Roughly close to 7 months after my graduation, when I started seeing the corporate world from a wide and different angle. Until that first day of joining, all I knew about this corporate world was, you do your work and rest is taken care of. Well!! yeah, people accuse me of being in the Shangri-La of IT community where everything was good, everybody shared a harmony with each other’s success, but I would always believe that it had to be the “I” that matters and that elucidates the working culture around you. But, post management studies all I know is.. I was living in Shangri-La certainly, a place that still is a myth.

People don’t seem to care anymore and its hard to find mentors at this level. YES!! they are busy, they have numbers to take care of and they are talking to people who would perhaps understand numbers only.. you ask them their name and all they remember is last quarter Sales figure that they had committed or delivered. Their phone will ring at 4 in the morning and some client will be shouting and they would then percolate their increased BP to somebody doing the actual field work. Shall I blame them?? I thought I could.. but then.. I couldn’t. That’s how this world works and specially Indian IT. For all they care is why is my client cash rich .. actually its a harsh way of putting things.. but if you want to change the system.. or be inspired by some Jaago Re campaign.. Wait!! are you freaking nuts.. better get your pay cheques regularly and be a part of system that somehow is working. And if for any reason you are inspired by Karl Marx or others then this is not perhaps a place for you.

Be it a coffee or beer or smoke session, all you hear when more than one person are involved is BITCHING about the confined buildings of your workplace. How some person who is given a cabin makes sure that you are assigned the work only 30 minutes prior to your scheduled time to leave office.. whenever you are on call with your wife discussing your plans to dine out the coming weekend, a Howler from client would come  the same moment making sure you are deprived of your much deserved break.. and finally the vanity he enjoys in making sure your every mistake is surfaced in front of your super boss (a typical shakuni act).. BUT

then there is HE!! I saw this man sitting next to my cabin calling his assistance after she got her rounds of “you just can’t do it.. can you??” shouts from the Boss of Boss.. All he said.. “why don’t you ask me if you have any confusion, you know my boss will not like it.. and don’t be upset.. your kids won’t like to see a crying mom with Big Red eyes back home.. will they?” and she walked like nothing had happened.. All zealous and merry.. ready to go home and cook dinner for her family.. Yups.. that caught me in shock.. I mean.. that came like a nostalgic moment for me.. for my first 2.5 years of professional life, where I was kicked but only to make sure I don’t repeat mistakes again.. where I was scolded to make sure I am a better professional and above all I was always heard whenever I wanted to speak. Some refreshment for sure!! for eyes to see him and for heart to be assured again.. We still have it in us.. to be  a better human or a better colleague OR is there really some voodoo involved or chanting for the word “BOSS”.. or its like.. if you are.. then YES you are.. “THE BOSS” !!!

Cheers!!

Loku

PS: Just to be sure.. this post came after a long time and was a cumulative effort of 10s of my friends and 100s of forums which do involve in “My firm is BAD” discussions. Well for me, its certainly not bad but yeah.. my first job, the first bunch of colleagues and above all those looooong hours making sure we deliver results were much more satisfying then doing strategy as MBA grad. Miss all that smell.. Am I a child again.. just wishing to play in my garden.. not really caring about “how can I optimize my garden space or how can I make the total cost of gardening lesser or perhaps how can I diversify my flower collection.. Cut the crap!! let me just get back to play.. and be dirty.. I am happy there!!!!

Tags: Boss, office talks, Shangri-La