100ft vs 50000ft

Is it possible for someone to have both these views? At 100ft and at 50000ft? 

You miss the details at 50000ft and you miss the big picture at 100ft. Both are needed for success.

How do you get both the views and get the balance ?

One way to do this is first get the hundred feet view and then check to see whether it meets all the objectives and requirements. You need to be objective and dispassionate to ensure 'proper' checking.

You can also do the 50,000 feet view and then get into details to make sure all the objectives and requirements are met.

The typical mistake people do is take one view and ASSUME that it meets the requirements of the other view. More often than not it doesn't and we end up finding it the hard way!

As one looks at taking bigger responsibilities , achieving this balance becomes more and more critical.

Initially you can request your friends or colleagues to help you get this balance so that over time you inculcate this habit.

 Remember! Plans that meet only one view's requirements are bound to FAIL!

Why successful people fail?

Why do people successful in one organisation fail in the next ?

What makes someone successful ? the individual or the system ? Or combination?

Organisations hire people for certain skills and strengths. But many a time it's the combination of skills from multiple people and ecosystem that makes a an individual successful.

People tend to have an exaggerated sense of self importance and a lower sense of ecosystem contribution to success. This is what makes them fail or underperform in other ecosystems.

That reverse also happens. 

Somebody who underperforms in an ecosystem may perform much better in another.

It is important to understand is dynamic before making deductions on one's critical success factors.

Advisory

Globally Service Economy is the biggest in most countries compared to manufacturing or agriculture.   If you are providing a service in the market place, one of the most effective ways to bring /retain customers is to a 'Trusted Advisor'.

Consulting companies have mastered this almost to an art form.  The basic principle is to offer unbiased expert advise ( not asking for anything in return) on client problems. Some of these problems may be known and some may be unknown.

A true consultant offers this advice to clients to help prevent/navigate/resolve the problems in an effective way. When this happens, client reposes their trust with the consultant in their times of crisis.

If you are in the service industry, how well are you regarded as a 'Trusted Advisor' to your clients who may or may not be hiring you?

Do they think of you as the 'go-to' person for advice/help in their times of need?

What would it take to build this skill and reputation as a 'Trusted Advisor?

Positivity and Perseverance

"When you are searching for honey , you must expect to be stung by bees!"

Honey is sweeter when it the path to get it is tougher and is ridden with obstacles.

Many careers and jobs need the two qualities in the title to become successful.

Whether you are trying to create a new product/offering to differentiate, whether you are trying to crack open a customer account , whether you are trying to find the right job that satisfies you, whether you are trying to reach any goal worth pursuing....

Most often you would come across surprises, failures, obstacles, rejections, criticisms and so on....

Easiest reaction is to get demotivated, blame yourself, personalise failure, blame it on the world, give up.....

Pretty much every successful actor got rejected for roles early. Many successful executives have been fired from their companies. Most artists have seen failures as often as they see the sunrise.

Examples: Steve jobs ( fired from Apple), Amitabh Bachchan ( rejected by All India Radio), Sports team captains ( crucified for every failure), Film actors who struggle so much for their first break....

How did they react to these?

The famous names we hear today have all dusted up, changed course, altered their ideas, tried something differently and fought another day.

'Positivity and perseverance'   - truly valuable traits!

Rational vs abstract

This has been bugging mankind for generations. Should you be rational or  abstract?

All the scientific educational system teaches us to be rational. Being rational is likely to leave you with more questions than answers. Being abstract leaves you unconnected with the every day realities.

To understand life ,its complexities and concepts , you need some level of abstraction. You cannot be creative if you apply sheer logic.

Can you come up with an iPhone by applying a formula ?

Can a masterpiece be created in an assembly line ?

Do all groundbreaking and life changing ideas come up by structure thinking ?

Master of one ? Jack of all?

Should you be a jack of all of the master of one?

A successful enterprise needs both. But as usual , there are risks in both. 

Core skill means you are idle when the skill has no demand. Jack of all, means you don't command a premium. 

Core skill may also mean you operate in a silo and not a team player.

Jack of all makes you a potential entrepreneur. Core skill means you need to get ability to manage others to whom you outsource the rest.

What is a core skill today may become a commodity tomorrow that makes you not so valuable. 

Tough choice!!!

Customer, colleague ,vendor

The cycle of customers and Vendors is forever changing. With so much outsourcing around,a customer today could be a colleague or a vendor tomorrow and vice versa.

How best to leverage this cycle?

1. It pays to know how everyone operates be it a customer , colleague or vendor. This way when you change into another role tomorrow , you are not caught off-guard.

2. Network and work your network ! The roles could swap faster than you can imagine.