The first few days that i had to drive everyday in Delhi was harrowing. Imagine somebody who is used to driving on a particular 11km stretch and coming across only three to four vehicles. Yes folks that is how it was at Kohima in Nagaland for over two years. Then i was at Bhopal for nearly three years. My office was 12kms away and one had to cross just one red light!! Now thats what i used to call driving experiences.
Six weeks down the road and traffic-jams, there has been great learning. In fact the experience has greatly aided learning in my my new profile in marketing. The importance of some of the basics of marketing became amply clear to me.
The first P of marketing-Product. Which car you are driving determines whether you can stay on the road or will be forced to go off it. The trucks, DTC buses, Pajeros and the other SUVs have the right of way over the 800s and the Altos.
Lesson number 1- You need a "big and strong" product to survive in the market.
The second P- Positioning- Driving on the same route everyday, a perceptive driver knows when to drive in which lane. (Lane driving is not always Sane driving. In fact the Delhi Police realised this, and one does not see the message " Lane Driving is Sane Driving" painted on the traffic barriers anymore.) So how did this aid my learning? In case you have little patience and regard for others and want to move ahead, you have to position yourself suitably on the road, even if it means jumping lanes and ignoring the angry honks of those falling behind. The words of our marketing professor at XLRI came back to me," Folks, positioning of a product is extremely critical to its success".
Honking reminds me of Advertising- We do see some 'loud' ads. When Santro xing was launched we had SRK zig-zagging on the road in the commercial. Only saving grace was that he did not honk. Well, the number of Santros that one sees emulating him and going a step ahead is amazing.Well these Santros not only zig-zag they also do it with a HONK. With little thought (or lot of thought?) they will just edge their car into your front wheels, and once you slow down, will position themselves in front of you. Reminds me of product launches... If the product is weak, you can still push it by loud advertising. Does not matter if the product fails subsequently, you have made your money now!!
The auto rickshaws and two-wheelers landing in front of you seemingly out of nowhere, remind me of the tele-marketers. They have a penchant for calling up just when you are in the middle of an important meeting or a hard earned nap on your weekly off.
As the days pass, i am keeping my mind open and learning more basics of marketing driving on the roads of Delhi.
Keep watching this space for more gyan.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Yet Another Lesson for Life from Golf
This one is for the consideration of all when looking for a change in your professional life.
The game of golf can be divided into three parts. The long, short and putting.
For the uninitiated, long is the portion when you tee-off and typically would use a driver, a 3-wood or a No.3 or 4 iron. The shots that you play after teeing-off on your way to the green could be construed as the short game. And lastly is putting. When you have arrived on the green and are seeking the ultimate pleasure that is the quest of every golfer, hole after hole. The sight of the ball rolling into the cup!
One needs to focus on all three types of shots to be effective on the course.
For a sub-350 yard, Par 4 hole, you would probably need a driver shot followed by a short iron to reach the green. But if your tee shot has gone awry, you got to play your next shot with great care. And you need to play a long shot. If a 9-iron is in order for the second shot, you may need to play a 7 or even a 5 if required. But you can always bounce back into the game.
So it is with life. If you a get a good start you can probably keep ahead by just sticking to the basics. But in case you have been through the 'woods' or the 'rough' and have fallen behind by a stroke or two, you have got to take calculated risks. This may mean taking a hard look at whatever you were doing and the manner of doing. You will find the answers. And i would recommend that do not only think-out-of-the-box, pick up the gauntlet of going right out of the box. If you have been in HR get into Marketing!! Besides achieving success you will also learn a few important lessons.
But it is important to know yourself. Your strengths and weaknesses. What you can do and what you won't. I am not using the word "can't" because anything can be done. It is only subservient to what values would you stand for? So do this analysis and keep inventing yourself. Success shall be yours. Always and everytime.
Having said that, just as putting is very important for finishing the game well, so it is with any assignment in life. You not only have to start well, do well in the interim, you have to finish the assignment in style too.
Do this and you shall have the joy of seeing the dimpled ball rolling into the cup again and again and again.
The game of golf can be divided into three parts. The long, short and putting.
For the uninitiated, long is the portion when you tee-off and typically would use a driver, a 3-wood or a No.3 or 4 iron. The shots that you play after teeing-off on your way to the green could be construed as the short game. And lastly is putting. When you have arrived on the green and are seeking the ultimate pleasure that is the quest of every golfer, hole after hole. The sight of the ball rolling into the cup!
One needs to focus on all three types of shots to be effective on the course.
For a sub-350 yard, Par 4 hole, you would probably need a driver shot followed by a short iron to reach the green. But if your tee shot has gone awry, you got to play your next shot with great care. And you need to play a long shot. If a 9-iron is in order for the second shot, you may need to play a 7 or even a 5 if required. But you can always bounce back into the game.
So it is with life. If you a get a good start you can probably keep ahead by just sticking to the basics. But in case you have been through the 'woods' or the 'rough' and have fallen behind by a stroke or two, you have got to take calculated risks. This may mean taking a hard look at whatever you were doing and the manner of doing. You will find the answers. And i would recommend that do not only think-out-of-the-box, pick up the gauntlet of going right out of the box. If you have been in HR get into Marketing!! Besides achieving success you will also learn a few important lessons.
But it is important to know yourself. Your strengths and weaknesses. What you can do and what you won't. I am not using the word "can't" because anything can be done. It is only subservient to what values would you stand for? So do this analysis and keep inventing yourself. Success shall be yours. Always and everytime.
Having said that, just as putting is very important for finishing the game well, so it is with any assignment in life. You not only have to start well, do well in the interim, you have to finish the assignment in style too.
Do this and you shall have the joy of seeing the dimpled ball rolling into the cup again and again and again.
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