The concept of EQ is not totally new to successful global communicators, many of whom have refined their emotional competencies to a fine art. What’s new is the recent identification of these skills under a singular phrase ‘emotional intelligence’, with an accompanying scientifically based, systematised approach to personal development that is rapidly attracting attention within corporate and organisational settings today. Read on…

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Growing pressure on international corporations (MNCs) to take responsibility for their operations has resulted in an increasing number of large corporations starting to address, the concept of corporate social responsibility. So, what is CSR in this era of globalisation?

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In the theatre of life it is an open casting call for all! Many hear the call, but a few are chosen for it. Those who are chosen understand that the right perception is the passport to your success and power!

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In 1967, social psychologist Stanley Milgram performed an experiment to solve an unresolved hypothesis circulating in those days. The hypothesis was called the ‘small world problem’. The claim of the small world phenomenon is that the world is in a sense small when viewed as a network of friends, in only a few steps. Milgram asked a few hundred randomly selected people to send letters to a stock broker via intermediaries. Among the letters that reached the destination correctly the average path length was found to be six.

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‘Stuckness’ means being trapped in a certain way of thinking and unable to see things differently. The way in which we think is called a paradigm. All of us work within the parameters of a paradigm. Although, a paradigm gives you focus and an objective to achieve, it has the negative impact of trapping you in a fixed mode of thinking and unable to look at things from different perspective. This article focuses on the four strategies you need to apply…

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Writing is an important skill to possess. Be it academic assignments, college admission essays or an entrance exam - how to present your thoughts on paper is crucial. The kind of essay you wish to write decides the approach appropriate for it. Let’s look at a few things that will make this easy for you and help you overcome your fear of writing.

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Suresh spent endless hours in his room preparing for the written exams. And the effort has paid off with Suresh being one of the top scorers in CAT. But the next part of the selection process makes him uncomfortable. He is not confident about being able to make a mark in a group or face the probing interview panel. He finds himself tongue-tied when while all the others are shouting out their arguments.

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No one is immune to stress. Though it can never be avoided, it can be reduced. Stress is caused by imbalance between demands in your life and resources you have. Here, demands could be termed as excellent academic achievement, need to prove oneself, completing huge volumes of work, meeting deadlines of assignment etc. Resources could be intelligence, hard work, time management, family support, good peer group etc. So, what is it that you need to do in order to combat stress?

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Group Discussions have become popular and effective tools and are employed by educational institutes to shortlist students. It is not a strategy to eliminate students but is a selection procedure that can highlight traits of an individual’s personality. Hence at a competitive level where we will be judged in a matter of a few minutes, it becomes important to be vocal, to articulate our thoughts clearly and bring in fresh perspectives to the topics that are being discussed. Radhika Arunkumar takes you through the process, and the likely topics that you can prepare on.

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Employability skills and personal values are critical tools and traits you need to succeed in the workplace – and they are all elements that you can learn, cultivate, develop, at the campus, and maintain over your career and lifetime. Once you have identified the sought-after skills and values, and assessed the degree to which you possess them, remember to document them and market them in your resume and interviews towards your wish for being selected for a ‘great’ job, and in a great company!

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The GD/PI measures the desirable skills that are required in a B-school environment. These include team skills, capability to integrate your academics & work experience to the world around you and basic attitude. These are more important than academic brilliance.

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Most of you will embark on your B-school education very soon. And the minute you cross the threshold of your B-school, you will be bombarded with advice on what books to read to help you become that clean cut, high profile, savvy, astute and an effective manager. While you will have your dosage of the ‘right’ reading there is one ingenious book that you can refer to for the best of Management principles – The Mahabharata, says Gauri Puranik

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Define success by your own means - in general it could mean that you were willing to explore some aspect of your capability. The end result could very well mean that you fall flat while trying, but then even this counts. It means you did not try hard enough or it means simply that you are not cut out to doing that kind of work. Read on…

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With the onset of October, the hearts are palpitating at accelerated rates, the ‘phew factor’ is transcending to towering heights and the adrenalin is gushing faster than ever before. These are only some of the syndromes currently exhibited by members of this community… the CAT takers! Though it is tough to expect miracles at the last minute, it is important to approach the test with the right frame of mind, as it could make a lot of difference!

