New names ahoy!!

Orissa is re-named "Odisha" and the language is now to be called "Odiya", screamed the morning newspaper headlines! I just rolled my eyes in utter disgust, and moved on to read the next article. After all it has become an usual affair, what with Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi...The list goes on and I am sure shall keep growing bigger!!

I am amazed at the speed and efficiency shown by our legislators in passing any bill/resolution to make such changes. However bills on crucial issues which effect the basic needs of the common man, take months (sometimes years) to even see the light of day!

I am surprised that our general public which is usually fast at questioning any wasteful government expenditure, prefers to ignore the huge amount of taxpayer's money spent on changing the city name in all official documents, signboards etc.

To top it all, India's secular image is also dented by organizations which claim to be the guardians of the "sons (and daughters) of the soil", and shove the new city names down the throats of all the denizens of the city. I feel more animosity towards the celebrities who too allow themselves to be a victim of all this non-sense, like the widely known recent case of a Hindi Movie producer "apologising" for the "grave mistake" he committed by referring to Mumbai as Bombay (The incident also begs a suspiscion that it was a publicity stunt for the movie by the producer).

I had begun to have some respect for the intelligence of the general public in India. I thought that they had the intelligence to see through the actual schemes of petty politicians, who want to push through such inconsequential "city name changing" exercises for their personal gains. Come on folks, how were the older names of these cities causing any issues to the common man!! Pray, when we have so many issues related to basic amenities yet to be resolved, how can you follow these petty political leaders on such meaningless and wasteful expenditures!!

I also have a very, very genuine grouse on a related but different issue. We call ourselves a country on the path of record breaking growth, and as being the perfect example of the benefits accruing from globalization. However, it is very sad to see that we do not have "internal globalizations"!! How else do you explain e.g. pubic buses in many parts of the country having signboards only in the local language (When the same cities are home to many people from other states who have every legal right to be there, and who in more cases than not have handsomely contributed to the growth of the local economy).....More on this in a separate blog, which is soon to come...

Signing off for now.....

Your comments (bouquets and brickbats) are welcome! :-)

Bless all the Sales folks

The economy just gets tougher each day. Not sure when it will find its bottom. Being in sales at such a time, is the most challenging. How do you expect someone to give you business, when he or she is fighting for survival.

It is all very easy to say " Keep your chin up and try", but when day after day you feel disappointment and see no hope in the future, it is very difficult to do that.

There are funding freezes everywhere, and no one wants to give business. The decision makers keep changing(In some cases they lose their jobs). Your champions in the account are being moved around. It is extremely difficult times man.

I guess having said all that, there is no other choice but to "keep your chin up" :-). Keep meeting people, and taking proposals. That is what is your job. If proposals fail, it is Ok. Keep trying.

Any tips to sell to clients doing bad (filed for bankruptcy etc), are most welcome. How do you keep your sales job from being lost? How do you maintain your sanity, under such circumstances, when your pipeline is dried out? How do you wake up and stay enthusiastic about work? Incentives - Anyways under the present circumstances they are taking a battering. Getting paid and keeping the job, is good enough.

Another quandary is: Travel budgets are tightened in such times, but you got to travel and meet people(whoever gives a meeting that is). The tight economy has given people myriad excuses to throw your way, not to give you business.

I hope Sales managers show some consideration to their team members in such circumstances(I know it is difficult). Some humanity would be required in this process.

I have rambled on enough for the day. Will return later.