Archive for September, 2007
By Rajesh Setty on Tue 04 Sep 2007, 3:20 PM - 1 Comment
Viktor and I connected earlier this year and we might be working on a charity project soon. Viktor interviewed me on a variety of topics for his blog Inspiration Arrival. The first part has been published today on his blog. Here is the link:
Inerview with Raj Setty – Part 1 (topic: Communication)
Enjoy and have a great week ahead!
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PS: Thanks for all the emails related to my latest manifesto on ChangeThis. For those who have not downloaded it yet, here is the link:
ChangeThis – Making the Most of Your Time: Going Beyond To-Do Lists
I am working on an expanded version of the same manifesto. If you have any feedback, comments and questions, I would appreciate sending them to me via email (link on the header of the blog)
Posted under Announcement.
By Rajesh Setty on Mon 03 Sep 2007, 4:33 PM - 5 Comments
Don’t get me wrong. I read one or two books a week. I am happy about how much I read but I do get a complex when I read about how much my hero Tom Peters reads.
The topic of some business books are simple
“I will teach you how you can get what I got without you having to pay the price I paid in that journey…”
The story goes like this. A successful executive (today) shares his story of success. Just so that it does not feel like a fairy tale, the person tells about all the mistakes he made on the way to the top. He admits that he sacrificed his personal life (family, health etc.) in return for money, fame and other material things and now he feels guilty of those mistakes. He outlines his strategy with a series of tips and techniques of what YOU could do differently. He does not want you to pay the price that he paid. If you follow those tips and techniques you are guaranteed success without the side-effects that the person experienced.
I have the following points to make:
1. The above picture paints a guarantee of no guarantees. The analogy I can think of is this. You are driving and you see a fork. You take one road (Remember Yogi Berra – when you see a fork in the road, take it) and you went through an experience that led you to where you are today. You now write a book filled with tips and techniques that one should follow on the other road (at the fork) that you never traveled.
2. The book may really have good advice. But the author cannot provide proof points from personal experiences if the author didn’t go through that experience. However, if the advice is backed up by other ways it may make sense.
3. When you read a business book, you have to look for the proof points and the applicability to your current situation. Not every advice is applicable to everyone. Otherwise it will be physics book.
Posted under Main Page.
By Rajesh Setty on Sun 02 Sep 2007, 5:42 PM - 5 Comments
Disclaimer: Of course, ten is not a magic number and there are more reasons. You are welcome to add your own. Thanks.
Here are ten reasons to pursue an MBA (from a good school that is..)
1. Network – Your MBA network is for lifetime if you know how to leverage it.
2. Learning in a disciplined fashion – Without an MBA, you are learning from the school of hard knocks. There is a chance that you will pay a higher price for some lessons in the school of hard knocks
3. Awareness – Chances are you don’t know everything and chances are you will never know everything in this lifetime. However, there are some things that you need to know that you don’t know that you need to know. An MBA will increase your awareness on these things.
4. To get an advantage at the start: With an MBA, you enter the work world in the fast lane. Of course, you can’t stay on the fast lane just because you have an MBA. You need to produce highly valued accomplishments for your employer or customers or both.
5. Course correction: For some reason you picked the wrong subject for your graduate degree and you don’t want to have a career in that field. You want to change course mid-way. An MBA may provide a bridge from where you are to the field of your choice.
6. Status: MBA from a good university looks great on your resume.
7. Entry Ticket to many organizations: There are many organizations (especially in the management consulting world) whose doors are open almost exclusively for MBA grads from top universities. If joining them is one of your dreams, you may be better off doing an MBA.
8. Tune-up your purpose: You may have an idea of what you want to do in life. When you meet a set of highly-ambitious people and hear them share their vision and purpose of their lives, it may trigger you to “upgrade” your own vision and purpose of your life.
9. Safe Laboratory: It provides a safe and almost risk free laboratory for bouncing off your ideas, testing them and
10. Access to thought leaders: You have chance to meet thought leaders, corporate executives and visionaries who come and speak (mostly for free). If you connect with them and build on that relationship, you have an unfair competitive advantage.
You have to weigh the price you pay while pursuing an MBA (time, cost, energy and lost opportunities during that time) to get the above benefits and determine whether an MBA is for you. Now, for some reason, you can’t earn an MBA, you don’t have to panic. Please read my eBook on some thoughts about getting ahead without an MBA. Here is the link:
eBook: “When You Can’t Earn An MBA: Thoughts On Getting Ahead Without An MBA“(pdf, free)
Have a great holiday weekend.
PS: Scroll down to the bottom of this page to see links to my other eBooks on “Personal Branding” and “Lasting Relationships”.
Posted under Main Page.
By Rajesh Setty on Sun 02 Sep 2007, 6:16 AM - Leave Comment
If everything is made up, you can make up hell or you can make up heaven. Which one are you making up?
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“The mind is its own place,
and in itself can make heaven of hell,
or a hell of heaven”
- John Milton
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Posted under Great Quotes.
By Rajesh Setty on Sat 01 Sep 2007, 4:31 PM - Leave Comment
A friend sent a note recently with a single liner
Raj,
Here’s a secret. For healthy teeth, squeeze the tube from the bottom.
Best,
Mark (name changed)
It seemed like a puzzle. So I called him and asked him if this was some sort of a puzzle. He laughed and told me that he was inspired by Crest Toothpaste. Out of curiosity, I picked up a tube of Crest toothpaste and here is what I found:
If the image is not clear, here is what the tube said
Whitening plus Scope
Fights cavities
Fights tartar
Freshens breath
Whitens teeth by gently removing stains
FOR BEST RESULTS, SQUEEZE THE TUBE FROM THE BOTTOM AND FLATTEN AS YOU GO UP
Now, we all know what they were trying to mean but it still made me laugh.
Note: For other 30 posts in the same series, please visit my Squidoo Lens on the same topic. Here is the link:
Squidoo Lens: Smile Please
Posted under Smile Please.
By Rajesh Setty on Sat 01 Sep 2007, 3:43 PM - 1 Comment
Last week I was at Kansas City and I stayed at Hamptons Inn. The stay was great. The next day morning I had an early morning meeting and I checked out of the hotel. Right at the check out counter was a set of “breakfast bags to go”. Each bag had a muffin, cereal bar, an apple and a bottle of water.
I saw at least two other people before me picking up a bag for the road. I picked up one breakfast too. I was happy that I didn’t have to skip breakfast.
Sometimes, you really don’t have to work very hard to walk the extra mile. A small act of thoughtfulness will do.
Posted under Business Models.
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