Sharing the Big Moo

What happens when you marry Purple Cow and The Go-Giver? You get a Big Moo.

I am not joking ... Just sample this from the introduction of the book edited by Seth Godin, The Big Moo:

When you brought this book, you also brought the right to photocopy as many pages as you like, as many times as you like. Go ahead and make five hundred copies of your favorite story and send them out via interoffice mail. You can also find a few of the stories in digital form at our Web site. Feel free to e-mail those to as many people as you care to.

I have therefore decided that once I finish reading the book, I will send my favorite one to all my regular readers and all those who have ever commented on my blog. May you remarkabalize your life. If this is your first time to my blog and you wish to get one Big Moo story from me, please leave a note in the comment section. And if you wish to buy the book, you may buy it here => The Big Moo

Taking time out

That's two out of two.

And this has taken me completely by surprise. I have been reading since ... I don't even remember since when.

In my ideal world Authors are good people. At least the ones I read. Only sensitive people can reach out and touch my mind and body. (Note that there is a major assumption here: that I am good too ;-)).

But as we all know the real world can be very different. In order that my ideal world remains intact, and in spite of my intense desire to communicate with the authors - just to thank them for all those wonderful books that they write (no hidden agenda here), I had refrained so far from sending them snail-mails (in the pre-Internet era) or e-mails.

But that was about to change. I wrote to the best selling authors of The Go-Giver, Bob Burg and John Mann. To my surprise I got a response. This response was not just a curt response e-mail. It was a longish reply from persons who really cared. See my post Reaching Out.

Naturally I was thrilled. So, last night I send an e-mail to Seth Godin, the author of Purple Cow. He zapped me. The turn around from the time I send that e-mail to him to his response must have been around 10 minutes. Check out my lens on Purple Cow - Book Review. His response is embedded there.

I am delighted that my ideal world is still intact.

Reading every e-mail and responding to each one of them is a discipline that we all need to inculcate. You can never be busy enough.

So? and Why?

Imagine ...

"Your team is not following the process."
"So?"
"This will cause problems?"
"Why?"
"If the process is not followed there will be a non-conformity."
"So?"
"This is not good."
"Why?"
"This shows that the product has not met the process."
"So?"
"What so? Process has been laid after a long thought process. If the process is followed we are assured of a working product."
"Why?"
"Because then you would have met the specifications."
"You mean to say, the processes are infallible. And that they cannot be changed. And that the product will not be of high standard if the processes are not followed."
"No. But the processes are there for a reason."
"So?"
"Arrrrggggh..."
"Isn't it time to revisit the processes? Maybe they are dated."

Ok now imagine this ...

"I need to something different?"
"Why?"
"I am stagnating."
"So?"
"I need to break out."
"Why?"
"I need to make a difference?"
"So?"
"What so? To make a mark in this world, I need to do something remarkable."
"Why?"
"Because ... because ..."
"Have you introspected enough? Or are you swayed by every new book you read?"

See how effective 'so?' and 'why?' could be. It peels away the bluster to reveal the essential. Try it. I guarantee you success.

Journey to perfection

Once upon a time, in an ancient city there lived a potter. He used to make pots and beautiful toys made of baked earthen clay, and sell them in the market to make a living. He also had many disciples and among them there was this special one who was remarkable. This disciple absorbed everything his master had to teach him. Soon the disciple started his own business of selling wonderful baked clay objects. His reputation spread by word of mouth and he soon became famous. All his goods were sold within hours. He sold all his items expect one. He would take that item to his master. The master used to have one look at the item and hand him a list of defects in the item. The disciple would then go back to his workshop and try and remove the defect and the next lot would be that much better. And he continued to take the last piece of his inventory to the master and the master would invariably tell him where he could improve.

This went on for many years. By now the disciple was very famous and rich. And he was getting tired of his master handing him over a list of defects. So this time when his master again told him how he could make the items better, he snapped, "I am already best in the business. My pots and toys sell at prices that are many times more than yours. And you still point out my faults."

The old master smiled and said, "Oh is that so? I think you will not improve any more. Your goods will continue to sell at today's price but you will never get more than this. Your journey to perfection ends today."

My uncle narrated this story to me a long time ago. Those were the days before Internet and I was too small to ask for the source. So I assume this story is his own creation. And it is worth putting it out to the world. I would definitely like to know the source. Anyone?

Picture courtesy: Sarah Lewis

I have two other blogs

I am not sure if my regular readers are aware that that I run two more blogs. One of these is, of course, extremely niche and pertains to Aerospace (DO-178B) Software, something not for general consumption. You might want to visit it just to get a flavour of what avionics software development is all about.

The second one is on management, or to be more specific Business and Management Case Studies. Any one who is already a manager or aspires to be one can use this blog as a platform to share and develop ideas. I develop business/management cases and these are then thrown open for readers to solve. And I get some interesting comments.

You may want to check these out. Do let me know what you think of these.

The 2 personality types

You can dump all psycho-analysis books. There are only two types of people in this world.
One, I call them Accommodators, who give you space before you ask for it.
Second, I call them Space-Hoggers, who will not move unless you ask them to.

You can find these types everywhere.

Go to a library for instance. The Accommodators will move and give you space to go past even when they are busy browsing the book titles on the shelf. The same think happens in the supermarkets. They let you pass. They are concerned as much about others as about self.

And Space-Hoggers? They stand in the middle of the aisle browsing, reading labels, talking to other Space-Hoggers or whatever, but will not move till you reach them and say "excuse me". They would then graciously move aside. Their convenience comes first; Others have to ask for their rights.

The Accommodators dislike Space-Hoggers. The Space-Hoggers could not care less.

All other personality types that you will read in books are variants of these two personality types. Think about it.

Have you observed thee types when you go to shopping or to a library?
Which type are you?

More book reviews on Squidoo

I promised myself a review page for every book I read here. Looks like I have managed it so far.

Here are the latest ones ...


The Music of the Primes

Andy Grove

The Google Story

The Undercover Economist

Our Iceberg is Melting

The Tipping Point

It's Not About the Bike

The Go-Giver

Please visit these and let me know what you think of these.
Are my reviewing skills improving?