September 2008/ 013

Editorial
1+1=1! Life is so full of ambition that this word takes up a
lot of our thoughts and our conscious and sub-
(The mathematics of life!) conscious existence.

Ambition alone can be quite helpless unless one is

no words open to new options, new methods, new skills,
nor lines and new ways of doing what one has been doing.
nor thoughts However, one of the major obstacles that most of
mortal us meet is from a seemingly insignificant word
can match called ‘FEAR’. Fear STOPS us from adopting
what my anything that is beyond our span of experiences.
life is This is one reason why we are unable to even
with you! reach out for our ambitious dreams!

with you This issue has an article on how to overcome this

my life single dreaded menace!
travels
There is another interesting article that explains
afar.
the intricacies of ‘differentiators’ in the world of
with you branding. It is not how different we are from
my words others that matters.. we all know that very well.
become What is vital here is how well we are able to
my thoughts. understand the way we are different and how well
with you we are able to project these differences. When I
i am talk of differences, I mean those traits that give us
what i a uniqueness and make others (individuals as well
must be! as organisations) feel that they need to be in close
touch with them.
what i
must be Do read and let me know what you think of these
has come articles. Do forward this issue to your colleagues
to be who may not have received for some reason or
the other.
only
because
Have a great time! Remain productive!!
we two
This poem is having two syllables in each line. So try
are two to read it as if you were reading a series of 2-syllables.
and yet There is no problem with the first line... but when
are one! you come to ‘mortal’, read it as ‘mor-tal’. Got it?

- Poem by Arvind Passey

“Our life is in the present moment. In observing life deeply. It is possible to see clearly all that is… Do not
pursue the past. Do not lose yourself in the future. The past no longer is. The future has not yet come.”

The Learner A small newsletter that reads big!

The secret of professional success involves the way fear is
overcome. This is because fear doesn’t operate rationally. Fear can
be real or imagined.
Every trader in the stock market knows that when a bear crosses
your path you feel objective (real) fear. How you deal with this fear
is what makes you a Warren Buffet or an investment Guru. If you
think there may be a bear waiting for you when you open your
door it is an imagined fear (usually). Again, it is the way you handle
this presumed fear that will lead to unprecedented successes.
Let me give fear another dimension. Remember that fear vs.
with your body. If you see a jump or a move that you feel you can
do, then you should do it, even if you are scared. If you are afraid,
and you don’t make the move, then you are letting fear beat you.
You have to overcome fear, and be successful.” Simple, isn’t it?
Individuals as well as organizations too can learn a lot from these
words.
The first step to conquering fear is identifying actions that trigger
fear. The way to identify such actions:
1. Personal notes - Write about your fear, why you fear it
and what beliefs you have

ce ss!
foolhardiness has to be understood and categorized properly. For

r su c
instance, when a platoon attacks, they have a plan with them and
associated with it. Re-

have been trained to meet the enemy

headlong. There is
e f e ar… fo
always a tactical
reason for their
attack and the Overc om rea
d your entry a couple of
days later and you will be able to
move is planned and rehearsed in advance. discern if what you wrote was
However, when a person on the road feels he can close his eyes correct or not.
and cross the road, the probability of his getting hit by an oncoming 2. Behavior – A
vehicle is higher than a soldier getting hit by an enemy bullet. This is continuous occurrence of some
precisely how fear has to be understood and dealt with. Not all fear action in your personal notes or
is bad, however. Fear keeps you from doing things that are diary or journal will say a lot
obviously dangerous, and fear allows you to immediately react to a about your behavioral pattern.
situation. A fear of poisonous snakes probably kept our ancestors For instance, if you get fear when
alive. Similarly, fear of getting shot keeps you from grabbing the gun speaking in public you might
out of a mugger’s hand. realize that you get the same
feelings and act the same way
It is vital to know that some fears help us, some devastate our lives. talking to strangers. This may
This devastation is obvious when fear keeps one away from trying stem from a belief that people
new activities and approaches. We have observed many times how who don’t know you won’t value your thoughts.
organizations are fearful of adopting new promotional policies or 3. Meditation - Reflecting inward in solitude can also help
even ad campaigns… this may be because of some blind faith in you identify your behavioral patterns. This may even suggest
certain things or an unsubstantiated fear of treading on new answers to them. You can do this even as you walk down to the
grounds. If you believe that trying new activities will be nearest Metro station.
embarrassing, you will fear doing it. Therefore, life really starts
when fear takes a back seat. The next and final step is to launch your own training program that
must be progressive. You cannot possible conquer all your fears in
Let us take freerun or parkour as an example. For the uninitiated, a jiffy and will need to work to a reasonable stage at a pace that will
the basics of parkour are straightforward — to get from A to B as be unique to you just as you cannot grab the biggest weight in the
quickly and efficiently as possible, using only your body and letting gym and try to lift it! At times you may need to identify a major fear,
no obstacle stand in your way. It is fast growing into a recognised split it into different gradients of the same fear and then work on
and respected international sport-cum-art able to attract big- each part.
brand sponsorship, blockbuster movie appearances and pop
megastars like Madonna. A parkour enthusiast says: “Freerun is Remember, the key to success… is to conquer fear!
about risk, and risk is all about calculating. You make a calculation
(An article written by Arvind Passey©)

“ Perhaps the most important thing we can undertake toward the reduction of fear
is to make it easier for people to accept themselves, to like themselves.

