Archive for September, 2006
By Rajesh Setty on Mon 25 Sep 2006, 11:04 AM - 1 Comment
Suddenly, I feel like I have been busy – too many blog posts on the same day.
CIOUpdate published my latest column titled “Giving and getting help – Part 1.” In this part, I cover the aspect of giving help. Although the article is targeted at technology professionals, the concepts have a broader applicability and will cut across all professions. Hope you will enjoy the article. Here is the link:
Link – CIOUpdate column: Giving and getting help – Part 1
Have a great week ahead!
Posted under Announcement, Main Page.
By Rajesh Setty on Mon 25 Sep 2006, 10:53 AM - 1 Comment
100
is the number of photos on my Flickr album. The last few photos are scanned images of the buzz in India related to my book “Beyond Code”
The 100th photo is the scanned image of my interview in Economic Times, Chennai edition.
Link – Raj Setty’s photos
100
is also the number of “Trusted Authorities” that we are tracking now in Suggestica, my new startup.
If you are looking for a good book for you or to give as a gift, please take a moment to check out Suggestica
Link – Suggestica – suggestions from trusted authorites!
Posted under Announcement, Main Page.
By Rajesh Setty on Mon 25 Sep 2006, 10:29 AM - 3 Comments
While it would be good to fantasize about this, it would be impossible to get all our decisions based on pure logic. We are human beings and many of our decisions are emotional.
In fact,
* Many of our decisions in the past have been emotional.
* Many of our decisions right now are emotional.
* Many of our decisions in the future are going to be emotional
I am not trying to judge whether this is right or wrong. My point is to raise the awareness of this so that when you know you are making an emotional decision you acknowledge that.
For example, for many people buying their first home is an emotional decision. However, since they are not aware of it, they spend endless number of hours trying to rationalize and come to the same conclusion (buy or not buy) as before. If their earlier conclusion was to “buy” then of course, all the research data they collect it will point to a “buy” recommendation. They very nicely avoid giving a lot of importance to the contrarian reports. The other way (“not buy”) works the same way too.
Our professional life is no different. It is common to make an emotional decision and look for rational justification so that yuo are prepared to explain it away. This is OK as long as you know that this is what you are doing. When you don’t acknowledge it, you might start trying to find logic when there is none.
Here are some basic issues when you try to rationalize an emotional decision:
1. It is hard work and the return on investment for this effort is not much.
2. It is emotionally draining and as you have to make up something (logic) from almost nothing
3. It works only with mediocre people as smart people on the other end can figure out that you are making up things.
4. This may be a stretch but I feel that engaging in these kinds of activities imposes an opportunity cost on us as for the simple reason that they take away our valuable time (that time could have been used for something more productive)
Note 1: Here is a Squidoo lens that links to most of the previous articles in this series:
Squidoo: Distinguish Yourself
Note 2: The first 25 entries in the series have been packaged in a ChangeThis manifesto that was published on September 07, 2005. You can download that manifesto here:
ChangeThis Manifesto: 25 Ways to Distinguish Yourself (PDF, Free)
Note 3: My latest manifesto on ChangeThis was published on August 6, 2008. This is a photographic manifesto featuring 15 of my mini sagas (stories in exactly 50 words). Here is the link:
ChangeThis Manifesto: Mini Sagas – Bite Sized Lessons for Life and Business (PDF, Free)
Posted under Distinguish yourself, Main Page.
By Rajesh Setty on Sun 24 Sep 2006, 9:10 AM - 1 Comment
“Every second in life is an Innovation, because it has never existed before..”
Life is unfolding at every moment and it is new at every moment. There is change at every instant. We have to change to this new world every minute. But wait – we are generally resistant to change 
I don’t agree with the fact that we are generally not comfortable with change. In fact, we are very comfortable with change. Otherwise, imagine the amount of changes that have happened to us from the time we were born to till date -
* we talked for the first time once
* we learned to crawl for the first time once
* we learned to walk for the first time once
* we learned to read for the first time once
* we learned to write for the first time once
* we learned to love for the first time once
I can go on but you get the point. Do you still think that we are never comfortable with change?
It is only certain kinds of change that we are not comfortable with and that feeling increases as we get older. Typically the change where you dont’ want to pay the price that you are required to pay.
