Institutions will try to preserve the problem to which they are the solution.[Article]

Another incisive thought from +JP Rangaswami, commenting on his experience of the Clay Shirky principle:

Ignore. Ridicule. Fight. Lose. That’s what happens to the institutions that seek to preserve the problems for which they were created.

Going back in time – @jobsworth took me down memory lane [Article]

+JP Rangaswami has a way with words, and especially when using history as a guide to the future. This post reminded me of my childhood-  when the medication for almost all ills could be found without the need for a prescription:

 Stomach ache? A spoonful of omum water. Sore throat? Gargle with warm salt water. Cough and cold? Vicks Vaporub, with or without head-under-covers steam session, depending on how chesty the cough was. Cough continues? Vasaka syrup. Really bad? Benadryl. Fever? Blankets and rest. Sweat it out. 

This post is not about that though. JP cuts to the quintessence of the conversation that is called “market”, the need for generic rather than the brand.

Good Vibrations [Article]

Salesforce’s +JP Rangaswami writes eloquently about picking up good vibrations. Articulating the various reasons he listens as a person, he makes his point emphatically:

We’re at a point in time when it’s become possible for us to listen to our customers.

When we listen to our customers, it’s worth thinking about the hows and whys of listening. To serve. To learn. To enjoy. To protect against danger. To spot patterns. To respond as needed.