It is exciting to see that the companies and their executives are jumping into the social media wave. To be able to use this tool completely, one needs to know how they can measure the benefits that they receive from them. After all it is your business and you need to know the amount of benefit that you get when you spend your time and money on them.
Calculating ROI on social media is not the same as calculating ROI from print media or broadcast media. It is not just a simple calculation of how many new sales you made or new enquiries you generated by posting an advertisement in a magazine or broadcasting an ad during a T.V. show. The steps that are to be taken are somewhat different.
The first step to measuring ROI from social media is to define concrete goals as they will help you in your calculating what you wanted to accomplish and what you have accomplished. For example, if you wish to increase the number of views of your website, you need to know the number of views you currently get on a daily/ monthly/ annual basis. Similarly, if you wish to increase the number of mentions your organization gets in social media, you need to know where you stand now.
You also need to know the demographics that a specific tool is catering to. After all you need to know where your target audience is. The maximum number of Facebook users fall in the age group 35-41 years. If you are selling a product that is for the teen agers, Facebook is not the right tool to be used.
You would be required to register with one or more of the web-traffic measuring tools like Google Analytics, TweetMeme Analytics, PostRank Analytics, WebStats BASIC, WebStats PRO, eWebAnalytics and MetaTraffic.
You also need to keep a track of time spent by you or your employee on any of the social media tool for promoting your product; the number of man hours consumed to get a stated return.
After a phase of, say, 90 days or so, you need to pull out the numbers from the traffic measuring tools. A simple correlation method will help you in calculating the increase is sales due to increase in traffic to your website through advertising on social media tool.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Initial Steps to Managing Your Own PR with Traditional Media
Moving ahead of why small businesses should do their own PR. In this article, we are restricting to broadcast media i.e. radio and T.V., print media and touching online a bit with blogs etc. Social media is an exhaustive tool and hence we will talk about them separately.
The first step to managing PR with print media starts with preparing a list of press contacts. A PR agency would of course have a exhaustive and ready to use list which otherwise is a tedious task. That is why they claim to have an edge over others in doing your PR with traditional media. However, with the websites like Gibbie press, you can get a press list which can be filtered to cater to your need. Another method of preparing your press list is to contact key press reporters and reviewers at a trade show. Else you can try contacting few of them individually. This list would also include broadcast media.
The second step is handling inquires from press reporters. Press reporters keep looking for information and comments from experts. They keep posting requests for the same purpose. Try looking for services like http://www.helpareporter.com/ which have long list of media inquiries. You can selectively answer them. It is important that your answers should not sound like spamming.
You would also require to master in writing the press release. It should not sound like an ad or a promotional campaign. It should be to the point news with claims that are supported by facts. It should not have exclamatory sentence. In the modern times, stress is given on the structure, form, outlet and means of how the news is delivered. Try getting some help online in writing your press release as every good press release will build lasting relationships with media. Remember not to boast and be to the point and truthful.
The process of building PR starts with firing some press releases from time to time. It does not happen in one day that you make a big story. It includes releasing the news and them follow-up on the mails and calls that you receive and then analyze how it has impacted. Free tools like Google alerts can help you in this. Prepare for the second release accordingly.
Once you have successfully done the press release, respond to emails and phone calls with a sense of urgency as press-reporters work under stringent deadlines. Hence you should have an understanding of deadlines and lead time and other essentials of the trade. Remember not to overdo the mails or calls as it might annoy your contacts.
The first step to managing PR with print media starts with preparing a list of press contacts. A PR agency would of course have a exhaustive and ready to use list which otherwise is a tedious task. That is why they claim to have an edge over others in doing your PR with traditional media. However, with the websites like Gibbie press, you can get a press list which can be filtered to cater to your need. Another method of preparing your press list is to contact key press reporters and reviewers at a trade show. Else you can try contacting few of them individually. This list would also include broadcast media.
The second step is handling inquires from press reporters. Press reporters keep looking for information and comments from experts. They keep posting requests for the same purpose. Try looking for services like http://www.helpareporter.com/ which have long list of media inquiries. You can selectively answer them. It is important that your answers should not sound like spamming.