” Bonaro W. Overstreet

The Learner A small newsletter that reads big!

 What is relevant differentiation? Why is differentiation essential
in the world of branding? What does it take to get clients or
customers to prefer your brand? Better yet, what does it take to
get them to adopt your product for use?
Let me first give an interesting corollary to the concept of
differentiation. This isn’t just about brands or services that are
available in the market. What if I call YOU as the brand that I am
going to discuss in this article? Well, now that seems more
interesting, doesn’t it? Truth is, all of us need to understand the
fundas behind differentiation and also need to know how and
when to apply them. If this interests you, read on…
What matters then is the way one is able to apply knowledge and
interest to generate results that organizations need. This is
probably the reason why one finds doctors who excel as actors,
engineers who make their mark as entrepreneurs or bureaucrats
who win accolades as novelists or poets!
Next you must determine what types of people or organizations
are most likely to be attracted by your differentiators. There has
to be a reasonable match between what is required and what can
be delivered. Differentiators are what help organizations and

Like all good and stable brands, we too must deliver

each of the following to become a stronger brand:

• Awareness
• Relevant differentiation
• Value
• Convenience
• Emotional connection

The first premise to understand is ‘relevant

differentiation’. A bullock is different from a pig in many
ways, but if a cart is to be towed, you wouldn’t get
Differentiators
in the
much further if you hire a pig! Similarly, if you plan to be world of BRANDING
a marketing strategist, it is of no use projecting your
creative instincts for design, whatever be the
temptation! Relevant differentiation is thus the most
important driver of strong brands. It is vital to
understand your own relevant differentiators and
make yourself unique or more compelling than others. people find each other in the crowd of aspirants today.

The first step to determine relevant differentiation is to identify
your assets. Do you have marketable skills? Do you have more
average communication skills? Are your thoughts cohesive and
creative? Is there an element of strategic thinking in your
communication? Are your qualifications relevant to your aims?
Are your career aims or goals connected to your qualifications?
Are your career aims and goals connected to your inclinations, if
your qualifications aren’t an exact match? Do you have any
tangible documentation to display or show your inclination for
opting for a particular path? These are all diverse queries and will
lead you to a conclusion.
Understandably, the last paragraph has a plethora of queries…
but they are all meant to be asked by you to determine relevant
differentiation. It is through self analysis that you will reach a
conclusion and then you’d be able to work from there. For
instance, an individual may not have any degree or diploma in
mass communication and yet enter the communication section.
What matters for such an individual is simply a facility with lines –
both in words as well as their graphic avatar. There must be a
genuine love and concern for unique expressions and a fascination
for creative direction which is what propels and makes one
acceptable. Mere qualifications do not ensure a creative use or
application of these faculties.
Now consider the types of people who are most likely to be
attracted to your talents or inclinations in greater depth. Which
types are the most desirable? To which types can you best cater?
To which types do you offer the biggest competitive advantage?
The entire world is always in search of creating teams that will
work best. Once you have figured out to whom your
differentiators should most appeal, what it offers to attract those
people and what it stands for, then you must begin the work of
reinforcing the brand’s promise or the team’s goals at each point
of customer contact. This can be done in many ways. Thus we
reach the arena of promotions. Individuals, families, political
parties, NGOs, institutions, organizations, brands and even
towns have this too in common. For instance, Delhi has to work in
tandem to promote its strengths for the Commonwealth games!
Observe the work that the state government is doing and you will
understand my point.
To conclude, life is all about making the right impact at the right
time with the right type of people or target groups. The
underlying truth is that every individual can attempt to
understand the dynamics of this function and create a better life
for themselves.
(An article written by Arvind Passey©)

Arvind Passey
Corporate Communications
BIFM | 4th Floor, Gulab Bhavan, 6, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi – 110 002 |
Phone: (011) 23705854/ 855 Extn: 247 | Mobile: 09871139992 | www.blblimited.com, www.bifm.edu.in |
[ Truth needs words just as much as it needs silence ]
[ Communication is the death of distance! ]