Saturday, April 26, 2008

Open Letter to Barack Obama (I am bored sitting looking over Boston Harbor):

I am not a registered voter in the U.S. But, I spent a majority of the last year in the U.S and like many, followed the elections closely.
Here is my message to you (because, there is no button or option on your website saying "send a message to Barack" Sic.)
  1. You are losing. I like your campaign and the message, but you are losing steam Hillary is at a tipping point. You are totally on the defensive, not your strong point.
  2. Your campaign is slacking. Looks like your campaign strategists think they have already won. Not a good idea.
  3. Get down to basics. Go back and use speeches that Barack used at the beginning of the campaign. Fresh, centered around his message not rebutting Hillary's message
  4. Ignoring Hillary (by not debating) wont work, nor will going on the offensive. You have to upset her rhythm (and yes, she is onto something)
  5. "I will unite people" sounds like a cool message. BUT, it doesnt mean anything. People that I meet dont feel that "unity" is a problem that needs solving. Unity sounds cool for the admen but you cant do squat with it.
  6. You have no competitive advantage: You are boringly similar on: Healthcare, war in Iraq, economy, immigration, gas prices, boring shit on TV, little David getting bullied at school. What is this "change" that you keep talking about? Unless you make it perceptible, tangible, fungible, and other gibles. (eligible, exigible and most interesting: Erigible (capable of being erected!). Jokes apart. your core message (or lack of it) is taking a hit.

If I think of you, Obama, these are the terms which come to my head: New, fresh, black, smooth talker, anti-politician, empathetic, courageous and seemingly "above it all". In one word: Messiah!!

Terms which did not come to my mind: "Problem solver", Leader, strategic thinker, fearless, understands my issues. In one word: President!!

Sadly, Messiahs dont need to be voted in.

Claps are not votes. Voice votes work only after you get elected.

Think. Act. Don't just talk

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Post from the past: Definition: Clueless Control Freak: Who has a habit of explaning everything with a kind of fatalistic necessity when he'she doesnt know what to say. -- Tolstoy

Familiar? Doesn't that sound very much like a new consultant??? No, that is an under-prepared consultant always.

Man! It has been a long time. Once in a few years somebody asks, "why dont you blog anymore?". My standard response was I was bored blogging and I moved on to other forms of expression.
I have a knack of coming up with an innocuous response and tagging it with a very hopeful "deep statement".
So, does this mean that one (new english usage for you) should come back to check this space often?
I don't know!!
So, to get back in touch, let us do a quick interview:
A (Who is dat? Nobody, just that it is the first letter in the alphabet): So, how has life been in the last few years?
B (Who dat? Me): As usual, nothing new. Blissfully bored.
A: So, what are the high level changes?
B: Hmm... (A few minutes later). Hmm...
A: Do I take that as not too many or as you have grown more pensive or you dont understand the question?
B: :-)
A: Silence
B: Silence

Scratch, scratch.
(End of interview, I need to go shave now.)

See you soon. Hopefully, we will count the hiatus in days or weeks and not in years.