Don't be an Emotional Fool; It's a Ruthless World
That morning Naren Moorthy was in a jubilant mood. He had superseded many brighter and deserving candidates of the company and got elevated to the position of the principal manufacturing unit of the company as the unit chief of finance and information technology.
This story relates to a bit older period when finance and information technology went hand in hand. Since during the early days of computerization, the accounting and payroll systems were the first systems to be computerized, the information technology department was invariably organized under the chief of finance. Though Naren Moorthy had no background in finance (he was information technology man), yet he needed to be promoted as a reward for his excellent personal services (in unsophisticated language it is called sycophancy) to the corporation’s group chief of finance and information technology Ashish Chandok. Naren Moorthy had played a great political role in supporting Ashish Chandok in his bad days in the company and Chandok owed one to Naren Moorthy.
Now that Ashish Chandok was once again in the saddle in the top management politics of the company and regained his powerful position, he wanted to return the favor to Naren Moorthy. So he promoted Moorthy out of turn and sent him to company’s main manufacturing plant which was located in another town nearer to the city in which corporate office was located. Chandok always wanted Moorthy around him and not too far from him.
Naren Moorthy was young, as compared to others, for the position he got now. He knew it and he prided himself for that. He was an ambitious person and this out of turn promotion convinced him that anything was possible for him if he hitched himself to the right people in the organization or even outside the organization.
He barely settled in the new job and soon one day he got an urgent phone call from Ashish Chandok from the corporate office.
Chandok said, “Moorthy, find out someone who is really good at system design and manpower planning functions. I am sure that there must be someone like that there in your department or elsewhere in the plant. Depute him immediately to Universal Finance Corporation- two blocks away from our corporate office. Ask him to meet the chairman of Universal Finance Mr Putli day after tomorrow at 10AM sharp. You must know that he is on our board of directors since his company finances our company in a big way. He is very important for our company and the board. He has a serious industrial relations problem in his own company. His workers union has threatened to go on strike if he does not sanction extra manpower to manage the new scheme he has recently launched. And they are asking far too many additional people which he does not wish to sanction because he wishes to computerize that section soon. He thinks that an outsider can study the requirements of extra manpower and quickly suggest a computerized system. That is why I am particular about the type of person you depute to work with Mr Putli. And Moorthy, I don’t want any delay since the appointment is already fixed.”
Moorthy, the genuine yours truly, affirmed the arrangement by simply saying, “Yes, sir.” He was mighty happy to think that he would get a chance to get closer to Mr Putli through this new God sent assignment. After all Mr Putli was such an influential man in the corporate circle and if he could please Putli by hitching him the way he did with Chandok, only sky could be the limit for his progress in the corporate world.
Moorthy did some serious probing very fast and found a senior manager named Jeet Gavkar who fitted the profile Chandok had asked for. Jeet Gavkar was working in information technology department and he had an earlier experience in manpower planning too. Jeet was working under the chief of information technology of the plant Raj Cowra. Raj Cowra was a seasoned elderly person. Moorthy though much younger, was now Raj Cowra’s boss. Raj Cowra detested this. Moorthy was no match to Raj Cowra in technical expertise and so Moorthy also avoided him as much as possible.
So, Moorthy, as usual, bypassed Cowra and directly contacted Jeet Gavkar. Jeet Gavkar met Moorthy in his cabin. Moorthy instructed, “Day after tomorrow at 10AM sharp you have to meet Mr Putli, the Chairman of Universal Finance.” And then he rattled all the details that Chandok had given him about the assignment.
Jeet Gavkar said, “You may know that I am right in the middle of launching the new production scheduling system that cannot be delayed. Raj Cowra is directly supervising it. Can you please keep Cowra informed about this new assignment at Universal Finance that you want me to additionally take up?”
Moorthy said, “Look Jeet, if you wish to rise in my department you must be prepared to undertake additional special assignments from me and it is up to you as to how you deal with Cowra for your other work. Manage Cowra as well as his work in your own way. I am out of that picture. Is it OK?” Then he got busy with other things indicating to Jeet Gavkar that the meeting was over.
