The Pakistani Spectator

Gautam Ghosh is a HR Consultant based out of Hyderabad, India. An avid blogger on Business & Management issues. Gautam’s blog has been listed by HRWorld amongst the top 25 HR blogs worldwide and also amongst the Career 100 - a list of the top 100 career related blogs globally in the English language. His blog is also featured on the Alltop HR,  Alltop Careers and Alltop India categories. Earlier the blog has been featured as a case study in the book Business Blogs: A Practical Guide

Gautam has given talks on “Blogging for Business” at organizations. He’s frequently quoted in the press as an authority on business blogging.

Currently a HR  Consultant, his experience in the corporate world was as a HR Manager at Deloitte & Touche, and in organizations like Dell, Hewlett Packard and Satyam Computer Services. His work primarily has been in the learning and employee relations domain. His detailed professional profile can be found here. Also take a look at what ex-bosses, colleagues, friends and blog readers think about his work.

Would you please tell us something about you and your site?

Well I am primarily a HR and Organizational Development consultant based out of India. I blog at http://gauteg.blogspot.com on HR and Organizational issues. I also blog at http://gautamghosh.net/gautams-blog about social media and online life.

Do you feel that you continue to grow in your writing the longer you write? Why is that important to you?
Growth is important in any aspect of life, including blogging and writing. It helps to make me have the energy and motivation to continue to blog every day.

I’m wondering what some of your memorable experiences are with blogging?

There are many. Being listed on three Alltop sites, being covered as a case study on business blogging, being quoted by business papers as an expert and being interviewed by a TV channels - all thanks to my blogs - are big experiences. However, the most beneficial aspect of blogging for me is to get to know and interact with people across the world who share my interests and even getting a chance to meet them.

What do you do in order to keep up your communication with other bloggers?

Oh lots of things. There are bloggers I keep mailing. There are others I converse on Twitter with. I also connect with them on Orkut and Facebook and of course I leave comments on their blogs too.

I also keep up with 250+ blogs through my Google reader and share interesting blog posts through that. If you want to know what I read check out http://stormcoffee.blogspot.com

What do you think is the most exciting or most innovative use of technology in politics right now?

I think we have just seen what micro-targeting of supporters and micro-fund raising can do for Barack Obama. However I think the time is still far for South Asian politics to be subjected to the same impact through technology.

Do you think that these new technologies are effective in making people more responsive?

Well social media that engage and demand an action and taking a stand by people is always going to be more richer and responsive, however it will not really have the reach of mass media in our world for a long time.

What do you think sets Your site apart from others?

I really don’t know. You should ask this of my readers

If you could choose one characteristic you have that brought you success in life, what would it be?
To dream atrociously big dreams

What was the happiest and gloomiest moment of your life?

Happiest moments have to be the two births of my children and gloomiest was my father’s demise in March this year

If you could pick a travel destination, anywhere in the world, with no worries about how it’s paid for - what would your top 3 choices be?

Brazil - Would love to see the Amazon - the lungs of the earth
Greenland - Would like to experience the cold of the Arctic winter.
France - I am a total foodie. And I would choose French food and the famed countryside to see.

What is your favorite book and why?

I have lots of different favourite books. If I had to choose one it would be The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery

What’s the first thing you notice about a person (whether you know them or not)?

Whether they look me in the eye, and how engaged they are in meeting me.

Is there anyone from your past that once told you you couldn’t write?

Erm, no.

How bloggers can benefit from blogs financially?

Two ways. One through advertising. The other is to build up a reputation of expertise through your blog and then get consulting engagements hrough it. 

Is it true that who has a successful blog has an awful lot of time on their hands?

That is a myth. I blog on time which others might spend on the phone or watching TV. We reallocate our time on seeing the benefits of a medium.

What role can bloggers of the world play to make this world more friendlier and less hostile?

Keep building conversation and by connecting to viewpoints that they don’t agree with.

Who are your top five favourite bloggers?

Amit Agarwal of Digital Inspiration
David weinberger - one of the co-authors of The Cluetrain Manifesto
Diptakirti Chaudhuri
Greatbong
Penelope Trunk

Is there one observation or column or post that has gotten the most powerful reaction from people?

That would have to be my post 10 reasons why organizations lose people

What is your perception about Pakistan and its people?

My perceptions are mostly derieved from Indian mass media - however I also know two HR professionals in Pakistan and that adds a personal perception to the country and its people. There are a lot of common issues we face in our respective countries and my perception is that Pakistan and India are a lot more alike than different.

Have you ever become stunned by the uniqueness of any blogger?

It would have to be Amit Agarwal - his knowledge of technology issues is unique and always original.

What is the most striking difference between a developed country and a developing country?

I would call a country a developed country in which all the population can sleep without fear and indignity.  In that respect - is there a truly developed country? I think not. Development is a journey. Not a destination.

What is the future of blogging?

I think personal blogs will give way to a more potent combination of social networking and expression.

You have also got a blogging life, how has it directly affected both your personal and professional life?

I have had professional experiences that I wouldn’t have had if I wasn’t a blogger. I turned a consultant primarily on exposure I got through blogging - and that also enabled me to spend more time with my family - as I work from home. 

What are your future plans?

I would be moving cities to New Delhi soon - and will continue to blog and consult. Everything else will follow

Any Message you want to give to the readers of The Pakistani Spectator?

Dream big, always thinking and believing in them. Having a dream and not reaching it is a better thing than not having a dream and just existing without meaning. Dreams give meaning to life.

Last 5 posts by The Pakistani Spectator

• Interview with Blogger Tikun Olam - November 30th, 2008
• Interview with Blogger EngSpeak - November 29th, 2008
• Interview with Blogger Jeff Noble - November 26th, 2008
• Interview with Blogger Jan Marshall - November 24th, 2008
• Asif Zardari: ‘India & Pakistan Share Blood Ties’ - November 24th, 2008