You would also require to master in writing the press release. It should not sound like an ad or a promotional campaign. It should be to the point news with claims that are supported by facts. It should not have exclamatory sentence. In the modern times, stress is given on the structure, form, outlet and means of how the news is delivered. Try getting some help online in writing your press release as every good press release will build lasting relationships with media. Remember not to boast and be to the point and truthful.
The process of building PR starts with firing some press releases from time to time. It does not happen in one day that you make a big story. It includes releasing the news and them follow-up on the mails and calls that you receive and then analyze how it has impacted. Free tools like Google alerts can help you in this. Prepare for the second release accordingly.
Once you have successfully done the press release, respond to emails and phone calls with a sense of urgency as press-reporters work under stringent deadlines. Hence you should have an understanding of deadlines and lead time and other essentials of the trade. Remember not to overdo the mails or calls as it might annoy your contacts.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Small Entrepreneurs Can Do Their PR Better than the PR Firms
Whether you believe it or not, you are a better PR person for your small business than any PR firms. Agreed, that you would have to shoulder yet another responsibility that you could have handed over to the safe hands of PR. However, you need to remember that you are one among those hundreds of business owners of various different sizes and selling your kind of product. Saving on money that you plan to pay to PR firms can be crucial for you. There are other reasons as well that justify you being your own business PR.
You know your product far better than the PR Company and hence can represent your product authoritatively and zealously in any media exposure, be it newspapers, magazines, T.V. or internet. The span of time required letting the PR firm know what you do and how you do is too high to invest in.
T.V. and newspaper reporters, bloggers and the likes would love to listen from you about your product far more than listening to a PR firm. Everybody wishes to hear the story from the story-maker.
Even the basic PR project, if outsourced, costs a lot. The higher is your requirement, higher is the fortune that you have to shred.
The ROI in PR projects are more often not immediate. Hence there always stays a gap between the time when you have made an investment (paid the PR firm) and the time when you realize the returns.
When you are promoting your product on your own, you are investing time (which of course means money), however, you are more flexible in investing it at your will. You will most probably invest your time in it when it can yield maximum return.
Any entrepreneur would like to build lasting relationships with key media personnel. The relationship built through agencies goes away with the agency. On the contrary, if you are responsible for a relationship built with an editor, blogger or a writer, you will be able to carry it on till you wish to.
There is a plethora of applications that hardly cost anything yet help you in all PR aspects right from press releases, maintaining and management of contact lists, process management, follow ups and analysis of results. Even if you are a novice, it would not be that difficult.
You know your product far better than the PR Company and hence can represent your product authoritatively and zealously in any media exposure, be it newspapers, magazines, T.V. or internet. The span of time required letting the PR firm know what you do and how you do is too high to invest in.
T.V. and newspaper reporters, bloggers and the likes would love to listen from you about your product far more than listening to a PR firm. Everybody wishes to hear the story from the story-maker.
Even the basic PR project, if outsourced, costs a lot. The higher is your requirement, higher is the fortune that you have to shred.
The ROI in PR projects are more often not immediate. Hence there always stays a gap between the time when you have made an investment (paid the PR firm) and the time when you realize the returns.
When you are promoting your product on your own, you are investing time (which of course means money), however, you are more flexible in investing it at your will. You will most probably invest your time in it when it can yield maximum return.
Any entrepreneur would like to build lasting relationships with key media personnel. The relationship built through agencies goes away with the agency. On the contrary, if you are responsible for a relationship built with an editor, blogger or a writer, you will be able to carry it on till you wish to.
There is a plethora of applications that hardly cost anything yet help you in all PR aspects right from press releases, maintaining and management of contact lists, process management, follow ups and analysis of results. Even if you are a novice, it would not be that difficult.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Requirements of Online Marketing
In the era of fast paced information technology, business success is not dependent only on innovating and developing new products or service; it depends a lot on innovative ways to market them. Online marketing is indeed different from traditional marketing. In traditional marketing the marketer had to search for prospective customers. On the contrary, in case of online marketing, customers search for the product or services based on their needs or wants. This changed methodology of marketing has changed the basic requirements as well. To master the new ways of marketing, it is important for the entrepreneurs and managers to understand these requirements which are discussed below:
• Niche- Unless you are selling hundreds of products, it is important to promote your products in a manner that it creates a niche market for itself. You can promote yourself as a garment retailer who sells embroidered tops or a furniture store that sells kids furniture. Remember that you need to focus on the benefits and not on the features of your product/ service.
