Fall of the traditional reporter and Rise of the citizen journalist ?

Not really. For all the stories of gloom and doom that are written about how traditional ( read Print) media will die, and will be overtaken by citizen reporting – I believe that it won’t. Good “old” media reporters, who know their business and do a thorough job will always be in demand for one reason : their credibility.
A case in point is that of Ms.Aisha khan, a young 19 yr old girl from Kansas who went missing recently. In less than 24 hours of her having gone missing, I noticed several Face Book posts, a video of her parents being interviewed and a barrage of information on how she possibly could have been abducted.
While this was very plausible, it turned out that she had merely gone into hiding ( god knows why?) and returned “safely and unhurt”.
What is the moral of the story and what is the connection to the point made earlier, you may ask.
Well, the point is this : Social media enthusiasts ( including her family and friends) reacted too soon – without enough due-diligence and fact checking. All the well-known names in the world of Journalism : Robert Fisk, Walter Cronkite, Fareed Zakaria, Riz Khan have built their reputation by credible fact-checking and reporting which is accurate, informative and insightful; and not based on rumors or written in such haste that there is no room for seeing through the lies.
In this case, a good “Old media” reporter would check to see if there is a police complaint, before even thinking of writing a story. He/she would look for facts, perhaps take enough time ( at the expense of being a bit slow), but get all the ducks in a row before crying wolf.
The trouble with Social media reporting ( also its strength ironically) is its speed. Anything with an internet connection and a computer can put up bits of information, which can be called “News”.
In this case, it was the case of a girl, who decided to play a prank. But, she not only damaged her reputation, but also that of her peers, who may perhaps not heed her call for help the next time she is in real trouble.
That is the real danger.

What on earth is "strategic waiting" ?

I am sure you have had moments of lucidity, when you have said or done things which you have regretted later. This may be with a friend, a client or your significant other. Just waiting for a minute, a day, week or a month may have solved the problem.

It is good to remember that in the "real world", we are all dealing with imperfect and incomplete information. If we did have perfect information, then our ideas and perceptions would be drastically different than what they are today. This is not only humbling, but also a deep insight; which can re-shape the way we think and live our lives.

Strategic waiting is a concept, which not many people practice, much less understand. Some may call it "patience", or even "lack of courage to speak one's mind". But another way of looking at it is focus on what speaking out or "communicating" in the heat of the moment will accomplish, and what result will silence have. Sometimes, waiting it out gives us more information, more insights which may not be available right now.

Individuals as well as organizations can learn to "strategically wait" for better results, rather than jump in to act - in thought or in deed.

Dr.Johan Galtung, world-renowned figure in peace studies has said this recently: " If the USA had waited and dealt with the post 9/11 catastrophe, not by going to war in Afghanistan, but by addressing the tragedy of the attacks in a different way, then today the situation in Afghanistan would have been very different. Timing is everything. Countries as well as individuals must learn to strategically wait for the right moment to act or say anything."

A new CSR landscape ?

Corporate Social Responsibility ( CSR) as a model of engagement between the private sector and the wider stakeholders in a society is well established and entrenched in many societies. But in the developing world, CSR is at various stages of development, right from its nascent stage to a very advanced stage; with the private firms working closely on issues such as education, healthcare - and making a substantial contribution to the society.

In the context of the global recession, and decreased development aid from richer countries to the poorer ones, it is estimated that there will be a greater role of the private sector in International development . I wonder how this will shift the CSR landscape ? Will it mean greater CSR initiatives, now that the Aid dollars will reduce from one government to another ?

In reading the latest report by Brookings Institute titled " Global Development Under Pressure", In addition to partnering more systematically with international
private actors, support for sustainable development in any developing country requires collaboration with local businesses and civil society organizations rather than just a narrow relationship with state institutions. Over the long term, it is these enduring elements of broader society that will continue to drive growth
and accountable governance".

The report goes on further to add :"The shift in the global development landscape requiring even greater linkages between public and private actors is not a sudden revelation within U.S. foreign policy circles. The United States has long been an international leader in this area".

I wonder how all of this will shift, and at what pace ? Will private players actually move in, and do "what is right" to create the right business environment so they too can operate well, or as Milton Friedman argued, stand back and say " Social responsibility is not our business".

Listening in the social media space : Why bother ?

I attended a workshop recently at the Foundation Center, on Social media technologies titled "Doing more with less: Social media tips and trends for 2012". While the information presented was all very relevant and timely, the one major take-away for me was this : Social media allows us all to listen carefully to what others are saying, and helps us to learn, tailor our communication and strategy accordingly.

Never before was such insightful listening possible. We are able to zone in, and listen carefully to what people are saying. The very process of hearing, listening and analysing this information can give us tremendous insights about human behaviour and how we can use this information to address our audience.

Marketing communications professionals take pride in their ability to skillyfully craft messages and deliver them to an audience, who in turn, are expected to behave in a certain way. Without careful analysis, we may actually be talking to a wall.
But if we do know what a person or a group of people are thinking, discussing, we can enter the conversation ( on Facebook, twitter) or anyother platform and contribute meaningfully to this discussion.

I strongly believe that social media should teach all of us good listening skills, as much as good skills in creating good conversations and dialogues.

As William Isaacs points out in his book "Dialogue and the art of thinking together" : " The heart of dialogue is a simple but profound capacity to listen. Listening requires we not only hear the words, but also embrace, accept, and gradually let go of our own inner clamoring. As we explore it, we discover that listening is an expansive activity. It gives us a way to perceive more directly the ways we participate in the world around us".

The social media sphere offers us this ability to build relationships, form communities of concern and also help us create positive change through discussion.

The preliminary criterion in the online world remains the same as in the "real world" : the ability to listen carefully and thoughtfully.

