Wednesday, December 2, 2009

8 Steps to build a Social Media Strategy for the Individual



Most Australian organisations are coming to terms with Social Media while individuals around the world are enjoying the benefits provided by social media platforms, at a personal and social level.


I am a firm believer that an effective approach to social media can help you professionally by letting you voice your distinctive capabilities to an audience previously not within your reach. Facebook today reaches over 300 Million People and that's a bigger market than the whole of the EU or US. With Twitter & LinkedIn numbers increasing by the minute if not second your audience is getting bigger by the day and your accessibility is all at your finger tips.

Monday, November 30, 2009

Acting when leadership is questioned ...



How must a leader act when his or her leadership is questioned? As a leader your leadership will be questionsed, especially during times of difficulty, when tough decisions need be made, when the world screams, the media writes you off, and popular opinion is against you. But true leaders need to see the wood from the trees and  and give solid direction whilst listenng to the pulse of your people. As a wise man said "To set your course by the stars in the sky and NOT by the lights of passing ships".

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Reinventing yourself Mid Career - Get back that spark !!


As a keen analyst of personal and organisational success, I had an inspiring discussion with a successful yet a spirit filled person earlier today. What I mean by spirit filled is, someone quite content, very content in fact, at peace with her self and the environment around her, yet looking for ways of achieving further success. Now this is great. You dont often meet such people in a given week, so I always enjoy such conversations and this was over lunch on a beautiful summer’s day in a lovely cafĂ© in Sydney's CBD.

During our conversation, I was asked for my advice on how you recreate or re-invent yourself especially in your middle years once you have achieved your goals that you have set for your self in your youth and reached a level of fulfilment. No doubt a degree of complacency often transcends with time with the achievement of goals and the long journey travelled in between.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Australian ICT Services Industry - The Opportunity



As a keen analyst of the Australian ICT industry, I see huge gaps in the market place and significant opportunity for the strategic, yet savvy IT Services organisations prepared to chart a new and somewhat a different course.

The consolidation that has happened in the last 10 years have created new opportunities with formidable industry players being gobbled up both in the applications and in the Infrastructure sphere. It has happened in the Enterprise & the Mid Tier market place.. creating a the vacuum, in fact a huge vaccuum.

Out of the gaps I see the greatest is in the mid tier enterprise and commercial market, which is commonly described in the industry as 500-3500 seats. Australian corporations between 500-3500 desktops/laptops/workstations. These gaps have been caused by many including, Volante after the acquisition of it by Commander, the self destruction of Commander it self a few years later, Acquistion of Alphawest by Singtel Optus a few years earlier,  a lame KAZ (& Aspect) after its acquisition by Telstra and several other smaller mid tier players acquired by the likes of Oakton, SMS, UXC and others. Another segment of the market has departed due to poor management, lack of funding, economic circumstances or a combination. Entropy is I guess the law of nature yet is speedened up by poor management and turbo charges by poor management (case in point Volante after Commander acquisition).

While the top end space is well looked after and is fiecely competed in, by the likes of IBM, EDS CSC, HP & a few Indian firms, namely TCS, Infosys & Wipro. I believe the sector below that is some what neglected and will have significant opportunity for a dynamic and robust company with a sound customer centric , talent focused approach to the market. Such a company will attract abundant talent from several large and inflexible organisations that have become lazy, inefficient and often incapable in the practices of real human talent management. HR has become a much delegated function with no real teeth or integrity in many IT organisations in this country.

Good talent will always attract great customers in numbers as the delivery of quality professional services need talented, committed and passionate people, not just bodies, certifications and methodology.

Customers are sick of cost over runs on projects, mediocre service, poor advice, and often uncommitted people, and the constant barrage of sales people, selling the same commoditised products and services with little or no differentiation, not understanding the customers business, adding little or no strategic value to the corporation just eating up valuable time of executive and management by countless unproductive meetings..

I am surprised how just a few IT services organisations have architected and modelled their internal organisational structures around the client organisation, while the majority stick to product centric silos that are designed to "push" product yet prove vastly counter productive due to lack of alignment with client organisations. The resultant internal competition and bickering that happens between these silos create huge inefficiencies, reduction in focus and add significant cost to customer. The consolidation that has taken place in the industry in the last 10 years and the resultant internal focus due to understandable behavioural issues over territory and jobs haven’t helped here.

