The Automotive Industry and the Metaverse

The automotive industry is one of the world's most competitive and fast-moving industries. To stay ahead of the curve, companies must constantly innovate and look for new ways to engage with customers. The Metaverse is one of the most promising new frontiers for the automotive industry. 

The Metaverse is a virtual world created by combining elements of the real world with virtual reality. It has the potential to revolutionize the way that businesses interact with customers and could have a profound impact on the automotive industry. In this blog post, we will explore some ways that the Metaverse could change the automotive industry and what implications it may have for businesses.

Benefits that can be derived from the automotive industry:

1. The Metaverse could provide a new platform for marketing and advertising.

2. The Metaverse could be used to sell cars online.

3. The Metaverse could provide a new way for customers to test drive cars.

4. The Metaverse could be used to create virtual showrooms.

5. The Metaverse could provide a new way for companies to gather customer feedback.

6. The Metaverse could be used to train employees.

7. The Metaverse could provide a new platform for customer service and support.

8. The Metaverse could be used to host events and conferences.

9. The Metaverse could be used to research new car designs.

10. The Metaverse could provide a new way for companies to interact with suppliers and partners.

The potential implications of the Metaverse for the automotive industry are far-reaching and potentially game-changing. Businesses need to start thinking about using this new technology to their advantage to stay ahead of the competition. By being early adopters of this technology, companies can gain a significant competitive advantage that could help them thrive in the years to come.

How Can The Education Industry Leverage Metaverse?

The education industry is at a crossroads. With the COVID-19 pandemic raging across the globe, educational institutions have had to adapt rapidly to survive. Some have turned to online learning platforms like Zoom and Google Meet, while others have relied on more traditional methods like television and radio. But as the world begins to emerge from the pandemic, it's clear that the education industry will have to continue its digital transformation to stay relevant. One way that they can do this is by leveraging Metaverse.

Metaverse is a free, open-source virtual reality platform that allows users to create and experience virtual worlds. These virtual worlds can be used for various purposes, such as education, training, and entertainment. The possibilities are endless. And with Metaverse, the sky's the limit.

So how can the education industry leverage Metaverse? Here are the ways:

1. Online Learning Platforms

With Metaverse, educational institutions can create their own custom online learning platforms. These platforms can deliver lectures, host discussions, and even facilitate group work. Not to mention, they can be accessed by students from anywhere in the world. All they need is an internet connection and a VR headset.

2. Online Collaboration

Metaverse provides a unique online collaboration platform for educators. This platform allows educators to connect and work on projects in real-time. This is a valuable tool for educators who want to collaborate on lesson plans, curriculum, and professional development.

3. Student Engagement

Metaverse also has the potential to engage students like never before. Students can explore virtual worlds, visit different places, and meet new people worldwide. This type of engagement is proven to promote student learning and retention.

4. Professional Development

Lastly, Metaverse can be used for professional development purposes. Educators can attend virtual conferences, participate in webinars, and take part in online courses. This is a convenient way for educators to stay up-to-date on trends in the education industry without having to leave their homes or office.

5. Virtual Labs

Another way that the education industry can leverage Metaverse is by creating virtual labs. These labs can be used to teach students about a variety of subjects, such as chemistry, physics, and biology. They can also provide students with hands-on experience with equipment and tools they might not otherwise have access to.

6. Virtual Field Trips

Virtual field trips are another great way to use Metaverse in education. With virtual field trips, students can visit places they might not be able to visit in real life. For example, they could see ancient civilizations or go on safari in Africa. The possibilities are endless. And best of all, these trips can be taken without ever having to leave the classroom.

The education industry is at a pivotal moment in its history. With the world changing rapidly, educational institutions must change quickly to stay relevant. One way they can do this is by leveraging Metaverse—a free, open-source virtual reality platform that allows users to create and experience virtual worlds for various purposes—in their teaching methods moving forward. By leveraging Metaverse in their teaching methods moving forward. By utilizing Metaverse's platforms, institutions can provide their students with an immersive learning experience that will prepare them for the challenges of tomorrow.

Metaverse and the Music Industry

Metaverse is a 3D virtual world developed by Linden Lab. It was released in 2003 and is one of the earliest known examples of a virtual world. The platform enables users to interact with each other and create 3D objects. It has been used for educational, business, and entertainment purposes. Recently, there has been increased interest in how Metaverse can be leveraged in the music industry.

The music industry has always been quick to embrace new technology. From vinyl records to cassette tapes to CDs to digital downloads and streaming, the industry has always found ways to deliver music to fans. However, with the increasing popularity of virtual reality, it's time for the music industry to take advantage of Metaverse.

There are several ways that the music industry can leverage Metaverse. Let's take a look at a few of them.

1) Streaming concerts

One way that the music industry can leverage Metaverse is by streaming concerts. This would enable fans to attend shows virtually from anywhere in the world. The experience would be similar to attending a concert in person but without the hassle of travel or ticket prices. In addition, this would allow fans unable to attend concerts in person to see their favorite artists perform live.

2) Creating virtual worlds

Another way the music industry can use Metaverse is by creating virtual worlds for fans to explore. These worlds could be based on an artist's album or tour. For example, if an artist was going on tour to promote their new album, they could create a virtual world based on the album's concept. Fans could explore this world and learn more about the album and its artist. This would give fans a unique and immersive experience they couldn't get from simply listening to an album or watching a concert video.

3) Collaborations with other artists

Another way the music industry can use Metaverse is through collaborations with other artists. This would enable artists to create virtual duets or performances with other artists. This would open up new possibilities for creativity and collaboration between artists. In addition, this would also allow fans to see their favorite artists performing together in ways that wouldn't be possible in real life.

4) Interactive experiences

Finally, another way that the music industry can use Metaverse is through interactive experiences. This would enable fans to watch concerts or explore virtual worlds and interact with them in real-time. For example, fans could choose what song an artist plays next or how they want the stage to look during a concert. This would create a truly unique and immersive experience for fans they couldn't get anywhere else.

Metaverse provides a unique opportunity for the music industry to leverage due to its ability to provide interactive experiences unlike any other platform currently available There are many ways that the music industry can leverage Metaverse, some of which include streaming concerts creating virtual worlds, collaborations with other artists and interactive experiences all of which provide innovative opportunities for marketing musical content to generated revenue. As we enter an era where augmented and virtual reality are becoming more commonplace, the music industry needs to keep up with these latest technologies and remain relevant and top-of-mind for potential customers. What other ways could you thinkMetaverse be leveraged by the music industry?

Why should organisation's start caring about Metaverse ASAP?

You've probably heard of the term "Metaverse" before, but what exactly? The Metaverse is a virtual world that exists as a layer on top of the physical world, and it's made up of numerous interconnected virtual spaces that people can visit. Imagine it as a giant online multiplayer game where people can interact with each other and digital objects in real-time.

So, why should your corporation invest in the Metaverse? Here are three good reasons:

1) The Metaverse is a great way to boost employee morale and productivity.

2) The Metaverse is an excellent platform for marketing and advertising.

3) The Metaverse has the potential to revolutionize the way we do business entirely.

1) The Metaverse is a great way to boost employee morale and productivity.

When employees are happy and engaged at work, they're more productive. And what better way to engage employees than by giving them a fun and stimulating environment to work in? In the Metaverse, employees can attend virtual team-building exercises, company-wide events, and even after-work social gatherings without ever having to leave their desks. Not only will this boost morale, but it will also increase productivity by keeping employees tethered to their workstations. Win-win!

2) The Metaverse is an excellent platform for marketing and advertising.

The Metaverse offers a unique opportunity for companies to market their products and services in a new way. For example, imagine holding a virtual trade show or product demonstration where attendees can interact with your products or services in real-time. Or what about creating an interactive 3D tour of your company's headquarters that prospective customers can take from the comfort of their homes? The possibilities are endless—they're all extremely exciting from a marketing standpoint.

3) The Metaverse has the potential to revolutionize the way we do business entirely.

The business world is changing rapidly, and those who don't keep up will be left behind. TheMetaverse presents a unique opportunity for companies to stay ahead of the curve by doing new business. For example, imagine being able to close deals remotely by shaking hands with avatars representing your clients or suppliers. Or what about holding board meetings in virtual reality, where directors can walk through proposals and run simulations before making decisions? Again, the possibilities are endless—and they're all extremely exciting from a business standpoint.

As you can see, there are many good reasons your corporation should invest in the Metaverse. Not only is it a great way to boost employee morale and productivity, but it's also an excellent platform for marketing and advertising. Plus, the Metaverse has the potential to revolutionize the way we do business entirely. So what are you waiting for? Invest in the Metaverse today!

The Technology Stack for Metaverse

The Technology Stack for Metaverse

Metaverse is a decentralized, open-source platform that enables the creation of digital assets and smart contracts. The ERC20 token MVT powers it. The Metaverse technology stack consists of the following components:

1. Decentralized Identity Authentication (DIA) 

2. Digital Asset Exchange (DAE) 

3. Blockchain as a Service (BaaS) 

4. Decentralized Connectivity Protocol (DCP) 

5. Cross-Chain Smart Contract (CCSC) 

6. Metaverse Full Node 

7. Metaverse Light wallet 

8. Metaverse Block Explorer 

9. Metaverse Developer SDKs. 

Component 1: Decentralized Identity Authentication (DIA) 

The DIA component is responsible for creating and validating digital identities on the Metaverse platform. These identities can be used to represent individuals, organizations, or things. The MVT token powers the DIA component and utilizes both on-chain and off-chain data to authenticate identities. 

Component 2: Digital Asset Exchange (DAE) 

The DAE component enables the exchange of digital assets on the Metaverse platform. It uses an order book system to match buyers and sellers, and settlement is performed through smart contracts. The MVT token powers the DAE component. 