As luck would have it, that evening Jeet Gavkar met with an automobile accident. It could have been a near fatal accident. He got hurt very badly. His right leg got twisted and was in ferocious pain. He suffered bruises all over his body particularly on the temple and just above the eyes. He lost a lot of blood and became weak.
All of this and the meeting with Putli of Universal Finance the day after were staring at him mockingly. Jeet mentioned about the impending meeting to his wife, “Are you a fool? How can you even think of a meeting when you are so badly hurt? The doctor has advised complete rest at least for the next three to four days and you are looking so funny with all those bandages on you. You can’t even wear your shoes; the legs are all bruised. Just ring Moorthy and Cowra and get the meeting postponed by a couple of days.”
That day after the meeting with Moorthy, Jeet kept Cowra informed about the assignment Moorthy had given him to which Cowra shrugged his shoulders.
On advice of his wife, Jeet Gavkar first called Cowra and requested him to request Moorthy to postpone the meeting. Again Cowra showed the same indifference and said, “Well, though I fully sympathize with you, I am really not in the picture. I just don’t know anything about this assignment that Moorthy gave you directly. So I suggest you to directly contact him. And get well soon. The production scheduling system needs you too.”
Jeet felt greatly cheesed off. He had no choice but to speak with Moorthy now. He rang him, gave him all the details of his automobile accident and said, “Therefore, Mr Moorthy, may I request you to talk to either Mr Chandok or Mr Putli and get the meeting postponed. As soon as I pick up a bit, I will meet Mr Putli?”
Moorthy retorted, “Jeet, you told me that you are not totally bed ridden. Right? And with some difficulty and with the support of a stick you can still move around. I suggest- don’t press me to change the date of the meeting. Chandok and Putli have fixed up the date and time of the meeting after lot of planning. They are the directors of two huge companies and their time is very precious. Plus, it is a union matter- may lead to a strike by the workers. No, I cannot even suggest postponement. I don’t have any other person here in the plant who can replace you. Take full rest the whole day tomorrow and charge day after tomorrow. OK? Keep me informed of the happenings.”
Jeet Gavkar said, “I understand your compulsions but please try to understand my compulsions too. Doctor has advised me rest for three to four days and I am on heavy pain killers.”
Moorthy rebuffed, “No, I do not buy it. Do keep the pain killers handy with you and you are saying that pain killers keep down the level of pain. So you can still make it……take rest full day tomorrow; do not come to the office tomorrow- that much I can do for you. And Jeet, if you wish to progress in the corporate world, you got to be tough. You cannot put off your work just because of some little ailment here or there. And now I leave it you. You decide and also be ready to face the repercussions if something goes wrong because of your decisions and actions.”
With this, Moorthy hung up the phone.
Jeet Gavkar had a brief conference with his wife that day and then, decided to attend the meeting in his all bandaged condition using a stick to support and gulping the pain killers. He decided to hire a luxury taxi the day after so that the journey could be less tiring. He decided to bear the extra expenses for the hiring of such a taxi since the company would pay him only for an ordinary taxi as per company’s travel rules.
He entered the office of Mr Putli at Universal Finance the day after. Putli’s secretary announced his arrival to Putli. Jeet entered Putli’s cabin. Putli saw Jeet in all bandaged condition and limping.
He showed some curiosity, “Hey, what happened. Chandok did not tell me about it. We could have fixed up another date. Why, even your boss Moorthy rang me only yesterday and confirmed the meeting, gave your background and the name. So, he knew about your accident. Then I suppose it may not be such a serious thing after all though from the first looks of it you look pretty bad.”
Putli continued, “And now that you are here, why not get started with the business. I am in a pretty bad soup and Chandok and Moorthy promised me to take me out of it. So, first let me fill you up with some details.”
And then Putli continued with the meeting while Jeet was suffering great pain.
That morning Naren Moorthy was in a jubilant mood. He had superseded many brighter and deserving candidates of the company and got elevated to the position of the principal manufacturing unit of the company as the unit chief of finance and information technology.
