Recently I picked up a book called “Why So Stupid?” by Edward De Bono and this post is inspired by it. In fact, I wanted to write about why we stopped thinking about PR in our business but ended up writing something else courtesy a copy of a magazine landing on my desk.

Well, to be very honest I haven’t finished reading the book yet, but it seems that it would be fascinating to read through it. In the first few pages only, I disovered many things. One quote fetched my attention beyond doubt and I would like to share it with you. It helped me to put headline for today’s post as well. It reads and I write, “You can analyze the past but you have to design the future.”

Now coming back to the recently published report about “The Future of Public Relations” in one of the marketing magazines, I have few observations which I want to express for you lovely friends. While it did mention about the future of PR but the irony was that I haven’t seen any of the future leaders of PR talking about the future. I saw the same old faces trying to analyze the past without realising the present situation in many of their businesses or agencies and pretended to be designers of the future. I am sure many of you guys must have had a good laugh reading through it and some of their views must have been swallowed by many of us with a pinch of salt, some pepper and cold water.

The thinking in the industry has been stale and stopped somewhere. I was discussing the same with my wife and she said that it is happening probabbly because in earlier days leaders were born and born leaders are great thinkers, but today leaders are made, and they expect some reference as they are made like that. I think she has a point here. Most of our leaders are coming from ‘recoginition’ background and they always need a reference point to begin. The recongnition here is the worldview they have been living with since 70s and trying to impose the same upon their people. Do you have a high attrition rate - stop blaming the new generation, please. I have had the luck of meeting many of the agency heads and since I have to be politically correct here on this blog and have to remain in the industry where I belong to, I have to say a big lie that almost all of them have inspired me. (sigh!!) But, I am sure almost everyone who is reading my blog today knows ‘who is who?’ in the business and I do not have to give you any recognition or refernece point to think outside the box to arrive at any conclusion. I am sure you are smarter than me.

By the way, who am I to pass on any judgment on the industry or some of our so called leaders. After all, some of them have created the industry we are all working in now. They are the ones who are driving growth of their agencies and dipping the fees. They are the ones how are corrupting the business eco system and doing things which are not required in the name of building and maintaining relationships. They are the ones who are not willing to let their people grwo and try harder to make them feel inferior. After all, they are the ones who are drving the industry, where the accelerator is on a left hand side and brake is faulty with a gear lever lost somewhere on the way.

Why am I behaving so stupid and writing such a post? May be because I am like that only. I care for each one of us. I love what I do and it really hurts when I see my love being treated the way it is being now by many of them. SOS! Please respond, before its too late.

Take care friends and wake up! Jaago re… Jaago re… Jaago re…

PS: I wrote this heartfelt post with complete honesty and with an intention to hurt few of them in the process. If you are one of them and felt hurt, please accept my apologies and look into the mirror. Do you see the horns emerging from sides… ??!!!???

Some of the best brains in the PR industry today have no formal qualification for doing their job. They hold no diploma from any communications institute nor any management certificate. But when it comes to PR strategy and execution, organizations seek them out. What is it that they do? Do they have some practical lessons that can become a part of every institute’s curriculum? I could think of five such points a PR school could adopt to make their students ‘future ready’. They are listed below, in no particular order. And if you are studying at an institute this information might be useful before you start job hunting.

1. ‘Presentation Skills’ – One of the most important weapons in any PR pros’ arsenal. You are judged by how you speak and present your ideas. Clients and colleagues form lifelong impressions within five seconds of you uttering the first sentence. In fact once my boss had whispered to me in an ‘X Files’ kind of tone: “They are always watching you.” Therefore before you accept your diploma, ensure your presentation and public speaking skills are top notch.
   
2. ‘P2P Networking’ – Here PR students have an unfair advantage over others. If they look around in their communications institute they will see editors, senior reporters, special correspondents of the future learning the ropes in the journalism classes. Right now they are approachable and ready to be friends. Ten years hence you will just read their by-lined article or see them on the prime time news. So start making right friends right now.
   
3. ‘What to do and what not to say’ – As a PR consultant, you are in touch with company heads and senior management, and there’s a ‘certain’ behaviour expected from you. This may include how to handle difficult questions, how not to offend people, how to shake hands, how to initiate and carry on a polite conversation, how not to get unnecessarily provoked etc. It sometimes takes years to master the art but the sooner we make a beginning, the better it is.
   