Issues management basics : Its all about the mindshare !

Have you ever wondered how certain groups of people take over the debate about an issue, dominate it so much that any alternative discourse doesnt even seem possible.

Think of the Middle East peace process, the two-state solution for example. Or the debate about immigration that seems to have hogged the limelight in the US, in the context of the current economic climate. Everyone i speak with ( barring a few enlightened individuals) agree that it is "ok" for the US to be a bit "protectionist" about jobs, since it is about providing jobs for "our own" people.

I see this trend in the Middle East too. During my stay there in 2008-09, the wave of "Emiritization" was dominant, and I still read comments by former colleagues on Facebook that there arent enough "good" jobs for the locals. Well...

This brings us to the issue I was thinking about : that of mind-share.

How much of the mental space in the "publics" mind has been captured by one line of thinking ? Is this an easy thing to do ? Well, that again depends on the issue ? Is it important to be aware of it ?

Absolutely !

Sometimes, one group of people dominate a discourse and it becomes a part of our collective mind-share, to such a large extent that we forget that this may be false.

As a consumer of information or news, it does help to step back, just for a minute and ask the question : how much of your mind-share is being occupied by this line of thinking/ organization ?

When there is too much noise, it would perhaps help to whisper !

Insight of the week : When there is too much noise, perhaps it would help to whisper- rather than shout.

Counter-intuitive ? Well, this one is common-sensical.

With a cluttered market ( think of the corporate world, the political arena or even your own personal life)- With so many people competing for your time, attention and money, who do you really listen to ? The one who is shouting at the top of his/her voice, or someone who is thoughtful, close to you and who is not "hard-selling" you ?

Whispering has never been as important as today's hyper-connected world.

Get close to someone, get their attention and tell them what you want to - with sincerity and clarity.

And chances are - they will listen.

Good luck and have a great week ahead.

Managing your professional image - Harvard Business article

I dont usually re-post articles here, but this is a pretty well written article. Courtesy HBR.

http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/4860.html

Creating a Positive Professional Image

Q&A with: Laura Morgan Roberts
Published: June 20, 2005
Author: Mallory Stark


Executive Summary:
In today’s diverse workplace, your actions and motives are constantly under scrutiny. Time to manage your own professional image before others do it for you. An interview with professor Laura Morgan Roberts.

As HBS professor Laura Morgan Roberts sees it, if you aren't managing your own professional image, others are.

"People are constantly observing your behavior and forming theories about your competence, character, and commitment, which are rapidly disseminated throughout your workplace," she says. "It is only wise to add your voice in framing others' theories about who you are and what you can accomplish."

There are plenty of books telling you how to "dress for success" and control your body language. But keeping on top of your personal traits is only part of the story of managing your professional image, says Roberts. You also belong to a social identity group—African American male, working mother—that brings its own stereotyping from the people you work with, especially in today's diverse workplaces. You can put on a suit and cut your hair to improve your appearance, but how do you manage something like skin color?

Roberts will present her research, called "Changing Faces: Professional Image Construction in Diverse Organizational Settings," in the October issue of the Academy of Management Review.

She discusses her research in this interview.

Mallory Stark: What is a professional image?

Laura Morgan Roberts: Your professional image is the set of qualities and characteristics that represent perceptions of your competence and character as judged by your key constituents (i.e., clients, superiors, subordinates, colleagues).

Q: What is the difference between "desired professional image" and "perceived professional image?"

A: It is important to distinguish between the image you want others to have of you and the image that you think people currently have of you.

Most people want to be described as technically competent, socially skilled, of strong character and integrity, and committed to your work, your team, and your company. Research shows that the most favorably regarded traits are trustworthiness, caring, humility, and capability.

Ask yourself the question: What do I want my key constituents to say about me when I'm not in the room? This description is your desired professional image. Likewise, you might ask yourself the question: What am I concerned that my key constituents might say about me when I'm not in the room? The answer to this question represents your undesired professional image.

You can never know exactly what all of your key constituents think about you, or how they would describe you when you aren't in the room. You can, however, draw inferences about your current professional image based on your interactions with key constituents. People often give you direct feedback about your persona that tells you what they think about your level of competence, character, and commitment. Other times, you may receive indirect signals about your image, through job assignments or referrals and recommendations. Taken together, these direct and indirect signals shape your perceived professional image, your best guess of how you think your key constituents perceive you.

Q: How do stereotypes affect perceived professional image?

A: In the increasingly diverse, twenty-first century workplace, people face a number of complex challenges to creating a positive professional image. They often experience a significant incongruence between their desired professional image and their perceived professional image. In short, they are not perceived in the manner they desire; instead, their undesired professional image may be more closely aligned with how their key constituents actually perceive them.

What lies at the source of this incongruence? Three types of identity threats—predicaments, devaluation, and illegitimacy—compromise key constituents' perceptions of technical competence, social competence, character, and commitment. All professionals will experience a "predicament" or event that reflects poorly on their competence, character, or commitment at some point in time, due to mistakes they have made in the past that have become public knowledge, or competency gaps (e.g., shortcomings or limitations in skill set or style).

Members of negatively stereotyped identity groups may experience an additional form of identity threat known as "devaluation." Identity devaluation occurs when negative attributions about your social identity group(s) undermine key constituents' perceptions of your competence, character, or commitment. For example, African American men are stereotyped as being less intelligent and more likely to engage in criminal behavior than Caucasian men. Asian Americans are stereotyped as technically competent, but lacking in the social skills required to lead effectively. Working mothers are stereotyped as being less committed to their profession and less loyal to their employing organizations. All of these stereotypes pose obstacles for creating a positive professional image.

