About the author

The founder of Qualified Learning System Inc, USA, Shiv Khera is an educator, business consultant, much sought after speaker and a successful entrepreneur. He inspires and informs people, helping them to realize their true potential. He has taken his dynamic personal messages all round the globe, from the US to Singapore and to India. His common sense approach and deeply held beliefs have motivated countless people to mend their attitudes. His 20 years of research, understanding and experience has helped people on the path of personal growth and fulfillment.

Book Review : By Chikita Kukreja
I want to be a winner. Isn't this every individual's heartfelt desire? The revised edition of You Can Win lays emphasis on the very notion of winning and focuses on what it takes to be a winner. A construction manual offering footprints to follow and help you build a triumphant and a gratifying life. It puts forth the ingredients to cook up the right recipe required to be successful in life.

The very first chapter leaves the reader hankering for another dose of positive attitude and a brighter approach towards life. So, what are the different approaches to accomplish that single motive in life i.e to win and succeed. The author focuses on steps to build a positive attitude in life. Along with this, he suggests that one needs to start off with an action plan in terms of what you want to achieve, how and by when?

Shiv Khera says that the first step to alter our lives is to adopt a positive attitude in life; whatever be our profession. Without getting into any self-help jargon, he concentrates on developing the `self' or ones personality. There are chapters on building ones self- esteem, importance of interpersonal skills, personality traits, positive habits and goal setting.

What strikes one is Khera's writing style. He goes on to illustrate every bit with an interesting and engrossing story, followed by a moral. These morals make the reader believe nothing is impossible. So, it's all about getting together the right recipe for success through the web of life.

In all, a beautiful book with stories, anecdotes which can help a prson rise to any situation not just professionally but even on a personal level. You Can Win is a must read for people in the corporate world, as much as it is for the common man.

So, sharpen your claws and get going in life!

Zubin Driver, Head - Creative and Promos, TV18 Group tells us that his dad was an avid reader and he was the one who introduced Zubin to reading at a very early age.

"We have a big library at our ancestral home and our tastes in books are very similar. He had a huge collection of books in literature, fiction including many American and British authors, and even some on anthropology. My taste in books is very eclectic and I have a number of favourites."

Jorge Luis Borges is a great writer

My favourite author is a South American author Jorge Luis Borges. He worked as a librarian and specialises in short stories. Among my other favourites are French author and philosopher Albert Camus and Milan Kundera.

Camus' The Plague is a well written book on a plague epidemic in the Algerian city of Oran. It is a deep metaphor about the way we live and about people losing and gaining hope.

I find something interesting in every book

Personally, I've hardly found a book that does not interest me except for a stray few that might have put me off as the author made no effort to hold the reader's interest.

Self-help books are ridiculous

Self-help books are in itself a huge con deal. I find the concept very funny. Firstly, they are constantly trying to sell the idea that people are not good enough, so there is a huge pressure on people to buy their books.

According to me, it is bull shit! I don't read them at all and do not recommend them to anybody. In fact, I consider these books dangerous as they taint people's minds. For example, people with psychological problems should visit a doctor rather than reading self help books which end up making them feel even worse.

Earlier I used to spend a handsome amount on books

My passion for books have led me to build my collection. I have a thousand odd books at home. Earlier, I used to spend a handsome amount on books, but now I have cut down on it. I literally have to be pulled out of a book or music store to resist the urge to pick up more. However, I do pick up books when I travel and manage to finish them in a day.

I read four to five books at a time

At present, I am reading a really weird book called, Die Blendung (Auto-da-F?) by a Bulgarian author - Canetti. Though bizarre, it has been written quite well by this unknown writer.

I read at least four to five books at a time. I keep jumping from one book to another and a serious book takes ages for me to complete. Paperbacks, on the other hand, are a fast read. I'm like an owl as I mostly read at night after 10:30 pm.

It took me almost two years to complete my first book

Currently, I am occupied putting together a book of short stories. The book is all about what happens in people's minds, their thought processes and dreams. It is more on the psychological side and not quite a narrative.

The title of the book is still undecided. I have been working on this book for the last two years and haven't spoken much about it. Hoping to publish it soon, the book is extremely important and close to my heart.