4. ‘Dress up and play the part’ – A PR consultant inspires confidence in her clients. They seek her advice and trust her judgement. Again, this is a skill honed over years but you can start immediately by dressing up the part. Always be aware of the silent signals you give about your personality by the way you dress up. I once heard an industry veteran say: “Before you pass out of your institute, ensure you have at least two business suits in your wardrobe.”
   
5. ‘Sell yourself, gracefully’ – Promote yourself and do it with style. For example, even as a student you can share your business card at formal occasions. It can carry your name, contact details and institute address. Learning early how to effectively use sites like Linkedin.com is also an asset that will go a long way.

I am sure there are institutes that already have these lessons in their curriculum but there are others who can think about them. After all a little practical work never did anyone any harm.

I am sure many of us have heard about ‘Art of Living’ and the difference they are making in many peoples’ lives. Today, I am introducing ‘Art of Leaving’ and trying to leave a thought so even while you leave, you can live forever in minds of organization and its people. It is said by some unknown (at least to me…) poet that, “Jahan jahan se guzare hum, na mitane wale kadmo ke nishan chhodate chale aaye hum…” Effective leader or manager is one who leaves a legacy of great work and capacity to produce better results.

My post is not original and it is inspired by couple of instances I have come across in recent times. It is also inspired by couple of books I have been reading in recent times. Timing of this post may lead to few possible thoughts in many peoples’ minds but that’s ok! We do not wish to comment on speculations. Change is inevitable and people who are on my ‘Google Talk’ list already know that I am busy carving dreams with my force. We will talk about it in next few weeks.

Any management job is quite a thankless job. Not all successful management guys are earning bunch and bunch of money and getting rims and rims of newsprint. There are many people like us who are quietly making a difference to a business, to a profession or to a society by becoming engines of growth or change. If you want to leave and still live forever, the first thing you should be doing is leave when you are not required to. Don’t leave because you are tired for burned out. Look at Arun Sarin; he’s leaving at right moment. When everything is going for him, he’s leaving and in the process he is surely going to leave a legacy and a vision for the organization which will surely shape future of Vodafone across the globe.

When you are ready to leave, take your team in confidence. Share your vision with them. Show them the change and lead from front. It is important for them to know that even if you are not going to be around they have to carry forward the good work and foundation created by you and make you feel proud. I always carry this wonderful quote in my mind with me, which I don’t remember verbatim but it goes something like this – “A manager is not known by the work team does when he’s around but he’s known by the work the team does when he is not around.” I always believed in that and this is a time when I wish to thank each and every individual who has worked with me in my past 15 years and carried forward the legacy of change we have envisaged together. A big thank you to all of you my friends!

Leaving in style is something I have always enjoyed. I have left organizations or offices when they were in better shape than when I joined them. People who have worked with me or know me will vouch for this statement and they have seen how I enjoyed legacy of creating many offices/organizations from scratch and turning them into profitable business ventures. Leave in style, so your style lives forever. I still receive calls from many of my past clients saying that they miss me and I feel really proud about it.

Leaving a job or organization is not bad but leaving when things are bad is bad. So, if you are planning to leave because you didn’t get a raise this year – don’t leave. If you are planning to leave because you shifted your office and you didn’t get a desk you always wanted – don’t leave. If you are planning to leave because you are not satisfied with your team’s performance – don’t leave. Leave when you get your raise. Leave when you get your desk. Leave when your team is at its best and delivering a peak performance. Winners do not quit. Be a winner, leave but always live in heart and soul of the organization. I repeat my last week’s question – do you have it in you?

PS: This should act as an eye opener for few of so called leaders in our industry about whom I wrote in one of my early posts. You may read it here.

I wrote about ‘The Power of Invisible Force’ and followed up with few heartfelt stories. My Friend Palin even suggested that I am heading towards Himalayas and may be on my path to attain nirvana or sainthood. But my dear friends, I am not. Today, I am going to share a never ending love story of my life. I told my wife that it all started in our past life and still continuing…

Well, what a love story has got to do with PR blog? To be very honest, I am yet to figure that out as I have just started writing this post and may be by the time we finish our dialogue, we will discover that. Somehow I feel that there’s a strong connection. Okay, let’s try and see how a love story develops…

You like someone, starts missing her whenever she is not around (people please change your gender accordingly!)

