August 2019 | Puneeth's Blog

Cultural renaissance.

The Rajasthani safa is a fantastic symbol of the state. However, as I tour through the cities and small towns of this royal state, the millennials here use it on occasions only.

A culture starts fading when it’s symbols become mere accessories.

I am afraid if they have learnt to tie one or would need to google that! What is an everyday affair for the elders in the communities here and a symbol representing multiple meanings is now just another accessory!

A culture erodes as the very defining elements lose their importance in the people.

India needs a cultural renaissance. A movement to reconnect to our cultures, appreciate their essence and making them part of our daily lives.

Captions in the making.

Folk wisdom is worn out by constant usage, dilution of its meaning by incorrect contexts and loose translations.

Instead of using the cliches, quoting famous folks, or a couplet out of context. Keep your ears open to the language that your audience uses. They are brimming with folk wisdom that is on point, instantly connects and leads to a meaningful conversation.

It’s better to stop mid-conversation, pull out your notepad to capture the line instead of making a mental note and fretting to recall the exact words!

Catch them and communicate before they fade into a cliche. Don’t leave captions in the conversation!

Sensing a culture

It’s hard to witness the culture of a city in its tourist spots, through the windows of cabs, from the cleanliness of its toilets or any other shortcut you’ve relied upon to cook a quick opinion.

The pulse of a place lies in its local areas. The transport everyone uses ( Think non a/c bus instead of a cab), the places they go out normally to have a good time, the streets of residential areas.

It’s not what you assume, have read about or heard. It’s how the locals make you feel at ease, give their love and accommodate you.

Go, explore the culture of a place, observe its people and have a good conversation.

You can figure a way out!

When people take advantage of your situation.

When you are cornered between bankruptcy and bending principles.

When you feel the situation is absolutely not in your favour.

Take a breath and remind yourself that you can figure a way out! Open your mind instead of allowing the situation to close it.

Emotions blur your thinking, pause if you must till they settle down.

Focusing on possibilities instead of problems will make things clear for you.

What to do?

When it doesn’t feel right.

When it rings wrong.

When it seems off.

What do you do when your work isn’t matching your standards. When it’s failing to strike a chord with you.

Take a break.

Sleepover it.

Let it incubate in your subconscious for a while.

You need to take two steps back to take a leap.

A brand worth building

You can’t buy your way to it.

You’ll need to build it one customer, one moment of wow, one delivered promise at a time.

If you will anyways work hard to build a brand, build it on firm values and principles.

I am hooked on to a question that dominated an interaction today.

What will the world lose tomorrow if you don’t build this today?

The answer to that is a brand worth building.

How to create content?

You are not a content machine, a blog churner, a video vending widget. And your audience isn’t just a number.

You are here to make a change happen. To impact the culture towards something better and worthwhile. What that would be is up to you. Instead of asking what content do I create today. Which is stress-inducing, and no so generous?

Ask yourself a generous question, what conversation can I start today with my audience? Or How can I be of value to them?

The answer to these would be what you work on. They may end up as a blog, vlog, podcast or a phone call.

Get your purpose right, the content will fall in place.

‘To whomever it may concern’

There’s no emotion, regard and definitely no concern in that statement.

If it’s that important why not care to address those that the letter or memo will impact?

It takes emotional labour and it shows that you really care and are concerned.

We as a culture prefer the easy route out to move on to the next thing, and then the next. Not realising that we have the opportunity to create impact, show care and generosity in everything we touch!

Next time you type a bulk-mail, send out a memo or blast a broadcast make it personal, specific and emotionally moving. Most of all, show that you really care and are concerned.

Your own Navrathnas!

You need not be an Akbar to make a tribe of word-class resources!

You can have your own Navarathnas! A concept that I love and found deeply valuable.

Here’s the concept: Find the best people in 9 fields that are in your network and make them your navrathanas! Interact with them, support them, seek guidance from them and exchange energies!

They will elevate you and you will grow with them to world-class levels!

Go, find the diamonds in your network and in yourself!

Ps: If you are unable to find 9 diamonds in your network, now is a good time to network and seek them out! They are worth much more than the effort!

Month: August 2019