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Every year thousands of management enthusiasts aspire for admission to the coveted top B-schools in the country. The admission process entails an aptitude test apart from a test of personality. Among these tests, the Common Admission Test (CAT) conducted by the IIMs is the most sought after. In fact, the CAT sets the pitch for preparation for various other management entrance tests as well, like XAT (conducted by XLRI and scores accepted by XLRI, XIM, GIM etc), SNAP (conducted by Symbiosis International University and scores accepted by SIBM, SCMHRD, SIIB etc), JMET (Joint Management Entrance Test conducted by the IITs for admission to their management programmes), IRMA, IIFT, FMS etc. What students need to understand is that while preparation for the CAT ensures a certain comfort level with questions on quantitative ability, logic & data interpretation and verbal abilityimportant of these being the 'general knowledge' (GK) section.

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In the olden days, you got into a company, joined at some ordinary junior level and from then on, your path in the company was set out in stone. You joined as an officer, became the senior officer and then after some years, you moved in as an assistant manager and so on and so forth until you got bored of the company or vice versa or you retired or your company folded up. That was the traditional way of building a career.

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Procrastination, a persistent habit of pushing tasks to a later date, is a recognized impediment to professional as well as personal growth. There are solutions, setting priorities and ensuring that these are carried out through various methods. Below we illustrate some of those methods for you.

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'Who is the Vice President of India?' I posed the question to a bunch of final year Engineering students. A few shifted in their chairs, as if daring me not to point towards them for an answer, others bent their heads and didn't make an eye contact while the rest showed an expression of 'know it all' but not being able to recall it at that moment. Two students shouted in unison, ' Bharion Singh Shekhawat.' I looked at them and smiled. They realised something was wrong. One out of the thirty-five odd students in the room knew the correct answer.

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"If Thomas Edison went to business school, we would all be reading by bigger candles." Perhaps a bit exaggerated, but this fact by and large retains its veracity. Education in the 21st century is a different world altogether. Driven by a zealot's frenzy through business schools, we have churned out a new generation of MBAs with a marked pride that accompanies this feat of belonging to an assembly line of business graduates with stamped degrees. Our systems of education are so ridden by the obsessive need of possessing a degree (an MBA or any other) that the latter has come to be regarded as a measure of one's intelligence and intellectual capacity.

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'Why an MBA?' is one of the most oft repeated interview questions. It is a famous cliché in MBA circles with well-rehearsed, adeptly framed and efficiently mugged up answers. As most students begin the tumultuous voyage towards the MBA entrance exam and prepare to tackle the devil among all demons plaguing their mind, it's time for them to answer the vital question - Why do I want to do an MBA? This answer is not meant to satiate a hungry panelist or an inquisitive peer, however; it's a response to the soul in order to embark on the CAT preparation journey with utmost dedication and commitment.

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I hate the term b-school. It is thrown about like its no-one's business in India. It suddenly elevates you from being a mere mortal and suddenly your IQ seems to have crossed that of Sharon Stone's. In the business of education in India, a business school is the easiest school to establish - a high school would need more physical infrastructure.

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If I could sum in two words what you should do in college, I would sum it as “Take Risk”. From the time you enter graduation till the time you are done with your studies the big thing that you should do is, take risk.

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It is easy to describe what happens most often in a corporate meeting. A proposal is presented and everyone looks at the top boss in the room for his reactions. If the boss says yes, you can be sure that the entire room will be filled with a cacophony of "yes"- es and if the boss says no, you can be sure that the proposal will not get anywhere. Of course, I am simplifying things here, but the picture I have painted is not too far from the truth.

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You are asked- 'What is the Parliament of Israel called? Which provisions of the Constitution make Hindi the official language of our nation? Which is the Indian state that has the greatest proportion of women in the population?'

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If I were to summarize the secret of getting ahead in your career (in your job or in business or your venture), this would be it. Think one step ahead. It could very well apply in your role as an entrepreneur or as venture capitalist; indeed it could apply anywhere in your life, even at a traffic signal where you are trying to butt ahead.