I have experienced it. I am sure many of you have. You start wondering why the hell I didn’t feel this way before for anybody else. But hey my friend, realise that the person whom you miss is not just anybody else – she is special. You start praying.

In PR, we need to offer something that our clients need the most – clear advice and clear understanding. It is not about the formatting the release and changing fonts but giving a whole new meaning to the communication process, bring out a point which they never thought existed in news or suggest that you throw the release in a bin. In short, they should like you. They should miss you, if you are not around. You are so special. They start praying.

To say it or not – to be or not to be…

I have experienced many butterflies flying all around in my stomach. I am sure many of you have. Whether to make that first move or not? Can I express myself openly or send subtle hints. Can I just say as it is, or weave in the discussion? What if I get rejected? Thousands of questions cross your mind…

In PR, we face similar situations in slightly different context. Can I tell the client that the news release you are going to issue is going to be in trash bin and don’t waste paper? Can I say to the CEO of the company that when it comes to human touch and interaction with people, my dhobi is much better than you? Somewhere, somehow one has to start saying the truth to client, if you want to be true to yourself and your profession; you have to move away from the fear of rejection. If the truth is with you, there will never be rejection. True love conquers all obstacles.

Commit – I do…

It’s that time to say ‘I Do’… Those 2 words express so much of my feeling, it expresses what I want to tell my wife; that I am there with her always, in good and bad, in happiness and sad, in success and failure, in life and death. It says; I do stand in front of you in adversities, I do stand behind you in your success, I do stand with you in your hour of need.

In PR, we always have to remind the client that we are there. We need to express it. We need to prepare ourselves, understand client’s requirements, guide them through the maze, be with them during tough times, be friend and you have a client for life. Sounds like marriage made in heaven isn’t it?

Together – we grow.

My love for you is growing, it’s growing with time and age; it’s getting intense and deep with time, it’s getting matured and complete with age. We grow together, build dream together and let’s achieve it together, because there cannot be a life without you…

In PR, we grow together. We start understanding each other and share same passion to build brands, sell products or market services. We build team together, we build dream together and achieve it together, and we live in complete peace and harmony, we have to be together for life as no one understands you better than I do.

Love sets you free!

There are always you, me and then hum! You know it. You need space. You need your personal moments. You need to be you, so does your partner. If your love is true, your love never going to go away from you.

In PR, we always have to remember that we are also like that. We also need to have our own space. Clients also need their own moments. Your creativity to grow and think independently will obviously help you decide what is best for the team. If you are true and honest in your approach, the client is never going to go away from you.

Love will find a way…

I am sure about this. I know for sure that love will find a way…

In PR, you never say goodbye. All roads lead to Rome.

Take care friends. Never stop loving your work. God bless!

PS: This post wouldn’t have been complete without my wife being there for me, always. She is my biggest inspiration and my invisible force.

I assume you know why I am late in posting this post today.

I assume you know by now what I am going to write today.

I assume that you must have got decent increment this time and your CV is not floating in the market.

I assume that you have been reading and will keep on reading whatever I write in my post.

We all assume. We all assume lot of things. Imagine a world without assumptions. Would you be able to live in this kind of world, where everything is non-politically correct and being expressed as it is? Yes, one such world exists but it may be too personal to involve anybody else than me and my wife! :) But, please don’t assume anything yet. She is the one who taught me the power of expression and she’s my biggest inspiration to continue expressing whatever I feel like with you guys without really bothering to think about whether it is politically correct, whether is this the right platform to talk about everything I have been speaking to you or whether I should just stick to whatever I learnt in my B-school or on the job. She knows quite a few things but doesn’t want to assume those and wants me to express it again and again in many ways. This is getting really interesting and I can write endlessly about my wife and what I learn from her but I have to do a justice to the platform and do not talk too much about my personal assumptions and expressions. So, shhh!!