This story relates to a bit older period when finance and information technology went hand in hand. Since during the early days of computerization, the accounting and payroll systems were the first systems to be computerized, the information technology department was invariably organized under the chief of finance. Though Naren Moorthy had no background in finance (he was information technology man), yet he needed to be promoted as a reward for his excellent personal services (in unsophisticated language it is called sycophancy) to the corporation’s group chief of finance and information technology Ashish Chandok. Naren Moorthy had played a great political role in supporting Ashish Chandok in his bad days in the company and Chandok owed one to Naren Moorthy.
Now that Ashish Chandok was once again in the saddle in the top management politics of the company and regained his powerful position, he wanted to return the favor to Naren Moorthy. So he promoted Moorthy out of turn and sent him to company’s main manufacturing plant which was located in another town nearer to the city in which corporate office was located. Chandok always wanted Moorthy around him and not too far from him.
Naren Moorthy was young, as compared to others, for the position he got now. He knew it and he prided himself for that. He was an ambitious person and this out of turn promotion convinced him that anything was possible for him if he hitched himself to the right people in the organization or even outside the organization.
He barely settled in the new job and soon one day he got an urgent phone call from Ashish Chandok from the corporate office.
Chandok said, “Moorthy, find out someone who is really good at system design and manpower planning functions. I am sure that there must be someone like that there in your department or elsewhere in the plant. Depute him immediately to Universal Finance Corporation- two blocks away from our corporate office. Ask him to meet the chairman of Universal Finance Mr Putli day after tomorrow at 10AM sharp. You must know that he is on our board of directors since his company finances our company in a big way. He is very important for our company and the board. He has a serious industrial relations problem in his own company. His workers union has threatened to go on strike if he does not sanction extra manpower to manage the new scheme he has recently launched. And they are asking far too many additional people which he does not wish to sanction because he wishes to computerize that section soon. He thinks that an outsider can study the requirements of extra manpower and quickly suggest a computerized system. That is why I am particular about the type of person you depute to work with Mr Putli. And Moorthy, I don’t want any delay since the appointment is already fixed.”
Moorthy, the genuine yours truly, affirmed the arrangement by simply saying, “Yes, sir.” He was mighty happy to think that he would get a chance to get closer to Mr Putli through this new God sent assignment. After all Mr Putli was such an influential man in the corporate circle and if he could please Putli by hitching him the way he did with Chandok, only sky could be the limit for his progress in the corporate world.
Moorthy did some serious probing very fast and found a senior manager named Jeet Gavkar who fitted the profile Chandok had asked for. Jeet Gavkar was working in information technology department and he had an earlier experience in manpower planning too. Jeet was working under the chief of information technology of the plant Raj Cowra. Raj Cowra was a seasoned elderly person. Moorthy though much younger, was now Raj Cowra’s boss. Raj Cowra detested this. Moorthy was no match to Raj Cowra in technical expertise and so Moorthy also avoided him as much as possible.
So, Moorthy, as usual, bypassed Cowra and directly contacted Jeet Gavkar. Jeet Gavkar met Moorthy in his cabin. Moorthy instructed, “Day after tomorrow at 10AM sharp you have to meet Mr Putli, the Chairman of Universal Finance.” And then he rattled all the details that Chandok had given him about the assignment.
Jeet Gavkar said, “You may know that I am right in the middle of launching the new production scheduling system that cannot be delayed. Raj Cowra is directly supervising it. Can you please keep Cowra informed about this new assignment at Universal Finance that you want me to additionally take up?”
Moorthy said, “Look Jeet, if you wish to rise in my department you must be prepared to undertake additional special assignments from me and it is up to you as to how you deal with Cowra for your other work. Manage Cowra as well as his work in your own way. I am out of that picture. Is it OK?” Then he got busy with other things indicating to Jeet Gavkar that the meeting was over.
As luck would have it, that evening Jeet Gavkar met with an automobile accident. It could have been a near fatal accident. He got hurt very badly. His right leg got twisted and was in ferocious pain. He suffered bruises all over his body particularly on the temple and just above the eyes. He lost a lot of blood and became weak.
All of this and the meeting with Putli of Universal Finance the day after were staring at him mockingly. Jeet mentioned about the impending meeting to his wife, “Are you a fool? How can you even think of a meeting when you are so badly hurt? The doctor has advised complete rest at least for the next three to four days and you are looking so funny with all those bandages on you. You can’t even wear your shoes; the legs are all bruised. Just ring Moorthy and Cowra and get the meeting postponed by a couple of days.”
