Have we encouraged pent-up persons?

 Have we ever encouraged pent-up individuals?

Incident 1: 10th March 1999. I was assigned the task of preparing the 'exit' interview sheet, after interacting with Mr. Sharma (full name not disclosed), who was retiring from the services of the bank at the end of the month. Mr. Sharma was my branch manager in 1987, when I went through my fourth branch training as a probationary officer in one of the largest NRI branches. The branch is quite often engrossed in operational issues relating to pension, gold loans, treasury bills and remittances connected with currency chest management. The branch was also known for core trade union activities. Balancing of books (manual in those days) was always behind the schedule, at least by two months. Despite all the issues described above, Mr. Sharma was quite positive, known for his wits to cool down the hot  tempers across the corridors. I always visualized his face, with a smile stamped on it. His 'exit' profile indicated that he remained in the said grade for 12 years and he chose to not to attend interviews in the last five years. It struck me. I asked him 'Sir, with all due respects, why you have not attended the interview in the last five years'? His reply was touching. 'Viswan, I sincerely attended the interview thrice. By not selecting me, I thought, the bank conveyed that I am not good for higher positions. I felt if that is so, why waste interview board's time by attending the interviews in future. And I remained happy where I am now"

Incident 2: On my promotion to a higher grade, I was deputed to another associate bank. There was an informal welcome party, arranged by some the senior executives of the bank. The opening song came from a senior executive, who was six years senior to me in my parent bank, but had to report to me now, due to my elevation. The song, which was in Tamil,  went like this.  " Not all intelligent people are victorious and not all victorious people are intelligent". I laughed ahead of others and quoted the incident, when the senior executive retired one year later, in his send off meeting.

Incident 3: I joined as a clerk in SBT in 1980. I resigned and joined the same bank as a PO subsequently. While I joined the bank at the age of 22, a close friend of mine joined the bank at the age of 19. He remained an award staff by choice till retirement. Like most of the old committed soldires of the bank, who chose to retire as award staff, he was knowledgeable and his commitment to the bank was total. He always told me "Viswanathan, I never say you don't deserve the attention you get, but is there a need for you to get this much?"

Correlating the incidents to real life situation: All the above are factual. The first incident refers to the set of individuals, who get struck at some point of their career,  reconcile themselves to the state of non-promotion and adjust themselves to continue their little bit, with happiness in their current positions. The second incident may be related to the kind of individuals, who get hurt because of non promotion and juniors surpassing them. A part of attrition, across all service industries, may be contributed by this set of individuals. The third incident represents the kind of individuals, who reached their comfort zone in the organization and do not look further upon in their career.

Organization is run not by the successful people alone: Career progression is normally compared to a pyramid, which converges at the top. As one progresses, he loses his peer level colleagues at every level and feels lonely at the top. While the organization celebrates successful people, even mourning their being lone at the top, quite often forgets the people (i) struck in the middle, (ii) hurt egos of individuals, who felt they are equally capable and (iii) those, who reached their comfort zone, even while joining. The organization is compared to a temple chariot. The temple chariot has to be pulled by the entire village for its successful procession around the temple - is a famous Tamil saying. While the persons who pull it in the front or pose for photographs for pulling the chariot get prominence, the success lies in everyone pulling the chain - with equal force in the same direction in a coordinated manner. In the same way, the organization should ensure that everyone remaining with the organization, contribute their one hundred percent till they leave/retire. Are we giving the failed ones, representing majority in every promotion exercise, enough encouragement to not to lose their hearts and their efforts are recognized otherwise? Do we consult them in their department affairs? Do we allow them to come out with their pent-up feelings? Simultaneously, are we ensuring that those lot, who attained their comfort zone already, get a communication that the organization expects them to give their one hundred percent contribution and there are no free lunches? These are questions to be asked by everyone in the top, if they want their entire team to contribute towards success.

Pent-up individuals exists in home also: Every home has only one or at the most two bread winners. Home makers, children, less income earners within the family find themselves being informed and not consulted/made part of discussion in respect of major decisions affecting the family/the individuals concerned. Pent-up feelings run high in those families also.

The aim of the article is to provoke a discussion.

Regards

V.Viswanathan

10th April 2024