I just realised our generation is about instant gratification.
From 30 minute pizzas, 5 minutes frappé,2 minute noodles and need I say instant answers when we call customer service with a query.
I mean our culture is tuning itself in this manner and it should not be any surprise that our brains are being wired on this level.
The crux is that this can be an absolute pitfall when it comes to business.
I mean if you let go of the leverage or rather show too much enthusiasm in a business bargain, there is every likelihood that you will be ripped off.
The only antidote is patience - don't show enthusiasm - and don't show you want to close the deal now.
But since I am a generation that has its wants met instantly, cultivating patience in the absence of the opportunity is a tough call.
I mean how do I do it, if I am being provided a service instantly what am I to say; Oh I need that burger not now but later!
Business is about patience, knowing when to wait and when to strike, knowing how long to wait before calling in the wager, you know how far to go and you know when the deal will come through.
This is fairly elementary when the guy opposite the table is a young fellow, I mean I know his/her weakness - well it is mine too.
But knowing that limitation is a real trump in situations.
The effort arises when there is an older gentleman across the table.
I am sure he thinks the way I think when I am with the younger guys.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Monday, August 18, 2008
nationalistic and patriotic
well a friend posed a puzzling rhetoric on the eve of Independence day.
He mentioned, we are not nationalists but we are patriotic.
In a sense that is true...
We couldn't quiet explain it, but we suppossed that citizens from 4 other countries that could be called nationalists and patriots.
USA, China, Australia and Japan.
For us folks we are pretty much proud to be Indian but then that is as far as we are ready to go.
He mentioned, we are not nationalists but we are patriotic.
In a sense that is true...
We couldn't quiet explain it, but we suppossed that citizens from 4 other countries that could be called nationalists and patriots.
USA, China, Australia and Japan.
For us folks we are pretty much proud to be Indian but then that is as far as we are ready to go.
tipping....
one of the things one notices in the west is tipping.
As far as I could gather, every service from taxi rides to tourist rides had a ingratia tip involved. determined by doubling the tax amount (if any) rendered on a service.
Not that I disagree with tipping...it has its place and need...
its just that in the east a tip is not expected.
The philosophy in the East is that one is just rendering his/her 'duty' and that is what is least expected of him/her.
So the question of an added emolument is not expected following the discharge of any service.
In contrast in the west the concept is that a tip is mandatory & expected which leads one to gather that any service rendered is done as a favour and not of a sense of duty - ergo the tip.
But then maybe its a another way of empathizing that a livelihood is tough in the west and so patrons make that up by tipping.
hey, maybe its a little bit of both....
which brings me to a tipping episode at the barber.
a haircut in the US would be at US$ 12, tip would be another US$ 2 or so.
but my cousin believes in giving more, he tips about US$ 5, if he buys some hair care product or cream the tip would increase as he would tip based on the entire bill.
I happen to ask him on his generosity.
he mentioned that a good tip generally results in a good haircut.
I don't know about that, most of the folks I met in the US did not have a hair cut but a crew cut - one where the hair is close cropped to the scalp - I wonder which barber would go wrong or mess up on such a hair cut for that matter crew cut.
Anyway the fundamental tenet here is when the barber does a good job is when you would be encouraged to pay a tip, if he does a bad job forget tipping him; I ain't going back to him.
That is the fundamental tenet of business, a good product or good service generates revenues or for that matter a tip: and not the other way around where a good tip generates a good service or product.
as a matter of note, my cousin is in Finance in an Ivy league Business school.
maybe business fundamentals have changed....maybe that is how business is done....I could be dated as I am from the old school of thought.....
As far as I could gather, every service from taxi rides to tourist rides had a ingratia tip involved. determined by doubling the tax amount (if any) rendered on a service.
Not that I disagree with tipping...it has its place and need...
its just that in the east a tip is not expected.
The philosophy in the East is that one is just rendering his/her 'duty' and that is what is least expected of him/her.
So the question of an added emolument is not expected following the discharge of any service.
In contrast in the west the concept is that a tip is mandatory & expected which leads one to gather that any service rendered is done as a favour and not of a sense of duty - ergo the tip.
But then maybe its a another way of empathizing that a livelihood is tough in the west and so patrons make that up by tipping.
hey, maybe its a little bit of both....
which brings me to a tipping episode at the barber.
a haircut in the US would be at US$ 12, tip would be another US$ 2 or so.
but my cousin believes in giving more, he tips about US$ 5, if he buys some hair care product or cream the tip would increase as he would tip based on the entire bill.
I happen to ask him on his generosity.
he mentioned that a good tip generally results in a good haircut.
I don't know about that, most of the folks I met in the US did not have a hair cut but a crew cut - one where the hair is close cropped to the scalp - I wonder which barber would go wrong or mess up on such a hair cut for that matter crew cut.
Anyway the fundamental tenet here is when the barber does a good job is when you would be encouraged to pay a tip, if he does a bad job forget tipping him; I ain't going back to him.
That is the fundamental tenet of business, a good product or good service generates revenues or for that matter a tip: and not the other way around where a good tip generates a good service or product.
as a matter of note, my cousin is in Finance in an Ivy league Business school.
maybe business fundamentals have changed....maybe that is how business is done....I could be dated as I am from the old school of thought.....
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
commonplace
It's a common that we care about the last word, not the first.
In contrast it is common that we are predisposed with first impressions than later ones quiet possibly because of our predilection to what we can find out in a few minutes than what we care to know about what the person has been for quiet sometime.
In contrast it is common that we are predisposed with first impressions than later ones quiet possibly because of our predilection to what we can find out in a few minutes than what we care to know about what the person has been for quiet sometime.
Monday, August 4, 2008
relationship between memory and knowledge
When knowledge comes, memory comes too, little by little … Knowledge and memory are one and the same thing.
-Gustav Meyrink
Most of us often lament that our memory is failing us, maybe it is knowledge that is failing us; maybe what we need to do is commit and supplement knowledge and the memory aids the retention.
And when we fail to retain the memory it could be our lack in ability to add to that knowledge that dissipates the memory.
-Gustav Meyrink
Most of us often lament that our memory is failing us, maybe it is knowledge that is failing us; maybe what we need to do is commit and supplement knowledge and the memory aids the retention.
And when we fail to retain the memory it could be our lack in ability to add to that knowledge that dissipates the memory.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
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