I had a review meeting with some clients. As usual, they assumed that agency did not do any work as per their wish and command. They expressed their unhappiness to my colleagues as well. They assumed that journalists know everything about them. They spoke to journalists on the false assumption they know the business and the company they are speaking to and made lots of mistakes in the process. They assumed agency will take it easy and say ‘yes’ to whenever they will express their unhappiness.

Unfortunately, they had to deal with me and only thing they might have not assumed is my agency’s ability to express in a manner, which probably not many from service industry are capable of doing it.

To cut the long story short, I walked out on the CEO of the organization and demonstrated extreme displeasure to him about the way they are not listening to the team and agency. After a while, I went back to the CEO and obliged him by talking to them about why they don’t know how to express and living in the world full of assumptions. Told him about his inability to live the brand, informed him about how he’s losing money to us without really utilising the brain my agency has and in the process enlightened him on the power of communication.

In the end, he expressed his pleasure in one line – saying that for the first time in his long career as a CEO someone has really walked out on him to prove a point and he’s convinced that expressing it is always better than assuming it.

Anyways, the objective of the post is to let you know my friends that if you are convinced about what you are doing is right. Just go ahead and do it. Don’t assume anything, express everything and express it effectively.

So, my dear wife, when you want me to express my feelings, I know what you are talking about… I am learning and I am happy to express and admit in front of my readers that I am learning it all from you and only you.

Express yourself! Phir pata nahi kal ho na ho…

Interesting isn’t it? I am Tushar - a small time PR guy trying to find some common ground to be in the league of these two extra ordinary gentlemen. But, whoever has seen all three of us telling stories they might agree to what I am going to say. We all are great entertainers. We all love telling stories. We all love what we do. We all go all out to woo the people whom we love – customers, clients, consumers, teammates and so many other people who matter to us. Well, this story is not about me trying to prove that I am as great a personality as SRK or Steve Jobs is, but this is a story about what makes them what they are today and why I am like them or why you should be like them…

Well, what these guys do? One is the most successful CEO of corporate world and other one is the most successful actor of the Indian film industry. But, both of them have only one job, and the job is to create aspirations.

Look at them. Have you ever seen both these guys making a presentation? I have seen both of them and have learnt a lot from them. And yes, I am reaching somewhere close to them as far as my presentations are concerned… or at least, I would like to pretend that I am in the same league.

When they start, they set the tone right from the beginning itself. They start a story with a gripping headline which grabs your attention from the very first sentence itself. They create larger than life image. The words they use make you feel demanding more and you are in their grip. Steve likes to use superlatives at any given opportunity, so does SRK – excellent, path breaking, amazing, redefining and these metaphors sound so nice when they are used properly (obviously not in our press releases!), so use them…

They make meaningful dialogue with the audience, which reflects their true personality. They don’t hide emotions, they even show their arrogance. They convincingly involve you with their passion for the profession using the great sense of humour and perfect timing of delivering the story with proper voice modulation. The complete showman style – for us our presentations are our movies and we need to live those moments. Even if there are numbers, we have to make it more meaningful so that client doesn’t have to look for a calculator or Dr. Math’s book. If you are using power point – learn the art of Zen, which makes you realise the best known principle of life to live with is minimum is maximum!

The passion and experience combined with in-depth knowledge of what you do is a lethal combination for any presenter. But conditions apply. Use it wisely. When you can kill an elephant with a small needle why to use F-16!? Use everything in right quantity. Focus on quality and enjoy every moment of your interaction with the audience. Laugh with them. Dance with them. Do something they never expected – I remember in one of the presentations, I went with ‘Manjira’ (I am sorry but I don’t know what is it called in English!) and in middle of the presentation I removed them from my jacket’s pocket and played music! Well, it was to prove a certain point and to wake up few of them. Many of the participants whom I am still in touch with remember me as the “Manjira man!” :) and I achieved what I wanted…

Many a times, I won pitches even without opening up my laptop for creds! And it is possible. If I can do it, you can also do it. It’s not a rocket science. It is even easier than participating in “Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain?” and winning few lakhs of rupees.

And finally before I end this post, I want to share an open secret of success. Winning is important and losing is even more important. Collaborate every win and celebrate every loss. As the SRK said in one of his movies… Kabhi kabhi kuch pane ke liye kuch khona bhi padta hain, Aur haar ke jeetane wale ko baazigar kehte hain… So my dear friends, sometimes you can even learn few good things from the people you never met and I don’t mind accepting the fact that I have learnt a lot from each one of them – the Eklavya way!