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Your thoughts determine the quality of your life. You must have heard this phrase many times. (I myself have said this time and again in my columns.) But do you actually 'believe' this statement? Have you tried to experiment with it in your own life? You see, unless you believe in this truth, you won't make any effort to re-wire your thinking process. What are you afraid of? Why don't you give it a try? What can you lose? Nothing! In fact you stand to gain a lot by researching and re-formatting your thought patterns.

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A personal interview is an opportunity to sell your candidature and convince the panel that you deserve the seat. Your answers to their questions hold the key to your success in the interview. In general, B-school interviews don't follow a set pattern but revolve around your academic and personal life. Being prepared with answers to the expected questions can make your journey through the interview smoother.

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Ever wanted to invest money in a dream start-up? The kind which offers you its shares at ten rupees when it has no takers or few? And then, like a dream come true, over the next ten years it expands and multiplies into a big company, its shares moving rapidly northwards and making you richer in the process. Not too many can be part of such a dream, you say, except perhaps those who invested in an Infosys when it was offering its IPO in the mid 90s?

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Continuing our exposition of topics that are most likely to be discussed in the imminent rounds of selection at B-schools, we present here a complete summary of the important developments in what was perhaps the most critical as well as hyped event in international affairs in the year gone by. This will give you the complete background and update on the Copenhagen Climate Summit concluded in December 2009 and help you explore answers to a question that is being raised in many fora across the world: Was the climate summit just another farce? What do you feel? Write to us at editor@advancedge.com and if your thoughts are indeed cogent and insightful, we will publish them on our website.

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All of us have been told time and again in our lifetimes that we get money by 'earning' it. But what do they mean by 'earning'? Is it just the livelihood that you engage in or is there more to it? As I am progressing in years, the real truth is becoming clearer to me. Suppose you were to give service of a kind that the other person wants, how will you benefit from it? Do you work just for your pay or does job-satisfaction mean anything to you? Do you think that giving more and better service will get you more benefits? Yes, the truth is that if you give a great deal, you receive a great deal. You always get back more than you give, especially if you give from your heart.

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Amitabh Bachchan may or may not be your hero. But as a freshly minted MBA, if there is one person in the country you have to learn from, it is Amitabh Bachchan. The man, once dismissed as too tall for the industry and who was famously rejected from AIR because of his voice, turned out to be an icon of Indian cinema.

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The first results of the MBA entrance examinations for the 2010 admissions-season are out. The CAT, though tumultuous, has also been concluded for a majority of aspirants. Naturally, therefore, the focus is now going to be on the next round comprising the Group Discussion, Written Assessments and Interviews. Starting this issue, Advanc’edge MBA will bring you a series of short write-ups on burning contemporary issues, which you may be asked to discuss in a group, or elaborate on in an essay, in the rounds to come. While we present you a certain perspective on the topics, we also invite short entries from you describing your stance and views on the same. The best entries will be published on www.advancedge.com under the section ‘Wiser by the Week’. So do write in to editor@advancedge.com so that you can share your views with fellow aspirants and also hear what they have to say on these very critical and relevant issues affecting the present and the future.

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Success is a buzzword in today’s time. We today are more aware of the heights we can attain in our professional spheres & the satisfaction that we desire in our personal relationships. There is always a constant effort to balance both the lives, wanting the best in both the worlds.

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India takes pride in its demographic dividend and the people factor has propelled the country into a new opportunity landscape, thus creating a niche for it in the space of Knowledge Services. The population issue which had been seen mostly as a burden until a few years back is now being seen as a positive parameter, as long as we can find a smart way of turning this to our advantage. According to a Report from the Boston Consulting Group, in the year 2020, when most countries in the world would have a shortage of talent, India will have surplus talent accounting for the largest talent pool in the world - 47 million strong. The moot point is, is India going to be able to take advantage of this surplus and service global shortage for talent? The answer lies in making such resources equipped with skills that are in short supply today and are likely to be in demand in the next decade. In order to make the resources employable, systematic planning and implementation involving various agencies and building a whole new eco system to support this would be essential.

