#No Filters — Amazing people whom I met in my Career Journey

A Bowl of Noodles — My younger son, who is the biggest fan of my blogs, keeps a tab on when I am writing the next story. He was so curious that he also asked if he would be featured in my stories. I politely refused, explaining that what I am currently writing is about leadership and about people I met in my career journey. A few weeks back, he did something that made me rethink my refusal to his request and I decided to pen it down. April being the month of his birthday, I dedicate this small story to him who has prompted me to think about selfless giving.

Meetings had their own charm when they were face to face. The pandemic has forced us to go virtual. My days are filled with meetings; sometimes with video ‘on’ and most of the times without video. For me, it’s very stressful to look at the laptop screen and talk.

It was one of those tiring days with lot of meetings. I had so many back to back meetings that I didn’t even get a lunch break. Around 4:30 in the evening I was very very hungry and tired. There were still many more meetings to go and I felt helpless that I didn’t have time to go down and get something to eat. This was when I heard my younger son calling “Amma Amma”; I responded little irritably thinking what was it that this fellow needed now. He came inside the room with a bowl of hot noodles, all made by himself, and gave it to me. The emotions that I have gone through are unexplainable.

That bowl of noodles reminded me about one of the good leadership principles — provide your people with what they deserve at the well-deserved time of need! It could be a well-deserved promotion, salary increase, kind words during distress or a pat on the shoulder. Right timing of all these make a huge difference and it’s a big opportunity for you as a leader to touch lives of the people who are with you. I have experienced the joy of being a go-giver many times; it’s a priceless feeling. One of the comments I hold close to my heart were the words of my team members when they said “You really read the smallest changes on our faces , we can’t hide our emotions of being sad or unhappy “. It made me feel I am with them during the most needed times when they are wanting to pour out the feelings to someone they trust.

Also, the bowl of noodles was an implicit understanding of the need of the hour and something purely given out of ‘Wish’ and not ‘Ask’. Ability to give understanding the difficulties, challenges, potentials without asking is one of the finest leadership qualities. For this we need be connected and know our people well to give them the right thing at the right time.

Having talked about right time, I have seen people waiting for ‘THE’ right time to appreciate people and that reminds me of the words from Ravindranath Tagore “Spring has passed . Summer has gone. Winter is here.. and the song that I meant to sing remains unsung. For I have spent my days stringing and unstringing my instrument” . There is no better time than NOW for any appreciations and acknowledgements.

When you read this story if some faces come into your mind, those are the people that touched you selflessly in your life and NOW is the time to give back!

#No Filters#4 -Be a Go-Giver, There is no better time than NOW for an appreciation!