Make winning a habit. Just do it! And do it in style… who you want to follow SRK, Steve or me! Choice is yours…

God Bless! Take care and see you soon.

Last Thursday was an eye opener for me. And when I look back at that, I feel so elated and happy to be part of this world. I have discovered a whole new meaning in life and made few promises to myself and to my loved one. I promised to improve myself. I promised to write a book. I promised to get six packs like Shah Rukh to begin with in next one year’s time and from there on to take on the new age Akbar! So wait and watch friends, I am going to change my profile photo soon – new and improved: ab jyada zaag wala!

So, what are we talking about this time around? Well, today I am going to talk about how to be a rock star. But before that, let me share a little discussion I had with a client of mine. He calls me Don. He loves his food and while we were having our lunch meeting, he said something very nice. He said he loves food and can wait endlessly till the time the food arrives on his table. Now, me being a person who looks for meanings and knowledge even in porn films, I realised the depth that statement carried within itself. Patience is a virtue and all good things in life come at a right moment and at a right time. Learn to wait and once the wait is over – life will be much sweeter. Isn’t it?

I guess I have spoken about this in one of my previous posts but still even if I sound repetitive, I want to discuss this today.

Are you being missed?

Ask yourself this question… and if you can answer yes to this question with conviction. You are a Rock Star! Please feel very happy that you are making that difference in someone’s life that you are being missed. Almost or to be very precise all my clients told me that they missed me last week when I was not around. I was missed by many of you friends, when I did not write on one of the Thursdays. My team missed me when I was not around. Many people in my office missed me when I was not around – including Pandeyji who manages security at my office. :) During the week I learnt to be more expressive.

And when you can become Rock Star? You can become one hell of a rock star when you are passionate about what you do in your life. When you are possessive about what you do at work. When you are positive about what you do in life. When you are enterprising enough to find opportunities in the time of difficulties. When you be there with your team in the time of crisis, that’s when you become Rock Star! You know you are a rock star when you don’t mind putting an arm on a shoulder of your office boy and invite him to share pizza from your plate. You are a rock star when the receptionist knows that whether you are ok or not. You are a rock star when other teammates from all departments come to you and share their innermost feelings about their work and confides in you about how they have been treated by their boss or organization. You are a rock star when you have the ability to listen and give right advice. You are a rock star when your eyes show genuine love and concern for everyone around you. You are a rock star when someone sitting thousands of miles away thinks about you. You are a rock star when even one of your team members thinks twice before talking to a job consultant or seek your advice about the offer he or she has received from some organization. You are a rock star when the junior most member of the team can argue with you without any fear.

And yes, I feel proud to accept that I am one such rock star or at least trying to be. I am being missed whenever I am not around and I am pretty sure about it. My wife is missing me these days! Sorry, honey I have been very busy but I promise you to be with you, soon. Well, I want each one of you to be a rock star. Feel like one and live like one. We only have one life to live and why don’t we just live life spreading smile and love!?

Promise to me that you will make yourself so important in someone’s life that you become rock star for that person or agency or client. And what you have to do? Nothing, just be there when they need you the most.

So, what we have learnt today? C’mon guys & gals… my rock stars… share your views about this post and I will send a special Rock Star sticker to the best comment on this blog. If you are on Facebook, let’s meet there too – search for me and I am there to be found.

So, till we meet next Thursday – let’s rock!

God bless!

(Image Credit: Elite Racing)

I am touched. To be very honest, I never expected this to happen. But, you know what when I wrote about the Invisible Force prior to the missing Thursday, I never expected to realise it so early. I received so many calls, so many text messages to enquire about why I didn’t write last Thursday and how much they missed me! I was to miss today’s Thursday as well, but my wife insisted that I shouldn’t be missing two Thursdays – it will be quite disturbing for her and many all those who missed me last Thursday. Well, I have never been loved like this before. Thank you!

This entire missing Thursday episode made me realise the very important lesson I learnt at IIM-A, when I went there for few wonderful days of my life. It is a very important lesson every marketer should remember. And yes, we PR wallahs are the superstars of marketing. So, what’s the lesson I am talking about? The lesson is… wait – let me share a nice little story with you before we go and talk about serious gyan.