Members of negatively stereotyped identity groups may experience an additional form of identity threat known as "devaluation."
Even positive stereotypes can pose a challenge for creating a positive professional image if someone is perceived as being unable to live up to favorable expectations of their social identity group(s). For example, clients may question the qualifications of a freshly minted MBA who is representing a prominent strategic consulting firm. Similarly, female medical students and residents are often mistaken for nurses or orderlies and challenged by patients who do not believe they are legitimate physicians.

Q: What is impression management and what are its potential benefits?

A: Despite the added complexity of managing stereotypes while also demonstrating competence, character, and commitment, there is promising news for creating your professional image! Impression management strategies enable you to explain predicaments, counter devaluation, and demonstrate legitimacy. People manage impressions through their non-verbal behavior (appearance, demeanor), verbal cues (vocal pitch, tone, and rate of speech, grammar and diction, disclosures), and demonstrative acts (citizenship, job performance).

My research suggests that, in addition to using these traditional impression management strategies, people also use social identity-based impression management (SIM) to create a positive professional image. SIM refers to the process of strategically presenting yourself in a manner that communicates the meaning and significance you associate with your social identities. There are two overarching SIM strategies: positive distinctiveness and social recategorization.

Positive distinctiveness means using verbal and non-verbal cues to claim aspects of your identity that are personally and/or socially valued, in an attempt to create a new, more positive meaning for that identity. Positive distinctiveness usually involves attempts to educate others about the positive qualities of your identity group, advocate on behalf of members of your identity group, and incorporate your background and identity-related experiences into your workplace interactions and innovation.

Social recategorization means using verbal and non-verbal cues to suppress other aspects of your identity that are personally and/or socially devalued, in an attempt to distance yourself from negative stereotypes associated with that group. Social recategorization involves minimization and avoidance strategies, such as physically and mentally conforming to the dominant workplace culture while being careful not to draw attention to identity group differences and one's unique cultural background.

Rather than adopting one strategy wholesale, most people use a variety of strategies for managing impressions of their social identities. In some situations, they choose to draw attention to a social identity, if they think it will benefit them personally or professionally. Even members of devalued social identity groups, such as African American professionals, will draw attention to their race if it creates mutual understanding with colleagues, generates high-quality connections with clients, or enhances their experience of authenticity and fulfillment in their work. In other situations, these same individuals may choose to minimize their race in order to draw attention to an alternate identity, such as gender, profession, or religion, if they feel their race inhibits their ability to connect with colleagues or clients.

Successful impression management can generate a number of important personal and organizational benefits, including career advancement, client satisfaction, better work relationships (trust, intimacy, avoiding offense), group cohesiveness, a more pleasant organizational climate, and a more fulfilling work experience. However, when unsuccessfully employed, impression management attempts can lead to feelings of deception, delusion, preoccupation, distraction, futility, and manipulation.

Q: How do authenticity and credibility influence the positive outcomes of impression management attempts?

A: In order to create a positive professional image, impression management must effectively accomplish two tasks: build credibility and maintain authenticity. When you present yourself in a manner that is both true to self and valued and believed by others, impression management can yield a host of favorable outcomes for you, your team, and your organization. On the other hand, when you present yourself in an inauthentic and non-credible manner, you are likely to undermine your health, relationships, and performance.

Most people use a variety of strategies for managing impressions of their social identities.
Most often, people attempt to build credibility and maintain authenticity simultaneously, but they must negotiate the tension that can arise between the two. Your "true self," or authentic self-portrayal, will not always be consistent with your key constituents' expectations for professional competence and character. Building credibility can involve being who others want you to be, gaining social approval and professional benefits, and leveraging your strengths. If you suppress or contradict your personal values or identity characteristics for the sake of meeting societal expectations for professionalism, you might receive certain professional benefits, but you might compromise other psychological, relational, and organizational outcomes.

Q: What are the steps individuals should take to manage their professional image?

A: First, you must realize that if you aren't managing your own professional image, someone else is. People are constantly observing your behavior and forming theories about your competence, character, and commitment, which are rapidly disseminated throughout your workplace. It is only wise to add your voice in framing others' theories about who you are and what you can accomplish.

Be the author of your own identity. Take a strategic, proactive approach to managing your image:

Identify your ideal state.

What are the core competencies and character traits you want people to associate with you?
Which of your social identities do you want to emphasize and incorporate into your workplace interactions, and which would you rather minimize?
Assess your current image, culture, and audience.

What are the expectations for professionalism?
How do others currently perceive you?
Conduct a cost-benefit analysis for image change.

Do you care about others' perceptions of you?
Are you capable of changing your image?
Are the benefits worth the costs? (Cognitive, psychological, emotional, physical effort)
Use strategic self-presentation to manage impressions and change your image.

Employ appropriate traditional and social identity-based impression management strategies.
Pay attention to the balancing act—build credibility while maintaining authenticity.
Manage the effort you invest in the process.

Monitoring others' perceptions of you
Monitoring your own behavior
Strategic self-disclosure
Preoccupation with proving worth and legitimacy

About the author
Mallory Stark is a career information librarian at Baker Library.

Self-branding : The single most important question you need to ask youself

When it comes to branding your own self ( such a necessity in the current job market), the single most important question you need to answer is : Who the hell are you ?

While there are many of us, who are rather modest about our selves, there is a case to be made to be immodest, to position oneself well and reap the rewards that come from being noticed. Infact, one of my favourite sayings in Hindi ( popular in Mumbai, the financial and commercial hub of India is): " Jo Dikhta hai, wo bikta hai" - meaning, What is visible is sold faster. There is some truth to this statement, even as it applies to us as professionals.

This statement just about sums up everything that you need to do to establish yourself as a credible professional/ artist/ writer. I believe that if one seeks to answer this rather basic question thoroughly, with an in-depth look at the talents, dreams, aspirations, skills, experience that one has; this can be a ticket to the dream job or assignment.

