We talk about this a lot, right? And at times without even understanding what it means. This is one of those jargon which you would throw just to show off that you can talk business or just to confuse people (as half don't understand what exactly it means). So how would you define this term? Is it something at which somebody is good at? Or is it more than that? Of course, if I am babbling so much then it would definitely be more than that. There are 2 criteria: Something at which somebody is good at and that something provide that person an edge over others. If it doesn't provide you that edge or so as to say, competitive advantage, over others then its not your core competency, no matter how good you might be at that something.
Core Competency is simple but difficult to identify. Its the first step in designing any strategy. Identify the core competency and then build upon that. Some do it other way round too, identify the opportunity in the market and then build your core competency in that area. But whatever path you might take, inside-out or outside-in, you have to deal with core competency.
It is a very important tool for any strategist. We use this concept in designing the strategies worth billions, shaping new businesses or realigning some. But all this is still limited to the business world. Have you ever given a thought, what is the most important strategy that you have to make? One that everyone should make but not everyone does make. Its the strategy of your life. Now, all those who have actually, ever, made a strategy for their life... even a rough draft... raise your hand... Oh! no one!!!! I guess so. But thats the truth. Many of my juniors ask me, what should they do for future? Should they take up a job... go for MS.... go for MBA....etc.. Few days ago my brother was writing SoP for FMS and he asked me what to write in that. I told him, write why do you want to do MBA (brilliant answer, huh :p) He told me he don't exactly know. Fortunately, I know my brother well enough, so I just helped him to find the answer by figuring out his core competency and his interest areas.
Its very simple. Again there are 2 ways to do it: inside-out and outside-in. In inside-out, first find out what makes you happy and what are you good at (because generally the things which you enjoy most, you are good at them) and then try to find out how they can give you the competitive advantage over others. For outside-in, first find out the opportunity in the market and then develop competency in that area (like there is huge demand of investment bankers so let me major in finance). But outside-in is risky for the reasons that you have to develop the competency and remember we are talking about you so that means changing yourself and there is a great risk that you end up doing something which you don't enjoy... which in the long run will make you in-competent as you might lose your core competency as this was imposed on you in one sense.
I was thinking about my own core competency. I figured out that I am good at solving problems, analysis and also a good learner. Moreover, I am highly process oriented. And not just am good at these, I love doing such kind of stuff. In some sense it also gives me competitive advantage.... So, these are probably my core competencies (told you, simple but difficult to identify). Now, I guess I should look for a suitable opportunity (read job) to augment these in the open market ;)
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Monday, October 4, 2010
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
I went for this movie yesterday. To be honest, I had above average expectations from the movie. But after the show, I was confused. Couldn't decide how did I like the movie. Strange. Generally there are 3 categories of movies: one you like, one you dislike and one which you say are average. But in my case, I was not able to put a category tag on this one. Let me tell you why.
First of all, this movie is not for masses. Its not that sort of movie that anyone can get a grasp of. ok, let me rectify my previous statement. You might be able to grasp the plot of the movie but only a selected class of people can really appreciate the movie. Why? Its like the Television show "Big Bang Theory". Although many laugh at Sheldon's way of speaking or on his habits, but you will laugh more if you also understand what exactly he is saying. Similarly, for this movie, I suggest you better take a refresher course on finance or capital markets in general because they do use technical terms in the movie which if you don't understand, you will not be able to figure out whats going on. Com'on the movie is called "Wall Street", so that much understanding is taken for granted. If you talk about the plot of the movie, its not out of the world. Its a average plot where they have tried to replicate Lehman's collapse and sub-prime crisis and then extend it with some Wall Street rivalry and comeback of a wall street's smart crook through some back gate. There is also some father-daughter drama. So, plot wise - Average. What is good about the movie is that "something" which not everyone will be able to appreciate. The dialogues are brilliant but to get the glimpse of that brilliance you need to fall in that peculiar class of people or go prepared. Secondly, everything can't be said.... One need to understand what the characters are trying to do. You need to understand their plan. The director has quite handsomely captured this.... the tricks and tactics of walls street. But again you need to be familiar with the basics to understand these as not everything is said through dialogues.