His life has come full circle. He started his career with his family business of film distribution, left it to try his hand at various other trades right from garments to even handling shipments to production. But he is back at it again, this time with Indonesian entertainment baron Raam Punjabi's company PT Parkit Films' Indian distribution arm, Multivision Multimedia India. Just a couple of years ago, he was spearheading Indian media czar Subhash Chandra's forays into the cinema business.

With reason. Gupta believes in giving it all that he has got. He narrates an incident when he was in the shipment business when he chose to stay in the factory till 2 am just because he felt maybe his mere presence would help others work faster and prevent casualness from creeping in.

However, it's a tad difficult to believe that a man who looks all of 40 has a daughter who will turn 24 in October!

A Delhiite by birth he came to Mumbai in 1998 and joined a production house. This was followed by the Essel Group's E-City, where he spread the mutliplex chain in four cities across India before helping Punjabi set up his Indian arm.

We get him to talk about his journey so far, and get to know a lot many hidden secrets about him.

Sporty to the core in school and college?
As long as one is in school or college everything is great but once you are out, the strive begins. I used to be very active in sports. I've played hockey at the national level and table tennis at the state level. Later my passion for sports led me to play games like golf and pool. But now who has the time for all that? It's very rare that I play a frame of pool when I'm out on a trip with friends.

What's cooking today???
I won't call myself a foodie but yes, I do like eating and make it a point to try out different cuisine whenever I am out. I love the exquisite food in Bukhara and the barbecued dishes in Delhi and that's something you can't get anywhere. Very recently, I tried pizzas in La Pizza at the Cannes film festival. They were baked on earthen ovens and had a totally different taste just like the roties made on earthen stoves in villages. Also there is an Algerian restaurant where they serve you starters like kababs and a wholesome full course. I am extremely fond of Chinese cuisine and therefore land up normally at Mainland China, the Chinese restaurant in the Mumbai suburbs.

Normally, I prefer having anything vegetarian. I even like having continental dishes and as a matter of fact I even love cooking, but then everything has to be done by me. On Sundays the lunch menu is fixed comprising Curry chawal (Punjabi Curry).

No Yoga-shoga for me
I try to be regular with my gym routine or go for a walk at times. I wake up at 7.30 am and my day winds up at around 8 pm. I've also tried, what you call, the new life or the alternate healing - Art of Living and Reiki. I don't really believe in Yoga as such. I agree everything has a benefit but it's not often possible to practice everything because it all depends on your conviction.

I don't believe in giving prasad or donations...
I believe there is someone up there who has control over all of us. I am religious but I don't believe in rituals as such. I believe in a private conversation with God even if it's for 10 minutes a day. On Sundays the first three hours are totally devoted to God. I don't believe in giving prasad and donations; instead I would go and help some NGO like CRY or something else on those lines. And I believe that God is with me all the time... I don't search for him. I am not an extreme person, so when one is walking on a moderate line it is very easy to choose which way to go. Therefore I haven't felt his absence till date.

Books lag behind, TV reigns supreme
Very frankly, with the advent of so many channels, the reading habit has taken a back seat. In the past three years I have started reading many books but haven't managed to finish even one. By the time you get back home, seeing something visually is more appealing than a fat book of 400 pages. I read fiction and religious books at times. I usually like reading those books that do not require long attention spans. There are certain stories, which are just 40 pages long but have a great moral. As far as religious books are concerned, I would say, I don't really read mythological books but mostly books on their analysis is what I prefer.

Historical destinations beckon
Though traveling happens quite often but holidays are a far fetched dream now. There are a lot many places left to be visited. My wife is very interested in history so I want to take her to her dream destinations like Egypt, Greece, Cambodia and places, which offer historical background. Apart from that there are so many places in India too where you get a variety of things. Our dream destination in the monsoons used to be this place called Chail, which is 45 kilometers from Shimla. There is a Chail Palace that used to be the summer palace of the Maharaja of Patiala and has now been converted into a hotel. It has four - five cottages and the whole place had hardly 25 shops, a bus stop and a post office. We used to plan a week long trip so that we could utilise the fire place in the evenings and enjoy the cold breeze.

I believe?
Since adulthood I've believed in just one thing - whatever you do, every single thing comes back to you in this one life only.