I used to go to a small temple in a village – I kind of enjoyed going there on a particular time and ring the bell in a particular rhythm. I was trying to become A R Rahman during those days!

Well, some people found it funny, some people thought I was mad but I enjoyed it and continued by routine of everyday. After sometime I got some company, people started gathering and they brought in drums and other instruments. We started playing together and in sometime it became a daily routine for 30-40 people to come together and play some really nice music.

One day, I left that place. The bell did not ring. People missed it. Everybody missed it. There was no music. But, few years ago when I went back there and saw a huge temple in place of the small tiny temple where I was ringing bell, I asked someone how did this happen and he replied that it was all because of my ringing the bell on daily basis.

To coming back to the marketing jargons and gyan which we learn at B-Schools, it was about persuasion and passion with which I was ringing the bell. I enjoyed doing it. People joined in and manjhile miltee gayeen caravan banta gaya…

So, what I learnt is that when you start something good, never leave it half way. Take it to a next level and put in those extra efforts to deliver the promises you have made to the people who love you. And, I promise you my friends that I will be with you every Thursday of my life and share my force with you.

We will meet next Thursday till then, take care and miss me! I will miss you too!

God Bless!

It was ‘Balle Balle’ from Australia to Amritsar. Our very own obnoxious little weed & his captain’s monkeys have demolished the Australian wild dogs and their sledging empire in the game of cricket. That was indeed a historic moment and cricket crazy people like us across the globe would surely remember it for a long… long… time.

Now let me take you to the future in my time machine. Let’s go to 2020, which is not far away.

Beep…beep… We are finally there!

Another young Indian cricketer is being targeted this time and history is repeating itself. Rohan Gavaskar and Aryan Shah Rukh Khan is in a commentary box and reminding the TV viewers that in the year 2008 one of the young Indian cricketers was called little obnoxious weed in the CWB Series and how he went about taking his revenge on the monkey and weed eating donkey and barking wild dogs of the opposition team!

Cut to one of those thousands of Indian TV News channel, which is showing a special program on cricket and playing some latest ‘Cheque De!’ song in the background and interviewing mothers of all cricketers, their kit handlers and even pitch curators. The questions are being asked about their sons’ performances on the field. Let’s look at one such interview…

“Good evening, Dudes!” My name is Pravin Kumar, but you can call me PK! What a victory it was! Mind Blowing! As you can see I am surrounded by fans of young Pajji and I have with me his sister, brother, chacha, chachi, taya, tayee, mama, mami, padosi, tinku, rinku, pinku and finally last but not the least his mother! Phew! Let’s ask her how she feels about this victory.

“Mam, millions of people are watching you on your news channel. Please tell us – how are you feeling on this victory?”

“I am really feeling great. I knew whatever the Australians were doing it to my son, my son was going to give it back to them with interest. I was sure that Pajji will get rid of crymonds and hay-donke”

“Okay, okay – now please tell our viewers that how did you prepare Pajji to become cricketer. I was told by one of his friends that he was very interested in hokey and not in cricket!”

“Yes, yes! Let me tell you the real story. Actually, you know what! When I was young, I was good looking and was working hard to become a news reporter or somehow show my face on to your Television news channel. I tried various things but unfortunately my bad luck never allowed me to come on TV. And then, one fine day I was watching your channel while cooking ‘mooli ka parantha’ for Pajji ke Dad, I saw mothers of all cricketers being interviewed by reporters like you. That day onwards, in order to fulfill my long cherished wish of coming on TV screen, maine maar maar ke maine mere obnoxious little weed Pajji to hockey se cricket khilwaya! And see today my dream has come true. He is also going to be auctioned for IPL, isse jyada mere liye khushi ka mauka kya hoga?!”

“Look, Charkha we got a great insight from Pajji’s Maa! This is PK signing off from your channel. Charkha – over to you!”

“BREAKING NEWS!”