On the negative side, the movie is slow at times and loses the grip on the viewers. As on the personal note, I myself was not able to follow every dialogue. I guess, I don't fall into that "class" of people ;) But actually, it was not the problem of comprehension. It was the problem of hearing.... At times (and it happened many times) I was not being able to get what they said! Was there some sound problem? I guess no... It was INOX and it was not the first movie I watching there. Nor I am a newbie to English movies... but still it was that newbie feeling when you watched your first English movie in college and half of the dialogues went over your head because of accent. But still the little bit of which I could get, I liked that. Hope you won't face the same issue.
If you are a finance person or some stock market enthusiast, like Vicky or Sid.... the movie is for you. Enjoy the show!!!
First of all, this movie is not for masses. Its not that sort of movie that anyone can get a grasp of. ok, let me rectify my previous statement. You might be able to grasp the plot of the movie but only a selected class of people can really appreciate the movie. Why? Its like the Television show "Big Bang Theory". Although many laugh at Sheldon's way of speaking or on his habits, but you will laugh more if you also understand what exactly he is saying. Similarly, for this movie, I suggest you better take a refresher course on finance or capital markets in general because they do use technical terms in the movie which if you don't understand, you will not be able to figure out whats going on. Com'on the movie is called "Wall Street", so that much understanding is taken for granted. If you talk about the plot of the movie, its not out of the world. Its a average plot where they have tried to replicate Lehman's collapse and sub-prime crisis and then extend it with some Wall Street rivalry and comeback of a wall street's smart crook through some back gate. There is also some father-daughter drama. So, plot wise - Average. What is good about the movie is that "something" which not everyone will be able to appreciate. The dialogues are brilliant but to get the glimpse of that brilliance you need to fall in that peculiar class of people or go prepared. Secondly, everything can't be said.... One need to understand what the characters are trying to do. You need to understand their plan. The director has quite handsomely captured this.... the tricks and tactics of walls street. But again you need to be familiar with the basics to understand these as not everything is said through dialogues.
On the negative side, the movie is slow at times and loses the grip on the viewers. As on the personal note, I myself was not able to follow every dialogue. I guess, I don't fall into that "class" of people ;) But actually, it was not the problem of comprehension. It was the problem of hearing.... At times (and it happened many times) I was not being able to get what they said! Was there some sound problem? I guess no... It was INOX and it was not the first movie I watching there. Nor I am a newbie to English movies... but still it was that newbie feeling when you watched your first English movie in college and half of the dialogues went over your head because of accent. But still the little bit of which I could get, I liked that. Hope you won't face the same issue.
If you are a finance person or some stock market enthusiast, like Vicky or Sid.... the movie is for you. Enjoy the show!!!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
And the World is Watching
Everyone is looking at India and that's because of 2 main reasons:
1. Of course, CWG
2. The Ayodhya verdict on 30th September.
While the first one has already got much publicity, its the 2nd one that will change every thing as we know, at least for a short period of time. First of all, I think its ridiculous to give out the verdict at this point of time. From 3rd October we have CWG and the whole world media is here. There will be so many foreigners in country during this period. Under such circumstances can't the court wait for 15 more days! Because I know for sure that there are insane frantic fanatics on both sides and what ever will the verdict be, they will create a havoc. Because thats what they want... an opportunity to create havoc. So, why to put life of people from other nations in danger? And then how will you conduct CWG under such circumstances?
I still remember the night when Babri Masjid was demolished. I was a kid at that time, 8 yrs old. I along with my parents and brother returned at night from market when our land lady called us out as soon as we entered the main gate of the house. The television was ON and on it was P.V. Narashima Rao with his sorry face saying something. It was 1992 with no present news networks or cable TV for that matter, hence news was slow to travel. I couldn't understand what was happening or what Narashima Rao was saying. But I could feel that tension in air. There was a fear in air... a peculiar unrest. As a child you tend to feel such things more than others. Well, I am afraid that same fear might again be created by anti-social elements after the verdict because who ever loses, they will not accept it as gentlemen.