How do i know this ? Well, partly from experience ( honestly, I am no super-achiever), but i do believe i have accomplished a tiny bit of what i wanted to do in life both professionally and personally, and also by observing others. I have made a few career transitions and apart from being lucky, i believe, i did do a few things right.

It is more by reading, observing those who have done very well for themselves that i notice some traits and habits which we can use too,to brand our own work and position ourselves uniquely, to break through the clutter.

So, how does one answer this rather important question ?

Here are a few ways to clarify who you are and to differentiate yourself from all the millions of people out there :

1. Bring what you love : I borrowed this from a documentary title of the Grammy award winning Grot Singer Youssou Ndour, a Senegalese singer. He has made a name for himself by focusing on what he has : his heritage as a Grot singer. He took this age-old traditional singing tradition to the world, packaged it well and is now respected as one of the most original singers Senegal has produced in a long time. Focusing on our own unique skills, traits, heritage may be a good way to answer this question too.

2. Be passionate about what you know, and know it well : There is something to be said about specialisation, though i hate the word. But in today's day and age, it makes sense to focus on one or two narrow pursuits and be on top of what is happening in the field. Nothing replaces depth and expertise. This will instantly win you credibility. Expertise has value.

3. Be credible : It helps to have credibility in your field, and be known as the "go-to" person for any problems or advise that others may want.

4. Showcase your strengths to the best of your ability : There is no point focusing on one's weaknesses, though one should admit them. I am a terrible editor, and i know it. Though, i write (fairly) well. This is something i am aware of, and admit when needed. It helps to be aware of what it is that one brings to the table.

5. Get third party endorsement : It helps if others talk well of you. References, letters of recommendation, Awards are all good ways of establishing one's credibility.

In sum, I believe that everyone today is short of attention. And this includes not only your friends, family, employers but also anyone who you come in contact with. With split-second decision time, people can make decisions which work in your favour or against you.

Given this scenario, branding one self and positioning of one's work clearly is not only recommended, but has become an absolute necessity.

Public Relations need not be a dirty word

I recently watched a documentary by John Pilger about wars and propaganda " The wars you dont see", where the veteran journalist made a very strong ( and valid) case for tackling and reading through mis-information and lying that goes on in the build-up and execution of a war. He mentioned and quoted Edward Bernays, considered one of the founders of modern PR as we know it.

While i totally agree with Pilger and his journalistic philosophy - what i came away ( and also notice among many people) is a derision of the profession and a subconscious lack of belief in what "publicists" say or do. In the cases that he has mentioned in the documentary ( WWII and Gulf war) propaganda was definitely used to built public opinion and manipulate people. Clearly not a good thing.

I remember reading a survey a number of years ago, which pointed out that Ad men are among the least trusted among professionals, only after lawyers and politicians. Not a good thing if one is looking to build credibility, isnt it ?

But looking at it practically, just as lawyers can use their skills both to defend a corrupt Wall-street type and at the same type use it to pursue justice for the impoverished and socially marginalised, the same can be said about PR and propaganda too.

The image attached is from the Civil rights movement era and demonstrates the power of the spoken word as well as stunning visual images used by the activists during that time to drive home a message - of equality and social justice.

Very valid and relevant messaging, even from a PR perspective.

I would say that in today's day and age, with the challenges that we face - socially, economically as well as politically, it is high time that social activists, civil rights professionals ( and even journalsits) learnt a few tricks of the trade so they could further the cause of the poor, marginalised, oppressed and dis-advantaged.

It is like using the devil's trick on the devil himself. But in this case, PR is no devil. It is a tool, much like the writers pen or the surgeon's scalpel. You cant blame the tool for what it is used.

Something to remember, before we start pointing fingers at a profession that has obvious social uses.

De-constructing India-bashing

This post is a response to an article by Anand Giridharadas in the NY Times on 1 July 2011 titled "In Fight for Better India, Best to Look Within", an attempt at a provocative essay, which fails miserably. A dear friend was offended at this article, and I thought about this for a while before writing my own take on this important issue : that of India-bashing.

Well, for starters, it is not new. There have been as many India haters as there have been Indophiles. Among India-bashers, VS Naipaul, Khushwant Singh come to mind. And these are contemporary writers, who have written some deep, insightful stuff,though i dont agree with most of Naipaul's analysis.

Khushwant Singh, the veteran journalist and writer does it with style, class as well as good humor, which seems to be lacking in Giridhar's writing, which comes across as pompous, grand and obviously flaky.

Going back to Giridaradas's article, his opening is not only offensive, but also racist and bigoted. Sample this : " I have entered India from the sky five times over the past year. Those flights started in airports where norms, rules and authority carry weight — Hong Kong; Doha, Qatar; Newark, New Jersey; Frankfurt. But in waiting to board, I have come to a troubling realization: Airport workers around the world have learned the hard way that my people — Indians, resident and diasporic — cannot be boarded the way other humans are".

I am always suspect of anyone who uses hyperbole to draw attention. It is as if his/her ideas are not strong enough to make a case - and one has to rely on exaggeration and show of bravado or intellect to draw attention ? How else would he expect to enter India ? On an Elephant, if not on an Airplane ?

He further offers us more "insights" with such inane examples such as :" A heart-rending example involves ambulances. Several times in the past few years, I have been in traffic in a major Indian city and suddenly heard an ambulance behind. To watch it forge fitfully ahead is to observe thousands of drivers make the choice to ignore it. Some people genuinely cannot pull over. But many can. Mostly, they don’t. Not a small number of Indians must die each year thanks to that collective refusal to be bothered".

