Eric Schmidt unveils an exciting future.

Eric Schmidt in a very short speech at the recent IBM Partners leadership conference shows to all of us what the future could be in a very interesting compelling way.

Some of the facts:

1. Currently the Internet has 1.3 billion users, with 200 million getting added each year.

2. In Japan, 3 of the most popular books were delivered first on the mobile readers and subsequently done on print.

3. There were just 400 servers in 1983, and now there are more than 500 million servers worldwide.

4. There are 70 million blogs, with over 120,000 blogs being created every day

5. 7 million photos are uploaded to Picasa (Google’s photo sharing site) each day

6. 10 hours of video uploaded on YouTube each minute.

7. 500 million Wifi chip sets will be sold next year.

His most provocative statement of the future: By 2019, there could be a device that could sit on the belt or kept in the wallet that could have 85 years of video on it. You will be dead before you can see all of it. One of the ultimate frustrations in life.

But what he said about Convergence was interesting. Convergence is not everything (services) going into one device. It is entering (all the services) into one server or services in the cloud and hence even if the devices are different, the content in all that will remain the same.

His quote on Breakthroughs was equally profound: Great breakthroughs are closer to what happens in a flood pane. It is not one idea. A dozen tributaries converge and the rising waters lift the genius high enough so that he or she can see the conceptual obstruction of the age.

His entire address and the subsequent panel discussion can be viewed here. Each time I hear Eric speak, I come back with more knowledge and insight. An earlier interview of Eric is also available on my blog here.

As you see this, maybe you should also see some of the other great CEO interviews and discussions. A few are listed here

Tags: Convergence, cloud computing, our future, breakthroughs, collaboration, innovation, Google, IBM, Eric Schmidt, consumer expectations

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Google’s strategy of harnessing innovation –”crowdsourcing”

Google’s rise to success is predominantly based on the talent it has assembled in house and the way it has managed to use its talent. Yet, what Google did in harnessing the innovation talent outside its own employee base is unique.

Google just closed the Android Developer Challenge, which will provide $10 million in awards — no strings attached — for great mobile applications built on the Android platform. Instead of just spending $10 million in house or working with a few select developers, it has managed to find access to the best available talent on the planet with its Developer challenge program.

Increasingly, companies are using more external resources even in cutting edge high impact product development work. Dell was perhaps the first to start with their IdeaStorm project and now Google follows suit.

Tags: Dell, Google, Android, innovation, talent management, product development, strategy

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My reflections after listening to Randy Pausch’s lecture

It would be no exaggeration if I said that I was deeply moved after listening to Randy Pausch’s lecture. While it has forced me to examine many of the things that I am involved in, one constant thought has been that it has brought to intense focus the kind of death that I would prefer.

Unlike many people, I have never felt the urge to live a long life. Even as I write this, I am ready to meet my Maker, if he is willing to meet me now. But, if ever I am given a choice to decide the moment of meeting, I would like to meet him when I am just in the midst of doing something that I truly love. And that’s when I am usually in deep conversation — either teaching a class of young students, or talking to friends on an issue I am deeply concerned about, or in an active counseling / coaching session trying to help people build their perspectives and lives.

Surprisingly, I arrived at these choice of moments many years ago, and even though I have often considered whether other moments would make sense, no other moment appealed to me. After listening to Prof Randy Pausch’s lecture, these feelings about choices got not just reinforced, but intensified. I only hope that the good God would grant me this wish.

And should I ever be faced with a terminal illness, I would always exercise the choice to forego treatment and get admitted in a hospice centre if I can’t have the luxury of an active physical body or a sound mind. If I do have the luxury, I would want to continue leading a very active life, doing the things that matter, which is to spend time doing the things that I truly love as listed above. The last thing that I want to do under those circumstances is to be a burden to the health care system, or to the family.

I also find it very amusing that people plan their lives and all yearn for certainty in their lives. However when it comes to death, (which is the only certainty), people rarely think about it. In fact, they avoid thinking about it other than trying to provide for their family members.

Tags: death wish, Randy Pausch, death moments

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Wisdom

Three men set out on a journey. Each carried two sacks around his neck — one in front and one in back. Which of them finished first?

The first man was asked what was in his sacks. “In this one on the back” he said, “I carry all the kind deeds of my friends. In that way they are out of sight and out of mind and I don’t have to do anything about them. They are soon forgotten. This sack in front carries all the unkind things people do to me. I pause in my journey every day and take these out to study. It slows me down, but nobody gets away with anything.

The second man said he kept his own good deeds in his front sack. ” I constantly keep them before me” he said. “It gives me pleasure to take them out and air them”.

