Wednesday, January 14, 2009

A Dogmatic COO

Recently got to witness, what an SME’s COO, the Chief Operations Officer had to say to his employees. A small venture started by just 2 people, came to a team of 25 now…..in some 8-9 years. Commendable! I would say.

But what I doubt is their illogical mindset and pre-conceived opinions. Having ideals is good, I agree but one must get to understand the success path followed the making of that hero, the struggle & strategy. Yes, we have the examples like Mr.Dhirubhai Ambani, Mr.Bill Gates, Mr.Sachin Tendulkar etc, but these are again exceptions. One percent of the lot and not to forget that they made it big, but they couldn’t run it all alone. They believe in management principles, they believe in delegation, they believe in strategy and they believe in the word ‘We’ and not just ‘I’. Our venerate COO, unfortunately couldn’t use the word ‘we’, though he demanded again & again, that his employees should carry a part of him, should leave a footprint like him, wherever they go. The problem here is not expecting too much but what amazed me, asking too much so straight without a pinch of modesty was little too much to digest. Coming to his people skills now, he once mentioned to the team, ‘there shall be no second thoughts on what he thinks, he feels about the work, the business, the leaves etc.

At times, I feel I should plainly ignore the facts stated above, but somehow I am so disturbed after listening to all this. It feels like the helplessness at the cost of he being the owner, the runner & the boss. People must be sitting with the attitude to listen & forget, some even mentioned that we just went out, we ignored, and we weren’t with him. He sounded like a hypocrite & dominating union leader but of course not a manager, not a leader. Yes, I appreciate him thinking big, but one more thing which is more disturbing is the ever seen Myopic business mind. Dreaming big is different from planning big. Or I should say that dreaming big is not enough if you have no people skills or if you deny respecting the people working for your firm just because you are the Boss. It’s terrible!

Not talking much about this anymore, few more (disturbing) things I would like my readers to comment on are:

1. Do you agree that the Business Volumes is the only difference between a Big & Small Organization?
2. Team spirit is carrying the boss’/ head reflection in each employee?
3. As a working professional, for growth all a person needs is to compare himself/herself with oneself. (Something I remember was termed Peer Group)
4. A rocksolid professional is one who never complains & gives reasons like a family problem, an accident etc.
5. Who believes in leading by treading on the ego of his employees?

Why have I mentioned all this here on my space? Because I want to know your opinion and confirm that if education really makes a difference or it’s just that I am too sensitive!!!

Friday, January 9, 2009

Not Shattered but Inquisitive


God is gracious! May be that’s the reason that I don’t feel shattered but yes, I do feel sad, defoliated at times and inquisitive at the end of the day. At times, things happen to us which are unexpected, undeserved and more to that, they become unavoidable as well. At times when we do things with all good intentions and the perceptions differ and it’s suddenly disqualified from the purpose, without a reason being given, even without a chance for explanation, this abrupt end to the effort fetches a sudden exhaustion. And the mind goes blank, the sight dark and a lost spark. And by the times, we console ourselves of the unnecessary distress; we are left with some inquisition. Why me?

Then there is a feel of defeat, a defeat to life, when we try to be happy by all means, in all times, through all riddles & obstacles, when we break our own promises to ourselves to be happy and cheerful; come what may! It happens, disagreement is one reason, anger in another. Showing anger is not appreciated but keeping anger again causes shattered feelings. When you know you feel awkward but you can’t express, when you are not convinced with what you do but you can’t deny, when you know you could have changed things but you know you won’t do.

All these things………are not negative in thought, unobvious to understand, these are the obvious feelings we all come across at the obvious times of life for may be some unobvious reasons. This could be at home, at work, with friends, colleagues, even in the family…..!

All I pray to God is to give us the patience, the strength & the willpower to excel.

Keep Smiling!! Have a courageous 2009 :-)