I am reminded of a comment by Joan Robinson, who taught Amartya Sen at Cambridge, who told him once:"whenever you make any generalization about India, the opposite is equally true".

For sure, this is his personal observation of a few people - and i can counter this with a few dozen examples from my 26 years in India, when the exact opposite has happened, when total strangers have risked their lives to save other strangers. My friends who have personally tended to wounded and hurt passengers - again total strangers, not to mention giving way to ambulances.

This is not to say that he is making up this issue or at worst imagining an India which does not exist.

Nor is my gripe with his American roots or NRI flaunting of "insights" that come from spending a summer consulting with a firm in Delhi and "understanding" the deep existential angst that only the author understands.

There are far too many journalists who fall into this trap of trying to de-construct India in a few months / years and offer the world solutions, as they seem fit.

Implicit is the assumption that there are no intelligent and sentient beings in India and we needed an American born person of Indian origin to return and civilise us.

I wonder if Giridhardas has even read anything about India. Is he familiar with Nehru, Tagore, Premchand ? Has he seen any Satyajit Ray films ? Has he worked with any non-profits or civil society workers who grapple with these issues on a daily basis ?

Does he even read newspapers ? Times of India, Economic Times, The Hindu ??

My educated guess is no. He hasn't really bothered to do his homework. His un-inspiring talk on Jon Stewart's Daily Show is a case in point . He makes a fool of himself when he says that the real challenge to the US is not from India or China's economy, but from their "cultures". Really ??
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This guy needs some lessons in Macro-economy before he is allowed to open his mouth.

I wonder how the NY Times and other media allow such inane observations to pass off as "analysis".

Again, it may be because from a western perspective, he is credible because he is one of "them", who is diagnosing the problem from the "inside" ( being an Indian and American at the same time).

I believe this smacks not only of racism, but also bigotry and lazy journalism.

And it is about time someone protests this non-sense and tells Mr Giridharadas that he would be better off spending a few more years and perhaps tempering his own ego before he goes off on trips on Airplanes and landing in his country of origin - analysing problems to which he offers no solutions.


The more such people speak for India, the more he loses his credibility among the "real" Indians, those who struggle with the daily challenge of de-constructing India. Their fear and suspicion of the 2nd or 3rd generation Indians would be validated - who in many cases are rightly called ABCDs : American Born confused Desis.

He would do well by reading a bit before he writes more nonsense. Khushwant Singh may be a good teacher to follow. The grand old man of Indian writing has style, grace and humility. Something sorely lacking in this arrogant young punk from Ohio.

He would also do well to remember what Nirad Chaudhury said about India, that even "Exceptions in India run into millions".

Communications as an ongoing process – in the grant seeking process

A few weeks ago, I attended a workshop at the Foundation centre, (http://foundationcenter.org/newyork/) in New York city on Grant seeking basics. While the session was about broader aspects of seeking a grant, preparing for it and the modalities of how to do it effectively; what stuck with me was the notion of communications as an ongoing activity in the entire process.

The instructor mentioned that from her experience, the ones who successfully received grants were ones who had formed some form of a network with the foundation or grant-making body and had already prepped them about the work that they seek to do, and also had laid the foundation of this- in some shape or form.

This not only strengthened their case, but also made sure that their top of mind recall remained high.

Simple, isnt it ? Well, yes and no. Most of us are aware of this basic fact, but when either seeking a grant, applying to one or even servicing one, we tend to forget this fact. I am no veteran of grant-seeking, but i do see parallels from the world of client-servicing, which i am very familiar with. As a former Public Relations consultant, i am all too familiar with the process of acquiring a new client, nurturing them and sustaining this relationship.

It can be tedious, painful and at times nerve-racking. But all in all, if there is one thing that can help smoothen this it has got to be Communication.

Ongoing, consistent, clear, honest and transparent communication with all stake-holders ensures that you not only remain on the top of their minds, but also that your work is clearly recognised and valued for what it is. That was my biggest take-away from that talk.

Bollywood and Terrorism

I recently watched “A Wednesday”, a Bollywood thriller, starring Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah - indisputably among the finest actors in Hindi cinema today. They were the protagonist and antagonist respectively, dealing with one issue which Bollywood; which in my opinion has been handled rather openly and directly: terrorism.
While it is true that terrorism, violence do not make for good dinner table conversation, and people watch cinema for entertainment and to switch off from their daily worries , it is also true that cinema as a medium is extremely powerful and can be used to effect change and bring about a change in people’s perceptions. Bollywood, I believe is coming of age.
In contrast, I will argue that Hollywood has failed in this regard. There are too many stereotypes, clichéd arguments and portrayals of the “other” – that is to say anyone non-western or American as evil. At the outset, I must also admit that I am no authority on cinema – but I am surely a film buff. I have grown up around a lot of theatre, cinema and have spent a lot of time around people who work in the medium and promote it.
Coming back to Bollywood, despite the fact that there is an overdose of emotions and of course the typical masala formula of song and dance; most of the movies I have seen dealing with this rather heavy subject, do a decent job.
My name is Khan is another recent film that comes to mind –which touches upon issues of terrorism, loss, grief, Love and higher emotions. The Shahrukh Khan starrer is about a mentally challenged Muslim boy who grows up to face inordinate challenges of both identity as well as personal adjustments – and overcomes them through sheer determination and passion for life.
Right from the days of “Dil se”, a 1998 film, starring Shahrukh Khan and Manisha Koirala; which is about terrorism in the North East part of India, which to date remains involved in cessasionist violence. It was part of Mani Ratnam’s trilogy on terrorism and human relationships (the other two films being Roja and Bombay).
Indian parallel cinema, which incidentally also has a good following, as compared to “mainstream” cinema continues to make powerful statements about contemporary social issues.
A more nuanced approach needed ?
There is for sure an awareness of the complexities of the origins of terrorism, as well as the human element of where a terrorist comes from. This can be considered a sign of maturity of the industry, as well as a good deal of understanding of the issue of terrorism itself ? This is not to clear Bollywood of all blame and give it a clean chit.
There is stereotyping going on in Bollywood too– right through the 80s’ and 90s’ – with the Sherwani wearing, pan chewing Muslim man and the Burqa clad Muslim woman, as if these were the only realms of possibilities in the Muslim world. Almost always, terrorism is associated with Muslims in mainstream cinema.
If there is one thing that can be said about Bollywood’s treatment of the issue of terrorism it is this : the industry is not shy to tackle it head on. There is no ambivalence and beating around the bush. While the western media, and Hollywood in particular still relies on blatant stereotypes and use of worn out formulas to make blockbusters (the same can also be said about Bollywood to some extent), some actors and directors seem to be making a conscious effort to address this issue with all the honesty they can muster- and are succeeding fairly well at this.
This intellectual honesty and directness, I believe, will produce more original and cutting-edge cinema, which hopefully will have some social impact in the years to come.