• First Impression- What your customer sees in the first glance has to be a great impression. You also need to make sure that this first impression lasts long enough to help your customer take a purchase decision.
• Speed- If you wish to achieve the economies of scale twice as fast as you will through your existing pace, you need to market your product four times as fast as you are marketing it now. The faster you market your product, the broader is the coverage of your marketing, the easier it will be for your customer to reach you.
• Continuous innovation- It is a requirement for both, the product as well as the marketing strategy. As you increase the speed of marketing, do not forget to add innovations in your marketing strategy at every subsequent step; the sooner the better. It is not possible to have speedy innovation in product or service all the time. Before your customers get bored of seeing the same ad again and again, change what he sees. Additionally, any innovation or change in product or service should be highlighted clearly. The customer does not have time to read small fonts.
• Activeness- Online marketing requires you to be always available to know and answer what your customers want, when they want and where they want. You need to listen (or read) what they say and wherever they say. This requires you to be always on your toes. You just cannot afford to post an ad on YouTube today and read customers’ queries two days later. If you or your employee can be available to chat or respond to the mail as soon as possible, you increase the chance of your sales at least two times. It is also important to handle negative feedback professionally giving it the required attention and due.
• Economies of scope- Economies of scope is the term used when cost of producing (or marketing) two or more products together is less than producing (or marketing) them separately. Getting customer attention online can be easier through cross promoting products. It increases the coverage of your advertisements. All you need to look for are the suitable websites where you can post your ads or links to your website and vice versa.
• Flexibility- Online marketing sphere is ever-changing. You need to be flexible enough in your marketing strategy to cater to this ever-changing marketplace.
• Niche- Unless you are selling hundreds of products, it is important to promote your products in a manner that it creates a niche market for itself. You can promote yourself as a garment retailer who sells embroidered tops or a furniture store that sells kids furniture. Remember that you need to focus on the benefits and not on the features of your product/ service.
• First Impression- What your customer sees in the first glance has to be a great impression. You also need to make sure that this first impression lasts long enough to help your customer take a purchase decision.
• Speed- If you wish to achieve the economies of scale twice as fast as you will through your existing pace, you need to market your product four times as fast as you are marketing it now. The faster you market your product, the broader is the coverage of your marketing, the easier it will be for your customer to reach you.
• Continuous innovation- It is a requirement for both, the product as well as the marketing strategy. As you increase the speed of marketing, do not forget to add innovations in your marketing strategy at every subsequent step; the sooner the better. It is not possible to have speedy innovation in product or service all the time. Before your customers get bored of seeing the same ad again and again, change what he sees. Additionally, any innovation or change in product or service should be highlighted clearly. The customer does not have time to read small fonts.
• Activeness- Online marketing requires you to be always available to know and answer what your customers want, when they want and where they want. You need to listen (or read) what they say and wherever they say. This requires you to be always on your toes. You just cannot afford to post an ad on YouTube today and read customers’ queries two days later. If you or your employee can be available to chat or respond to the mail as soon as possible, you increase the chance of your sales at least two times. It is also important to handle negative feedback professionally giving it the required attention and due.
• Economies of scope- Economies of scope is the term used when cost of producing (or marketing) two or more products together is less than producing (or marketing) them separately. Getting customer attention online can be easier through cross promoting products. It increases the coverage of your advertisements. All you need to look for are the suitable websites where you can post your ads or links to your website and vice versa.
• Flexibility- Online marketing sphere is ever-changing. You need to be flexible enough in your marketing strategy to cater to this ever-changing marketplace.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Integrating Twitter with Your Website
Twitter is a good method to provide a human face to your company by sharing thoughts, ideas and emotions. Joining Twitter is like joining a cocktail party- a good mix of fun with action. It is a way to show that you are current. Integrating your website with Twitter means that you and your company are transparent and legitimate. It is a maintenance free method to show an active image. The biggest and the obvious benefit is that it increases your target audience and also creates a good network of fans, followers and prospective clients.