That day after the meeting with Moorthy, Jeet kept Cowra informed about the assignment Moorthy had given him to which Cowra shrugged his shoulders.
On advice of his wife, Jeet Gavkar first called Cowra and requested him to request Moorthy to postpone the meeting. Again Cowra showed the same indifference and said, “Well, though I fully sympathize with you, I am really not in the picture. I just don’t know anything about this assignment that Moorthy gave you directly. So I suggest you to directly contact him. And get well soon. The production scheduling system needs you too.”
Jeet felt greatly cheesed off. He had no choice but to speak with Moorthy now. He rang him, gave him all the details of his automobile accident and said, “Therefore, Mr Moorthy, may I request you to talk to either Mr Chandok or Mr Putli and get the meeting postponed. As soon as I pick up a bit, I will meet Mr Putli?”
Moorthy retorted, “Jeet, you told me that you are not totally bed ridden. Right? And with some difficulty and with the support of a stick you can still move around. I suggest- don’t press me to change the date of the meeting. Chandok and Putli have fixed up the date and time of the meeting after lot of planning. They are the directors of two huge companies and their time is very precious. Plus, it is a union matter- may lead to a strike by the workers. No, I cannot even suggest postponement. I don’t have any other person here in the plant who can replace you. Take full rest the whole day tomorrow and charge day after tomorrow. OK? Keep me informed of the happenings.”
Jeet Gavkar said, “I understand your compulsions but please try to understand my compulsions too. Doctor has advised me rest for three to four days and I am on heavy pain killers.”
Moorthy rebuffed, “No, I do not buy it. Do keep the pain killers handy with you and you are saying that pain killers keep down the level of pain. So you can still make it……take rest full day tomorrow; do not come to the office tomorrow- that much I can do for you. And Jeet, if you wish to progress in the corporate world, you got to be tough. You cannot put off your work just because of some little ailment here or there. And now I leave it you. You decide and also be ready to face the repercussions if something goes wrong because of your decisions and actions.”
With this, Moorthy hung up the phone.
Jeet Gavkar had a brief conference with his wife that day and then, decided to attend the meeting in his all bandaged condition using a stick to support and gulping the pain killers. He decided to hire a luxury taxi the day after so that the journey could be less tiring. He decided to bear the extra expenses for the hiring of such a taxi since the company would pay him only for an ordinary taxi as per company’s travel rules.
He entered the office of Mr Putli at Universal Finance the day after. Putli’s secretary announced his arrival to Putli. Jeet entered Putli’s cabin. Putli saw Jeet in all bandaged condition and limping.
He showed some curiosity, “Hey, what happened. Chandok did not tell me about it. We could have fixed up another date. Why, even your boss Moorthy rang me only yesterday and confirmed the meeting, gave your background and the name. So, he knew about your accident. Then I suppose it may not be such a serious thing after all though from the first looks of it you look pretty bad.”
Putli continued, “And now that you are here, why not get started with the business. I am in a pretty bad soup and Chandok and Moorthy promised me to take me out of it. So, first let me fill you up with some details.”
And then Putli continued with the meeting while Jeet was suffering great pain.
Related Book
"Sensitive Stories of Corporate World" (available from Amazon, get it online)
Read many more management anecdotes/management case studies in the eminent author Shyam Bhatawdekar's best selling book "Sensitive Stories of Corporate World" available online from Amazon as an eBook as well as a printed book.
Other Related Reading
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Also, refer our High Quality Management Encyclopedia at: http://management-universe.blogspot.com/
For “out of box thinking” articles by Shyam Bhatawdekar, refer: (Out of Box Ideas) http://wow-idea.blogspot.com/
Read other blogs of Shyam Bhatawdekar at: (Home Page for Writings of Shyam Bhatawdekar) http://writings-of-shyam.blogspot.com
Novel "The Peace Crusaders" http://peacecrusaders.blogspot.com
Novels and Stories
Novel "The Peace Crusaders" http://peacecrusaders.blogspot.com
Stories Children Will Love http://stories-children.blogspot.com/
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