Media and grassroots advocacy

In our class on International and non-profit management at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, a few weeks ago, we discussed the case of Greenpeace and its efforts to stop the dumping of used batteries in Argentina. Greenpeace’s efforts to creatively manage media to send out messages about global warming, climate change and environment conservation are legendary.

It is interesting to note that the group garnered enough media support and sufficient grassroots mobilization to ensure that there would be a new National Law on Management of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment.

This is a classic case of use of traditional media, social media as well as the internet to pressure the companies in question to get the results that Greenpeace wanted. One must remember that limited budgets, need for on the feet and smart thinking is what differentiates work for grass roots organizations from large corporate or even the government. Strategic communications, in my experience, takes on a whole new meaning. It can be akin to guerilla warfare in many ways.
I believe media and especially strategic media communications (Social media, Public Relations included) can help grass root organizations in the following five ways:
1. Help build credibility
2. Cheap and ( at times) free publicity which is essential for a grass roots organization, which may not have big marketing budgets
3. Build stakeholder confidence
4. Keep the issue(s) alive and energize the staff
5. Create an ongoing dialogue with all stakeholders involved and ensure that there is adequate feedback
My most successful campaign working at Ogilvy Public Relations, India was for our client Apollo Hospitals, the largest healthcare services provider in India. I ideated several campaigns during my stint there (between the years 2007-08), one of which one two global awards for its social marketing (Clio and Abby). I was able to bring in several grassroots organizations, including a local theatre group to put up a film festival on international women’s day to get focus on women’s health issues.
Additionally, during my work at Centre for Civil Society, a think-tank based in New Delhi in 2003, we used media rather effectively to ensure that our ideas were spread and the advocacy work received the kind of ink-space that we felt would guarantee some action in the areas we were advocating for. I believe that the work that we did for our Education campaign is significant in terms of media usage. The School choice campaign has had a very significant impact and the state governments in North India have adopted various measures that we advocated.
The work for both these organizations involved building credibility for the causes – that is healthcare issues and education for all – involving local organizations and people. We also partnered with local celebrities in giving joint press statements during certain important events as well as helping spread the right messages about critical healthcare and other issues.
The tools that we relied mostly were very cost-effective – including media relations, partnerships with other organizations etc. keeping our costs low. One such example I can think of is organizing a free Asthma screening camp for the local traffic police of Bangalore city by Apollo Hospitals. This idea originated from our end and was championed by the Hospital, as it made sense for them to do it as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.
Both the CCS and Apollo Hospital cases involved building greater confidence in the stake-holders and also greater involvement of all parties involved. We also managed to create an ongoing dialogue with all stakeholders involved and ensure that there is adequate feedback

Media, as we have come to accept, has assumed a dominant role in our lives; and there is enough proof to say that this will only continue to grow in the years and decades to come.

The Arab revolutions, which are ongoing as of today, are an example of grass-roots organizations, which came together, organized and spread information about demonstrations and overthrew decades old dictatorships. Social media in particular have been very effective in these revolutions.

All in all, one cannot deny that media and activism are coming together like never before in this generation –which is empowered with Facebook, Twitter and other social media. While there is enormous potential to use this to educate, engage and build stakeholder value, there is also the danger of not using it at all or at worst ignoring these tools. It is the choices that we, as communications professionals make, that will determine the success of our organizations.

Who is worse : The monster or the people who helped in its creation ?

Blame Greg Mortenson or the media ?

