting high class talent, in scaling their operation and in their ability to compete with brands from global powerhouses.
- While it is easy to recognise the virtues of innovation, not all organisations succeed in implementing it.
- In addition to management commitment and creation of an innovation-friendly environment, successful organisations introduce monetary and non-monetary rewards for innovators in their ranks and establish a perception were experimentation is encouraged and failures that come out of these experimentations are not looked down upon or penalised.
- That said, it takes time to build this platform of commitment and trust. It is not an overnight phenomenon.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
What do I need from my blog visitors & subscribers?
- Support the blog, visit it often.
- Contribute content liberally. Pen comments to the blog posts
- Distribute the link within your professional and social circle your views, perspective and network will enrich everyone's learning.
- Provide me with related links that add content value to the site - see the Useful Stuff tab on top of the page.
- Provide me feedback and site improvement tips
Monday, November 5, 2007
Funny Stuff....
If you have difficulty understanding what gave rise to the current world financial situation (despite reading my blog post), the following should help clear matters...
Once upon a time in a village, a man announced to villagers that he would buy local monkeys for $10 apiece. The villagers seeing there were many monkeys around, went out to the forest and started catching them. The man bought thousands at $10, but, as the supply started to diminish, the villagers slowed their efforts.
So the man then announced that he would buy at $20. This rejuvenated the efforts of the villagers and they were catching monkeys once more. But again the supply diminished, and again people began returning to their farms and their previous, less affluent lives. The offer rate increased to $25 and the supply of monkeys became so little that it was rare to even see a monkey, let alone catch it!
The man now announced that he would buy monkeys at $50! However, since he had to go to the city on some business, his assistant would now act as buyer, on his behalf. In the absence of the man, the assistant told the villagers: 'Look at all these monkeys in the big cage that the man has collected. I will sell them to you at $35 each. When he returns from the city, you can sell them back to him for $50.'
The villagers, seeing an opportunity to squeeze a bit more out of this monkey business dug up their savings and bought back all the monkeys.
They never saw the man or his assistant again; only monkeys ... everywhere!
Welcome to Wall Street!
Management 101
A man in a hot air balloon realized he was lost. He reduced altitude and spotted a woman below. He descended a bit more and shouted, "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."
The woman below replied, "You're in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 30 feet above the ground. You're between 40 and 41 degrees north latitude and between 59 and 60 degrees west longitude.""You must be an engineer," said the balloonist."I am," replied the woman, "How did you know?" "Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is, technically correct, but I've no idea what to make of your information, and the fact is I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help at all. If anything, you've delayed my trip." The woman below responded, "You must be in Senior Management." "I am," replied the balloonist, "but how did you know?" "Well," said the woman, "you don't know where you are or where you're going.
You have risen to where you are due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise, which you've no idea how to keep, and you expect people beneath you to solve your problems. The fact is you are in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but now, somehow, it's my fault."
Lesson Number One
A crow was sitting on a tree, doing nothing all day. A small rabbit saw the crow, and asked him, "Can I also sit like you and do nothing all day long?"The crow answered: "Sure, why not." So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the crow, and rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.Management Lesson:To sit and do nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.
Lesson Number Two
A turkey was chatting with a bull. "I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree," sighed the turkey, "but I haven't got the energy."Well, why don't you nibble on some of my droppings?" replied the bull."They're packed with nutrients." The turkey pecked at a lump of dung and found that it actually gave him enough strength to reach the first branch of the tree.
The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch. Finally after a fortnight, there he was proudly perched at the top of the tree. Soon he was spotted by a farmer, who promptly shot the turkey out of the tree.
Moral of the Story: Bullshit might get you to the top, but it won't keep you there.
Lesson Number Three
When the body was first made, all the parts wanted to be Boss. The brain said, "I should be Boss because I control the whole body's responses and functions." The feet said, "We should be Boss as we carry the brain about and get him to where he wants to go." The hands said, "We should be the Boss because we do all the work and earn all the money."
And so it went on and on with the heart, the lungs and the eyes until finally the asshole spoke up. All the parts laughed at the idea of the asshole being the Boss. So the asshole went on strike, blocked itself up and refused to work.
Within a short time the eyes became crossed, the hands clenched, the feet twitched, the heart and lungs began to panic and the brain fevered. Eventually they all decided that the asshole should be the Boss, so the motion was passed. All the other parts did all the work while the Boss just sat and passed out the shit!
Moral of the Story: You don't need brains to be a Boss – any asshole will do.