Interestingly, I have been to Ayodhya once. Yes, I have seen this place from my own eyes. Its like any other Hindu religious center. But by God, what security! There were multiple security rings and if you had to go anywhere near the disputed site, where presently there is a idol of Ramji, then there were multiple body frisking. Near the site you could see huge, literally huge, size of a bus, bricks.... in pinkish color (if I remember the color correctly). These were brought to build the magnificent temple here. No where you could see any sign which would suggest you that there was once a mosque here. Somehow I feel, whatever may the verdict be, there will not be any effect on Ayodhya. It will still be the same, even if the whole country will burn, there might not even a scratch on Ayodhya. You might not understand why I am saying this, but if would have been to this place you would understand.
I wish, we could use this verdict before CWG as a display of our maturity and national integrity to the whole world. If everything remains normal after the verdict, with no violence... no bloodshed... it would be the strongest message we will be sending out to rest of the world - The true display of our Power. But I sincerely doubt that. Its not that I doubt the people of this nation. Its the gondas of this nation that I doubt, and you know who are the biggest gondas of our country? Our politicians. They will not miss any chance to take advantage of any slightest opportunity to create rift among people for their own benefit. And this would be a golden chance for many of them. But I still have hope. I hope that when the whole world will be watching us, we will be our best....
1. Of course, CWG
2. The Ayodhya verdict on 30th September.
While the first one has already got much publicity, its the 2nd one that will change every thing as we know, at least for a short period of time. First of all, I think its ridiculous to give out the verdict at this point of time. From 3rd October we have CWG and the whole world media is here. There will be so many foreigners in country during this period. Under such circumstances can't the court wait for 15 more days! Because I know for sure that there are insane frantic fanatics on both sides and what ever will the verdict be, they will create a havoc. Because thats what they want... an opportunity to create havoc. So, why to put life of people from other nations in danger? And then how will you conduct CWG under such circumstances?
I still remember the night when Babri Masjid was demolished. I was a kid at that time, 8 yrs old. I along with my parents and brother returned at night from market when our land lady called us out as soon as we entered the main gate of the house. The television was ON and on it was P.V. Narashima Rao with his sorry face saying something. It was 1992 with no present news networks or cable TV for that matter, hence news was slow to travel. I couldn't understand what was happening or what Narashima Rao was saying. But I could feel that tension in air. There was a fear in air... a peculiar unrest. As a child you tend to feel such things more than others. Well, I am afraid that same fear might again be created by anti-social elements after the verdict because who ever loses, they will not accept it as gentlemen.
Interestingly, I have been to Ayodhya once. Yes, I have seen this place from my own eyes. Its like any other Hindu religious center. But by God, what security! There were multiple security rings and if you had to go anywhere near the disputed site, where presently there is a idol of Ramji, then there were multiple body frisking. Near the site you could see huge, literally huge, size of a bus, bricks.... in pinkish color (if I remember the color correctly). These were brought to build the magnificent temple here. No where you could see any sign which would suggest you that there was once a mosque here. Somehow I feel, whatever may the verdict be, there will not be any effect on Ayodhya. It will still be the same, even if the whole country will burn, there might not even a scratch on Ayodhya. You might not understand why I am saying this, but if would have been to this place you would understand.
I wish, we could use this verdict before CWG as a display of our maturity and national integrity to the whole world. If everything remains normal after the verdict, with no violence... no bloodshed... it would be the strongest message we will be sending out to rest of the world - The true display of our Power. But I sincerely doubt that. Its not that I doubt the people of this nation. Its the gondas of this nation that I doubt, and you know who are the biggest gondas of our country? Our politicians. They will not miss any chance to take advantage of any slightest opportunity to create rift among people for their own benefit. And this would be a golden chance for many of them. But I still have hope. I hope that when the whole world will be watching us, we will be our best....
Monday, September 27, 2010
Waiting... Waiting... Waiting...