I am upset, angry and saddened to learn about Greg Mortenson and the revelation that he has been swindling away money from innocent people all over the world – in the name of building schools for poor Afghani, Pakistani children. While at one level, he is to be blamed entirely for what he did, at a more nuanced level, isn’t the media to be blamed too ? How ? You may ask.
Well, for starters, why did it take all these years for the media to wake up to the reality that the funds were being mis-used. Anyone with basic investigative skills ( in particular those whose job it is to follow and write about non-profits) should have been able to locate the financial statements of the Central Asia Institute and report any irregularities they may have noticed. They could have, and ideally should have done this due-diligence and fact checking. If we do it in cases involving domestic issues, why not with a charity which is claiming to be educating thousands of children. Simple isn’t it ?
Well, it turns out it is not all so simple.
Media, as we know and are seeing on a daily basis, tends to be a victim of groupthink . Iraq war, War in Afghanistan are just two examples of the media falling all over themselves to reproduce every word that came out of the State department. There were exceptions to the rule for sure, but for the most part, media has become a tool of manipulation by those in power. Groupthink dominates discussions at times, and the most dominant idea or meme perpetuates, sometimes without being questioned. It takes someone like 60 minutes to stop, look hard and eventually find out the truth. Until this happens, all the media play along with what is convenient and seems easy to follow - just like sheep.
A victim of its times ?
One of the reasons I chose not to pursue journalism in India, when I had to make a career choice is the direction that the field was ( and is ) taking. There seems to be a huge influence of the corporate sector and the government, in any mature media market. India, USA are but two examples. “Independent media” is a term which has become fashionable. The very word is a contradiction of sorts. Why should they even call a media publication, while by its very nature it is supposed to be independent, non-partisan and free to publish what it wants ? Makes sense ?
Media today is a victim of what I would call the “celebrity syndrome”. The media ( just like all of us are) is desperately searching for heroes. Simply because we live in such cynical times, where most of us cannot think beyond our own selves, when someone like Greg Mortenson comes along, who claims to have climbed hills, survived harsh conditions and shows idealism, we grab him with both hands and don’t let him go.
We want a piece of him, his idealism and all that he stands for – because he represents what is noble, lasting and real in us.
Alas, he seems to have mis-used this trust, and the media seems to have gone overboard in just showing what a hero he claimed to be he is, thus creating a monster.
Can we draw any lessons from this ? Perhaps yes. Here are a few :
1. Media should do some fact-checking and we should also demand this of them, and not just blindly consume information
2. We should all question everything we read in the media and especially if a story is too good to be true
3. Stay away from hyperbole. At least, I am increasingly becoming wary of people who indulge in it.
4. More fact-checking, careful analysis, transparency are needed and also avoiding the tendency to hero worship
5. On a cynical note, I think we should all learn some budgeting and financial analysis – at least we can learn to read financial statements and see who really paid for that private jet flight.

At the same time, there should not be cynicism. This incident or any other should not stop us from giving to worthy causes or individuals. What we can draw from this is the need to be vigilant and caring at the same time.. Being one without the other can be devastating.

Inventing a new language to talk about Israel-Palestine issue

The J-street conference on Middle East peace titled, "Giving voice to our values" ended yesterday. As someone who is researching the issue of Israel-Palestine issue, I was amazed at the variety of voices that spoke out almost unanimously to solve this decades old issue.

As I traveled from Columbia, Maryland from my uncle's home to Washington DC, several questions popped up in my head. My aunt, who is a bit skeptical about anything to do with the word "Jew" in it asked me quite blutly "Why are you hanging out with those people ". I was quite taken aback with this question, and tried my best, to respond, as politically correctly as possible. "Well, we need to talk to everyone, especially with those you disagree with", i pointed out to her. "And besides, you make peace only with your enemies, not your friends". She wasnt convinced. And this was the line of thinking of someone who had worked with a Jewish boss for over 12 years and she herself described her relationship with him as "superb". What could is say ? At least, my cousin sister and brother did not share her opinion. Nor did many of my Muslim friends and relatives, who knew that the only way to resolve this issue is to take the leap of faith, believe that there is genuine intent to solve the problem and move on with life.

The belief that the status-quo is not sustainable is slowly spreading. Even Israel is waking up to this reality and if the Arab revolutions taking place across the Arab region are any indication, this will for ever change the nature of politics in the region. The Israelis are aware of this too.

As Mona Eltahawy, the well known blogger and media commentator pointed out, one cannot rule out another mass uprising in the Arab world for the Palestinians. And this time, it may be about the dignity of the people who have been enslaved in Gaza and treated as second class citizens. Demographic imbalance cannot be used as an excuse to mis-treat Palestinians, she added.

The discussions, both from those working with the Obama administration, as represented by Ambassador Dennis Ross, who spoke on the last day, as well as those such as Roger Cohen, Columnist for NYT, pointed out the need for movement on this issue. Everyone agreed that the time has come to solve this issue, once and for all.

When the conference finished and i headed home, i stopped by a friend's home for a quick chat. My former class-mate from graduate school, Steph, a reformed Jew, who believed that J-street was just a propaganda machine, which was not sincere in its claims, and was just a pro-Israeli organisation. This cynicism is also a part of the equation. Cynicism that Israel is not sincere, which is partly true. Cynicism that nothing will ever come out of the situation, and there is no chance for peace to succeed.

While i am still trying to grapple with these issues myself, i do believe that there is a peaceful solution to this issue. I tried to explain that just because J-street was pro-Israeli did not make it evil. I believe they have a nuanced position on many issues, and i believe they are progressive, authentic and sincere in what they say. There is sense in pushing these progressive, left leaning organisations and offering them support, in spirit and otherwise.

With elections coming up in September in Palestine, and the need for reform becoming a war-cry in the region, those who could not deliver cannot stay in power for longer. It is definitely the time for change, it seems.

One could sense the energy in the air, with thousands of pro-peace activists exchanging ideas, opinion as well as arguing with each other about the manner in which peace can be brought to the region.

While the larger questions remain up in the air, and who will win the battle for ideas will be determined in a few months or perhaps years; No matter who wins, one can only hope that sanity and peace prevails. As far as i can see, there is no other alternative to peaceful co-existence.

Responsiveness and good leadership, governance

I woke up very early this morning, unable to sleep. Too many thoughts were battling for attention, and I couldn’t shut them off. With barely 5 hours of sleep, I was still sleepy. But I dragged myself out of bed, not wanting to waste time, and instead decided to start my day. Nice and early. I logged into my mailbox and also typed in a few news sites into my browser to access the latest information about the happenings in Egypt.

