On this blog, I usually write in the area of human emotions, what makes them do what they do. I also like to write in the area of inspiration, motivation, transformational, books and association. However, today's post is slightly different. you may find it little more inclined towards business or news. However, this particular event touched me and inspired me to share my perspective.
So I woke up to this amazing news of Microsoft acquiring LinkedIn with whopping $26.2 billion, probably the largest acquisition in its history. You can find the original article on Wall Street Journal by clicking here.
Few short years ago, we witnessed similar news of Facebook acquiring WhatsApp for $19 Billion and Instagram for $1 Billion. Without going into microscopic details of business expansion and finances, I want to reflect upon what this means to a layman and how one can smell the cheese and position himself to not only be part of this model but to capitalise on the current and upcoming change. I like to put things in a very simple perspective which follows as under:
Microsoft and Facebook have full capacity to create online portals and instant messenger, then the question is why they would pay such a huge amount to buy LinkedIn or WhatsApp respectively. This simply means two things:
1. In the 21st century, your “Network” is your “Net-worth”
2. Do not build your business just to be a competitor. Build the business to dominate your field.
The huge amount paid by Microsoft to LinkedIn is a direct reflection of how important it is to grow your network and dominate the field. The compounding effect of a professional network like LinkedIn in near future can be astonishing. It is the “Network” of 400 million users of LinkedIn is being acquired here and not the technology.
This news reminded me of something that I had learnt from one of the books I read long ago and the three fundamental reflections can be associated with three kinds of people we see in this world.
1. People who create change
People who create change become Leaders. If we really pay attention to the history of human kind, it is apparent to understand this. From Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King to Einstein, Newton & Edison to Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg. These people have shaped the world, created immense change and have become leaders of their generations.
2. People who change with the change
People who change with the change become successful. Whether the change is in social economics, industries or technologies, the one who changes with the change, is equipped to put himself in a position to capitalise the change and be successful. From the early inventions and revolutions into the steel, electricity and automotive industries to the latest trends of e-commerce and social networks, those who have changed with this change have emerged as highly successful human being of their era.
3. People who change after the change.
People who change after the change survive. It is also apparent that more likely these people fall into the category of being followers. This category may give you a warm fuzzy feeling of being in the comfort zone until unexpected happens and sweeps everything. Here the ignorance might be bliss until you hit the floor.
The invention in technology or any field doesn’t wait for an approval from you or me; neither has it waited for us to catch up with its speed. So the question we must ask ourselves is – do we want to be a Leader, a big success or just a survival in this century?