Contrarian Decisions and their results

 #1

When Topgain was started, Sanjiv Menezes and I decided that we will not do what traditional strategic advisory does. There is a huge trust deficit in Advisory and we will try to plug that. We will treat our client organisations as our own and do whatever it takes, with ownership. There won't be a sales team and a delivery team. The person who meets you across the table and says, "Let's do this" , will be the one who works on doing it.

Why was this a contrarian decision?
This is not how Advisory works. There always is a sales team and delivery team. This model strongly limits our ability to scale because every single Advisor working with us will need to reorient their mental model too.

What was the outcome?
Three years and counting, our client relationships are strong, long-lasting, and above all else, when we sit down at the end of the day, we feel a sense of professional satisfaction.

On respecting our employment

 If you have noticed, before opening the store, a shopkeeper bends down and touches the floor of the shop. A performer touches the last step of the stage before getting on the stage. An auto driver starts the day by doing a small agarbatti or pooja in the auto.

Ever wondered why that is?
The shopkeeper, performer, and auto driver get their livelihood (rozi-roti) from the shop, stage, and auto respectively. Every morning, before they start work, they are thanking the means of their livelihood for providing for their families, and praying to it to bless them with a good performance.

There are some things that don't take a lot of time and effort, but cause a massive shift in our consciousness. The practice of thanking our livelihood before starting our work day is, I think, one such.

#lessonslearnt #BusinessPracticesFromIndia

Creating a startup orgn

 Creating a startup organisation is like building a house - the costs are going to escalate and it is going to take longer than you thought. #startup #lessonslearnt #mondaymorning

On Requirement Gathering

 If you are a system design consultant, this piece is for you.

There is a children's poem that explains how the battle was lost for want of a horse shoe nail.

Take a printout of the poem and tape it just above your screen.
Remember that poem when you are doing requirement gathering. It is ALWAYS the small things.
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When do you do the transaction - how long after you have done it in the real world? Why do you think that is the optimal time?

What do you look for when deciding your sales pitch? What are the elements you need at once place, together?

When do you think its ok to share your password with a colleague? For which apps will you never do it?

What will you do if your orgn KRA requires you to fill daily updates, but you are in a field area with no signal?
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After 15 years, I have found that the level, industry, or technology does not matter. When a project is delayed or faces user resistance, very often, it is because we did not ask the human questions.

We did not understand the fine print of their lives.

Is Gig economy the future?

 I have been thinking about the work preferences of our talent.

Most people now agree that a second gig while being in a full time employment should be perfectly fine. It is their talent and their time. Covid has also taught us that employees don't need to be in office to be productive.

So, should we move to a model where people get paid for outcome, and there is no restriction on being employed at multiple workplaces at the same time?

What will this do to the non-competes and Non disclosures that most organisations need? We will meet the individual's need to have multiple sources of income, and the organisation's need to get work done at less money.

But is it the right model ? What are your thoughts?

As a leader / people professional, how do you think industry should respond to this need in the talent pool?

Blog Special: You will be surprised to know that it was very rare for professionals to take up full time employment in traditional India. Even now, our cleaning ladies are their own bosses. It was the same in ancient India. The only permanent position we know is Munim ji. Other than that, everything was done with independence between the professional and the employer. Letter writers, teachers, sweepers..from the knowledge workers to the sanitation workers.. everyone! 

Today's lesson from the Panchatantra

The friendship of the dishonest is like the shadow in the first half of the day - It appears to be long and deep at the start, but slowly fades until it is no more.
Friendship among the honest is like the shadow in the latter half of the day - it starts small and slowly grows until it is taller than them both.

It is the same with business partnerships. 

About The Social Dilemma

 2 of the world's largest companies have a business model based on - advertisement.

We are very loud when it comes to vocalising our concern for privacy, but will we pay for the benefits we get from the tech behemoths?

As The Social Dilemma outlines very accurately - this business model needs to change. But it cannot change without enough willing customers.

How do you think this business model can change, to retain the good, and lose the evil?