A mail in my inbox and what I read and heard on several websites taught me my lesson for the day( or month or year) : Listening and responding to what people say is not just good manners, but also critical for good leadership and governance.
The mail I referred to was from Miles Young, the global CEO of Ogilvy Group, the global communications firm, with over 500 offices across the world, of which I was a part in India. Though I left the agency to move to work , I have been in touch with several people from the old office, as well as a few from across the world. The company prides in being a creative hot shop as well as a flat agency, where ideas flow seamlessly and the best ones rise to be implemented. “We are not in the creative business, but that of talent”, says Mr Young’s statement on the website. And having worked at the agency, I can attest to the integrity of that statement. It is not PR speak. That is the truth as it plays out ( well almost) most of the times in the agency. At least the bench-mark and principle is set. This is a company which “listens” to its employees. And responds to the demands. And this mechanism I believe has brought it to the position that it is in today.

Lets look at what is happening in Egypt today. While hundreds and thousands (possibly millions) crowd the streets of Cairo, protesting the overthrow of a leader who is not listening to the demands of the youth -Middle East Youth initiative estimates that unemployment is at staggering heights in Egypt, at around 19% and youth are not able to reach “adulthood”, meaning having the ability to move out of parents home and start families etc. because of purely economic reasons. The government of Mr Mubarak clearly is not responding to this call, and has failed in all the time that it has been in power ( 30 years is a long time to shape a country in a direction that the leaders want to ). If one were to measure the impact of USA’s financial aid to Egypt over the years, clearly the billions of dollars have not had a significant impact on the outcomes that were intended.

The ability of the government to take feedback, modify policies and reflect the public sentiment is in essence the spirit of democracy. In a liberal political set-up this also points to a healthy situation. In this respect, businesses and responsive governments which are successful are similar. One can also extrapolate this philosophy to leadership style and say that a good leader is one who listens, responds and reasons with the people who he / she governs. A leader who is incapable of doing this is not fit to be in this position, and is replaced, sooner than later. Repression, authoritarianism ( both in a political as well as corporate) scenario may last for a while, but ultimately, both market dynamics as well as political calculations will weed out the “inefficient” leader.

Even from this perspective, Mr Mubarak has failed as a leader.
And Mr Miles, thank you for that email. It not only made my day, but also perhaps taught me an important lesson in leadership today.

Call for papers - post-disaster recovery conference 4/15 at Maxwell School of Syracuse Uni

Conference on Post-disaster Recovery
Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs,
Syracuse University
CALL FOR PAPERS
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: FEB 28, 2011

The South Asia Center of the Moynihan Institute at Maxwell School is hosting the first Annual Conference on post-disaster recovery to bring into focus the recent disasters that have wreaked havoc in many parts of the world—the southern US, Haiti, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, among others. The conference is scheduled to be held April 15,2011 at Maxwell School.
Through this one day conference, we hope to bring together scholars and practioners of post-disaster recovery to elucidate the commonalities and differences among these events and how we can best plan for and mitigate the effects of these devastating events.

We have selected four overarching themes for the one day conference and invite papers that address these themes:
1. Climate change and disasters
2. Role of faith based organizations and NGOs in post-disaster recovery
3. Role of advocacy, media in post-disaster recovery
4. Post-disaster recovery and humanitarian assistance
Paper guidelines/ criteria:
- Deadline : Abstracts should be submitted by February 28, 2011 as a Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx). Email them to Emera at elbridge@maxwell.syr.edu. Please include your name and affiliation. The abstract should not exceed 250 words.
- Length and format : Policy papers not to exceed 25 pages. You are encouraged to present posters too
For further information please contact :
Emera Bridger Wilson, Outreach coordinator, South Asia Center : elbridge@maxwell.syr.edu and Sabith Khan, graduate student, Maxwell School : skhan02@syr.edu

"The new vision is of trans-pacific and not trans-atlantic"

Blake affirms Obama administration’s commitment to Indo-US strategic partnership

1/25/2011
Syracuse, NY: Speaking at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, Assistant Secretary of State, Robert O. Blake affirmed the Obama Administration’s commitment to the US-Strategic partnership, which was strengthened by the president’s recent three day visit to India last November. He used the presidents’ words to describe the unique partnership as the “most important one for the US in the 21st century”. Shared values of pluralism, democratic processes, belief in human rights and economic progress are what will help us work together, he added.
He also spoke of the Maxwell School’s connection with India, with the then Dean Appleby making a visit to India and preparing the “Survey of India” in the 1950s’, which led to the establishment of the Indian Institute of Public Administration.
“We believe India is our most important partner both in terms of trade, as well as our regional interests in Asia. Areas of technology, clean energy, Information Technology, healthcare, Human resources and Space exploration were discussed during the Strategic dialogue that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has initiated with the Indian government. We are committed to ensuring that India reaches where it has to, and in it lies the best interest of the USA”, he pointed out.
He also pointed out that India is the rising star of the region, with its GDP being 10 times what it was in 1990, when it liberalized its economy. It is the 14th largest trade partner with the USA, and we have very good reasons to believe that this partnership will only grow in the future, despite challenges. He also fended questions from the audience about security issues, conflicting interests with India and Pakistan and terrorism etc.
Earlier in the day he spent time with graduate students and talked about his experiences as a foreign service officer and shared tips about possible career opportunities.

Key points from his speech :

- The relationship between India-US is one of the most important one in the 21st century from the US perspective.

- The fact that both countries are democracies and economies which are significant on the world stage makes this partnership important

- The strategic dialogue initiated by Secy. of state Hillary Clinton has created a momentum that is both positive and forward looking. There is a need to build on it and India sees the benefit of working to make this happen

- President Obama's visit to India in November shifted gears in terms of our relationship with India, into one of the most important ally in the region

- Tapping areas of common interest and mutual benefit is what will help both countries.

- We signed a few MoUs' with firms and also government entities in India during president Obama's visit.

- We have also facilitated the trade and technology transfer between India-USA, and we will see greater business and other transactions between the US and India