Component 3: Blockchain as a Service (BaaS) 

The BaaS component provides an easy way for enterprises to build and deploy applications on the Metaverse blockchain. It includes a suite of tools for development, testing, and deployment. The MVT token powers the BaaS component. 

Component 4: Decentralized Connectivity Protocol (DCP) 

The DCP component enablesMetaverseto connect with other blockchains. It uses a gateway system to convert assets from one blockchain to another. The MVT token powers the DCP component. 

Component 5: Cross-Chain Smart Contract (CCSC)

The CCSC component enables cross-chain intelligent contracts to be executed on the Metaverse platform. In addition, these contracts can be used to Atomic Swap tokens between different blockchains. The MVT token powers the CCSC component. 

Component 6: Metaverse Full Node

A full node is a computer that stores a copy of the entire Metaverse blockchain. Full nodes help to validate transactions and keep the network secure. In addition, they are rewarded with MVT tokens for their contributions. 

Component 7: Meta verse Light wallet

A light wallet is a software wallet that does not store a copy of the entire blockchain. Light wallets are lighter and faster than full node wallets but are less secure since they rely on third-party servers for information about the blockchain. 

Component 8: Meta verse Block Explorer

A block explorer is a website that allows users to view information about blocks, transactions, and addresses on the blockchain. The Metaverse Block Explorer also has advanced features such as viewing intelligent contract codes and verifying identity proofs. 

Component 9: Meta verse Developer SDKs

The Metaverse Developer SDKs are a set of tools developers can use to build applications on the Metaverse platform. They include libraries, documentation, and example code.  

Metaverse's technology stack comprises nine components that work together to power the platform. These components include everything from identity authentication to cross-chain intelligent contracts. Together, they provide a complete solution for enterprises looking to build applications on a decentralized platform."

The Rise of Metaverse

Metaverse is a term first coined by Neal Stephenson in his science fiction novel Snow Crash. It is a virtual reality platform that allows users to interact with each other and their environment. In recent years, the term has been adopted by tech and gaming companies to describe a similar concept; a virtual world that people can visit and inhabit. Simply put, the Metaverse is a shared virtual space where people can interact with each other and digital content. At the same time, business leaders need to understand the critical components that will make up this new online ecosystem. 

The three critical facets of Metaverse:

Identity

Identity is who you are in the Metaverse. This includes your avatar, virtual representation of yourself, and your unique username and profile. Your identity in the Metaverse allows you to interact with other users and experience the digital content that makes up the Metaverse. 

Presence

Presence is what you do in the Metaverse. Your presence is your avatar's actions and interactions within the virtual space. This can include walking, talking, gesturing, and much more. In addition, presence is how you engage with other users and experiences in the Metaverse. 

Persistence:

Persistence is what persists after you leave the Metaverse. This can include your identity (avatar, username, profile), relationships with other users, and digital artifacts you've created or interacted with during your time in the Metaverse. Essentially, anything you do in the Metaverse that leaves a lasting impression is considered persistence. 

With the pandemic continuing to rage on and social distancing measures still in place in many parts of the world, businesses have had to get creative to stay connected with their customers and employees. Metaverse is often described as a mix between the physical and virtual worlds, and it's becoming increasingly popular for businesses to connect with their audiences. Critical elements which build on the three facets of identity, presence, and persistence are:

1. A 3D Environment

One of the most critical components of the Metaverse is a three-dimensional (3D) environment. This environment needs to be realistic and immersive to give users the feeling that they genuinely interact with each other and digital content. Virtual reality (VR) headsets can be used to create an immersive experience, but even without VR, a well-designed 3D environment can provide an engaging experience for users.

2. Digital Content

Another crucial component of the Metaverse is digital content. This content can take many forms, but it needs to be high-quality and engaging to keep users coming back. Famous examples of digital content include games, videos, and interactive experiences. 

3. Social Interaction

The final crucial component of the Metaverse is social interaction. For the Metaverse to be successful, it needs to be a space where people feel comfortable interacting with each other. This interaction can take many forms, including text, audio, video, and even sharing user-generated content. 

Believe or Perish

There are many non-believers still in Metaverse. However, rapid innovation and acceleration of technology would enable the reality of Metaverse to come to life sooner than expected. Therefore, business leaders must prepare for the Metaverse application far sooner than expected.

An Important Conversation About Networking, Staying Ahead of the curve in 2022 and beyond

Last week, I arranged for a small meet-up with my industry connections over breakfast. It was an exciting process that led to the breakfast meet-up, where I had first to muscle up and prepare a list of individuals whom I would like to call for the meet-up and would share more details in the blog, but what took me by surprise that initially, 20+ individuals said yes however on the day only 7 of us showed up. While some can say it was disappointing from a turnout perspective, from my point of view, it was a pretty good turnout. I did, though, get my friend Ronny Sequeira (Top 10 photographer in India) to come and share his learnings in creativity and what we can apply in business skills. What didn't please me, though, is that many folks backed out because they didn't seem to network being important or had other conflicts.

It got me thinking, why don't people network? Is Networking essential or relevant in 2022? The answer is very much a big "Yes." With so many changes and advancements in technology, the way we do business is changing too. And with so many new and innovative ways to connect with people and companies, Networking will be more important than ever to stay ahead of the curve. During that day, I learned so much from the individuals who had shown up during the event. More importantly, it became an extensive learning exercise rather than just an excellent breakfast and coffee.

If you haven't read the book - "Never Eat Alone," I would highly recommend you do so as it teaches you so much about networking and mastering the art of it. Thanks to my Podcast guest - Deepshika Kumar, who not only introduced me to the author Keith Ferrazzi but also gifted me the book.

The last two and a half years have taught me that just resting on my past laurels doesn't help me in my current and future path. I need to constantly learn not from the knowledge in the digital world but also others, as each of us has our share of learnings and perspectives, which collectively can be massive to help us prepare for the future.

“But why Networking in Business is the biggest question?”

Staying ahead of the curve in business

Today's DUCA (Disruptive, Unpredictable, Complex, and Ambiguous) environment is not helping us, as there are no past data or scenarios which are helping us to analyze the current and also help prepare for the future. Suppose you are a business person and or part of the organization. In that case, it is imperative that we are ahead of the business to plan, execute and reap the benefits of our endeavors. However, staying two steps behind or in line with the business doesn't help the company, employees, consumers, partners, and other stakeholders. One must have enough empirical data and qualitative inputs to stay ahead of the business. Staying ahead of the business helps build confidence in your day-to-day activities and strategic priorities, thereby allowing you to be more successful as a leader and executive of the company.

Networking abilities empower you to stay ahead of the curve.

Networking with like-minded individuals from your industry or even different industries would allow you to gather a ton of qualitative data points which would enable you to excel and ensure that it helps you stay ahead of the curve. With technology and other elements like AI changing so rapidly, keeping up with all sources we have is just unimaginable. More so, prioritizing what would impact and what wouldn't further be a dilemma for each of us.

Networking is essential for staying ahead of the curve because it allows you to learn about new technology and advancements as they happen. By being in contact with other professionals and businesses, you'll be able to get a head start on adopting new technology and using it in your own business. Networking is also essential for building relationships and connections that can help you in the future. When you need help or advice, you'll have a network of people to turn to.

Some tips on what I have learned from Networking:

Networking is one of the most important things you can do to stay ahead of the curve in 2022. Here are a few tips on how to network effectively:

1. Make an excellent first impression. When you meet someone new, make sure you come across as friendly and approachable. Smile and make conversation, and try to find common ground.

2. Don't be afraid to reach out. If you see someone you want to connect with, don't hesitate to reach out to them. Introduce yourself and offer to help them with whatever they might need.

3. Follow up. When you meet someone new, follow up with them afterward. Stay in touch and keep building that relationship.

4. Don't restrict or confine yourself to individuals from your industry alone; allow yourself to connect and engage with individuals who aren't part of the same industry.

5. Focus on learning and building connections rather than trying to sell or a monetary gain.

6. Know whom not to network with, as others aren't operating with the same intention as you are

7. Declare your intention to ensure that others feel comfortable speaking to you rather than keeping their guards up in front of you

So make sure you're well prepared for 2022 and beyond by getting out there and networking as much as possible!

Biohacking: Why Is understanding the importance of sleep so popular right now?

Sleep is one of the essential aspects of our lives, yet many people don't get enough of it. We all know that sleep is essential, but what exactly happens when we don't get enough shut-eye? Lack of sleep can lead to decreased productivity, impaired judgment, and even accidents. Not to mention the fact that it can also lead to weight gain, depression, and other health problems. So why is sleep so important? And how can we make sure we're getting the most out of our slumber?

There are many reasons why sleep is so important. Sleep helps to enhance mental focus and allows our brains to consolidate information. It also gives our bodies a chance to repair and heal. Sleep is essential for good physical health and has been linked to reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Sleep is also vital for mental health and has been linked with reducing the risk of depression and anxiety.

Not getting enough sleep can have serious consequences. Sleep deprivation can lead to:

- Decreased productivity

- Impaired judgment

- Difficulty learning and retaining information

- Increased risk of accidents and errors

- Moodiness and irritability

- Weight gain

- Depression and other health problems.

Sleep is essential for good physical health.

When we don't get enough sleep, our body doesn't have time to heal and restore itself. This can lead to several physical health problems, including weight gain, high blood pressure, and a weakened immune system. Getting enough sleep is essential for maintaining our overall health and well-being.

Sleep is incredibly important for our mental health.

During sleep, our brains process and store information, consolidate memories, and repair damage from the day. Not getting enough sleep can lead to irritability, mood swings, and problems with concentration and decision-making. Sleep deprivation can also lead to anxiety and depression.