“The sack on the back seems heavy,” someone remarked.” What’s in it?

“Merely my mistakes,” said the second man. “I always keep them on my back.”

The third man was asked what he kept in his sacks.

“I carry my friends’ kind deeds in this front sack,” he said.

” It looks full. It must be heavy,” said the observer.

“No,” said the third man, “it is big, but not heavy. Far from being a burden, it is like the sails of a ship. It helps me move ahead”.

“I notice that the sack behind you has a hole in the bottom,” said the observer. “It seems empty and of little use.”

“That’s where I put the evil I hear from others,” said the third man. “It just falls out and is lost, so I have no weight to impede me.”

Tags: values, achievements, deeds, friends, mistakes, evil, approach to life

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Dell engages — in a Digg fashion!

I was simply amazed at how Dell has managed to harness the collective energy of its employees, customers as it begins a massive turnaround.

It simply created an Ideastorm where people could post ideas, vote on them and also comment on them. Clearly Dell has embraced the Digg philosophy, — a clear cornerstone of the Web 2.0 movement. 5 days later, the site has generated close to 1500 ideas, with 122,000 votes and 2100 comments and going strong. It only shows how social software environment and a passionate user base can aid in idea generation.

Amazing!

If this is not radical, Dell is attempting a StudioDell where users can post videos about their experience with Dell products. Perhaps a Youtube clone.

Tags: Dell, Web 2.0, Digg, collaboration

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Implementing significant change

Recently, had the opportunity to attend the briefing and the Asia Pacific leadership meeting of a major technology company. This company faces several business challenges — integrating some major acquisitions, a flat market, a new management team dealing with a myriad of operational issues, and more importantly significant morale issues.

The Asia Pacific head was of course bouyant about the prospects, fully aware of the challenges ahead. He detailed a number of initiatives that he and his taken had taken in the last 3-6 months and was just hopeful that results would follow.

What came out as unusual was the absence of any strong narrative, a good story which could emotionally connect to the rest of the team and the troops on the field. A strong narrative, well woven with facts and numbers, and talking about challenges would have built a camaderie around the room, which was solely needed.

I was suprised that the Asia Pacific head or even some of the management teams didn’t resort to this approach as they are good conversationalists who can tell a good story and keep you engaged.

Is story telling considered less macho than a spreadsheet? Does that go against the standard corporate communications principles and practices? I believe strongly that people relate to a story much better and story tellers are able to implement change more effectively than simply trying to drive it through metrics.

Tags: story, story telling, corporate communications, turnaround

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China making a bid for the service outsourcing piece

China’s global ambitions continue unabated. After having becoming the global manufacturing hub, it is now slowly training its guns on the growing service outsourcing pie.

China believes that the service outsourcing is where the future growth ahead and that the sector’s multiplier effect on the economy is so attractive that it cannot be ignored. It also believes that inviting FDI in this area (which means US and Indian majors) would solve the problem.

I am not sure whether China has the necessary attributes to be a global services hub and the approach that it takes is the right one, by throwing money at the problem. It would simply take China about 20 years to gain even a semblance of leadership in this area.

All the Indian services firms (Infosys, TCS, Wipro, Satyam) all have set up operations in China, growing their operations there. It would be interesting to see how the "Chinindia" model works out.

Tags: China, India, competitiveness, Outsourcing

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India – the superpower?

Fortune has written a critical article, though it gives a backhanded compliment to some of India’s recent achievements. Read the piece here.

None of the statistics that Cait provides can be undermined or ignored. Most of India seem to be getting carried away with the recent surge in the stock market, or the real estate market, forgetting that there does seem to be major structural imbalances.

I am of the view that there is going to be not only a stock market correction, but also an correction to the euphoria that’s prevailing around

Dell — Challenges for Michael?

Michael Dell is returning to save the company he founded, Dell Computer. When Steve Jobs made a similar return to Apple in 1997, Dell said if it were him he’d “shut [Apple] down and give the money back to the shareholders.” Good thing Jobs didn’t listen. And now, Michael Dell emulates Steve.

There are pros and cons for Michael Dell as he take charge. If execution because of bureaucracy is Dell’s current problem, then perhaps he may create an impact.

In my view, Dell now needs  a  new strategic architecture for the world of tomorrow. Else it will be fixing a short term problem.

read more | digg story

Salary and happiness

Rosemary Haefner writes a very interesting piece on Money and happiness. 

While there are some valid points, I think most people want to be treated fairly in terms of compensation, rather than demand more money.

I guess the importance people accord to money varies a lot depending on what stage they are in life and their priorities.