Google Digital Insider 2021 - Class 1

July 7, 2021 - Today was the introductory session of Google Digital Insider. Thanks to team Google for nominating me and offering an opportunity to be a part of this batch.

What is Digital Insider? 

A first-of-a-kind industry program for hand-picked top professionals across advertisers & agencies to engage over the entire year Focused towards building digital capability within the industry: participants learn from both Google & non-Google experts (including certification from ISB). The cohort is exposed & equipped with the latest from around the world and with the most effective digital practices for the Indian market 

Here’s what one can expect from the program: 

• Access the best executive education faculty in India at ISB, Hyderabad on digital marketing and leadership along with a certification from ISB & Google Benefit from the best at Google when it comes to products, insights, data, best practices from Google and non-Google experts. 
• Get first hand knowledge on Google Betas 
• Be a part of exclusive hangouts, in-person sessions, Google events, industry events and network with Google & industry leaders, top marketing professionals 
• Engage with a vibrant community of 180+ digital thought leaders from 80+ leading advertiser & agency brands across India to seek answers, guidance and real time support on WhatsApp group, emails and via in-person quarterly local chapters

This would be the fourth batch of Google Digital Insider that would graduate in 2022. As was told to us, this is a batch of 60 selected individuals (mostly digital marketing leads) with equal representation from brands and agencies alike.

Today's session was on 'Leadership' - 

Module: Leadership
Session Theme: Agile Leadership
Professor: Ranganathan Srinivasan
Session Topic	Date & Time	Session Plan Details
Session 1: Core Leadership (Internalizing vs. Externalizing)	7th July 2021 3:30pm-5pm	Why do some people achieve much more than others? The key drivers in action — Ambition and Fear Truths of human architecture and actions— core vs. periphery Central “thought pattern” to unleash oneself Changeable and non-changeable aspects of human actions

I'm sharing notes from today's class below.

Prof. Ranga started this class by asking a simple question: "What differentiates Leaders from managers?"

The class participated with inputs like - leaders are mentors, they carry energy among other inputs.

He then showed a YT video from Britain's Got Talent - Darcy Oake's performance 

Post the video, Prof. Ranga opened up the class to share each of our perspective of the performance. This is what the class had to say about the performance - 

"the performer made it look very easy", "he had a clear vision of what he wanted to do in his life", "he created awe", "built curiosity till the end", "he enjoyed what he was doing", "he had a sense of perfection", "he offered a whole experience", "he had confidence and sense of belief", "he sounded humble, modest", "he is a story teller" and many more.

What made him and his performance special was - he was willing to take risk at a very large scale. He had a global perspective with big dream, he think big and had very high ambition.

Now, coming back to our initial question on "what differentiates leaders from managers?" - Leaders set vision for the team, they follow discipline and make a team willing to do what you want. All this having a great empathy. They need to know what's happening on ground.

Now, none of the above points are not known to mankind. If that's the case, why is implementation generally weak?

The class responded - "lack of motivation and will power", "fear of failure", "inability to influence ourselves", "not seeing the pain of not implementing", "procrastination", "attitude to perfection", "lack of patience", "very comfortable today", "ok to be mediocre", "low self confidence", "having self doubt", "accountability to self", "negative past experience", "fear of being judged", "not having plan B", "habits are difficult to change".

Prof. Ranga recommended 2 books on this topic - 

• Atomic habits
  
• Secret life of plants
  

Prof. Ranga then explained about 3 layers of the human mind - 

• Unconscious
• Sub-conscious
• Conscious

90% of the mind is Unconscious and sub-conscious. This part is abstract, has feelings and judgement.

Rest 10% is conscious and has deliberate actions..

The key to transforming self is by changing the belief system. We need to question our belief system.

Success is the overlapping zone of  - 

1. Aspirations
2. Opportunity
3. Enablers

We should adjust enablers to aspirations.

Leadership comprises of - 

• Core 
• Periphery

Fear is more powerful emotion than ambition. Taking example of a deer being chased by lion. A deer is driven by fear and lion by desire and many a times deers ends up winning the chase.

3 traits of successful leaders - 

1. Aspiring really huge
2. Conquering 'fears'
3. Having a feeling of self worth

Don't be driven by fears and change your goals... but... Be driven by goals and change your strategies.

Send your team purpose.. not goals

Transform fears to risks. Don't have fear of ridicule or fear of failure.. but have risk mitigation techniques

Don't feel yourself to be just a piece in the whole context.. but a very critical piece in the whole context.

Self worth not a conflict with humility.

This was the end Session 1. Will keep updating this thread with future class sessions.

Thanks for reading!