Can powerful brands solve all org problems?

That was an interesting question posed to me by a management student. The answer is a resounding 'No'. Very unlikely that powerful brands can solve all organizational problems.

For example: excellent customer service helps build a brand and not vice versa.

Fast, flexible and agile orgs will increasingly 'win' in the new age business arena. I think people should understand what brands are, what brands can do to business and what they can't do.

How cool is 'Cuil'?

Cuil Inc (mouthed 'cool') is the new competition for Google!! Guess who is behind Cuil? Ex-Google specialists!! Who else!!

Promoters claim that Cuil, a new search service, can index, faster and cheaper(read it as 'than Google').

But one thing is for sure... that the time has come and the time is right for a formidable challenger who can really make Google sweat. For the moment let us forget that it is coming from Google's own farm of innovators.

Itching to check how 'cool' is Cuil? Sorry for the intended pun!

Understanding the Mind

The research team, from Durham University and the University of British Columbia, say that elements of human cognition and perception that are not yet fully understood by scientists may receive greater insight by analysing tricks and techniques used by magicians.

CASE STUDY EXPERIMENT

In one experiment, described in Dr Kuhn’s current paper, a group of volunteers watched a video of a ‘misdirection’ trick while their eye movements were recorded with a tracking device. The magician lights a cigarette with a lighter then subtly drops both items into his lap while directing his audience’s attention to his empty right hand, making watchers believe the items have simply disappeared.

The scientists then asked the volunteers if they had detected how the trick was done. They found that the chance of volunteers seeing the items being dropped was not related to the direction in which their eyes were looking – suggesting that where they paid attention was the more important factor. These results offer a striking demonstration of how looking at an object does not necessarily mean we see it.

Dr Kuhn highlights that the observations made in this experiment are related to recent findings in vision science, which showed that only a small part of information that enters our eyes actually enters our conscious awareness.

Click here to view the video clips of some of the magic tricks performed.

~ Satish Chathanath
Call : 9884011654
Mail : csadhy@yahoo.co.in

Day One : Disengaged

Various global research states that nearly 70% of employees 'quit' even before they complete one year with the organisation. What would be the reasons?

I would point it at 'satisfaction'levels. The engagement levels are at the best when a new employee joins a company. Then why is that a consider share of employees become dis-engaged soon. Sadly, it starts right from day one.

It is up to the organisation to retain, energize and elevate the levels to a new high. But unfortunately, most often, companies don't realize it till they see absolute signs of disengagement. Many companies have a ‘routine’ pre-joining processes, followed by dull induction session where things are forc-fed to the new joiness and the interactivity takes a rear seat. Needless to say, creativity is the answer here. We need not have a standard induction guide book and have a ring master to mindlessly follow the processes as it is in the HR book.

But people who stay on for more than a year have a brighter chance of going with the company for a good length of time.

~ Satish Chathanath
Call : 9884011654
Mail : csadhy@yahoo.co.in