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We have a major wakeup call as perthe newspapers:India ranked second last among the73 countries that participated in theProgramme for InternationalStudent Assessment (PISA),conducted annually to evaluateeducation systems worldwide by theOECD (Organisation for EconomicCo-operation and Development)Secretariat. The survey is based ontwo-hour tests that half a millionstudents are put through.We are 200 points behind globaltopper.The pride of India, the passionatelyrics “Saare Jahan Se Achhaa,Hindustan Hamara…”, countingDoctors, Software professionals etc.given to the western world, does takea serious jolt, if people who matter arelistening.

Here are some editorialpredictions for 2012, with punintended,:• Most of us will remain part ofABC• Most of us will talk a lot indrawing room andconferences about what ishappening in India butpersonally won’t do anything.• Most of us will read less,digest lesser yet talk more andproclaim better about theknowledge that we possess.• Most of us will still fall behindin the IT adoption. Internetwill still be used for emailingand milder social networking.• Most of us will talk a lot aboutnetworking but will realizethat ‘networking is notworking’.Rest of us will still be following‘Alag Tewar, Alag Flavour’…

Weather changing…Industry sneezing…Indian billionaires wheezing…Global business squeezing…Overall scenario teasing…2011 almost fleeting…Time for consultants andaspiring consultants to pullsocks, look inwards, re-energize and re-invigorate.This issues re-touches theprofession once again.

Few days back, whilefacilitating a conference, Iheard a Chinese delegateappreciate the calibre ofIndians to debate. Back inoffice, I am still pondering thefiner positives of debatingendlessly. The latest being:Opening FDI in retail –economic opportunity or apolitical threat.The real challenge is ‘whendoes the paralysis by analysisstop and action begins?’A new era is round the cornerfor ABC to act decisively,positively and differently,keeping the larger nationalfabric intact.

Some one said, “Thoughtflows in terms of stories –stories about events, storiesabout people, and storiesabout intentions andachievements. The bestteachers are the beststorytellers. We learn in theform of stories.”Consultants too are storycreators and tellers. They usetheir past success stories as athreshold and help clientselevate their performanceand value. Academia is thepreparatory ground andBusiness the trueKurukshetra. The ABCblending drives together…

The festival season is over,the spirit of festivitiesremain…corporates seem tohave made their moolahamidst chants of sectoralslowing down, governmentin-decisiveness, rising prices,pending telecom policy…andabove all, the arrival of the 7billionth kid ushering in thenervous joy of impendingdemographic dividends orexplosive scarcities. TheChallenges before Academia,Business and Consulting keepincreasing…

Losing an inspiring icon is tough.A walk on his talk is tougher.Words to express are notenough, the man was made ofdifferent stuff.Dedicating the 61st issue ofABCeMag to Steve Jobs. Heknew how to delimit excellence.

Remember the proverb,“Slow and steady wins therace.” Old stuff.We follow the new idiom“the fastest and the steadiestremains ahead…”Every fortnight, 60 timesover, always on or beforetime, ABCeMag for you.Do we need to proveanything?Time for a bit of bragging ;-).Pardon the tone. Join thecelebrations. You are right inthe middle, play along…Alag Tewar, Alag Flavourcontinues…

The euphoria ofPOWER OF ONE doesnot stop at stating theobvious.More powerful thanthe powerful idea isthe powerfulexecution. In thisissue, Mr. SharuRangnekar puts acrosshis views on theactions beyond thehype and hyperactivities.As members of ABC,we not only face thechallenge but we are apart of the solutiontoo.

The world witnessedthe power of ONE inIndia.Single minded efforts,ethical standards,simple words,simplistic pursuit yetbeyond compare zealand non-compromisingexecution can layfoundation for thechange in future.Lessons for ABC –Academia, Businessand Consulting.Never before!