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WHO AM I?

Mar 31 2008 | Views 282 | Comments (4)

Once upon a time, I was employed as a Manager in a Public Sector Transport Corporation. I was young... Expand

Once upon a time, I was employed as a Manager in a Public Sector Transport Corporation. I was young and restless and jet-speeding like hell in the heaven of youth. My sheer zeal in worshipping my work and my eagerness to get things done rewarded me, once in a while, with what the worldly-wise would uphold as success and applaud as achievement.

There was an occasion when a traumatic tussle arose between the Workers’ Union and the Management over certain vital issues concerning the operation of Transport Schedules. The Management opined that the proposed changes were cost effective. The Unions cried hoarse about alleged illegal deviations in deployment of staff. As usual, the Union Leaders thought that they were dead right for once and went on a flash strike. The Management was as adamant as ever. Conflict Resolution was an unknown concept those days and therefore, the tough task of breaking the back of the intransigent workers’ resistance befell on me, as I was the Field Manager in charge of operations. In spite of my greenhorn ignorance, managerial inexperience and youthful arrogance, the workers’ strike was mowed down and the Union Leaders were cowed down, by a spectacular strategy, assisted by a condescending conspiracy of circumstances. The Workers’ Union meekly surrendered to the dictates of the Management. A delighted echelon of bosses treated me, as if I were a modern managerial version of Alexander, while a pall of gloom descended on the leaders of the Workers’ Union.

Though, I am not a conditioned disciple of Peter Drucker, it occurred to me that a good manager cannot behave like a wandering gladiator or a philandering crusader. Management and Military campaigns ought to be different ball games. I deliberately ignored the short-term upper hand gained by the Management over the Workers’ Union and dutifully reflected on the long term employee-employer relations.

I made an intuitive decision to the utter chagrin of the entire managerial ladder right from the lowest rung to the highest.. I took the initiative to invite the Union Leaders for an impromptu meeting and to their horror, apologized for my ruthless attack on them and the questionable means I adopted to weaken and wreck the workmen’s strike. To their further astonishment, I unilaterally declared that no penal provisions would be invoked against the workers for participating in a statutorily illegal strike. After the customary Tiffin and tea, I proposed a continuous day-to-day informal dialogue between the Field Management and the delegates of the Workers Union. This arrangement would be in addition to the monthly ceremonial conference, so that, in future an unwanted strike or sudden cessation of work will not take either the Management or the Union by surprise. I explained that any day, crisis prevention is always better than damage control. As anticipated, the spirit of reconciliation softened the contortion of remorse and smoothened the contours of defeat etched a while ago on the faces of the Union leaders.

This unscheduled meeting concluded. It was a resounding success. The Union Representatives left the conference hall with some facing pride and a surreptitious smile hinting the return of lost self-esteem. I knew that I made the right move.

Suddenly, the door opened and the General Secretary of the Workers Union came in alone and stood hesitantly at the edge of the long table. I enquired whether he had something else to say. May be a personal favour, I presumed. He looked at me quizzically and said,

“Sir, I have put in almost thirty years in this corporation. Since last two decades, I am at the helm of Union’s affairs. I have seen many managers come and go. But, in your case, I made a mammoth miscalculation. You are so young and fresh from college. In fact, your age is less than my experience in this organization. I thought it would be a simple child’s play to wrest some concessions, if we play tough and scare you off. But you turned out to be too smart for us.. We were squarely browbeaten and completely out maneuvered. When we were simmering with this totally unexpected reversal of our strike strategy, instead of further pressing your advantage to make us powerless and speechless, you cordially invited us to freely give us a great opportunity to redeem our prestige, so that we can afford to confidently face the workers and claim that the ultimate victory has been won by the Workers’ Union. You know, sir, for us leaders, survival is crucial. A bit of disinformation hurts no one. Thank you very much, sir.”

“It’s all right.” I said, “Now that the murky storm has blown off, let us all get on with the business of our daily transport operations. As I promised, let us have daily consultations. If there is any issue, however silly or mighty, feel free to walk in.”

“Thank you, sir,” he said,” You are most generous and compassionate.” He then stared at me, with grudging appreciation and said, in a measured, modulated tone,” Sir, it is very difficult to understand you.”

Off the cuff, I retorted,”Oh, come on…I haven’t yet understood myself. When I don’t know who I am, how can you or for that matter, anyone else can ever understand me? “

The General Secretary of the Workers’ Union appeared genuinely bewildered, gripped my extended hand with a flaccid palm and slowly walked out of the conference hall. I could detect a melancholic shake of his head, like a grand-pa’s amused disapproval of a toddler’s pretensions to winning an athletic gold.

Since then, whenever I could afford to be alone and allowed to be crowded by all of myself, the innocuous statement” I haven’t yet understood myself” curiously haunted me, like an impetuous devil, posing the imposing interrogative,” Who am I?”.

The more I wrestled with this question, the more it was obvious that I am absolutely unknown to myself. This stunning realization fueled a desperately vigorous search to discover myself, to find out the fundamentals of my interface with the inorganic atmosphere, the organic environment, the societal ambience, the infinite universe, the entire gamut of life itself and the Absolute Truth.

Deen Kumar

Sulekha.com

Deen Kumar

deenkumar.sulekha.com

WHO AM I?

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