Once you have decided to integrate Twitter with your website, you need to know the possible options for integration.
The most commonly used method is to put any of the forty Twitter buttons on your blog or website which might say “Follow me on Twitter” or “What am I doing?”
Another easy method is to add Twitter widget to the sidebar of your website or official blog. Your latest tweets will get displayed on the side bar.
Twitter tools is capable of creating a blog post from each of your tweets. It can also create a daily digest of tweet-posts and helps you post a tweet from your side bar. Whenever you post a blog, it creates a tweet which contains the link to your blog.
If you wish to keep a track of most popular Twitter links as frequently as every 5 minutes, Tweetmeme is the right tool for you.
If you wish to convert all those who like your website or blog-post into your fans and followers, TwitThis is the right promotional application for you. It is small button that appears on your website. Your fans and followers can click it to share with others what they are reading. Similar is the Wordpress plugin ‘Tweet This’. It easily allows you to configure the look and feel service and URL shortening service.
TweetSuite is the API which finds Tweets related to the current page of a blog post. It has features like posting of comments and retweets.
Chirrup does the same function as TweetSuite. The only difference is that Chirrup uses Javascript snippet for displaying the references from Twitter.
Twitterfeed is the tool which is used to insert tweets from any RSS feed into your Twitter stream. It also allows customization of the format of tweets.
IntenseDebate is an easy to install tool meant for threaded discussions and being able to notify Twitter when you have posted a comment. Aweber is known for its email marketing feature. It is popularly known as newsletter marketer.
The latest feature that has been added is Twitter @anywhere. It is actually a set of frameworks which facilitates in beginning an open discussion from any website. For starting the discussion, the website owner needs to drop a few lines of javascripts and the visitors can start the discussion. It has the ability to bring all Twitter functionalities on your website platform.
Once you have decided to integrate Twitter with your website, you need to know the possible options for integration.
The most commonly used method is to put any of the forty Twitter buttons on your blog or website which might say “Follow me on Twitter” or “What am I doing?”
Another easy method is to add Twitter widget to the sidebar of your website or official blog. Your latest tweets will get displayed on the side bar.
Twitter tools is capable of creating a blog post from each of your tweets. It can also create a daily digest of tweet-posts and helps you post a tweet from your side bar. Whenever you post a blog, it creates a tweet which contains the link to your blog.
If you wish to keep a track of most popular Twitter links as frequently as every 5 minutes, Tweetmeme is the right tool for you.
If you wish to convert all those who like your website or blog-post into your fans and followers, TwitThis is the right promotional application for you. It is small button that appears on your website. Your fans and followers can click it to share with others what they are reading. Similar is the Wordpress plugin ‘Tweet This’. It easily allows you to configure the look and feel service and URL shortening service.
TweetSuite is the API which finds Tweets related to the current page of a blog post. It has features like posting of comments and retweets.
Chirrup does the same function as TweetSuite. The only difference is that Chirrup uses Javascript snippet for displaying the references from Twitter.
Twitterfeed is the tool which is used to insert tweets from any RSS feed into your Twitter stream. It also allows customization of the format of tweets.
IntenseDebate is an easy to install tool meant for threaded discussions and being able to notify Twitter when you have posted a comment. Aweber is known for its email marketing feature. It is popularly known as newsletter marketer.
The latest feature that has been added is Twitter @anywhere. It is actually a set of frameworks which facilitates in beginning an open discussion from any website. For starting the discussion, the website owner needs to drop a few lines of javascripts and the visitors can start the discussion. It has the ability to bring all Twitter functionalities on your website platform.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Attributes of Social Media Tools for Integrating Them to Your Website
Are you still struggling to understand attributes social media tools that can help you increase the customer interaction while integrating your website and the social media tools? Better late than never. Let’s go through various attributes of social media tools and know which all tools have them.
1. Sharing Feature- Through sharing feature you can share the content of your companies websites to your social network. You are free to use the Share this or Add this feature as many social networks like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube offer this. This feature helps in driving traffic to your website.
