Focus on the processes

We have so many times in the past year or so heard from the cricketers and the coaches that the key to their success has been to focus on the processes. Even after several astounding successes we still hear some of the younger generation players remind us of their effort to get the processes right and focus on the same.

This is not a word - "Process"-  only in the  cricketing domain but in several other sports and my provocation of this piece of logging thoughts today was when Dre in the Karate Kid also mentions to his friend on focussing on the process and the rest will follow.

It is true for our wards too. We have to enable them evolve a process for their eventual objectives of life -whether in studies or hobbies or sports that they pursue . Why , even in being a human being who respects others and evolves into being a respected human also has a process to focus on.

It is not often that companies do this ( focussing on processes)  , surprisingly , even while they speak about the same. they are too impatient in the end result fructifying and not in  how it happens consistently.
So whats needed to build processes?

A clear goal, an achievable and realistic timeline, a well defined way to reach the goal., an extraordinary belief from a team who will achieve .

Is that all?

Well, nothing that is not measured is achieved. Thus a performance metric for each of the processes. It helps in assessing where one stands as against the goal in each of the processes and lets you improve.

Easier said than done. But when done, there is success waiting.

Reversal of the Digital colonisation

The last couple of posts have been fairly popular with whoever has been devoting time on strategy. I have received some personal mails and a healthy debate and dialogue is ensuing. I am thankful to all who keep this going.

One of the mails doing rounds last 10 days is the further slide of Nokia's market share.

I was made to think about the trends and patterns on several aspects of what came across my life or what I learnt from them. However, some of the patterns that emerge are too good to be true  and ever more disbelieving is the way we as humans react so differently to the situations at two different times and eras.

This one emerged the first time in my mind  in one of the training programs a few years ago, when the third wave was being cited with reference to context of training.

What caught my eye was that during the Industrial revolution and subsequent colonialism under the precinct of international trade the Europeans did move the world, exploited it and made many a nation and its citizens subservient. was the cause of many a revolution and shouts for  indigenous  growth /production etc. The way people reacted to this invasion was more  adopting but never adapting . almost always hostile or subservient under fear.

The Europeans moved out of their respective countries as markets there saturated  and moved towards the East and Africa and upon either saturating these markets or a complete loss to local pressure and protest had lost their ground and retreated. Two markets they could not do much - China and Korea - were probably informing the world of something.

It may not be so evident to many but somehow the GSM era is witnessing a similar pattern; especially in the handset market. The Nokias and Siemens and Ericssons  of the world have looked beyond their states and beyond Europe and into the Asian markets and then now hoping for the African markets. The absolute dominance they had on the Asian markets and the subsequent rise of the eastern brands- Chinese and  Korean .

While in the earlier invasion cycle, their exit was more geographical and with violent local protests, their digital colonisation was welcomed in many ways with open arms. Eventually the retreat here too is as eventful and dramatic if not as violent - physically. If market shares are compared to the stretch of the kingdoms, then the erosion and shrinkage of the pie is for all to see as did the kingdom. Again, two kingdoms they never dominated even in this digital invasion is China and Korea are informing soemthing.

A reversal of the digital colonisation by the european brands has long set in.  Do I perceive it as the end of that as the beginning of  colonisation by our Asian neighbours ?

From protesting any foreign influence in the past, today in a truly global village, the citizens react prudently and adopt to their benefit. They allow any invasion, digital or fashion to happen as long as its meeting their developmental goal. However, they can be as ruthless in dictating an exist even in this era.

Such trends or reversal of trends , am sure is visible in many a field. If there are interesting ones pl do share.