Recently, I was having to negotiate with a few people and it was hard. I think they were unreasonable and lacked maturity. I was confiding this with my mentor about this incident looking for some insights on how to handle this. My mentor, of course, did not answer. He asked me a question instead – “Raj, do you have the maturity to handle people when they demonstrate no maturity?” That sealed it for me. It is so easy to want to “Fix Them” rather than “Fix Me.”
Think about it:
“Fixing Them” is low cost (for me)
“Fixing Me” is high cost (for me)
Wanting to “Fix Them” makes me irresponsible. The problem is with them.
Wanting to “Fix Me” will leave me with no excuses. I have to work hard to make changes.
Wanting to “Fix Them” means I can feel victimized and get a ticket to inaction.
Wanting to “Fix Me” means I have to take charge and DO something.
What do you think is easier to do – Wanting to “Fix Them.”
What is really easier to do – “Fixing yourself” because you are the only person that you have full control on.
Here is my point. Watch your “Fix Them” to “Fix Me” ratio. The number of times that thought of “Fixing Them” crosses your mind compared to the thought of “Fixing Yourself.” Do you think it is healthy and it will take you where you want to go? Or, do you want to make a change for the better?
Note 1: Here is a Squidoo lens that links to most of the previous articles in this series:
Squidoo: Distinguish Yourself
Note 2: The first 25 entries in the series have been packaged in a ChangeThis manifesto that was published on September 07, 2005. You can download that manifesto here:
ChangeThis Manifesto: 25 Ways to Distinguish Yourself (PDF, Free)
Note 3: My latest manifesto on ChangeThis was published on August 6, 2008. This is a photographic manifesto featuring 15 of my mini sagas (stories in exactly 50 words). Here is the link:
ChangeThis Manifesto: Mini Sagas – Bite Sized Lessons for Life and Business (PDF, Free)
Posted under Distinguish yourself, Main Page.
By Rajesh Setty on Sat 23 Sep 2006, 11:04 PM - 1 Comment
Liz Strauss over at Successful-Blog.com featured this blog as a SOB (Successful and Outstanding Blogger) in her week 47 list. I am honored. A big thanks to Liz and a big thank you to all of you readers out there.
Have a great weekend all of you!
Posted under Announcement, Main Page.
By Rajesh Setty on Sat 23 Sep 2006, 8:59 AM - 2 Comments
I have always been fascinated by good questions. Three of my mentors most of the time just do that – ask great questions and make me THINK. I think I am smart enough to find good answers (or get help) but I miss asking great questions to myself.
For the many things that I thank GOD everyday – one of them is the opportunity to meet with a lot of aspiring entrepreneurs. It is fascinating to watch those ideas at their budding stage and then bloom into full life. Coming back to the point, I collected ten questions from the field and suggested a better versions of the same for your consideration.
1. Typical question: What is the business idea we should execute on?
Better question: Who should I build the business with?
My $0.02: Your idea is important but more important is your team. Teams have to transcend ideas and hence the right team is the #1 requirement.
2. Typical question: How can I find a great VC to fund this?
Better question: How can a great VC find me to build “a” company?
My $.02: Like many things in life, you will get money when you least need it. When is a good time to get a line of credit? When everything is going well. When is a good time to raise money? Way before you need it. A few entrepreneurs (very few) have standing commitments from investors about investments in their new ventures. Aiming to become one such entrepreneur is more fun than hunting for capital going door-to-door.
3. Typical question: When should we be profitable?
Better question: When should we be cashflow positive?
My $.02: We have known of companies that are profitable but crash and burn. The key reason is that the leaders took their eye off the cashflow required. Without cash, the company has no oxygen to survive.
4. Typical question: How can we build cool stuff into this product?
Better question: How can we build useful stuff into this product?
My $.02: You should not build cool stuff just because it’s cool.
5. Typical question: What can we do to eliminate competition?
Better question: How can we execute better than our competition?
My $.02: Ideas are just that – ideas. Once an idea is out in open, all it matters is execution. If you can execute better than your competition, you win!
6. Typical question: When should I start building good relatinoships that will help this project?
Betterquestion: When should I start building good relationships?
My $.02: You can’t build good relationships because you can “use” them. You have to build good relationships. Period. In fact, a better way to build good relationships is to see how you can help them with their goals.
7. Typical question: How much ownership should I retain so that I am in full control?
Better question: How much should I share so that everyone in the team feels that they are an owner too?