2. Embeds and Widgets- This lets you embed the feature of the tool on your website. This brings to real social interaction to static corporate websites. It is useful for real time customer interaction. However, you have limited control over what is being said. Also, the look and feel of the embed should match the look of your website else it will appear like a patch. YouTube Widget, Facebook Fan Box, Twitter Widgets and LinkedIn Third Party are the examples.
3. Authentication without registration- With this attribute, one can login to your website using login ids of social networking tools. With Twitter Connect, you can do this with two clicks. Users usually dislike filling registration forms again and again. Hence this attribute ensures increased traffic. However, it is difficult to collect the email ids of the visitors and hence data collection is not easy. Also social media tool gain more control through this. Facebook Connect, LinkedIn OAuth and Twitter’s OAuth are the examples.
4. Cross publishing from websites to social media tools- Using this feature, a user can inform some or all friends on social network about what they published on the blog or the website. The user can choose the friends with whom the content information can be shared. This leads to rapid sharing of content and can even lead to related features like activities and actions. However, this leads to disparity in the collected data and hence difficult for brands to control. Also the users should not be spamming all their friends about all the published content. This feature is supported by Facebook, LinkedIn (via REST APIs) and Twitter (with third party tools).
5. Real Time Updates- The corporate website gets updated in real time with the content on social media tools. This can also be done vice versa. However, all the content may not be relevant to be displayed on the website. Also excess of updates will make the webpage look crowded. Hence this feature should be used for key events and important customer interaction and not all of them. This is available with Twitter and LinkedIn (with REST API’s)
6. Social Personalization- This attributes means providing selective content to a user based on his profile information and behaviour in the past. Thus based on his profile on social network, the user gets a customized experience instead of generic experience. However, this leads to a series of customized content types which is costly and difficult to maintain. Also what is mentioned in a customer’s Twitter or Facebook profile might not be relevant for your business. Twitter provides access to all the profiles and selective behavioural data. Facebook and LinkedIn also offer this feature.
7. Social Context- Through this attribute, you get real time information about a customer based on the behaviour of his friends. This leads to increased relevancy of content and product suggested to a user’s friends and increased rate of action. This is a complex system which might be misleading at times as users might say something they do not like. You need to believe that your company is a media company to make this successful. This is again supported by all the three- Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter (through articles they tweeted about).
8. Application Platform- Last but not the least is if the particular media tool support creation of third party applications using their network API’s and data. Companies can use this attribute to create applications with unique features which may lead to increased customer interaction. However, one needs to have expert web developers who understand your business. Getting such application created is also a costly affair. You need to hire resources in your team who have the required skill-sets and ascertain long term budget for it. LinkedIn’s OpenSocial is a typical example of this attribute. Facebook and Twitter also have this.
You must have noticed that we are talking about both merits and demerits of each of the features. One must understand that requirement of each industry is different. There should be analysis of strengths and weaknesses while designing a strategy.
1. Sharing Feature- Through sharing feature you can share the content of your companies websites to your social network. You are free to use the Share this or Add this feature as many social networks like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube offer this. This feature helps in driving traffic to your website.
2. Embeds and Widgets- This lets you embed the feature of the tool on your website. This brings to real social interaction to static corporate websites. It is useful for real time customer interaction. However, you have limited control over what is being said. Also, the look and feel of the embed should match the look of your website else it will appear like a patch. YouTube Widget, Facebook Fan Box, Twitter Widgets and LinkedIn Third Party are the examples.
3. Authentication without registration- With this attribute, one can login to your website using login ids of social networking tools. With Twitter Connect, you can do this with two clicks. Users usually dislike filling registration forms again and again. Hence this attribute ensures increased traffic. However, it is difficult to collect the email ids of the visitors and hence data collection is not easy. Also social media tool gain more control through this. Facebook Connect, LinkedIn OAuth and Twitter’s OAuth are the examples.