If you live in a country like India, where there are significantly more people than the resources to support them, then 'waiting' must have become a part of your socio-culture-economic life. It has got so much into my blood that I am confident you can find a 'waiting' component in my blood sample. I have waited in every possible place you can think of. Waiting for trains and buses is not being considered as waiting any more in my beloved country. I am sure all of you would have done that. But I have waited even for those services that market themselves as 'no waiting time'. Once I waited for 1 hrs at airport for my radio cab to arrive even though I booked it 3 hrs earlier. I have waited for 1 hrs for my order to be served in a restaurant when there was a huge queue outside and the restaurant required a quick turn around time for its own economic benefit. And what to say about couriers!!! They are moving into the trains and buses category, at least for me as now I expect them to be delivered after 10 working days. Waiting for your call to be serviced at helpdesk is also becoming commonly acceptable, but to wait for your own organization's helpdesk to service your call is still not that common. I waited 1 and a half hours over here too. Waiting outside toilets and bathrooms won't be new to those who have ever lived in a hostel. But how about waiting inside a toilet or a bathroom! Well, have some experience over there too...
In my opinion, if you don't have patience in a country like ours then you simply can't survive. It is a place where even patients at their deathbeds are kept in waiting. It is a place where Indian Standard Time signifies a totally different meaning. The present mess at CWG is also because of this little misunderstanding between us and rest of the world. We are on track, and I am ready to swear by anything, according to our Indian Standard Time deadlines, but I think the world didn't get our deadlines. They will come to terms in future (atleast after CWG). Interesting thing is that now some of my foreign clients have also started mentioning this on calls, "Guys, this work has to be done by 5 pm and please don't take it as your Indian Standard Time".
But leave all this. There is one kind of waiting which I hate the most and that is, when somebody gives you an appointment or schedules a call with you and then keeps you waiting. I have been waiting for past 1 hr 33 minutes now for one such scheduled call. And my wait is still on... on... on....
In my opinion, if you don't have patience in a country like ours then you simply can't survive. It is a place where even patients at their deathbeds are kept in waiting. It is a place where Indian Standard Time signifies a totally different meaning. The present mess at CWG is also because of this little misunderstanding between us and rest of the world. We are on track, and I am ready to swear by anything, according to our Indian Standard Time deadlines, but I think the world didn't get our deadlines. They will come to terms in future (atleast after CWG). Interesting thing is that now some of my foreign clients have also started mentioning this on calls, "Guys, this work has to be done by 5 pm and please don't take it as your Indian Standard Time".
But leave all this. There is one kind of waiting which I hate the most and that is, when somebody gives you an appointment or schedules a call with you and then keeps you waiting. I have been waiting for past 1 hr 33 minutes now for one such scheduled call. And my wait is still on... on... on....
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
The After Effect
Wise always say, What goes around comes around.... Ok ok, I know, its no great saying but a song of Justin Timberlake. But the meaning lingers. It runs quite in parallel to sayings like, what you sow, you reap.... or... you have to settle your accounts in this life... blah blah... crazy stuff huh!Whatever it might be but something like that happened to me today.
I once did some work as a part of my B.Tech project. Frankly speaking, I simply love security protocols and how you can break some codes and make some unbreakable ones of yours. Thanks to Prof. Anish Mathuria for making this subject so extremely exciting. So, my B.Tech project was in that particular field. I did it under Prof. Manik Lal Das way back in my last semester in 2007. Now, as you might already know, engineers are a lazy breed. We avoid as much as we can till we can't. I remember the final semester when all of us enjoyed to the fullest... No lectures.. no exams... just a project with just 2 evaluations. So as expected everyone explored his/her hobby to the fullest and the project work was done only in the last week. Those who were little more careful did it in last 15 days :p There were always few exceptions like Pradeep Dhadda.
