Category: Inspiration

IPL Tops India’s Most Innovative Companies

Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies list has an India sub-list for 2010. Indian Premier League tops the India list & also makes it to the #22 spot on the global list.

ShubhadeepB_FastCompany_MostInnovativeCompaniesList2010

The 2010 list also features familiar names like RIL, Godrej, Bharti Airtel, Wipro, M&M & Infosys. The list also brings some lesser known entities into the limelight – VNL (#39 on the global list), Narayana Hrudayalaya & A Little World.

VNL (http://www.vnl.in/) – VNL makes telecom equipment that helps mobile operators reach rural markets profitably.

Narayana Hrudayala (http://www.narayanahospitals.com/) – The rich come here for the world’s best heart care. The poor come here for the world’s kindest care, for no one here is turned away for lack of funds.

A Little World (http://www.alittleworld.com/index.html) – ALW is the developer of ZERO, India’s first domestic payment system with specific focus on reaching out to masses with lowest available communication infrastructure. MCHEK came out of the same stable.

The Next Step

step 
(Photo courtesy Lachlan Hardy)

You have a goal & have put together a plan to achieve it. You even take a few concrete steps. But soon, you start feeling that not enough progress is being made. Maybe its a block. You know what needs to be done, but you just cant seem to get around to doing it. You start feeling frustrated, down & defeated – even if it is a temporary feeling.

What do you do?

Focus on a small next step & do it – however small it may be. By taking the next step, you will be closer to your goal than you were before taking the next step. Taking another step will also provide you the satisfaction of progress, which is critical to build momentum for your journey.

An couple of examples to illustrate this point :

  • Being physically fit is one of my goals. One day at work, the fact that I had missed my exercise routine for a few days started gnawing me. I got off my desk & climbed stairs for about 10 mins. Not only did I get over a temporary lull, but I also got back to my fitness routine the next day.
  • In the middle of the week, do you suddenly get a feeling that you haven’t been spending enough time with your child? Pick up the phone & spend a few minutes chatting with her. Send an I LOVE YOU text message.

Take the next step.

Top 5 Personal Branding Resources

(Courtesy: www.freedigitalphotos.net)

  1. The origin of personal branding – Managing Oneself by Peter Drucker (link).
  2. How to Brand Yourself is a practical starting point & guide with a good listing of online resources one will need.
  3. If you are into personal branding, you can’t miss Dan Schawbel’s work.
  4. The Personal Branding Blog provides useful information & resources on personal branding.
  5. In his blog, Seth Godin’s shares wisdom on ‘standing out’ – for businesses or individuals – amongst other things.

Amazon & Zappos on the same tree!

Jeff Bezos mentions in his video that he “gets all weak kneed” with customer obsessed company. Well, I am a sucker too for businesses & business cultures that make customer the focus of their existence. And its great to hear that two of these exemplary companies – Amazon & Zappos – are coming together (link to the news).

In announcing the coming together of these brands, Bezos mentions a short but complete list of his business principles.

  • Obsess Over Customers
  • Invent
  • Think Long Term
    Its always Day 1!

Tony Hsieh (CEO – Zappos.com)takes a typical Zappos fun way to announce the news to Zappos employees.

“Zappos‘ customer service obsession reinforces Amazon’s mission to be the earth’s most customer-centric company.”

Update: Check out the sequence of Tony’s tweets leading up to the announcement of the acquisition. Interesting.

  • Big day! Email I just sent to Zappos employees today about the Amazon acquisition – http://blogs.zappos.com/ceoletter 1:32 PM Jul 22nd from web
  • “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” -JFK 7:02 AM Jul 22nd from web
  • “Some see things as they are and ask why. Others dream things that never were and ask why not.” -George Bernard Shaw 6:08 PM Jul 21st from web