Launch, Trust, Hipster, Sports

Issue No 25

This is the silver edition of the newsletter. Talking of which, the big theme in this issue is trust. If you have not subscribed yet, it is easy. I trust you will add your email here :)

1. Join my book launch on Mon 16 Nov at 8pm IST

My book Dreamers And Unicorns is in the bookstore. The launch will be live-streamed on tonight (Nov 16) at 8pm IST on my LinkedIn page. You can join by clicking this link https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhijitbhaduri/ or by going to my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/abhijitbhaduri/

I will be in conversation with Aditya Ghosh, who is synonymous with building Indigo Airlines. After all he bought the first 200 aircrafts for Indigo. And built the Indigo culture. Don’t miss it.

Prof Bill Fischer teaches innovation at IMD Lausanne and is a part of MIT/Sloan AND is one the top 50 Thinkers of the world! He was one of the first people to read an early copy the book. He said some nice things about it and I had to share it with you:

Please wish me luck with the new book

2. Are you trustworthy?

Many thought leaders are delighted when you adopt their point of view. Then there are people who are happy to see you refine your own views and progress even when their views are different. When someone acknowledges that their previous view was incorrect, they build trust. Being able to simplify deep knowledge always builds trust. This happens when we take time to know our audience.

1. Help people understand when there is confusion.

2. When you are uncertain, acknowledge it.

3. Be open to listening with an open mind even when the other person has a view that is diametrically different.

   

Read more

3. The toughest thing about being a pianist

When people choose to learn an instrument do they ever think about how to take the instrument along when they travel? Musicians are allowed to carry oversize instruments such as cellos in the cabin, as long as they buy an additional ticket. But as the instrument gets bigger, the probability gets bigger of getting bumped off the flight. The flute or piccolo can be tucked away in your backpack when you travel unlike bigger instruments. The double bass, cello or trumpets are a controversial choice. Many players have been told that they have to choose between the instrument and the trip.

For a while there was speculation that the CEO of Nissan Carlos Ghosn had supposedly escaped inside a gigantic double bass guitar container. Music is an escape from reality, I agree, but this was taking the plot too far.

Reader Rajiv Bhalla shared an interesting take about piano players. They need to be extremely versatile because they have to play a piano that is available at the venue. They don’t have the luxury of playing their own instrument. Unlike other instrumentalists who practise on their own instruments, the pianist has to adjust to the instrument provided at the venue. That often demands being able to adjust to the quirks of an unfamiliar instrument. Pianists need to be highly adaptable.

Here is a piece from an previous issue of the newsletter about a Jazz pianist who is a legend

4. Coffee shops, record stores, tattoo parlours & vegan restaurants

It is not enough to be super-rich. You have to flaunt your Bentleys or private jets and complain how as a child you had to fly first class because parents ensured that you stayed grounded! Read about what it is like to be a tutor to the super-rich and let me know if that is side hustle I should pursue.

There is a global hipster culture that is evolving. The layer just below the super-rich seem to have discovered their own status symbol of being part of a global hipster culture. Five signs that you are a hipster: Coffee shops, record stores (no streaming music, that is for the not cool crowd), tattoo parlours and trading names of your favourite Vegan restaurants in Delhi and Mumbai.

Wealthier Indians decorate their own homes with “slightly old furniture, hand looms, that sort of thing”, says this article about the evolution of a common set of status symbols the second tier of the rich have to flaunt.

Read the article here ($)

I am sure you have seen other signs that tell people, you are just shy of being called super rich in India.

5. How does a sport capture the heart of a nation?

Hockey is India’s national game. But it is cricket that draws in the money and the heart of a nation. Cricket players are worshipped. Why is India so cricket crazy?

The entire thing changed when India won the World Cup in cricket, says Joy Bhattacharya. Being able to create opportunities for talented players to be identified at every level, in turn, improves the average performance level of every player of the sport. Successful players are role models who inspire others to adopt a game in large numbers.

The success of Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu in recent times and the likes of Prakash Padukone and others before that, has seen a spike in badminton players across cities.

The money made from broadcasting rights for IPL matches is 25 times the money made from stadium-ticket sales. Joy has a theory to explain why the Iron Man athletes or Golfers find sponsors despite the odds.

There is advice on how to handle your team (and yourself) when you face repeated setbacks. That is what Joy Bhattacharjya dealt with as the team director of Kolkata Knight Riders.

Listen to Joy Bhattacharjya (@JoyBhattacharj) in this fascinating episode

Do you believe that Volleyball and Football will be the next big Unicorn or will they remain Dreamers? Love to know what you think.

That is all for this week. See you next Monday at 9:00am with yet another edition. Do help us grow by sharing this link with others. Stay connected. Stay curious.