Lesson Number Four
A little bird was flying south for the winter. It was so cold, the bird froze and fell to the ground in a large field. While it was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on it.
As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, it began to realize how warm it was. The dung was actually thawing him out! He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy. A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate. Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and ate him!
Moral of the Story:
1) Not everyone who drops shit on you is your enemy.
2) Not everyone who gets you out of shit is your friend.
3) When you're in deep shit, keep your mouth shut!
Once upon a time in a village, a man announced to villagers that he would buy local monkeys for $10 apiece. The villagers seeing there were many monkeys around, went out to the forest and started catching them. The man bought thousands at $10, but, as the supply started to diminish, the villagers slowed their efforts.
So the man then announced that he would buy at $20. This rejuvenated the efforts of the villagers and they were catching monkeys once more. But again the supply diminished, and again people began returning to their farms and their previous, less affluent lives. The offer rate increased to $25 and the supply of monkeys became so little that it was rare to even see a monkey, let alone catch it!
The man now announced that he would buy monkeys at $50! However, since he had to go to the city on some business, his assistant would now act as buyer, on his behalf. In the absence of the man, the assistant told the villagers: 'Look at all these monkeys in the big cage that the man has collected. I will sell them to you at $35 each. When he returns from the city, you can sell them back to him for $50.'
The villagers, seeing an opportunity to squeeze a bit more out of this monkey business dug up their savings and bought back all the monkeys.
They never saw the man or his assistant again; only monkeys ... everywhere!
Welcome to Wall Street!
Management 101
A man in a hot air balloon realized he was lost. He reduced altitude and spotted a woman below. He descended a bit more and shouted, "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."
The woman below replied, "You're in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 30 feet above the ground. You're between 40 and 41 degrees north latitude and between 59 and 60 degrees west longitude.""You must be an engineer," said the balloonist."I am," replied the woman, "How did you know?" "Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is, technically correct, but I've no idea what to make of your information, and the fact is I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help at all. If anything, you've delayed my trip." The woman below responded, "You must be in Senior Management." "I am," replied the balloonist, "but how did you know?" "Well," said the woman, "you don't know where you are or where you're going.
You have risen to where you are due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise, which you've no idea how to keep, and you expect people beneath you to solve your problems. The fact is you are in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but now, somehow, it's my fault."
Lesson Number One
A crow was sitting on a tree, doing nothing all day. A small rabbit saw the crow, and asked him, "Can I also sit like you and do nothing all day long?"The crow answered: "Sure, why not." So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the crow, and rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.Management Lesson:To sit and do nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.
Lesson Number Two
A turkey was chatting with a bull. "I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree," sighed the turkey, "but I haven't got the energy."Well, why don't you nibble on some of my droppings?" replied the bull."They're packed with nutrients." The turkey pecked at a lump of dung and found that it actually gave him enough strength to reach the first branch of the tree.
The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch. Finally after a fortnight, there he was proudly perched at the top of the tree. Soon he was spotted by a farmer, who promptly shot the turkey out of the tree.
Moral of the Story: Bullshit might get you to the top, but it won't keep you there.
Lesson Number Three
When the body was first made, all the parts wanted to be Boss. The brain said, "I should be Boss because I control the whole body's responses and functions." The feet said, "We should be Boss as we carry the brain about and get him to where he wants to go." The hands said, "We should be the Boss because we do all the work and earn all the money."
And so it went on and on with the heart, the lungs and the eyes until finally the asshole spoke up. All the parts laughed at the idea of the asshole being the Boss. So the asshole went on strike, blocked itself up and refused to work.
Within a short time the eyes became crossed, the hands clenched, the feet twitched, the heart and lungs began to panic and the brain fevered. Eventually they all decided that the asshole should be the Boss, so the motion was passed. All the other parts did all the work while the Boss just sat and passed out the shit!
Moral of the Story: You don't need brains to be a Boss – any asshole will do.
Lesson Number Four
A little bird was flying south for the winter. It was so cold, the bird froze and fell to the ground in a large field. While it was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on it.
As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, it began to realize how warm it was. The dung was actually thawing him out! He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy. A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate. Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and ate him!
Moral of the Story:
1) Not everyone who drops shit on you is your enemy.
2) Not everyone who gets you out of shit is your friend.
3) When you're in deep shit, keep your mouth shut!
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Useful Stuff
Deb’s Note..
A key value I want to bring in through this blog initiative on Leadership Lessons is to debunk the ‘C-Level and Exec Myth’ that most of today’s talented professionals at every level are often overwhelmed with. People who have made to the Exec and C Suites are ordinary human beings with extraordinary passion, energy, ability to energize; they are decisive and they are capable of delivering consistently predictable results. They are also mostly very open to sharing their knowledge and learning with the world!