Ghulam Ali fan
I love listening to yesteryears' music. I have my own collection of Boney M and the likes. I don't mind listening to Indian classical, instrumental and other music of the same era. There was a time when I was hooked on to Ghulam Ali.

As far as movies are concerned I would say, every genre has its own charm. Mackenna's Gold is one such movie. It was made so differently that even today it is fresh in my mind. If I am switching channels in the night and happen to see Sholay, I till date stop and watch it. Lord of The Rings and My Fair Lady are some of my favorites.

A nose only for Davidoff Cool Water
Shopping has become so very easy now with the advent of malls. My personal favourite is InOrbit. A lot of mix and match brands do for me. In perfumes, I prefer only Davidoff Cool Water. I am not very particular about the brand of clothes I wear as long as they are comfortable. As I have been associated with the fashion garment industry, I go in for the cut and fit and not much for the brand.

My priorities have changed
In the last three years, there has been a total shift in my lifestyle. Earlier I was a party animal and had less time for my family but now it has become vice versa. It was more of a conscious choice because with time priorities change and so did mine. Since my profession demands it, I try to catch up more on films now and films have always interested me. Moreover it also becomes a family outing when we go for movies, film festivals and screenings together.

Beautiful Dreams
Ten years from now I wish to be in the Bahamas, holidaying (chuckles). Actually a lot depends on my luck and circumstances. But I do want to own a wooden cottage on a hill where I can hear the sound of running water.

About the Author - Jack Welch began his career with the General Electric Company in 1960, and in 1981 became the company's eighth chairman and CEO. Mr. Welch is currently the head of Jack Welch, LLC, where he serves as an advisor to a small group of Fortune 500 CEOs and speaks to businesspeople and students around the world. He is the author of the No 1 New York Times bestseller Jack: Straight from the Gut.

"I have been asked literally thousands of questions. But most of them come down to this:

What does it take to win?"

People's quest to be a winner is what motivated Mr GE to pen his second tome. And that too with his younger journalist wife Suzy Welch, a marriage that caused waves in the US when it happened. And it does go into directions where he has not gone before. Winning offers a road map not only for senior level managers and CEOs but also for business owners, middle managers, people running factories, line workers, college graduates looking at their first jobs, MBAs considering new careers and entrepreneurs. In a very lucid manner, the author has drawn out his recipe for people, who maybe either losers or starting out, to become winners.

And what better endorsement can he get but from Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates: "A candid comprehensive look at how succeed in business - for everyone from college graduates to CEOs."

The book is divided into four parts. The first, Underneath it all, is conceptual. This part talks about the mission and values and the ways to achieve success in the business. The mission should be to win in business and for that there should be a set of guidelines and values to be followed. Welch also talks about the lack of candor which is the biggest dirty little secret in business as it blocks smart ideas, fast actions and acts as a killer of success. He admits that candor is something nobody likes because it may upset the status quo, and goes on to add that all his bosses cautioned him about his candor. "But it was my candor, that helped make GE the success it is," he says. "Candor can be the biggest change for the better."

Welch points out that in most companies the 20:70:10 principle is at play, and companies have to take hard decisions: the lower redudant underperforming 10 per cent have to go, while the top 20 per cent have to be consistently rewarded. The most difficult is keeping the middle 70 per cent motivated all the time.It's essential that the message goes out to all that those who can diifferentiate themselves and emerge as standouts, will get rewarded. Differentiation helps clarify business and run it better in every way, he emphasises.

The second section titled Your Company, is about the innards of the organization. It's about mechanics- people, processes and culture. In this, Welch speaks about leadership skills and rules to be a good leader. He introduces the reader with the skill of hiring the right personnel. Welch also talks about the toughest part; letting go. Often in an organization non-performers are fired - this may be the worst day of his or her career. Good managers often find this part the hardest, feeling the guilt, and anxiety before, during and after. He puts forth a two step process to getting firing right. First, No surprises and the second, minimize humiliation.

Your Competition - the third section - deals with the world outside the organization. It says wholesomely about how you create strategies, budgeting, organic growth, merger of two companies, pitfalls of the deal, six sigma (one of the great management innovations of the past quarter century and an extremely powerful way to boost a company's competitiveness.)