Creating a good sleep environment is essential to getting the most out of our sleep. We should make sure our bedrooms are dark, quiet, and calm. We should avoid screens before bedtime and establish a regular sleep schedule. If we have trouble sleeping, we can try relaxation techniques or consult a doctor.

Getting a good night's sleep is essential for physical and mental health. It helps us stay focused and productive during the day and keeps us healthy and happy overall. So make sure you're getting enough shut-eye!

Sleep allows our brains to consolidate information.

When awake, our brains constantly work, processing new information and trying to make sense of it all. Sleep provides a time for our brains to rest and organize the information we’ve learned during the day. This is why it’s so important to get a good night’s sleep – if we don’t allow our brains time to rest and consolidate information, we will be more forgetful and less productive.

Sleep also enhances our mental focus and concentration. When well-rested, we’re better able to pay attention and focus on tasks. This is because sleep allows our brains to refresh and recharge. Without enough sleep, our brains are less able to filter out distractions, making focusing more challenging.

Sleep types and why they are important

There are two main types of sleep: REM and NREM. REM sleep is the type of sleep associated with dreaming and occurs in cycles throughout the night. NREM sleep is the deep, restful type of sleep necessary for physical and mental rejuvenation. Most people spend about 75% of their total sleep time in NREM sleep.

The importance of REM sleep is still not fully understood, but it is known that this type of sleep is vital for learning and memory. On the other hand, NREM sleep is crucial for physical health and restoration. During NREM sleep, the body heals and repairs itself from the day's wear and tear.

Sleep cycles usually last about 90 minutes and alternate between REM and NREM sleep throughout the night. Most people experience four or five Sleep cycles per night.

Sleep is essential because it gives our bodies a chance to repair and heal.

We all know that getting a good night's sleep is essential, but what exactly happens when we don't get enough shut-eye? Lack of sleep can lead to decreased productivity, impaired judgment, and even accidents. Not to mention the fact that it can also lead to weight gain, depression, and other health problems. So why is sleep so important? And how can we make sure we're getting the most out of our slumber?

During the night, our bodies go through a series of stages of sleep, each of which has its benefits. For example, deep sleep helps improve memory, while REM sleep helps promote creativity. Sleep deprivation can interfere with these processes, leading to decreased productivity and cognitive function.

Why are strategies failing in 2022? They are missing out on effective execution.

It's no secret that the world is changing faster than ever before. Every day, we see new technologies, products, and services enter the market, which can be challenging. As a result, companies are struggling to adapt strategies for 2022, and as a result, they are finding themselves vulnerable to competition.

One of the main reasons why strategies are failing in 2022 is because they are missing out on effective execution. While a well-devised strategy is essential, the implementation will determine a company's success or failure.

Too often, executives focus on developing long-term strategic plans without thinking about how they will execute those plans. As a result, their strategies lack the agility and flexibility needed to succeed in a rapidly changing world.

To succeed in 2022, companies must focus on execution and ensure their strategies are agile and adaptable. Only then will they be able to survive and thrive in the ever-changing business landscape.

Adapting to change

To be successful in business, essential to be able to adapt to change. However, many companies struggle to do this, as they cannot adjust their strategies when necessary. This can leave them vulnerable in a rapidly changing world.

One of the biggest problems is that companies often focus too much on their long-term strategic plans. While it is essential to have a well-thought-out strategy, it is equally important to be able to execute it effectively. If a company cannot do this, its strategy will ultimately fail.

To succeed, businesses need to focus on their strategy and execution. Without both, they will not be able to survive in the ever-changing business world. The last two years of the pandemic and current 2022 clearly show what we know in the past doesn't determine our current and future trends. "Change is the only thing constant in our lives" is more accurate than ever for all business leaders.

I have re-initiated traveling since October 2021. What is unique in business travel compared to my previous travel schedules pre-pandemic is that I cannot pre-plan the cities and in-person meetings anymore. Clients or companies are changing the rules of engagement because Covid-19 is still not over. Till today the cases are rising, and individuals are getting impacted. If you have OCD on travel and planning, then sorry, my friend, you will not be able to have a peaceful journey.

Why strategies are failing in 2022 because they're missing out on effective execution

Strategies are failing in 2022 because they're missing out on effective execution. Execution is key to any successful strategy; without it, a company can easily fall behind its competitors. Poor execution can be attributed to several factors, such as lack of planning, inadequate resources, or poor communication.

Too often, executives focus on developing long-term strategic plans without thinking about how they will execute those plans. While a well-devised strategy is essential, the execution will determine a company's success or failure. To ensure that their strategies are implemented effectively, companies must focus on three key areas: planning, resources, and communication.

Planning: A crucial part of effective execution is planning. Companies need to ensure that they have a clear plan for how they will execute their strategy. This includes setting milestones and timelines and identifying who is responsible for each task.

Resources: Execution also requires adequate aid. Companies must ensure they have the workforce, financial resources, and technology to execute their plans.

Communication: Finally, effective communication is essential for successful execution. Companies need to ensure that all stakeholders are kept up-to-date on the strategy's progress and that there is a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities of each individual.

Execution is the key to any successful strategy. Without it, companies will struggle to compete in today's increasingly competitive business landscape.

Tips for adapting your strategy for successful execution

Execution is essential for any successful strategy. However, a few tips can help you adjust your strategy for successful implementation.

1. Make sure your strategy is achievable. Don't set your team up for failure by proposing unrealistic goals.

2. Communicate your strategy to all members of your team. This will ensure everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goal.

3. Be flexible. Execution often requires making changes to your original plan. Be open to new ideas and willing to adapt your strategy as needed.

4. Measure progress. Regularly check in with your team to see how they are progressing. This will help you identify any areas that need improvement.

5. Be ready to kill. Organizations and executives can get too tied with their plans so much that they do not realize the reality of the strategy is failing or irrelevant

6. Celebrate successes. Execution can be complex, so celebrate your team's successes along the way. This will keep them motivated and focused on the task at hand.

If your business succeeds, you need to focus on execution. By following these tips, you can adapt your strategy for successful execution. Execution is the key to success, so don't let your strategy fail due to poor execution.

The Brain: The Most Powerful Machine on Earth

The brain is the most powerful machine on Earth. It makes us human and gives us the edge over all other creatures. Our brains can process information faster than any computer, and they continue to baffle scientists with their complex workings. But why do some people seem to be brighter than others? Why do some people have a better memory? And why is it so important to exercise our brain muscles? In this blog post, we will explore the power of the human brain and find out why training our brains is so crucial for success in today's world.

Brain muscles are just like any other muscles in our body. If we don't use them, they will start to deteriorate. This is why it's so important to challenge our brains regularly. Like we need to walk or run to keep our legs strong, we need to do brain exercises to keep our minds sharp. Brain training can help improve our memory, concentration, and problem-solving skills. It can also help reduce stress and anxiety levels.

Despite the brain's immense power, scientists are still trying to figure out how it works and how we can use this power to our advantage. The brain is responsible for everything we do, from thinking and processing information to movement and emotions. So what can you do to make sure your brain is working at its best?

The human brain is a unique and powerful machine. It can process information faster than any computer, controlling our bodies and emotions. However, many people don't realize how much potential they have and how much the brain can do for them. To unlock this potential, you need to exercise your brain muscles just like you would any other muscle in your body.

How to Train Your Brain Muscles for Success

The human brain is the most powerful machine on earth. But, unfortunately, it's also the most complex. With over 100 billion neurons, it's no wonder scientists are still trying to figure out how it all works. But what we do know is that the brain is capable of change. It can grow new neurons and create new connections between them. This means that we can change our brain structure and function by doing certain activities.

So what kind of activities should we be doing to keep our brains healthy and help them perform at their best? Brain-training exercises, of course! Here are some easy (and fun) ones you can do at home:

1. Learn a new language.

This is a great way to keep your brain active, but it can also come in handy on your next vacation. Learning a new language requires you to remember new vocabulary and grammar rules. This helps to keep your memory sharp and your mind flexible.

2. Play some Brain Games.

There are tons of online and app-based games designed to help improve your memory, attention span, and problem-solving skills. And the best part is, they're fun to play! So take a break from Candy Crush and give your brain a workout with some of these games instead.

3. Get moving.

You don't have to join a gym or start training for a marathon to get the benefits of exercise. Just 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day can help improve your memory and cognitive function. So go for a walk, take a yoga class, or go for a swim. Just get moving!

4. Make some time for socializing.

Spending time with friends and family can help reduce stress and improve your mood. But did you know that it can also help keep your brain sharp? Socializing requires you to use some of the same skills as Brain Games, like memory and problem-solving. So next time you're feeling lonely, give your brain a boost and give someone a call.

5. Eating healthy.

Eating a healthy diet is essential for your overall health, but it's also crucial for keeping your brain healthy. Brain-boosting foods include omega-3 fatty acids, blueberries, and dark leafy greens. So make sure to include these in your diet to nourish your brain.

Doing these simple activities can help improve your brain function and keep your mind sharp well into old age. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and start exercising your brain!

The benefits of a healthy and robust brain are vast.

First, a healthy brain is essential for optimal success in life. Second, a solid and healthy brain can help prevent age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's and dementia. Third, exercising the brain muscles can improve cognitive function and help prevent cognitive decline. Finally, a healthy and robust brain can improve your mood and overall well-being.

Tips for keeping your brain in top shape

The brain is perhaps the most powerful machine on Earth. It's responsible for our thoughts, memories, and emotions. But as with any apparatus, it needs to be kept in reasonable condition if we want it to function at its best. So here are some tips for keeping your brain in top shape:

1. Exercise your brain muscles.

Just like our physical muscles, the brain benefits from exercise. In addition, brain-training activities such as puzzles, crosswords, and Sudoku help keep the mind sharp and reduce the risk of memory decline in later life.