It wasn’t long ago the top end of the market was dominated by IBM, EDS, CSR followed by HP, Fujitsu and Unisys in the enterprise sector. Yes that was until HP acquired EDS in May 2008, and Fujitsu acquired the Telstra owned KAZ in March 2009. Yes, Kaz was a respected mid tier player who had built a solid reputation until Telstra. Kaz were well positioned to dominate the mid tier sector, then Telstra acquired the company infused it with Telstra management and completely changed it's culture and with that it's competitive edge.

I believe the time is nigh. For dynamic organisations and investors to rise up and take advantage of the opportunities created, I believe there is several hundred million dollars of value to be created if not a billion. It will however take vision, new thinking and good management. It will most importantly take courage. The courage to make the tough calls when cross roads are met, cross roads where courageous leaders will not compromise when it comes to treating its customers and its people right.


Dinesh De Silva is CEO of Nexgroup Asia Pacific, he and his team are available to speak to media , organisations or groups as a keynote / guest speaker on above. Contact him +612 8003 3342, via twitter @dineshdesilva or www.nexgroup.com.au 

NexGroup Asia Pacific, is a World Class Outsourcing business, providing Software development & Accounting, Finance and Legal BPO Services.

Technical Skills : Java, Microsoft Dot Net, PHP, Python, Ruby, C#, Android, Iphone,  CA Service Desk, CA ITSM,  CA NSM,, Spectrum, , eHealth. 
Outsourcing Include : Offshore & OnShore software development, Software maintenenace, Outsourced developers, Offshore Accounting ,  Bookkeeping,  Online accounting,, Account Payable outsourcing, Offshore accounting, Legal Process Outsourcing  (LPO), Legal Services, Paralegal Services, Litigation support, Document Review, Offshore Legal Processing, Legal Research, Legal resources

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Listening to the man on the street


                       


Around 2pm this afternoon, I was stopped by a turbened Indian gentlemen on the bridge that connects Greenwood Plaza and Elizebeth Plaza in North Sydney. I am not sure why I stopped. His first words were "Sir you have a lucky face" and I thought who is this person ? is he a con man ? and started to walk suspiscously, he however asked me to wait a minute in a very compelling kind of a way which I did, he then asked me a few questions which I answered. The man then wrote a note on a piece of paper which I was asked to hold in my palm... he then went on to ask me what my wife's name was and my age which I reluctantly answered. At this point he told me a few things that are happening right now in my life rather accurately which I was very curious about and then asked me to look at the piece of paper... I was astounded to see my wife's name and my age written on it .... Amazingly accurately with the right spelling, phew !! ... and I was unnerved.

Does any one know how this stuff is done ? I am very keen to know.
The man had a very peaceful and serene look on his face... I was yet uncomfortable with this unknown man from the street telling me about my self... you feel completely vulnerable yet you want to know more... I kept wondering if I should go back and ask him more, but.. I was sure that life is what you make of, you create your success with your own deep desires, you make your own luck by etching it in your subconscous mind and taking planned and consistent action towards your goals.. day in day out whilst working on our weaknesses that often inhibit us from our true potential. However through planned action to first understand them and then to improve upon our weaknesses will certainly help to overcome them over time. I for one often thought I spoke too much and listned too little When I analysed myself a few years ago. (My wife reckons I have many more which I prefer you not to know :-) )
Joining Toastmasters and the advice of my inspiring wife (you know what I mean :-) has helped me with improving this weakness to be a much better listener while being a better speaker... more improvement to happen here ...

As I close, I am firm in my belief it is us through our deep desire and action that we create our future. Not by words of wise men on street corners or nay sayers at work, amongst family or friends however compelling and convincing they may sound. One of my favourite quotes best articulates this message, "Lets set our course by the stars in the sky and not by the lights of passing ships" .

Have a GREAT DAY ...

Monday, November 9, 2009

Communication is a Gift



Good communication is a gift. A gift that can be learnt and continually improved. The ability to learn the arts of Listening, thinking & speaking can help you socially, at home with your family and most certainly professionally. Most of us can speak well, but to articulate our thoughts and opinions in the best possible way enables your audience to listen to you and take notice of not just what you said but also of you. It builds respect, enhances your ability as a leader and most importantly makes you a good listener a thinker. Priceless virtues. I learnt and improved most of these qualities when I joined the Toastmasters Organisation, a not for profit International Organisation that dedicates it self to helping its members to learn the important arts of listening , thinking and speaking... So don’t leave this page and take no action, if you think the gift of communication can help you with your career or personal life to be more fulfilling, Google the closest Toastmasters club to your home or workplace and give them a call. You will not be disappointed with your decision