In the last two sections, Jack talks of lighter stuff. Your Career, is about managing the arc and the quality of your professional life. Starting with a chapter on finding the right job, it is followed by what it takes to get promoted. It also includes a chapter on how is it to work for a bad boss. The last in this section addresses the human desire of wanting it all at the same time. In the end, Welch tries to tie the loose ends in his section Tying up the Loose Ends which answers nine questions which he came across while writing the book.

The author puts forth real life examples for better understanding, and this leaves an impact on the reader. Throughout the book he shares with readers his experiences at GE - where he was rated among the top managers globally - and what it took to make GE a top global corporation. Undoubtedly, the book as Gates says, is a valuable addition to any manager's shelf.

By: Chikita Kukreja

About the authors

Simply Selling has been written by distinguished people who have vast experience in their own field. This book is an outcome of 20 years of experience and extensive hard work of a team of sales professionals from various nationalities.

Book Review

Are you looking for `simple selling' techniques for your business? Do you need sales training for you or your staff? Are you ready to make more money? Then this book is a must read for you.

Like a true sales manual, Simply Selling takes the reader through a detailed process of selling in a very simplified manner. Along with tried and tested exercises for sales professionals, the author also provides practical tips with factual examples from the author's' personal experiences.

The authors' question the often stated concept 'a sales person is a pushy low-life whomakes you buy things you don't want or need.' They put forth their point by making a clear statement that if you don't want it then why are you looking at it or listening to what a sales person has to say.

Simply Selling weaves in experiences from the lives of established sales professionals with a number of dos and don'ts. Agreeing to the fact that it's really tough out there in the market, the authors empathize by saying, `none of us say that selling is easy but we all definitely feel a sense of achievement and satisfaction in our sales careers.'
The author says selling is all about understanding the market, knowing your product, and couple this with the right attitude and working habits.

The little snippets that the author offers help one understand the industry better. As the chapters advance, there is a lot to learn about making sales calls, understanding the consumers mind, sales process and to top it all; how to keep your clients happy.
The authors talk about the importance of meeting deadlines and time management techniques. They portray examples to prove the significance of networking and the ways of getting to know more people who can be useful in near future.

Simply put, Simply Selling is a jargon free manual which describes the process of selling a product in this tough competitive world. It provides great deal of practical assistance to any sales person.

About the author - Jagdish N. Sheth is a renowned scholar and world authority in the field of marketing. His insights on global competition, strategic thinking, consumer behavior, and relationship management are considered revolutionary.
Rajendra S. Sisodia is Professor of Marketing and the Founding Director of the Center for Marketing Technology at Bentley College, Waltham. An electrical engineer from BITS, Pilani, Dr. Sisodia has a Ph.D. in Marketing and Business Policy from Columbia University.

About the Book

Tectonic Shift represents a continuation of the journey started by Commanding Heights, Daniel Yergin and Joseph Stanislaw's masterful recounting of the economic history of the 20th century. The book offers a plausible scenario on how the global economy is likely to evolve in the first few decades of the 21st century. So, in short it looks at global economies in view of the emerging geopolitical forces.

The book focuses on the future of different nations of the globe taking into consideration their economic and political state. The political system of a nation directly influences its economic balance. Sheth and Sisodia have divided the world's developmental process into three basic growth engines - Western Europe in 1800s, United States in 1900s and Large Emerging Nations in the 21st century. Of all the countries in the world, United States has the highest economic output according to the World Bank.

According to the authors, `the surest and the farthest way to benefit the largest number of people is to create true synergy by speeding integration between advanced and less developed countries.'

The authors, take case studies from across Europe, America, Japan, South Korea, Africa, Australia, and India to discuss the challenges faced from a historical perspective. Taking a futuristic view they also attempt to put forth the threats of tomorrow. They believe that by 2025, most countries of the world would be loosely or tightly aligned by the three trade blocs which are America, Europe and Asia.

The chapter wise description of the book makes the process of learning extremely interesting. The first few chapters explain in detail the 'magic of Ricardo' (read David Ricardo's theory of comaprative advantage) showing how free trade will prove to be beneficial in the future. Later, the authors focus on what each trade bloc must do to make itself globally competitive providing an overview of the needed change against the challenges to be faced.