2. Get enough sleep.

Sleep is essential for good mental health. It gives the brain time to rest and repair itself. Aim for around eight hours of sleep a night.

3. Eat a healthy diet.

Eating a healthy diet helps protect the brain against damage from free radicals. Brain-friendly foods include leafy green vegetables, oily fish, nuts, and berries.

4. Challenge yourself.

Keeping your mind active and engaged is vital for brain health. Learning new skills, taking on new challenges, and socializing with friends and family help keep the brain busy.

5. Stress less.

Chronic stress can damage the brain, so it's crucial to find ways to relax and de-stress. Exercise, meditation, and spending time in nature are great ways to reduce stress levels.

By following these tips, you can help to keep your brain healthy and functioning at its best.

Why English is a Critical Dimension for an Individual to Succeed in the Modern World?

Language is the key to diversity and has always been a vital means of human communication. The language an individual speaks reflects their cultural heritage and opens new opportunities for business, travel, study, and socializing. As a result, English has become the primary language today. It is not only the first language of many countries but also the unofficial global language of communication.

But succeeding in the modern world by being proficient in English is it the real need?

I was fortunate enough to be invited by Reliance Foundation to evaluate extraordinary students across India to be selected for a particular scholarship and induction into a program that gives them global recognition, mentoring, and exposure to the modern technology world. Through the process, I came across many engaging students with backgrounds, and academic excellence, which made me proud and a little bit overwhelmed as all of the students had excellent academic achievements.

Especially one discussion got me in a state of pride, sad, amazed, and a new perspective on life and how to really "Walk the talk." It was a conversation with a gifted child (her name was concealed for privacy reasons). She took the video call from her northern Indian home, made of bricks and a hay roof with little electricity for privacy reasons. The Microsoft Teams call was taken on her smartphone, and most of us would be shy of our backgrounds and use either blurring feature or a digital set, but she didn't care or bother about it. We could see her family in the background moving around and undertaking their daily chores, which was not a distraction as the conversation was so far enriching.

Each candidate had to submit "A statement of purpose" and a letter "on why they should be selected." Before speaking to her, I read both letters and understood that English was not good as there were multiple spelling, punctuation, and grammatical mistakes. So I had formed a perception that her English speaking skills would also be not that great, which was confirmed when we started speaking to her. We switched to speaking in Hindi and sporadically used English in our conversation. I don't remember every bit of the conversation, but the articulation of her thoughts, passion, and a clear focus on her future goals was so impressive that she left a mark on my and my co-chair's mind.

However, what left me thinking and pondering was her critical question to us: "What is our advice to anyone whose English speaking skills aren't that great?". I asked her why this question us, and she mentioned that individuals got more preference for who spoke well in English at her college and her tuition. Also, she and others like her couldn't articulate their thoughts well due to a lack of proficiency in English. So my response to her was, "It is not English, but your thought process, passion, and intellectual abilities would supersede your language abilities."

After the process, I pondered what I said and thought about my scenario. In my initial career (whether in college or at work), I was not that proficient in the language, which made me lack confidence and was introverted.

Language has always been a barrier in my life, which I have slowly started breaking by taking risks and challenging myself with new opportunities that require me to use English. A language is just a tool for communication; it is not the sole determining factor of success. Despite being brilliant and having great ideas, many people couldn't express themselves due to language barriers.

It is essential to have command over the English language in today's world, but that doesn't mean that individuals who don't have a good grasp of the language should give up on their dreams. A language is just a tool for communication, and there are many other ways to express oneself. With hard work, passion, and dedication, anyone can overcome the barriers posed by the English language and succeed in their field. Language should never be a reason for someone to give up on their dreams.

Another interesting example of how a strong command over language can win you thousands or even millions of Dollars is the new Netflix show "Bullshit." I will not be a spoilsport of revealing the plot here, but you would get my point on how language proficiency, especially English, can instill confidence and win you over others.

Inherently in the corporate world, we disregard or do not select individuals who cannot communicate well. Should the process be focused on skills, thought processes, aptitude, and attitude and focus on individuals' abilities rather than English? The change in strategy would enhance diversity, create a culture of inclusion and bring in perspectives that drive an organization to a different level.

Do you think English is a critical dimension for an individual to succeed in the modern world? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Why customer data platforms are still important for businesses?

It's no secret that customers today expect more personalized experiences when they interact with businesses. To keep up with the competition, many companies are turning to customer data platforms (CDPs) to collect and manage customer data more effectively.

CDPs have been in the market for a few years now, but there has been a recent discussion on whether or not they are dying out. There are various opinions on this matter, but most believe that CDPs still have a lot to offer businesses regarding customer engagement and understanding customer behavior.

One of the main benefits of CDPs is that they can help you keep track of customer data even if cookies are deleted or blocked. With the death of cookies looming, this is becoming increasingly important. CDPs can also help you better understand your customers to provide them with the best possible experience.

The benefits of deploying CDP in your customer strategy

There are many benefits to using a CDP for businesses. The most important benefit is that CDPs help companies better understand their customers. By collecting and consolidating customer data, businesses can better understand who their customers are, what they like, what they don't like, and how they behave. This information can then create more targeted marketing campaigns and improve customer experiences.

Another benefit of CDPs is that they help businesses improve customer engagement. CDPs make it easier to identify and target customers who are most likely interested in a particular product or service. They also make it easier to personalize communications with customers, leading to higher conversion rates and longer customer relationships.

With the recent death of cookies, CDPs have become even more critical for businesses. Previously, cookies were used to track customer behavior online and target them with relevant ads. However, they are no longer effective due to new privacy regulations (such as GDPR) and browser changes (such as Safari's Intelligent Tracking Prevention). This has made it more difficult for businesses to track customers and deliver targeted advertising across the web. CDPs provide a way to overcome these challenges by monitoring customer behavior offline (through purchase histories, loyalty programs, etc.) and online (through website interactions, social media activity, etc.). This gives businesses a complete view of the customer journey, which can be used to deliver more personalized experiences.

Overall, CDPs still have a lot to offer businesses. They are a valuable tool for understanding customers, improving customer engagement, and overcoming the challenges posed by the death of cookies. If you're not using a CDP in your customer strategy, you should consider doing so.

The right way to implement CDPs within your organization

Now that we know that customer data platforms are still important, let's talk about implementing them into your business process. When it comes to CDPs, there is no one-size-fits-all solution; each business will have its own unique needs that must be taken into account. Here are some tips on how to get started:

1. Define your business goals and objectives.

The first step in any CDP implementation is understanding your business goals and objectives. What do you hope to achieve with a CDP? What are your priorities? What are you trying to solve? Once you understand your goals, you can start looking for the right CDP that will fit those needs. 

2. Assess your data.

The next step is to take a closer look at your data. What data do you have? Where is it located? How is it structured? Answering these questions will help you determine which CDP features are most important to you and what kind of data integrations will be necessary.

3. Select the right CDP.

There are a lot of different customer data platforms on the market, so it's essential to select the one that's right for your business. Consider your business goals, assess your data, and read reviews of different CDPs before deciding.

4. Don’t over obsess on lack of enough first-party data

Organizations do not proceed with the deployment of CDP as they mention that there is not enough first-party data to drive their customer strategies forward. Organizations can still develop micro-cohorts with attributes of ICPs (Ideal Customer Profiles) which can be fed into the CDP to drive personalization and targeting programs

5. Implement and test.

Once you've selected a CDP, it's time to implement it into your business processes. This will require some testing to ensure that everything is working. Be sure to document everything so you can reference it later if necessary.

6. Monitor and optimize.

After you've implemented a CDP, it's essential to monitor its performance and make sure it's meeting your expectations. If not, don't be afraid to make changes or adjust your strategy. The goal is to improve your customer engagement and understanding of customer behavior continuously.

Customer data platforms (CDPs) are still crucial for businesses because: 

• They help businesses understand customer behavior 

• They improve customer engagement 

• They provide a better customer experience 

Tips for getting the most out of your CDP

Although customer data platforms may decline, they are still essential for businesses. Here are some tips for getting the most out of your CDP:

1. Make sure you are using the platform to its full potential. A CDP can do a lot more than collect data. It can help you segment customers, personalize communications, and optimize your marketing strategies.

2. Integrate the platform with your other systems. This will help you better understand your customers and their behavior.

3. Use the data to create targeted campaigns. Personalized campaigns are more successful than generic ones.

4. Experiment with different features of the platform. Try collecting and analyzing data to see what works best for your business.

5. Keep your CDP up to date. The platform is constantly evolving, so make sure you use the latest features and functionality.

By following these tips, you can ensure that your customer data platform is still working hard for your business.

Are you still struggling and thinking about deploying a CDP?

Deploying a CDP can be highly beneficial for your business. It can help you collect and analyze customer data more effectively, leading to better customer experiences and more sales. However, it is essential to implement CDPs the right way within your organization. Here are some tips for getting started:

1. Make sure you have a clear goal for what you want the CDP to achieve. Define what you wish the platform to do and how it will fit into your overall customer strategy.

2. Gather input from all stakeholders who will be using the platform. This includes marketing, sales, IT, and operations staff. They should all be involved in setting up the CDP and determining how it will be used.

3. Choose the right CDP for your needs. There are many different CDPs on the market, so make sure you select one with the features and functionality you need.

4. Set up a test environment to try out the CDP before rolling it out to your entire customer base. This will help you ensure that it is working correctly and that everyone knows how to use it.

5. Train your staff on how to use the platform. They should be familiar with all of the features and functions to make the most of it.

By following these tips, you can successfully deploy a customer data platform within your organization and start reaping the benefits.

The Second Brain: How Roam Research and Notion Help Me Boost Productivity?