Now it happened that I was under pressure with little time left to cook something for my project. I had already broken 2 published security protocols as a part of my project but that was not enough for the panel. I needed to come out with something of mine own. I was having dinner with PD and he was going all ga ga on his project... Boy, he actually did work a lot. But in the background my mind was thinking of any unbreakable code which could atleast last for 1 week till my presentation... then suddenly I saw it. Just like in movies, although not that much clear but I did saw it. And when I went back to my room, after few hours I had my masterpiece. Wow!!! I had devised a protocol which I believe couldn't be broken for 1 week atleast. But I still had few doubts about its validity because no one ever had used the concept I was using in devising a protocol. It was the first of its kind. So, I took extra care of talking to Prof. Chatterji to get my concept verified. Ofcourse, I didn't talked about the code with him but about the mathematical concept involved in that. And there I had a credible alibi... If something would have gone wrong in my presentation I would have taken recluse in that. Well, thankfully my presentation went fine. Got A in my project. My work even got published in IEEE journal and then there was even a chapter in a book with my name as one of the authors which was published by Springer.... wooooo.... great stuff.... a feast which only a handful experience.
Now, its been 3 and a half years to that.... when today as I opened my mailbox I found a mail from the editor of IEEE inviting me to be a reviewer of their manuscript. He referred to me as an expert of the field of wireless communication, on which my project was based, and I don't know how but he was under the impression that I am a doctorate!!!! Dr. Aakash Joshi!!! Of course, I declined the invitation as I am no expert of the field. If this would have come after my B.Tech, I would have happily reviewed anything thrown at me then. But its too late now. MBA has spoiled me. Couldn't remember any of that thing now.... But it made my day in any case.... The work which I did 3 and a half years back is still, I believe, the most significant contribution that I have made so far..... And I am still basking in its after effect :)
I once did some work as a part of my B.Tech project. Frankly speaking, I simply love security protocols and how you can break some codes and make some unbreakable ones of yours. Thanks to Prof. Anish Mathuria for making this subject so extremely exciting. So, my B.Tech project was in that particular field. I did it under Prof. Manik Lal Das way back in my last semester in 2007. Now, as you might already know, engineers are a lazy breed. We avoid as much as we can till we can't. I remember the final semester when all of us enjoyed to the fullest... No lectures.. no exams... just a project with just 2 evaluations. So as expected everyone explored his/her hobby to the fullest and the project work was done only in the last week. Those who were little more careful did it in last 15 days :p There were always few exceptions like Pradeep Dhadda.
Now it happened that I was under pressure with little time left to cook something for my project. I had already broken 2 published security protocols as a part of my project but that was not enough for the panel. I needed to come out with something of mine own. I was having dinner with PD and he was going all ga ga on his project... Boy, he actually did work a lot. But in the background my mind was thinking of any unbreakable code which could atleast last for 1 week till my presentation... then suddenly I saw it. Just like in movies, although not that much clear but I did saw it. And when I went back to my room, after few hours I had my masterpiece. Wow!!! I had devised a protocol which I believe couldn't be broken for 1 week atleast. But I still had few doubts about its validity because no one ever had used the concept I was using in devising a protocol. It was the first of its kind. So, I took extra care of talking to Prof. Chatterji to get my concept verified. Ofcourse, I didn't talked about the code with him but about the mathematical concept involved in that. And there I had a credible alibi... If something would have gone wrong in my presentation I would have taken recluse in that. Well, thankfully my presentation went fine. Got A in my project. My work even got published in IEEE journal and then there was even a chapter in a book with my name as one of the authors which was published by Springer.... wooooo.... great stuff.... a feast which only a handful experience.
Now, its been 3 and a half years to that.... when today as I opened my mailbox I found a mail from the editor of IEEE inviting me to be a reviewer of their manuscript. He referred to me as an expert of the field of wireless communication, on which my project was based, and I don't know how but he was under the impression that I am a doctorate!!!! Dr. Aakash Joshi!!! Of course, I declined the invitation as I am no expert of the field. If this would have come after my B.Tech, I would have happily reviewed anything thrown at me then. But its too late now. MBA has spoiled me. Couldn't remember any of that thing now.... But it made my day in any case.... The work which I did 3 and a half years back is still, I believe, the most significant contribution that I have made so far..... And I am still basking in its after effect :)
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