Management Mantras

Incident 1

This was happening at Zaheer Memorial High School play grounds. Our team was chasing a target of 82 and we were at 75 facing the last over with 4 balls remaining. I was the last guy batting at No.11 as I was considered to be a sheer pace bowler at that timeJ; rather a dud with the bat. So when I was taking my stance the other guy came to me and said “ Brother you only have to stop the ball from hitting your stumps, the best you would do is block the ball with your body and run as if you are doing it for your life”. Now a couple of thoughts started to flow within me- First I was obviously hurt with his comments as he was underestimating me as a batsman, Secondly I wanted to show him what I am. The bowler did bowl a merciless delivery to which I had no answer; I swung my bat only to hear the sound of timber and a glare of hopelessness from my non striker. The team looked at me as a hopeless performer and laughed at me the next time I raised my hand.

First Management lesson:

1. Do what the Team or company requires from you in order to grow quickly. This gives you better opportunities to showcase what you are.

2. Respond rather than reacting.

Incident 2

This time we were playing a carom board match. I am quite good at this game and was obviously the dominant partner when I teamed with someone. In one such high spirited encounter we came down to a situation where we had to send two coins into the hole before the opposition pushed the red and their one into the hole to successfully end the match. It was my partner’s chance and I urged him to push the tougher one of ours into the hole first and then think of the red but he had his eyes set on the easier one. I beg him to listen to me but he wouldn’t and then I shout at him talking about my experience in these kind of games and then he would say “ok just see”. He pushed our coin in such a way that the opposition could not push the red into the hole without pushing ours into the hole. That’s it. This guy had become famous for his brains and innovation though he or I had the least guess if that move was intended.

Second Management lesson:

1. Sometimes it is better to be innovative rather than just listening to what people say because that represents your inability to think out of box. To simplify I would say "Just try your luck"

2. Don’t shout at your partner because when he excels people shall look down at you as a joker.

Incident 3

One day I was attending a Corporate Client of ours. My boss told me to be stern while negotiating and think repeatedly about our brand image and comeback only with success. These things were so deeply engrained in my thought process that I went to my client with an authoritative body language.

Me: “Good afternoon! So my company has started this initiative with a vision of ………………..” ( I was interrupted)

Client “Well I guess we have no time for that. Just tell me what the price is”

Me: “Well we have given it some tough thought and finally narrowed down to Rs 3000 a piece”

Client “That’s very costly. I am not at all satisfied. Is that your final say?”

Me: Well I think……. (Brand image). No- Yes that’s our final price. Anyways I am just making a confirmation call, please excuse me.

I go out to make a call to my Boss

Me: Sir they look negative with this price what should I do

Boss: Do better negotiation and ensure success

Me: But sir without a price dip how could I convince them

Boss: I understand but somehow bring us the good news we are waiting for it. I know you can do that.

I go back to my client

Me: Well we can’t reduce more than a hundred but we are fixed.

Client: Ok I shall give you a call someday. Bye! Nice meeting you

After two days my boss says that the client declared it negative.

Boss: Couldn’t you call me at that stage, if you couldn’t handle it, I would have sent Mr.X with you or perhaps Mr.Y. You were so stubborn with that price band.

Me: But sir I had to ensure our brand image doesn’t fall. How could I reduce it to some 1800 from 3000 all of a sudden (Cmon man it isn’t a saree)

Boss: Ravi, From now on I would want you to work with the training department; leave the corporate clients to Mr.X.

Me: Thanks Sir! Sorry sir.

Third Management Lesson:

1. Your boss may stab you at any point.

2. When you are trying to do something that you are not good at; attach stakeholders to it so as to share the fruit equally.

Incident 4

After some time I met a guy from a company we are acquainted with and we were speaking to each other at a restaurant. I enquired if I could approach him with the corporate package that we have. He asked me to wait for some time and I understood his answer. The next day I surprisingly received a call from him and he tells me that I could give a try with his HR head. I sheepishly go with my proposal and ensure that it’s a secret as I wouldn’t want to get scolded again. This was the discussion

Me “So we launched this initiative with a vision…………………”

Client’s HR head: “Hey I was impressed with your mail yesterday. Could you just make it a hundred less including all taxes?”

Me: “Of course sir we could”

Client’s HR head: “Please sign this document. It is done”

Me: “Thanks Sir”

That evening a great news spread across the department. This guy has done a magic. He has got us a big deal. He is excellent and it went on till the next few days. People would come and see me congratulate me and ask “So it must have been a tough job wasn’t it”. And I would say “Well it was a synergy of our brand image and thrust towards success with the help of our lovable Boss”.