Your brain is a powerful tool, but it's not always easy to harness its full potential. Sometimes, you need a little help to achieve your goals and get the most out of your mind. Over the last year, I found it challenging to balance my personal and professional life. Importantly, I felt a sense of incomplete/unaccomplished at the end of every day. That is where my quest started to find a better solution to enhance my productivity and create a life operating system and a second brain. 

That's where Roam Research and Notion came in.

Roam Research is a powerful research tool that allows you to keep all of your notes and ideas in one place. Roam makes it easy to access your thoughts and information when needed and helps you organize your thoughts more effectively. In addition, Notion is a great way to keep track of your to-do list and deadlines, ensuring that you never forget an important task.

By using Roam Research and Notion together, you can create a "second brain" that will serve you well in both your personal and professional life. These tools will help you boost your productivity, increase your knowledge, and get more out of your mind. 

What is a Second Brain?

Your brain is responsible for many things - from remembering your best friend's phone number to figuring out how to get home from work. But what about all of the other tasks you need to accomplish daily? That's where your "second brain" comes in.

Your second brain is a tool that you can use to keep track of all of the things you need to do, remember, and know. Using a digital technology (All format friendly - Web and Phone App), you can offload some of the burdens from your primary brain, freeing up space for more critical tasks.

How Can a Second Brain Boost Productivity?

A few ways to use a second brain can help you boost your productivity.

First, by keeping all of your notes and information in one place, you can save time that would otherwise be spent searching for lost files or memories. Second, digital technologies offer features that make it easy to keep track of your to-do list and deadlines, ensuring that you never forget an important task.

Third, using a second brain can help you organize your thoughts more effectively. By linking related notes and ideas together, you can create a "web" of information that is easy to navigate and reference. The approach can be constructive when working on complex projects that require much research.

Fourth, suppose you are an avid reader; instead of remembering every bit of the book content or important topics. In that case, you can convert the entire mental notes digitally, which enables you to create a successful summary of books in your way.

Fifth, we all juggle many priorities (personal and professional) daily; having a second brain allows you to document, research, prioritize, and, more importantly, get things done.

Sixth, drive accountability and enhance self-appreciation practices. Let’s give in that we are the best motivators and demotivators of everything in our lives. We cannot blame others or circumstances of demotivation in our lives; a second brain helps you do a good review or, more importantly, daily journaling, which allows you to recognize you can complete daily, weekly, and monthly. 

So if you're looking for a way to boost your productivity, consider using a second brain. 

How do Roam Research and Notion help you build a second brain?

Roam Research and Notion can help you build a Second Brain. Using them together will increase your knowledge, keep all of your essential information in one place, and make it easy to get all the research you need when you need it. You can also use both tools to keep track of your deadlines and to-do list so that you never forget an important task. Roam Research & Notion can help you boost your productivity in both your personal and professional life.

What is Roam Research?

Roam Research is an online tool available on a phone app that helps you take notes and organize your thoughts more effectively. It's designed to help you connect ideas and concepts, making it easy to reference and recall information when you need it. Roam Research is beneficial for students and professionals who want to boost their productivity.

What is Notion?

Notion is an online tool that helps you organize your thoughts, keep track of your to-do list, and build workflows, databases, and digital libraries. It's a great way to boost your productivity by keeping all of your information in one place. The Notion is beneficial for businesses and individuals who want to be more organized.

How do Roam Research and Notion work together?

Roam Research and Notion work together to help you boost your productivity. By using both tools, you can keep all of your thoughts and information in one place, making it easy to reference and recall when you need it. You can also use both tools to keep track of your deadlines and to-do list, ensuring that you never forget an important task. Roam Research & Notion can help you increase your knowledge and be more productive in your personal and professional life.

Personally, developing a Second Brain was a perfect combination of Roam Research and Notion. Together, these two tools make it easy to boost your productivity. By using Roam Research and Notion together, you can keep all of your thoughts and information in one place, make it easy to find the research you need, and never forget an important task. 

How to get the most out of your second brain?

One of the best ways to get the most out of your second brain is to use it to organize and track your to-do list. By using Roam Research and Notion together, you can create a robust to-do list to help you stay on top of all your tasks. Roam Research is outstanding for tracking deadlines and due dates, while Notion can be used to store important notes and research. By using both tools together, you can keep everything you need in one place, making it easy to stay productive.

Another way to use your second brain is to boost your productivity. By keeping all of your important notes and research in one place, you can easily access it when you need it. You can also use Roam Research and Notion to keep track of your to-do list and deadlines, ensuring that you never forget an important task. By using both tools together, you can build a second brain that will serve you well in your personal and professional life.

The other way which has been helping me in a big way is creating areas focused on the following:

1. A health tracker - allowing me to track all my physical activities

2. A CRM tracker - helping me manage my professional network and enabling me to enhance and build relationships for long term

3. A daily journal – I got into the habit of journaling, which enables me to put down my thoughts/emotions rather than thinking about them.

4. Books notes: For all books I read, I can document the notes from them to refer them for later purpose

5. A tracker: for all programs in personal and professional life

If you want to get the most out of your second brain, you can do a few things. First, use it to organize and track your to-do list. Second, use it to boost your productivity. And third, use it to keep track of your thoughts and ideas. By following these tips, you can build a second brain that will help you in all areas of your life.

If I had known 25 years ago, investing and building a second brain would be one thing. It is not late for anyone to start building an effective and personal second brain digital system that enables you to enhance your productivity, digitize your thoughts, and help you be more efficient daily.

PS: This is not a sponsored article by Notion or Roam Research

Is Digital ready being Data ready?

According to a Forbes article in June 2021, the cost of Digital Transformation program failures would be close to $3.3 Trillion by 2025. An astounding amount and while it also stated the top five reasons for the failure Cost, Company Culture, Leadership Decision, Business Problem, and Success Measures, in my perspective there is one more reason - the confusion between digital readiness vs. data readiness.

In today's society, it seems like almost everything is done digitally. We shop online, bank, and even communicate with one another electronically. As a result, the amount of data being created and shared daily is rapidly increasing. This explosion of data has caused many people to start questioning if "digital" is ready for the amount of data created.

Digital transformation is transitioning from traditional, analog business processes to those that are digital. It's an ongoing journey that requires organizations to change how they think, work, and operate. As more and more data gets created, businesses need to become data-ready to keep up.

What is data readiness, and how can businesses achieve it?

Data readiness is the ability of a company or individual to use data to make decisions effectively. It is about taking all of the available data and turning it into something that can be used to improve the business. This can include anything from increasing sales to enhancing customer service.

A company needs to have the correct tools in place to be data ready. This includes everything from storage capacity to analytics software. The company also needs to have employees who can interpret the data and make decisions based on what they find. It is becoming increasingly important for companies to be data ready as the amount of data grows. The world is creating more data than ever before, and much of it is being shared digitally. This means that companies need to store and manage this data effectively to make use of it.

Digital transformation is the process of using digital technologies to create new or different business processes. It can involve anything from automating manual processes to improving customer experience. To be successful, a company needs to have a clear plan for using digital technologies to enhance its business. Without effectively using data, it will be difficult for a company to improve its business processes. Digital transformation can be an excellent way for a company to improve its competitiveness, but only if it can effectively use data.

 When it comes to data readiness, businesses need to have a plan in place for what they want to do with the data they collect. They need to have systems set up that can handle the influx of data and be able to analyze and use it to make better business decisions.

There are a few key ways that businesses can achieve data readiness:

1. Enabling self-service analytics: Giving employees the ability to analyze data on their own can help them make better decisions about improving their work processes.

2. Collecting the correct data: Not all data is created equal, so businesses need to be selective about what they collect and store.

3. Developing a data governance plan: Having a clear plan for how data will be collected, stored, and used can help ensure that it is used effectively and efficiently.

4. Creating a data-driven culture: Encouraging employees to use data to drive decision-making can help create a more data-centric organization.

5. Training employees on data analytics: Providing employees with training on how to use it can help them better use the data available to them.

Digital readiness is necessary to keep up with the increasing demand for storage. We are quickly reaching a point where digital will have to become data-ready to keep up. Businesses need to take steps to ensure that they are prepared for the future. By enabling self-service analytics, collecting the correct data, and developing a data governance plan, businesses can make sure that they are ready for anything that comes their way.

The benefits of transitioning to AI to become data-ready 

One way to become data-ready is by transitioning to artificial intelligence (AI). AI can help businesses make sense of all the data they are collecting and turn it into insights that can help them improve their performance. In addition, transitioning to AI can help enterprises become data-ready much faster. By automating the process of data collection, processing, and analysis, AI can help enterprises make sense of all the data they are collecting in a fraction of the time it would take humans to do so. This means that companies can start using their data much sooner, which is essential in today's competitive market.

Some of the benefits of transitioning to AI to become data-ready include:

• Increased efficiency: With AI handling all the data processing, businesses can free up their employees' time to focus on more critical tasks.

• Improved decision-making: By having access to insights and trends that would otherwise be hidden in large data sets, businesses can make better decisions based on facts, not just guesses.

• Enhanced customer experience: With AI's ability to personalize interactions, businesses can create a more personalized experience for their customers, likely to result in increased loyalty and better ROI.

It is clear that to keep up with the ever-growing demand for data storage; businesses need to start transitioning to AI. Not only will this help them become data-ready, but it will also allow them to reap the many benefits that come with using AI.

What is digital readiness, and how does it link to data readiness?

Digital readiness is an organization's ability to use digital technologies to enable its desired outcomes. It is important to note that this is not just about having the technology in place but also about using it effectively.

One key aspect of being ready for digital is data readiness. This involves having the ability to manage and use the data created as a result of our increasingly digital world. With so much data being generated every day, it is more important than ever to make sure that we are prepared for it. There are many factors contributing to the increase in data. One of the biggest drivers is the growth of digital transformation. This is when organizations use digital technologies to change the way they operate. As more and more businesses move to this model, the amount of data being created grows exponentially.