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Have you ever wondered how failure-consciousness is created and what you can do to move out of it? Most of the times we remain failure conscious because of our over-entanglement in the material world! Everything reminds us of our inability to ‘afford’ it. This idea of perpetual lack makes us conscious of the fact that perhaps we are failures in this world. These thoughts also release stress chemicals into our brain, making us feel fearful of the future. The more we fall into this trap of ‘not enough success,’ the more we start thinking negatively. These thoughts create mini panic attacks in our consciousness; eventually we end up becoming a failure in whatever we undertake. The ‘loser’ thoughts in our body and mind deplete our energy, creating ‘failure-attacks’ in our inner world, which eventually manifest in our outer world!

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Much has been written about the Tata Nano over the past few months. But, while it is very easy today to see where the Nano is, basking in its success, it makes for an interesting rewind to a few years back when the project was launched. And therein, lies an interesting lesson. The Tata Nano was announced, in 2003 and almost instantly, the naysayers started off. Many said it could not be done - and they were being very charitable if they said only that. There were jokes that circulated on email citing possible contraptions - all deriding the idea itself.

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What could be a new way of processing or creating our dreams? Does it involve our mind or does it only use the heart? These are some of the questions that come to mind when someone tries to sell us dreams (even though they are our own dreams to begin with). Of course, dreams in this context mean our innermost hopes and desires, which include our day dreams but not our sleeping dreams.

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Do you agree with the above statement? Is your life a celebration? Would you like it to be one? Well, the choice is entirely yours. When we were given this life we were asked to enjoy ourselves but somewhere along the line we stopped enjoying, we became too serious about ‘living’ life. Education, career, jobs, family responsibilities took precedence over enjoyment. Even though all our external pursuits are in the name of enjoying life, we have forgotten what a celebration is all about. It is time to take a fresh look at this subject

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Roger Federer won the Wimbledon a few weeks back. And if you read all the reports, there was one common central theme running through it all. The question being asked most of the time was "Is Federer the greatest tennis player ever?"

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How often have you used expressions like – ‘I am completely stressed out’ or ‘I have too much to do – I just can’t manage all this in my schedule’ or ‘I don’t think I’ll make it?” Imagine you are going to take an exam. You are at the bus stop waiting for your regular bus. But today, on this crucial day of your exam, your bus is late. What do you do? What does your mind tell you to do? Does it say – ‘Oh God, of all days does it have to be today?’ Or, ‘this is what always happens to me – I am always unlucky.’ Or, ‘let me wait and see – maybe the bus is just round the corner.’

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The most distinctive skill of today’s marketers is the ability to create brands. It is the unfathomable art as well as the cornerstone in the history of marketing. The American Marketing Association defines brand as a name, term, sign, symbol or design or a combination of them, intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competitors. Now, it shall be highly incorrect to curtail this definition merely to branding of products or services. Widening the scope of the word, I shall discuss simple ways in which you may brand yourself. The benefit of the whole exercise, as evident from the definition, shall be a distinct image of YOU. Branding yourself shall ascertain that you are not one among the millions there; however you are one apart from the rest. Sounds a bit overboard or too ambitious? It won’t once you follow this discussion.

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Trailing success is something that today’s generation has learnt much faster than the previous generation. The process started with most of us while we were still in school and it continues to fascinate and intrigue us with its ever elusive quality.

Throughout our life we struggle to grapple with our weaknesses to make them our strengths but somewhere fail to give due importance to the strengths that already exist. As Peter Drucker said rightly, “Most people do not know what their strengths are. When you ask them, they look at you with a blank stare, or they respond in terms of subject knowledge, which is the wrong answer.”

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Here’s an exercise to help you identify and trace your strengths.

There are 5 specific qualities that can help you identify your strengths. These are your attitudes, beliefs, behaviour, thoughts & motivations. Take a look at specific lists given below to find your own unique strengths.

Your attitude: Your attitude is what helps you continue your efforts towards your achievements and success. Given below are the lists of attitudes that can be your strength. Identify any three statements from the list below that you identify the most with. If the list does not include any traits of your attitude, you can add it in the last line as others.

