A tale of two lectures

Earlier I had to find motivation to write a blog entry. Now it has become my motivation to stay awake in a class as boring as Market Research (after lunch!). On a bitchy note, this guy being unmarried is either the reason or consequence of him being boring.

This brings back memories from last evening. Before you jump to conclusions, I was in enviable company - A Harvard grad, witty, charismatic (no two ways on this one). The only flip side was his receding hairline and greying temples. Mr. Ashok Vasudevan, with his impeccable knowledge language skills and wit could connect with 260 odd people who are less than half his age! So enchanting was his lecture that it were full 75 minutes before I noticed the color of his trousers and that he wore a faded green colored T-shirt. The only other noticeable accessory on this highly uncommon commoner was his watch.

He spoke about entrepreneurship to young minds like ours. In gross contrast, he sounded like the youngest enthusiast amongst us when he spoke on his pet topic. That was one session, almost 150 minutes long (without a break), during which I did not even think of catching forty winks.

Such was his demeanour, that one amongst us when asked about Albert Einstein replied "Science GUY"! Yet another was baffled when simply asked his name. He talked straight, extremely in your face. Whether you like it or not... what is, is; and there are no two ways about it. If you think otherwise, you choose to conveniently frame that belief and hence frame yourself. That is the way he spoke about myths surrounding entrepreneurs and enterprises. He believes that one need not manipulate the bureaucracy while in business; those who believe so and do so choose to make peace with oneself the easier way. "The biggest enemy of truth is not the lie, but the myth."

At 20 and a bit more, I realize we have too much cynicism in our minds. Not something I chose but something I picked up on my way. With his powerful words uttered with conviction seen only in staunch believers, he shattered that barrier. He said, "Neither do you have that experience nor the reason to have developed such cynicism within you at this age." Amongst the many proponents of practice, this man comes and slaps on your face the importance of theory. Very simply put, he says, "Good theory is always practicable. That which is not is not good".

According to him, an entrepreneur must be the jack of all trades and the master of one. He must be able to talk to the vendor this minute negotiating prices and talk to the IT guy next; share a drink with his partner over lunch and rush to the shop floor for a quick chat with the operations guy. In sum, he is every one's guy - sometimes critiqued, sometimes stood by, at times appreciated, at times let down, often the weird fellow and more often the most creative! Just like our speaker who visited yesterday, Mr. Ashok Vasudevan, who vehemently defends the importance of this "pain-killer" within our society - the Entrepreneur.