While digital readiness is about being able to use digital technologies effectively, data readiness is about managing and using the data that is being created. We are rapidly reaching a point where digital will have to become data-ready to keep up.

How will be becoming data-ready help businesses stay ahead of the competition?

The amount of data created and shared is constantly increasing, and businesses need to be ready for it. As a result, digital transformation is no longer optional – it's essential to keep up with the competition.

To survive in today's digital world, businesses need to handle large amounts of data. This data comes from various sources, including social media, the internet of things, and artificial intelligence. As data becomes more complex, businesses need to find ways to make it more manageable and actionable.

Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly important in the world of business. With AI, companies can make better decisions by analyzing and understanding all of the available data. AI can also help to improve customer service and create new products and services.

The importance of being data-ready in today's society

As we continue to rely more and more on digital platforms to do everyday tasks, the importance of being data-ready becomes increasingly evident. With the rapid expansion of data comes an even greater need for storage, becoming more challenging to obtain. If we want to keep up with the ever-growing demand for digital experiences, we will need to find a way to become data-ready.

To become data-ready, we will need to implement a few changes. First, we need to collect and store data more effectively. This may mean investing in new storage solutions or finding ways to optimize existing ones. Second, we need to be able to process this data more efficiently. This can be done through the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Finally, we need to be able to share this data with others securely and efficiently.

By becoming data-ready, we will keep up with the ever-growing demand for digital experiences. We will also be able to provide better experiences for our users by collecting and processing data more effectively.

The bottom line is that digital needs to become data-ready to keep up with the amount of data created. It will require businesses to transition to AI use of all the available data. Doing so will allow them to stay ahead of the competition and continue to thrive in today's ever-changing world.

The Importance of Experimentation for Leaders

In a constantly changing world, it's more important than ever for leaders to be able to experiment and learn new things. As industries change and technology advances, it becomes more challenging to stay ahead of the curve. That's why experimentation is vital for leaders; it allows them to explore new possibilities and learn about new technologies. Leaders who can experiment and learn will be better equipped to face future challenges. Experimentation is never too late, so you should never be afraid to try something new. Experimentation could lead to an innovative solution or a discovery that makes life easier for everyone. Experimenting with something new doesn't have to be complicated; all it takes is a little courage and patience. Experimentation can help you grow as a leader and learn more about yourself. Experimenting allows leaders the opportunity to see if their assumptions are correct, which can save time in the long run rather than making mistakes that they will have to change later on. Experimenting with something different is how the best ideas are discovered because people can come up with brilliant solutions by thinking outside of the box and challenging themselves. As we progress through our everyday lives, we need to experiment with things to keep our minds sharp and ready for anything.

Experimentation is a leader's ticket to progress. Experimenting shows your employees that you are willing to try new things and take risks, which can also help motivate them. Experimentation can be applied to any industry or position because it's never too late to learn something new. A good leader knows when to change course and tries new things to stay successful. Experimenting becomes more critical as we enter the age of technology; we need leaders who understand how vital experimenting is with technology if we want the change and improvement this field offers. Experimentation helps us discover what works and what doesn't work, so we know where we stand and what steps we need to take to get to where we want to be. Experimentation can help you discover new ways of doing something, but it's essential to have a vision and understand the bigger picture while experimenting. 

Experimenting is a great way for leaders to explore new possibilities and learn about their employees. Just like anything else in life, experimentation should be done with caution because failure can sometimes lead to regret. Experimentation helps us move forward, so we don't spend too much time on the past, allowing more time to focus on our future. Experimenting with different aspects of your career or business will give you the skills necessary for any challenge that comes your way; we all need to experiment every once in a while to grow and excel. Experimentation is a great way to explore your options and grow as a leader. Experimenting allows leaders to see how their decisions affect other people, which gives them a better understanding of what they do best. Experimenting should be done with another person or group because it can help you learn more about different opinions and make better decisions for everyone involved. Experimentation should be encouraged no matter who you are or where you work because it helps us find new ways of doing things that make life easier for everyone.

With new technology getting introduced every day and so much hype about various new technologies in the market, it is difficult for leaders to keep up and stay ahead of the curve. For leaders to understand the evolution and application of technology within the industry they operate, they must understand and experiment with the new technology. Denial or the thought that the trend/technology will not apply to my industry is a bad strategy. Hence all leaders must drive a culture of experimentation and learning. 

With concepts like Metaverse, Web 3.0, NFTs, Headless Commerce, and many more, what are you experimenting with today? I have started to create my digital art, and it has been a fun and enriching exercise. What is your experimentation?

What I am taking in 2022: The Future Isn't the Future

2021 is coming to an end, and I clearly remembered that same time last year; I was looking forward to 2021 and was hoping to have a better year and get to do things that I missed in 2020. However, as I look back in 2021, not much has changed. I recently made three international trips; the trips were filled with anxiety, stress, and a very different experience than many before the Pandemic. I can keep talking about how the last two years have been for me, and at the same time, I can't believe 2021 is already coming to an end. It has been a transformative experience, and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to learn and grow as a person. The Pandemic is teaching, rethink and providing perspectives that have changed me in ways that will help me better manage my mental and physical health outside of Covid-19, too.

I want to share some key learnings as I look forward to stepping in 2022.

Appreciated humbleness and practiced humility far more than ever

There was a time I would have thought that the answer to such a question was obvious. The truth is that as life unfolds, you experience all sorts of things, and there are many times when we don't think it's here. When those times happen, having an attitude of humility makes it easier to move forward, learn from those experiences, and still find a bit of joy in them. Humbleness through a Pandemic has also been a journey for me. I’veI'verned that it is essential to be tolerant, patient, and respectful of others.

Rather than living in the future, I choose to live more in the present. Because of this, I believe we can all find some good in any situation if we are willing to look for it. Humbleness through Pandemic has been a journey for me. I always wanted to control the outcomes of the situations or processes in which I got involved, but the Pandemic taught me a great lesson that there are things more significant than you; we all are just here to do our part, rather than control a more powerful thing than what we intended were to do.

In Technology thought I am a nerd and know it all.

The future isn't the future- it's now; I have learned so much about Technology advancements in the last two years. I would never have thought that we would be seeing virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence becoming more mainstream. However, these technologies are developing faster than I expected and changing how we live and work.

I have learned that it is essential to stay up to date with the latest trends in technoloTechnology almost everything we do every day involves using some gadget. I would never have thought there were so many apps for smartphones, significantly how each app can help make our lives easier. The more technologies advance, the fewer time people spend doing tasks manually, which means fewer jobs are available- or will be available in 2022. Pandemics are becoming a big issue since viruses constantly mutate while spreading around the world faster than ever before due to advances in transportation and communications systems. Technology is not slowing down, with Web 3.0, Crypto, NFTs, Industry 5.0, 6G, and many such advances are just around the corner. I feel so quickly out of date on my knowledge that I have now ensured that I would dedicate at least 2 hours of the week to keep myself abreast of the new technology.

More minor but frequent pauses in life

I've learned that it's essential to take more minor but frequent pauses in life. This can help you to avoid feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. Pauses can also give you time to reflect on your goals and priorities and develop a plan to achieve them. Taking time to reflect can help you refocus on your goals and establish a plan to achieve them. During the Pandemic, I took many pauses that helped me become more productive in life. Work would never stop; often more than not, I have always planned for longer breaks but only fewer times in the year, which never gave me enough energy and mental balance. Shorter and frequent breaks, whether in a day or a month, have helped me enhance my mental focus and drive better outcomes for my personal and professional life. In addition:

• Get better at managing my mental health by taking regular breaks from work

• Get better at taking care of myself so I don't get sick as often

• Be able to focus on what is essential right now rather than having an overwhelming sense of urgency about future deadlines or upcoming events

• Learn to be more mindful about how I spend my time and take breaks from work

• Get better at learning new skills and practicing them regularly, rather than just letting them fade away over time due to lack of practice

• Have the courage to start writing even if it's challenging or scary sometimes because that will help me improve as a writer in the long run

I also learned some new skills during Covid-19, which will be helpful for both personal growth topics like mindfulness, sound editing, creating and launching Podcasts, social media marketing, and Zoho ERP enterprise platform deployment - to name a few.

Not just trying to get books completed, but reading with a purpose

I have never been an avid book reader; more so, I hated reading non-fiction books in the past. The only books I read were Lee Child (Jack Reacher series), James Patterson, and similar to the writers. However, this year has been a significant sea change for me; I not only started reading books but leveraging my Amazon Audible subscription; I have been able to get quite a few of the books completed.

This is one of the ways that I have been able to combat my procrastination in the last two years. It's hard for me to be productive when I only have a specific time slot for reading, so reading with a purpose helps me focus on what I am teaching myself and helps me stay true to my goal of being productive in my professional life.

In 2021, I wanted to continue reading with a purpose and learn as much as possible to be successful in my future endeavors. As someone looking towards the future, I know that continuing my education is important to me and will help me reach my goals. And reading with a purpose allows me to do just that. What I mean by reading with a purpose, I don't know about you, but I can go through a book and forget the content or critical learnings after a day or two. Highlighting or sticky notes didn't help, so I created my own "Life Operating System," which helped build a knowledge vault section. The system has helped me retain my learnings from the books, which I can remember and fall back on as a system to leverage in my day-to-day life.

Rather than leaving in the future, I want to live more in the present. This has been one of the biggest lessons I have learned from Covid-19. It's easy to get wrapped up in what could happen or what we think might happen, but if we don't take the time to enjoy what is happening at the moment, then we are missing out.