My objective of introducing my blog readers to Umesh’s work is not to herd you on to a ‘Route to a CEO’ initiative. Rather it is an attempt to give everyone an opportunity to mentally demystify the C-level mindset, thought process, expectations and the results they seek. I am hoping that this understanding will help you in relating to these individuals both in social and business situations that often present themselves with confidence and poise. It will enable you to make these engagements productive and help you progressively enrich yourself from each of these meetings.
I am also confidently looking forward to seeing many of you making it to the C-suites and contributing to Umesh’s future offerings…
Umesh Ramakrishnan - About the Book
I’ll be honest with you. I’m not a big fan of business books. You may think that a statement like that is ironic coming from a person who has just authored one. However, you have to examine the reasons for my disenchantment for this genre – especially books on building leadership skills to get you to the top of an organization.
The primary reason is that most of these books are written by observers of business, not ones that lead organizations and carry the scars of failure on their road to success. Academics, journalists and consultants are bright but their opinion on leadership lack the credibility required to teach lessons to executives eager to make their mark in the corporate world. The publishing graveyard is littered with books on lessons of leadership being taught by people on the sidelines.
Now, there are credible books on leadership written by true leaders of successful organizations – Jack Welch, Lee Iacocca to name a couple. These books are insightful and have obviously been successful. However, my issue with this sub-genre is that the opinions stated in these books are primarily those of one person and therefore lack a holistic view of leadership skills.
Now, to answer the question in the title of this post – This book, although authored by me, brings you directly in touch with dozens of CEOs around the world. The lessons of leadership come to you directly from leaders of companies like Charles Schwab, Lenovo, JC Penney, PepsiCo, Infosys, Aetna, Cadbury-Schweppes, NCR, BT, Singapore Telecom to name a few. As stated by Penguin (the publisher) on the jacket of the book – “There have been many books by CEOs but never a book that pulled together so much great advice from so many top executives who found so many different ways to reach the top of the corporate world.”
As the economy falters, the corporate world will need great leaders to lift it out of this tailspin. More than ever, these lessons of leadership will guide you to the top. There is No Elevator to The Top but these corporate captains will provide a roadmap to get there quickly.
Who is Umesh Ramakrishnan?
Umesh draws on his impressive career as a premier corporate recruiter and vice chairman of CTPartners, one of the world’s leading retained executive search firms. Umesh provides consultation to the boards of directors and chief executives of global corporations. He has recruited members for boards of directors, CEOs, CFOS, COOs, and other senior management positions. Clients regularly engage him to conduct international assignments, leveraging his experience in North and South America, Europe, and Asia.
Before joining CTPartners, Umesh was COO of R&R International and President of R&R Global, an off-shore engineering and applications development firm. Based in Cleveland, Umesh has assumed leadership roles within the firm. A member of the executive committee of the firm and the board of directors of CTPartners, he is one of the leaders responsible for the firm’s global expansion strategy and implementation. Regularly quoted in major industry and national publications, a sought-after speaker, an author and a regular guest on CNBC’s Closing Bell and Power Lunch, Umesh graduated from Bangalore University in India and holds a master’s degree in industrial engineering from the University of Texas. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Children’s Museum of Cleveland.
Umesh Ramakrishnan’s Blog: www.noelevatortothetop.com/
Saturday, January 20, 2007
About Deb Dutta
Deb Dutta is a technology executive with 22 years in MNCs & local start-ups. His contribution in organization transformation, rapid sequential business growth & strategic leadership has generated multi-billion dollar cumulative revenue streams from 17 countries & 18 office locations.
An integral member of impactful executive teams, he has built successful business strategies, go-to-market models & high performance teams from 15 nationalities, directing growth initiatives, M&A and organization optimization delivering revenue, margin & share growth.
Deb since Jan 2004 is Vice President, Asia Pacific for a multi billion dollar networking technology MNC. Having joined the company in 2001, Deb was promoted twice before his current position. Deb and his team have grown the Asia operation of the organizations faster than the market, competition and the rest of the company.
Prior to his current role, Deb led Network Associate’s (McAfee) rapid growth in Asia. He contributes to business, people development & educational forums as a speaker and writer. An avid sports person and a natural competitor, Deb holds an MS in Economics from the Univ of Calcutta & MBA from the Univ of South Australia.
He lives in Singapore with his wife Mousumi & daughters Airashi & Aria.
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