Two of us make it awesome!
Creating Networks through Platforms
This newsletter is now officially TWO Year old. Thanks for your love for 104 weekends. I am glad to have you in my life!
DTW
During the Week, LinkedIn announced launch of its global Creator Accelerator Program in India.
The proposed Creator Accelerator Program is part of LinkedIn's USD 25 million commitment to support creators globally.
"By equipping a diverse range of voices with the right resources, the Creator Accelerator Program aims to help members unlock greater business opportunities with the content they're making and the conversations they're sparking,"
Ashutosh Gupta, India Country Manager at LinkedIn.
This program aims to encourage creators from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and expertise to use LinkedIn tools and thus build engaging content using a variety of formats available on the platform like video, newsletters, and even short-form posts. Most importantly, this program is also open to Hindi language creators.
Watch this space to see some more news from your sincerely as well.
Platforms and network management could be viewed from changing nature of work on and through platforms. Platforms have transformed the world of work. I have written about Blue Collar Worker, Creative Class , Career choices and Work Life Balance in previous editions. Do check them out.
Platforms like Betterplace have created solutions for corporates to manage blue collar workers right across hiring, managing and engaging them. They have also designed a collaboration with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) titled ASEEM (Aatamanirbhar Skilled Employee Employer Mapping ) which aims to map supply of skilled workforce with the market demand, thereby facilitating better livelihood opportunities. There have been concerns about more people pushed into non-standard work as companies might find it easier and cheaper to engage with online platforms for hiring the unskilled/skilled labour and thus avoid paying social security dues.
Platforms have been pathbreaking in helping us in discovery process for singers/chefs/writers/craft-persons /painters etc and all of us have an interesting story about finding our inspiration without even looking for it. For example, at Trice Community, residents in gated communities are glad to reach their favourite artists/cause directly and vice versa.
I have often discussed about the power of “optionality”- limited downside but potentially unlimited upside. Platforms can help us create optionality in career trajectory through learning and networking opportunities. Platforms can potentially help the aspirants solve the long tail problem of matching rare careers to equally rare opportunities. Social networks for professionals like LinkedIn can spread the word far and wide to connect supply and demand.
This pandemic has created opportunities and challenges for countries, companies and even individuals. What we are witnessing is a two paced recovery and growth. We would have clear winners and laggards as we go beyond covid19 induced pandemic.
This week also marked the start of MBA Summer Internship for my student interns at Centre of Excellence for Digital Transformation at IBS Hyderabad.
These students would be working with CeDT on multiple projects with interesting founder-led companies BuckSpeak, NicheBrains and Trice. We would be exploring thought leadership and initiatives in behavioural finance, MSME digital transformation and micro-influencers. Do let me know if you have any suggestions or interesting ideas.
We have seen some once-in-a-generation fundamental changes in how we live, work and take care of ourselves. Being in home has changed our relationships within families or close neighbours. There is a greater awareness of what we have and perhaps many of us feel gratitude for what we have been blessed with- love and care of our near and dear ones. Now is the time to develop a daily regimen of activities with a mix of work, social and physical aspects.
OTW
Over the Weekend, we successfully concluded the Icfai Business School MBA2024 Admissions Process. One of the highlight of the briefing process is alumni interaction with the candidates who are appearing for the admissions process. This year one of my former Platform Strategy Course student Debjyoti Dutta (currently with KPMG) was part of the process. As luck would have it, he was in Hyderabad and decided to participate in the process from IFHE campus and it ultimately turned out to be my office.
It turned out to be an eventful day as we caught up on old days and current industry trends. Debjyoti made an interesting point during his interaction about developing a network while at campus and to keep refreshing it as we develop new connections.
The admissions process continues to fascinate me. Every year, I get to interact with some of the most curious minds. This week included power lifting champions (Male and Female), aspiring authors, content creators, food bloggers, travel enthusiasts and of course pandemic specials including cooks, singers, nutritionists etc. Hope to meet few of them in the next academic year starting in June 2022.
I Love You.
Shailendra
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2 years!!! Congratulations sir. Your discipline is forever inspiring:) it takes lot of commitment to show up regularly for 104 weekends without fail.