What can go wrong

Now, I had to share this to get it out of my system.

Firstly, I want you to know that I am a firm believer in building a team that can deliver. It’s sort of an obsession for me. I take efforts to ensure that the HR cycle in my organisation runs smoothly. I make sure that every employee gets opportunity to perform. They have the resources and freedom. I believe in employee empowerment.

With this intension I had recruited a batch of employees 2 years back. All the departments like production, sales, marketing , quality HR had new recruits. I personally looked into their training, performance review, promotions etc.
Like every other company, I too faced employee attrition. Some left themselves, some, I had to fire.

Being in a SME in manufacturing sector, I have to accept the fact that I am not going to get the best of the lot. I have to choose from the rest and make them efficient to run the show themselves.

But, over a period of time, there were a couple of them who had stayed back (or I had retained them). These guys had made it to the senior level. They were young, were in tune with the values of the organisation and had gelled with the rest. (if you know what sort of people you find on production floor)

I was very satisfied with this bunch and I was planning to take them to next level. Mr R was one of them. Our marketing man.

R had no background of engineering. Nor did he have any experience in marketing. He had never done any sort of cost proposal or negotiation. During interview, I remember I had decided to overlook his degree and experience and had selected him on the basis of his attitude and personality.

He had a good IQ and a good grasping. So it was easy to train him. He was disciplined and sincere chap and of course trustworthy.

I remember in his early days, I could not even provide him a PC. He stayed back till others left and then used their machines for his purpose.

While working together for two years, we developed a personal bonding. We used to travel on business visits very often and I had got a chance to know him closely.
His family had a tradition that one boy in every generation should be in government service. It was a sense of pride in his native village. Amongst his siblings, he had chosen to go ahead with MPSE and was appearing for exams since last 3 years. We used to discuss a lot about his determination of going for a govt job

“You can have a good career in corporate , R ” I used to tell him. He was built for it
“That doesn’t matter Sir, I want to work in the Public Service” His reply used to be as soothing as it can get. END OF ARGUMENT types.

In May, one of our customer recommended us for Best SCM practices competition held by IIMM Pune chapter.

The customer communicated to R, and R… the way he was … went ahead and filled the application form and submitted the documents all by himself.
Then we were supposed to make a presentation. We had 3 days for it. R did not know anything about SCM. He prepared a presentation as he would do for a client presentation.

“That won’t do Mr Manager. We need to show them how good we are at SCM” I said when he showed me the ppt.

“What else should we add” he asked.

I took him around the company and showed him what all we did could that could be included. I also asked him to get our monthly reports into the presentation so that we could explain how we track our Supply chain. In short I told him about things that he himself did which were part of our Supply Chain.

Just because of lack of formal education, he could not make the presentation. He had walked the walk but could not talk the talk because of unawareness of technical terms.

On the day of presentation, while we were driving to the venue, I decided to have a conversation with him. “So what have you thought about your future”
“Nothing much as yet, Sir. But I think we will achieve your sales target by July.”
“That’s not what I want to know. I want to know what you are planning. Right now you are a bachelor living in a hostel. At some point you will think about getting married, having a house, settling down. I want to know about that”
He had nothing to say.
“See R. Right now you are earning X amt in salary. Someday you will want more. And I will have to give that to you. So I want to know what are you thinking of. I think you are a bright prospect. I want you to grow and my company to grow simultaneously.”
I was thinking of giving him 2 assistants, and I told him that.
“Sir, I want to appear for the entrance exam in August. This is my last chance to qualify. After this I won’t fit in the age group”

Now, I cannot do anything against free will. I tried to explain him enough. The conversation ended by me wishing him best luck.

The presentation went well and we ended up winning the 1st prize… and R was the one who had done the hard work.

A few days later, I got the news that he wanted to resign. He came to me and told me about it.

“As it’s my last attempt to clear the entrance exam, I want to focus there. I have joined classes. I will be doing studies full time”
Knowing R, he would never lie about anything. But still.. this did not go well with me.

His notice period was 1 month but he served 2 months notice. He found a replacement for himself. Inducted him, trained him. He took all the efforts that the show would run after he left.

On a number of occasions, I sort of interrogated him.
“Which class have you joined?”
“When is the exam?”
“How would you support the finances?”
What about life after the exams? Have you found another job or do you plan to rejoin?”
“Why are you resigning? Just take a break for 2 months and join back.”
He always replied so calmly, it was difficult to have an argument with him.

Then came the day which was supposed to be his last day.
At 3.30 pm he came to me and said.
“I want to talk to you Sir.”
I wanted to have a long discussion with him. And I also realised that there was something fishy.
I left everything at my hands and asked him to sit.
“Yes, tell me”
He was very senti.. I could realise.
“Sir, I had dreams. But not all dreams turn true. I wanted to be in Public Service. I am giving a last try for the exam. I am going to do it.

But there is something I want to tell you. I have got a JOB in an MNC. they are paying me XX for almost the same profile. 

I was very comfortable here. I liked working here. I was planning to continue while giving the exams.”
“Well they are paying you very well. You could have told this to me earlier. We could have worked on the prospect.” I said .. almost frustrated.

“Sir, I really liked working here. I got to learn so much. I was zero in marketing and now I am going to me a manager in MNC

But Sir, that day you said to V ma’am ..
‘Arey .. yeh R to baithe rehta hai .. kuch kaam nahi karta… usse jara kaam karvao. ‘ That didn’t go well with me. That’s when I decided I have to move on”

……………………..frankly I don’t remember when I had said it .. But I do say such things jokingly. 
This time I paid a huge price

@a_khandkar