My $.02: You can have a small piece of something big or a big piece of nothing. The choice is yours.
8. Typical question: How can I package this company to sell it?
Better question: How can I build an asset that is so attractive that buyers will come looking for it?
My $.02: Many times – someone wanting to “buy” you will fetch you a higher value than when you want to “sell” to someone.
9. Typical question: How can we convince our customers to pay higher price for our products?
Better question: How can we demonstrate to our customers that our products provide higher value?
My $.02: Simply put, customers will pay a higher price for your product if they find a higher value in it. No scheming required.
10. Typical question: How can I learn to eliminate the risk in this business?
Better question: How can I learn to be comfortable with the unknown?
My $.02: Entrepreneurism and risk go hand-in-hand. Rather than wishing away that “risk” will go away, try to see how you can learn to handle risk and be comfortable with it.
For my lens on “Questions” please visit
Squidoo Lens: The Power of Questions
Posted under Leadership, Main Page.
By Rajesh Setty on Wed 20 Sep 2006, 10:30 PM - 1 Comment
Being originally from India, I had to talk someday about Cricket. It is almost my duty 
Just kidding – I am using something from cricket to make a point.
This was a comment made about a player in the recently concluded match in Kuala Lumpur
“If he scores runs, it is attractive, a sight to
behold. I want my players to learn from a guy like that, he’s an exceptional talent.”
“Seeing him bat, there’s not much you can do sometimes. He is such a
perfect batsman that on occasions, you see guys struggle and he does
not. I’m happy that he has come back and is scoring runs because such a
great player needs to come to the fore.”
What was interesting was that this comment was made by Brian Lara (Captain of the West Indies team) on Sachin Tendulkar (star player from India)
When was the last time you showed this kind of respect to someone from your competition?
Hats off to Lara! There is a lesson for the rest of us there.
PS – some related reading:
Ways to distinguish yourself – #77 Treat your competition with respect
Posted under Leadership, Main Page.
By Rajesh Setty on Wed 20 Sep 2006, 6:00 AM - 5 Comments
Lost
Bob was totally lost. He was frustrated. His problem was simple. He couldn’t figure out where exactly he was. Naturally, he was clueless on the direction or the distance to his destination. After struggling a bit, Bob realized what the real problem was – he was carrying the wrong map!
–
Note:
1. A mini saga is a story told in exactly 50 words. Not 49 or 51 but exactly 50.
2. You can download a photographic manifesto of Mini Sagas at ChangeThis. Here is the link – Mini Sagas: Bite-sized Wisdom for Life and Business (PDF, 2.9MB).
3. For a complete list of Mini Sagas, please visit the Squidoo lens “Mini Sagas“
Posted under Main Page, Mini Saga.
By Rajesh Setty on Tue 19 Sep 2006, 11:37 PM - 3 Comments
We all want a good deal. Don’t we?
What if we get a deal that is too good to be true? That happens very often actually.
Example: When you read a VERY good book. Think about the price you paid for that book. Isn’t it a steal?
One of the great lessons that I learnt from one of my earlier mentors was learning to pay the right price. Valuing stuff the way they should be. It has served me well in my life.
Those who know me closely know that I buy a lot of books – a few hundred every year. Most of the time I buy multiple copies of the same book. My criteria is simple. If I get a lot of value from a book, I want to give back in some way. The easiest way is to buy multiple copies of the book and give them away. While I may not make the author rich individually, I can at least act as a catalyst to spread his or her ideas.
While it is never a good idea to pay more, paying less is not good either
Posted under Compelling Offers, Main Page.
By Rajesh Setty on Tue 19 Sep 2006, 10:41 AM - 4 Comments
This is the #1 question that I get asked when there is a discussion about my blog. I am sure there are other bloggers who are reasonably successful who get asked the same question.
I have written about blog traffic before and others have too. There are strategies and then there are tactics. In this short piece, I actually want to focus on a question that should precede the above question and that question is:
Why should I get more traffic on my blog?
What compelling REASONS are there for people to take a chunk out of their time and spend it on your blog? What is the ROII? What is the opportunity cost for your readers?
Blog traffic strategies and tactics are plenty and are available in the books and the Net. However, the answer to the question “Why should I get more traffic on my blog?” can be provided only by you.
Posted under Compelling Offers, Main Page.
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