So when I read a book with a purpose, it has taught me that there are steps to get where you need to be, and taking these small steps towards my goals will allow me to live more in the present rather than worrying about becoming successful at some point down the line. It's not just trying to get books completed but reading with a purpose that has helped me become productive this year.

I started taking masterclasses to learn

In the last two years, I had the opportunity to conduct a variety of masterclasses for about 2000+ individuals across various topics. The topics I covered gave me a chance to learn more about them; it's helped me teach and learn simultaneously. I have covered different topics during such masterclasses: Product Management Strategy, Driving Cloud Strategies, Digital Transformation in eCommerce and Retail business, Driving Product Management leveraging data, building strategic business models leveraging AI, and many more. The essential skills and learning which I have captured by conducting the masterclasses:

• Structuring my thoughts in a flow that would align with learners need

• Keeping the engagement level high during virtual sessions

• Deep research skills to help structure my content

• Planning and time management

• Content development skills

The skills I'm learning will help me in my professional career and personal life.

I'm looking to learn more skills in 2022 and improve some of the ones I've already learned. It's not about leaving my life behind but living more in the present.

Going back to the basics - "Adoption of First principles of thinking in driving adoption of Artificial Intelligence"

After 20 months of hibernation, I finally made my long-haul business trip to the United States. The trip build-up was filled with anxiety and various thoughts, and my traveling brain needed some re-oiling to get all my travel quirks, tips, and tricks back to me. However, the trip was different then what I have experienced in the last 16 years of traveling. Safety, ensuring sanitization, maintaining self-discipline on distance, and many other norms were unique; however, when I landed, I could still feel the sense of travel enthusiasm across the board. 

But in a couple of days, the concerns for the new variant of Covid-19 are causing travel bans, fear, and again putting the thoughts of the last 20 months back in everyone's mind. So how do organizations and all of us think about this DUCA environment where the concept of "Start, Stop and Continue" is constantly fluid, filled with concerns and anxiety. 

The need for First principles thinking in the DUCA environment.

The current DUCA environment is characterized by disruptive, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (DUCA). First-principles thinking can help individuals and organizations to navigate this environment. First-principles thinking is a way of reasoning from ideas that are accepted as accurate and using them to derive new truths. It's a methodology for solving problems or tackling issues that can be used to drive innovation. First-principles thinking can help individuals and organizations navigate the DUCA environment by allowing them to see the world more clearly and concisely. First-principles thinking can help individuals and organizations identify the root causes of problems, find more creative and innovative solutions, and help overcome biases in decision-making. First-principles thinking is instrumental in the DUCA environment because it allows individuals and organizations to think clearly when there are so many different coming at them that they often lose perspective on what's most important. First-principles thinking can provide individuals and organizations with clarity in VUCA environments by allowing them to strip away the noise of day-to-day life, focus on what's most important, and take action towards better decisions. Thinking is a way of approaching problems instead of using an incremental method where one tries to build upon previous ideas that may be flawed since human perception tends to be subjective or biased. First-principles thinking is more objective because it reasons from a set of axioms that are established as unchallengeable. First-principles thinking has been used in physics for centuries but has only recently been applied to business and management.

Benefits to Artificial Intelligence from First Principles Thinking

First-principles thinking is a way of reasoning from ideas that are accepted as accurate and using them to derive new truths. First-principles can be used to solve problems or tackle issues in various ways, including applying artificial intelligence, which enables organizations to impact business outcomes. First-principles are an essential part of AI because we can use data analytics and machine learning techniques to benefit organizations. First-principles thinking is needed for artificial intelligence systems to learn from their mistakes and improve over time. First-principles thinking requires creativity, discipline, and dedication - three qualities every team member should possess when contributing to innovations within AI.

The first principle: "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction," can be seen as the starting point for developing artificial intelligence. First-principles thinking encourages researchers to solve problems based on this idea, where the action is defined as input into the system (e.g., entering data), and reaction is defined as what happens (e.g., output). First-principles thinking applies scientific techniques like hypothesis generation, empirical study, validation, peer review, and research publication to solve problems in everyday life or within specific industries. First-principles thinking applied to AI is helpful because it allows systems to learn from their mistakes (or lessons learned), improve over time (or with 'practice'), refine their processes (or develop new algorithms) - all without human intervention! First-principles thinking also helps to create new ideas, solutions & services. First-principles thinking encourages researchers to see problems holistically and apply creativity to generate novel ways of solving the issue at hand. First-principles thinking is a way of reasoning from ideas that are accepted as accurate and using them to derive new truths. First-principles can be used to solve problems or tackle issues in various ways, including using artificial intelligence, which enables organizations to impact business outcomes.

Conclusion:

First-principles thinking can be applied in AI, enabling organizations to drive impact on the business outcomes. Artificial Intelligence (AI) enables organizations to solve problems or tackle issues more efficiently than ever before. First-principles thinking allows an organization's AI system to identify patterns and make predictions based on data collected about past events; this means it can do so without having been programmed with all possible scenarios ahead of time. This type of intelligent processing may help solve DUCA environments where uncertainty reigns supreme, providing insights into what might happen next. A recent study found that first principles thinkers maintain their creativity over a more extended period and can better cope with complexity. First-principles thinking can help organizations innovate and drive transformation by leveraging AI's ability to compute, learn and execute autonomously based on patterns that it is exposed to.

Productivity hacks and mental health

In the age of technology, we are already good at managing tasks and responsibilities in our work life. However, how many of us know that we can use Productivity Hacks to manage our mental health? Productivity is not just about managing tasks and responsibilities. Productivity is also about managing your emotions, relationships, and thoughts to be more productive in your daily lives. Productivity Hacks are useful productivity tools that help us better manage certain aspects of our lives, such as time management, knowledge management (brain health), mindfulness meditation, stress management, etc. Productivity Hacks are also good productivity tools for us to manage our mental health. Productivity hacks can help people who suffer from anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses gain control by managing the condition using Productivity Hacks. Productivity Hacks can be useful tools, especially in dealing with your emotions at work that becomes triggers for anxiety or depression.

Developing the second brain for enhancing our Productivity

The concept of the second brain is the idea that we have a secondary system that stores our memories, thoughts, ideas, and emotions. It helps us increase efficiency when we have to work quickly on transporting information or data during high-scheduled periods. The brain operates differently from day to day.

Some people can handle high amounts of work and still stay sane, while others need to relax more often. Productivity hacks are practices that an individual can do on their own to boost personal productivity. Productivity hacks include having a time management routine, creating digital brains for storing memories and ideas, getting enough sleep, saying no to tasks you don't want to do, and using positive self-talk to deal with procrastination. In addition, productivity hacks can help you stay on top of your tasks when you're having a hard time managing your mental health.

It's important to have a routine because it allows the brain to process one task at a time instead of many things happening randomly, which can lead to confusion and stress.

Productivity hack tip: Create schedules for your day to have a specific time for taking breaks.

Productivity hack tip: Use your digital brain to store and organize data in folders such as ideas, research notes, book summaries, meeting notes, and conversations with people so that you can access them later and find related information easily

It's important to have enough sleep because it helps the memory function take place.

Productivity hack tip: Create a nighttime routine for yourself so that you sleep well. Productivity hack tip: Take breaks from your work every 2 hours and stretch before doing something else

Productivity hack tip: Use your digital brain to create a list of tasks for the next day using notes, reminders, calendars, schedules, etc. You can either set them as alarms or look back at the list each morning.

Productivity hack tip: Use your digital brain to create a library of the documents you need for your work. The documents can be shared with other people to look back and find recent updates easier.

Productivity hack tip: Use your digital brain to clean out old files that are not useful anymore but still take up space on your computer

Productivity hack tip: Use your digital brain to create reminders and alarms for the tasks you need to do the next day. You can use notes, calendar entries, or reminder apps.

Productivity hack tip: Be sure to set them as reminders so that they pop up whether you are at home or not

Productivity hack tip: Set a "time" limit for the number of messages you can write on social media

Productivity hack tip: Use your digital brain so that you can access the files even if your internet is down

Productivity hack tip: Keep the number of social media accounts you have to a minimum

Productivity hack tip: Keep some time for yourself, and take breaks from your work now and then

Productivity hack tip: Use positive self-talk to avoid procrastination

Productivity hack tip: Do not be too hard on yourself

Productivity hack tip: Visualize yourself completing your tasks

Productivity hack tip: Give yourself rewards for completing your tasks

Conclusion

The productivity hacks focus on the main areas of Productivity: Time Management, Productive Habits, and Digital Productivity. Productivity is the ability that helps us get more done within a certain period of time. Productivity is important in everything we do, no matter what field of work, from being a student to a business owner. Productivity is essentially about efficiency and can be increased by coming up with better strategies that help us get more done within shorter periods of time. Productivity Hacks, however, are very general tips that can be applied to literally every area of your life.

If you would like to get in touch with me and find more about the productivity hacks, please fill-up the form - https://bit.ly/3DuK1C7

The Leader at the end of the tunnel looks different

There was a telling WhatsApp forward going around during the early days of the coronavirus crisis – What entity has brought the most significant digital transformation to your organization? The answer was not the CIO or the CEO, but the Coronavirus Pandemic. Along with the near-global lockdown and economic disruption, the pandemic brought, at best, inconstancy and uncertainty and, at worst, severe anxiety and depression to a vast majority of people. In this scenario, leaders within organizations found themselves changing track overnight—from a predominant focus on achieving business goals to supporting the people behind them—yes, as enablers of business goals and as extensions of leaders themselves, threads of shared humanity. And the shift in focus towards people and their changing work and consumption habits necessitated a change in technology models to support new ways of thinking, working, living, and engaging.