4. Cross publishing from websites to social media tools- Using this feature, a user can inform some or all friends on social network about what they published on the blog or the website. The user can choose the friends with whom the content information can be shared. This leads to rapid sharing of content and can even lead to related features like activities and actions. However, this leads to disparity in the collected data and hence difficult for brands to control. Also the users should not be spamming all their friends about all the published content. This feature is supported by Facebook, LinkedIn (via REST APIs) and Twitter (with third party tools).
5. Real Time Updates- The corporate website gets updated in real time with the content on social media tools. This can also be done vice versa. However, all the content may not be relevant to be displayed on the website. Also excess of updates will make the webpage look crowded. Hence this feature should be used for key events and important customer interaction and not all of them. This is available with Twitter and LinkedIn (with REST API’s)
6. Social Personalization- This attributes means providing selective content to a user based on his profile information and behaviour in the past. Thus based on his profile on social network, the user gets a customized experience instead of generic experience. However, this leads to a series of customized content types which is costly and difficult to maintain. Also what is mentioned in a customer’s Twitter or Facebook profile might not be relevant for your business. Twitter provides access to all the profiles and selective behavioural data. Facebook and LinkedIn also offer this feature.
7. Social Context- Through this attribute, you get real time information about a customer based on the behaviour of his friends. This leads to increased relevancy of content and product suggested to a user’s friends and increased rate of action. This is a complex system which might be misleading at times as users might say something they do not like. You need to believe that your company is a media company to make this successful. This is again supported by all the three- Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter (through articles they tweeted about).
8. Application Platform- Last but not the least is if the particular media tool support creation of third party applications using their network API’s and data. Companies can use this attribute to create applications with unique features which may lead to increased customer interaction. However, one needs to have expert web developers who understand your business. Getting such application created is also a costly affair. You need to hire resources in your team who have the required skill-sets and ascertain long term budget for it. LinkedIn’s OpenSocial is a typical example of this attribute. Facebook and Twitter also have this.
You must have noticed that we are talking about both merits and demerits of each of the features. One must understand that requirement of each industry is different. There should be analysis of strengths and weaknesses while designing a strategy.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Leadership of Tomorrow – Envisioning Organizational Future
Guest Writer: Vandana Madhusudan
Based on the learning’s of telecom boon of India, this article mentions the futuristic leadership Competencies, companies will focus on!
There was a time when in telecom industry the key strength of an operator was the number of towers which they acquired. Then when most of the mammoth companies equated the number of towers by getting into tower sharing mode, the market strength for organizations became the competitive pricing. With tariffs reaching rock bottom owing the ultra competitive market, the differentiator for a customer became the customer services which an operator offered. Now when most of the companies are ensuring a base minimum systems and processes guaranteeing customer service, what is the edge these telecom operators have today to beat one another?
Technology, strategies, service – all the key factors can be copied, but what one can’t snatch from a winning organization is the deep inherent people-leading strength. The best organizations are those who put executive at the tasks of picking up good men and getting them do what organization wants them to do without interfering.
In times to come ‘developmental leadership paradigm’ is the only key where in knowledge workers can be groomed in. The organization of this millennium will seek leaders who are just not project drivers but visionaries who can show people path for their own grown. HR function is seeking people who understand what career planning for an individual is, what succession planning for an organization is, and how Leaders can converge both to make people envision their personal growth in organizational well being.
Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower. Innovation has no limits. The only limit is your imagination. It’s time for you to begin thinking out of the box. If you are involved in a growing industry, think of ways to become more efficient; more customer friendly; and easier to do business with.
Organizations of tomorrow would seek leaders who are ready to be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected. There is no shortcut to excellence. You will have to make the commitment to make excellence your priority. Use your talents, abilities, and skills in the best way possible and get ahead of others by giving that little extra. Live by a higher standard and pay attention to the details that really do make the difference. Excellence is not difficult – simply decide right now to give it your best shot – and you will be amazed with what life gives you back.
Organizations have understood that the leaders who will make organizations click are the ones who are in deep love for their vocation. “Do what you love.” Seek out an occupation that gives you a sense of meaning, direction and satisfaction in life. Having a sense of purpose and striving towards goals gives life meaning, direction and satisfaction. It not only contributes to health and longevity, but also makes you feel better in difficult times.