Evening the boss mails me.

Ravi Good work. I knew that you were capable of it. Perhaps why don’t you help Ajay across making a corporate presentation?

Fourth Management Lesson

1. Some good things can always come in your way.

2. You never know which strategy works and it’s a matter of sheer luck when something works for you. So success gives you the confidence to test your stance one more time while failures make you sport multiples stances in a single go.

So never mind friend. Enjoy life as a performer more than a manager.

TO ERR IS HUMAN & TO LOVE IS A PROBABLE ERR

How sweet those moments were

It was the day when i came down to your house. Surprisingly your mom n dad weren’t there. I started reading books at your home with an alibi that I was waiting for your brother but I knew that you were aware of the purpose i was there. I looked at you relentlessly but you were so immersed in looking outside that you left me disappointed.

I was trying to peep at you and make a regular sound, but you were motionless. My body was growing cold with the cool breeze that flew across and your long blackish brown hair just shuffled over your chin because of the breeze, making me feel irresistible to you. When you just pulled it back from your rosy chin and ears which had faint streaks of hair it just killed me. Your white dress made you look like an angel. Your eyes were like pomegranates that have freshly taken birth. Your lips were as red as a red rose. When you walked, it created an angel path for me, when you gave me an occasional look I felt like I had been blessed with god’s best wishes. When you giggled each time it made me feel that I was growing closer to you. And when you yawned and stretched I felt sleazy; for your ignorance of a stranger.

What are you telling me, Don’t you mind doing things that you are not supposed to in front of a stranger or have you chosen me to be your man. I rush through a labyrinthine thought process. All of a sudden when you ask me “coffee or tea”, I out of confusion just utter coffee and see you smiling again. I wish that those moments were stretched to eternity and stored in my hard disk forever. I keep seeing you though I don’t own you; you keep giving me an occasional look and smile. When you keep doing that, my heart pounds like a battering ram and it keeps pushing me towards making you my Juliet.

I finally make a decision that I would do it today. I slowly gather strength and courage to propose to you. I pick up the rose that I had hidden secretly and start advancing towards you. When you hear my foot steps and turn back in surprise I just close my eyes to offer you the rose and tell you

“ I love you more than what a mother does to its offspring, more than what a Swallow does to a flower, more than what a man does to his life”

Would you be my princess and accept me to serve your life as your better half. Then I turn back for your ultimate reply. You come after an eternal minute, then place your hand on my hand and smile at me tauntingly. With that a rush of warmth fills my blood, I go mad with joy and ecstasy and not able to control my 4 year love, I start sobbing”

All of a sudden I woke up to the reality to find my watch showing Morning 8:00, February 14^th. Its 20 years since that day passed in my life. As I start brushing my teeth blood flows as the toothbrush strikes hard in my jaws. But tears flow through my eyes for what I faced that day even today. I still remember how you shouted at me when I proposed you that day. You did not like me, but more than that you had no right to punish me. You chose to vilify me and tell my parents that I created a problem for you at the college which I never did. The bell rang as the maid had come and I wiped my eyes with a towel. As I start going to my office in my car I remember how my parents kept crying for their son’s conduct. How they felt insulted when your parents came to my home to fight for the cause. And after that how I would become a laughing stock in my college days. I remember each time when you passed across me which created a murdering shiver and insult. That day when I unfortunately ran across you which was by pure mistake you made a mess out of it and complained to the principal. I still know how I was made to take off my shirt and walk while kneeling in those corridors. When my parents heard that, they could take it no more. The worst they stopped believing me.

I ran away from my house for the biggest insult of my life. I did not want my parents to own their son’s misdoings. Suddenly the traffic signal turned red. I reach my office and have just finished a meeting. My secretary says that she wants a half day leave with a wild smile because its 14th. I let her go. Again I remember the day when I chose to leave that locality since no body believed me. I left my home, my place and my IDENTITY.

After 20 years I still find it difficult to spend a lonely life abandoned by my home, abandoned by self. I still don’t dare to speak to a girl looking into her eyes, people take me for granted thinking that I belong to some anachronistic times. It’s a lonely life with no family of my own and I am already 42 today. And each time I see this date, I ask myself “Did I deserve this”

Just then I see a greeting which carries the words

“Happy Valentines Day”

And I laugh in my solitude, waiting for the next day to arrive...

“Not every one is lucky and not every one is necessarily brave. Let god chose to partner such hapless”