As I see it, there are four principal leadership needs emerging as we move into the future, regardless of whether we call it the "next to normal" or the "never normal"

1. Servant Leadership

In Hermann Hesse's book, Journey to the East, he tells the story of Leo, a servant among many others in a traveling group. When problems start cropping up in Leo's absence, the other servants realized how Leo had kept the group together and that he was, in fact, more of their leader than a servant. Leo's story inspired Robert K. Greenleaf to later define 'Servant Leadership' as a management style where the leader's chief focus is to 'enable other people to develop and perform to the best of their abilities. 

Over the past few months, the term servant leadership has held growing personal relevance for me. As my team members moved to remote working in unusual circumstances, I often found myself on team calls and one-on-one calls to discuss our personal lives more than work. Everyone knew their job and was doing it – where they needed help was managing stress and uncertainty and the nitty-gritty of work-personal life balance. As leaders in our organization, it became our predominant role to support our teams in every possible way only – emotionally and in terms of resources, with clarity and transparency in communication. More than anything else, it was the acknowledgment of our shared vulnerability during the pandemic that significantly brought everyone together, with a greater resolve to unite and tide through the times – together.

2. A larger perspective on Diversity and Inclusion

In recent years, most organizations have become increasingly aware of different kinds of biases we all have and have been actively trying to find systemic and personal ways to eliminate discrimination, especially in terms of class, gender, and race at work and life outside work. Yet, organizational culture is siloed in more ways than we routinely think. Leaders, rather than entire teams, think about strategy and direction. We discuss work issues with our colleagues more than with our family or friends. We expect great ideas to come from a particular set of individuals. The pandemic blurred our usual lines of interaction, families started occasionally joining in on work calls, and teammates joined in on virtual needs more often than they may have in person. We often found some of the most valuable ideas and solutions come from unexpected quarters – from children who are digital natives or relatively junior folks in the organization with fresh perspectives.

““An inclusive leader welcomes everyone as an equal collaborator. They create an environment where everyone can be themselves, play to their strengths, ask for help, and work together to get better solutions,””

— says Ben Renshaw, leadership coach, and author

The most successful leaders of the future will be those who value all voices equally, and in turn, get an equal representation of ideas from the rich spectrum of human experience.

3. Agility and not being a "know all' 

Last year has proven that even great leaders or managers may not have the "farsight" to foresee what's coming, what would change, or what actions are needed. Individuals and companies who have survived or thrived have either adapted or learned to become agile. Agile leadership primarily focuses on building collaborative learning environments, quickly acting on feedback from the larger ecosystem (Partners, Customers, Stakeholders, Shareholders, and Government) to drive the business forward. Agility is not about living in the moment and taking it as it comes; the focus should be on taking incremental steps toward the larger goal and purpose. 

Organizations and teams look at leaders to answer or solve every question or need statement. In technology, where knowledge is created and curated faster than the speed of light, leaders need to embrace humility and ask for help or guidance for all types of situations. Even if they know or have experienced scenarios, there is no harm in reaching out to their teams or trusted advisors to seek a better way or get guidance on her/his thought process.

4. Fluid teams augmented with real-time insights

The business of the future will be a fast-moving and shape-shifting creature. As the gig economy grows and remote working catches on, your workforce will likely need to be an agile, adaptive entity – shrinking and expanding to suits the demands of a project or situation. What you will need in that scenario are excellent insights systems that augment new teams with real-time, contextual insights to help them rapidly get up to speed and deliver optimally from the get-go.

Instead of hiring a workforce for life, bearing enormous costs of attrition, and losing business through gaps in knowledge transfer, organizations must think of systems – not as clunky repositories – but as agile support tools that can instantly and powerfully empower teams with the knowledge and machine intelligence they need to perform their best. As AI technologies mature and meld with cognitive intelligence, the scope to drive a genuinely insights-powered, lean, and intelligent organization is as broad as it is compelling. Timely information with the right insight has always been a game-changer, but it's your essential survival kit in a changing world.  

“The Leader at the end of the tunnel looks different ”

— Anees Merchant

The last call to adopt AI

“To use AI tomorrow, you need to embark or extrapolate on your AI journey today—a journey that begins with a fundamental decision to remodel and repurpose your business with AI at the core.”

— Anees Merchant

The coming decade will have no patience for businesses with old ways of working. Companies that continue to deliberate on adopting AI technologies will find themselves brutally snared between digital-born companies with inherent AI drivers and early adopters with highly operational AI, steadily losing customers over a widening gap in quality and intuitiveness of offerings. The time for organizations to be on the fence with AI is over.

The Covid pandemic has come when AI technologies have started maturing, with even scaled use-cases in several companies. Many businesses that had barely dabbled with AI as experiments before 2020 are now turning to rapid digital and AI-led transformations to tide over new economic challenges. As these small and local to large and multinational businesses accelerate their digital journeys, their capabilities have started to surpass their peers. Meanwhile, consumers with fast-growing digital savvy are increasingly choosing to interact with companies that provide more value, faster delivery, and a more intuitive purchase journey – all of which are enhanced by AI in a digital world. The AI Divide – that differentiates businesses that use AI intelligently versus those that don’t – is growing wider each day and will increasingly determine business success in every market and industry.

To survive and thrive in the next decade, businesses are going to adopt AI. And to use AI tomorrow, you need to embark or extrapolate on your AI journey today—a journey that begins with a fundamental decision to remodel and repurpose your business with AI at the core.

Let’s take a look at what’s holding many traditional businesses back and how the hurdles can be overcome.

The Building (or Stumbling) Blocks of AI Adoption 

1. Culture – There was a time when people said, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast, ” which implied that no amount of strategy change would work until you first changed your organization’s culture. But today, if you wait for the culture to change, there may be no breakfast left to eat! People often question their organization’s culture or their executives for failure to change. Remember, if your organization lasted and thrived the pandemic, there must be some goodness in it that has brought you this far. Why not focus on the good and use that as a starting point – How can you use AI to make your organizational strengths even more substantial? This way, you are augmenting what’s already there, and it’s easier because radically changing culture, attitudes, and perceptions is the most challenging thing to do in the world – and you can’t afford to let that process hold you back.

2. People – The people who enable your AI processes are the fundamental blocks of your AI journey. Currently, there is a talent war growing, and there are severe talent shortages. Companies need to adopt a multi-level strategy to build teams. Organizations need to take a multi-pronged approach, assign a champion to lead the organization’s AI strategy, hire individuals (only if there are no available resources in-house), and infuse the team with business team members, ensuring the culture and actual business alignments. However, it is not always essential or feasible to hire AI specialists for everything. Businesses must realize you cannot do everything in-house, and you should not reinvent the wheel. It would be best to have an ecosystem with partner organizations to support your business’s exact needs and nature. These partner organizations could either be strategic business partners, technology platform providers, academia, or industry cohorts. The important thing is to not allow a shortage of internal resources to become a stumbling block and to move ahead by building your ecosystem.

3. Technology – As a company, once you have made a fundamental decision to start actively adopting AI in your business process or model, the actual move to AI need not involve a complete one-time overhaul of systems or migration to one large platform that requires massive investment. Companies must take a “Lego approach,” that is, they must build their AI capabilities as a Lego structure within the organization. That way, you can quickly replace the systems or completely change your “Lego” structure pretty promptly and efficiently, and you don’t have to incur massive spending and drive wide-scale adoption all at one go. You could also leverage open source technologies like Python, R, Java, etc., making it easier to experiment and switch – unlike when you invest in a paid technology, you get tied to that company and are limited by what that company or technology can do. The key to technology adoption is to adopt a phased approach to derive the maximum business benefits that current technology can offer while keeping the door open to adopting new and evolving technologies in the future.

   The other important thing is to avoid benchmarking with substantial companies like Google or Amazon because their entire scale and journey are different. You have to identify what’s right for your organization, what AI means for you and keep evolving that statement as your organization matures.

4. Data – When considering the prospect of using advanced analytics or AI, people often say, “we don’t have the data” or “we have bad data” to begin with. Yet, it’s rare that companies have no usable data. There is always enough data, to begin with. The real problem is when people have not identified the best use cases for AI or the most critical business challenges, to which existing data can then be mapped. It’s always the data inventory and data cataloging exercise that is vital for an organization to push forward. And you can always reach out to external consultants to do that for you.

Setting the Parameters of Success

1. Accountability – Eventually, all AI strategy starts at the top. And this means that the CEO, CAOs, CDOs, and CIOs must be held accountable for AI investments. As this is your senior leadership, there’s no one else within the organization who can assess the investments’ value and success. Also, a CEO may only think they are answerable to shareholders who may not think long-term, while the AI journey requires a short-, mid-and long-term approach. One solution would be to have an additional board member or an advisor who focuses on this aspect. The other solution would be to have a ‘business performance scorecard’ that is entirely transparent within the organization, so the success parameters are well established and work as a clear guide and yardstick for the company’s AI initiatives. Most importantly, these parameters should provide room for failure because the trial is the only way to find what works best for your organization. And that brings us to ROI.

2. Return on Investment (ROI) – In my opinion, when you define your company’s budget for AI, at least half the budget should be allocated for ‘learning’ in the first couple of years. So, for instance, if you assign $100 for AI initiatives, you must expect ROI on only $50 and consider the other $50 as a “learning budget” that, in turn, helps you recover your additional $50. That sort of equal focus on immediate returns and continuous learning helps build a genuinely workable, valuable AI journey.  

Conclusion

Today there are many well-recognized, proven use-cases in every part of the organization, from sales and marketing to supply chain, finance, HR, customer service, and others. And these are not small use-cases; many organizations have been able to scale them pretty effectively. All you need to do is begin somewhere.   

2020 has proven that businesses cannot afford to be in the deliberation stage over digital transformation anymore. The time to wait and watch on AI is over. Start or perish…