Leaders of tomorrow Live in a way that is ethically responsible. Try to make a difference in this world and contribute to the higher good. You’ll find it gives more meaning to your life and it’s a great antidote to boredom. There is always so much to be done. And talk to others about what you are doing. Don’t preach or be self-righteous, or fanatical about it, that just puts people off, but at the same time, don’t be shy about setting an example, and use opportunities that arise to let others know what you are doing.
Finally commenting about new era leadership, Steve Jobs once said: “There’s a phrase in Buddhism, ‘Beginner’s mind.’ It’s wonderful to have a beginner’s mind.”
It is the kind of mind that can see things as they are, which step by step and in a flash can realize the original nature of everything. Beginner’s mind is Zen practice in action. It is the mind that is innocent of preconceptions and expectations, judgments and prejudices. Think of beginner’s mind as the mind that faces life like a small child, full of curiosity and wonder and amazement.
Let’s envision that the future generations when they will look forward for their bosses they will find an earnest yearning for learning, basic hunger for innovation, passion and deep sense of belonging to the community that they seek all benefits from.
Based on the learning’s of telecom boon of India, this article mentions the futuristic leadership Competencies, companies will focus on!
There was a time when in telecom industry the key strength of an operator was the number of towers which they acquired. Then when most of the mammoth companies equated the number of towers by getting into tower sharing mode, the market strength for organizations became the competitive pricing. With tariffs reaching rock bottom owing the ultra competitive market, the differentiator for a customer became the customer services which an operator offered. Now when most of the companies are ensuring a base minimum systems and processes guaranteeing customer service, what is the edge these telecom operators have today to beat one another?
Technology, strategies, service – all the key factors can be copied, but what one can’t snatch from a winning organization is the deep inherent people-leading strength. The best organizations are those who put executive at the tasks of picking up good men and getting them do what organization wants them to do without interfering.
In times to come ‘developmental leadership paradigm’ is the only key where in knowledge workers can be groomed in. The organization of this millennium will seek leaders who are just not project drivers but visionaries who can show people path for their own grown. HR function is seeking people who understand what career planning for an individual is, what succession planning for an organization is, and how Leaders can converge both to make people envision their personal growth in organizational well being.
Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower. Innovation has no limits. The only limit is your imagination. It’s time for you to begin thinking out of the box. If you are involved in a growing industry, think of ways to become more efficient; more customer friendly; and easier to do business with.
Organizations of tomorrow would seek leaders who are ready to be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected. There is no shortcut to excellence. You will have to make the commitment to make excellence your priority. Use your talents, abilities, and skills in the best way possible and get ahead of others by giving that little extra. Live by a higher standard and pay attention to the details that really do make the difference. Excellence is not difficult – simply decide right now to give it your best shot – and you will be amazed with what life gives you back.
Organizations have understood that the leaders who will make organizations click are the ones who are in deep love for their vocation. “Do what you love.” Seek out an occupation that gives you a sense of meaning, direction and satisfaction in life. Having a sense of purpose and striving towards goals gives life meaning, direction and satisfaction. It not only contributes to health and longevity, but also makes you feel better in difficult times.
Leaders of tomorrow Live in a way that is ethically responsible. Try to make a difference in this world and contribute to the higher good. You’ll find it gives more meaning to your life and it’s a great antidote to boredom. There is always so much to be done. And talk to others about what you are doing. Don’t preach or be self-righteous, or fanatical about it, that just puts people off, but at the same time, don’t be shy about setting an example, and use opportunities that arise to let others know what you are doing.
Finally commenting about new era leadership, Steve Jobs once said: “There’s a phrase in Buddhism, ‘Beginner’s mind.’ It’s wonderful to have a beginner’s mind.”
It is the kind of mind that can see things as they are, which step by step and in a flash can realize the original nature of everything. Beginner’s mind is Zen practice in action. It is the mind that is innocent of preconceptions and expectations, judgments and prejudices. Think of beginner’s mind as the mind that faces life like a small child, full of curiosity and wonder and amazement.
Let’s envision that the future generations when they will look forward for their bosses they will find an earnest yearning for learning, basic hunger for innovation, passion and deep sense of belonging to the community that they seek all benefits from.
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