“YOUR CHANNEL WAS INSTRUMENTAL BEHIND PAJJI BECOMING A CRICKETER”

“PAJJI’S MOTHER ADMITS THAT YOUR CHANNEL MOTIVATED HER TO BEAT PAJJI AND CONVERT HIM TO CRICKET FROM HOKEY”

“YOUR CHANNEL PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN INDIA’S VICTORY”

C’mon guys! Future is not going to be any different than it is today. What were you hoping that ‘your news channel’ is going to talk about the real issues you face as a normal human being? When the real Indian tigers are being killed in our jungles they are talking about our cricketing tigers, who roar only once in a while? High hopes! The whole behavior of media, especially the news channels is so naïve that, one can not decide whether to cry or laugh. In the frenzy of such news, they don’t talk about real issues and real heroes who are braving the snow-clad Himalayan mountain range at Indo-china-pak borders!

What is the future of media?

I would like my readers to give me answers.

Give me an answer, whether we will see some sensible journalism in future or continue to see Bollywood style news shows?

Give me an answer, whether we will see a fair and unbiased reporting or even after spending precious time and money talking personally to a journalist, going to see the same press release which you gave out to him/her with few references to competition in the next day’s newspaper?

Give me an answer, whether ‘Tatvas’ and ‘Fatwas’ will not rob us of the ‘PRatva’ we have as of today under the disguise of not so ‘private treaties’!

Hain koi jawab tumhare paas?

Lekin bhai…Mere pass Maa hain!!

PS: Can we have a niche channel focusing only on mothers of cricketers?

What an Idea!! Dr. Roy? Mr. Bahl? Mr. Jain? - wanna fund? I have a solid business plan and few upcoming mothers too.

Almost all of us in PR business these days are facing budget blues. While the conference rooms are remaining empty waiting for the press, our mailboxes are full of media requests for pre/post budget comments waiting for us to press the forward or reply buttons. Self-proclaimed Management Guru, Shayar, Rabdipati and incidentally our Railway Minister Lalu presented the not at all required railway budget and ruined one of my required media conferences. You know what? Many of these politicians affect our life knowingly or unknowingly for the worst. They block the roads while they travel; sometimes even force the pregnant ladies to give birth to children on their way to hospital and stop the ambulances carrying critically injured accident victims too! Enough of professional politicians but the politicians in our profession are no different. They also tend to get inspired by these cattle-feed eating and effigy burning breed and make our life miserable.

Mumbai is getting hot these days and the hotel opposite to my office is getting ready to host a wedding of one of the top politician’s son and they are covering the entire approach road with ‘shamiyana’ for their VVIP guests. I wonder how come all such humble servants of public have all the money in the world to spend on lavish weddings and parties but don’t have a single paisa to donate to poor and needy. Sometimes I also wonder that how come some of our politicians in the profession have all the money in the world to take client out for dinner in one of the best five star hotels of the city, but wouldn’t have money to give a loan of just five thousand to a needy office boy for his daughter’s admission!

I was talking to one of my dear friends (and incidentally a client) last afternoon and she mentioned to me about her past experience with one of India’s (in)famous agencies and equally notorious senseless (but sen-visible and invisible!) head of the branch. How he played Peter against the Paul and took credit for every good deed done by the team and passed on blame for each of his mistakes to the juniors. The list is endless and I don’t want you to get carried away just like I did, while I was talking to her. But honestly, my dear reader – do we really need such people in our profession? Why do we have such wrong people at right places? What is it? Is it destiny or their ability to play the right cards at right moments?

I am not saying that we don’t have such politicians across industries, we have enough of them. I have seen them. I have interacted with them. But in an industry where the only capital you can have is human, why such inhuman behaviour? Why do you have to be a lazy brainless monster that likes some species and doesn’t like other? C’mon ladies and gentleman! We have enough battles to fight before we find our rightful place under the sun. We need soldiers and warriors. We need young blood to come and join the forces! Don’t give such a bad name to PR that people move away from us and join others.

Hey my dear God, I hope (high hopes!) this war-cry will serve as a wakeup call for some of those politicians and bring in the much needed change in their behaviour rather than converting many of their followers into bloodsucking vampires. Just like them. Amen!

I would be happy to receive calls from CEOs and top bosses clarifying their position on this post. Confidentiality will be maintained. Just as I did, when my post on Vikas’s problem flashed on our blog, I got as many as seven calls from agency heads wondering whether I was referring to his or her agency!