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Being enterprising is not just about starting a business, it’s about having an attitude, motivation and an inner drive to succeed in anything that you undertake. Those who are enterprising by nature have certain qualities and a particular way of thinking that enables them to achieve success in business.

Many of you are perhaps aspiring to make a career in the business world and maybe even kick start your own venture some day. So, we bring you here a tool to help you evaluate “how enterprising are you?”

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A few weeks ago, a college in Mumbai had conducted a two day workshop for its students on Ethics at the Workplace. And many interesting questions were asked by the students. One question that a student raised received a very loud and enthusiastic applause from all other fellow-students and teachers assembled at the workshop. The student said, “I value honesty and friendship. So during the exams when my close friend asks me for an answer, which of these two values should I choose? Is it unethical to help a friend who is in need of your help?” Interesting situation, isn’t it? What would your answer to this question be? Please be sure of your answer before reading the rest of this article!

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We have heard of emotional intelligence, but social intelligence is the new ‘must have’ doing the rounds these days. Especially in the face of the economic slowdown, this expression has taken a new meaning. Developing social intelligence is said to have the potential of bringing about an improvement in most areas of your life. It is being termed as a life-changing skill.

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Have you discovered the most powerful success technique on earth as yet?
Are you ready to take some steps that could change your life?
Do you wish to enjoy success along with limitless energy?
Are you interested in experiencing creative rushes?
Do you want to think like a genius and solve problems quickly?
Do you wish to double your ability to learn and release all stress in the process?

Well, all this may sound like some sales pitch to you. No, I am not selling anything. I am just asking you to follow some steps that I have been following with great satisfaction. It won’t cost you anything but a little attitudinal shift.

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Before you take this test, let us take a brief look at what a skill means. A skill is also known as a talent or strength. It basically means your capability for a smooth sequence of behaviour that helps you reach a certain objective within a certain context. I am sure you have come across someone from your team or group of friends who so brilliantly persuades everyone to join him for a movie which no one is actually keen on watching. It’s his sharp skill in communication and persuasion that makes everyone agree to join him for the movie. Skills play a major role in enhancing one’s personality and give one an edge in both the worlds, personal & professional/academic. Companies constantly look for employees who possess skills that can be useful at the place of work. Employers generally spend huge amounts of money in training their candidates on various skills so that they can carry out the work more effectively. So a great thing about skills is that you can enhance and develop it.

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The collapse of two of Wall Street's most respected financial institutions and most aspirational work places, Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch, sent shock waves across the globe last year. Here are some glimpses of the international headlines that created a global distress situation and panic in financial and economic circles.

“The FBI is investigating Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc and insurer American International Group Inc and their senior executives for potential mortgage fraud” ~ CNN

“Lehman Brothers, the U.S. investment bank, was defrauded of more than $355 million in transactions that it suspects were carried out by two employees at the Japanese trading house Marubeni” ~ Reuters

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Here is an interactive checklist to help you understand the things that make your job enjoyable and fun, and the factors that contribute to your satisfaction at the end of the day. Do read the instructions before you start the test.

Instructions: Part 1 comprises of 9 statements. Each of the statements given below is to be ranked. Here the highest rank will be 9 & the lowest rank will be 1. Remember, give rank 9 to the statement that matters the most to you & 1 to the statement that matters the least. You can assign one rank just once i.e. you cannot give the same rank twice in one part. Follow the same procedure for each part.

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What is it that makes us feel secure in life? Educational credentials, a well-paying job, a decent bank balance, comfortable home, or a happy, understanding family? What is your pick? People have a tendency to cling to all kinds of goals and aspirations in order to feel secure. Some cling to career goals (when I do an MBA, I will feel secure), some have financial goals (when I earn 20 lakh rupees per annum, I will feel secure), while some harbour relationship goals (when I get married, I will be secure). In these uncertain times, it makes sense to ask ourselves, what are we clinging to in order to feel secure? Many a time, we achieve our career goal only to find that our relationships are in a mess. Or we achieve our relationship goals and find our finances going all awry.

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