LUCK- Part III (Final)

 Loyalty Understanding Collaboration Kinship

The Secrets of Dazzling Success

From Looming Lockout to Lightning Lucky Break

“Ram, my friend, during our last meeting you advised me that ‘to start with, you have to prove that you are a changed person, understand what are the problems that the workers face, what are their apprehensions? Leave your stance and fear of demons and initiate a constructive dialogue with loving feelings and actions.’ I began a dialogue on those lines and it is bringing unbelievably miraculous happenings, if not miracles,” Krishna said at the start of a telephone conversation.

“That’s great news. How were you able to change your mindset so suddenly? I wonder if you founder another guru with a magic wand?” Ram responded in a bewildered tone.

“Yes, almost so. Not a regular guru, but a new member of our management team,” said Krishna.

“That’s amazing! How did you manage such effective headhunting?”

“I was busy finding a yoga teacher to help me remove my prejudices, demonic complexes and open my mind, before starting a constructive dialogue with loving feelings and actions as you advised. Then, one fine morning, a gracious and dignified lady, who retired as an Employee Relations Director from a big company in Mumbai, walked into our office. She had moved to a nearby town to look after her aging parents, who were doctors. She gave me her CV and also talked about some impressive achievements in HR. She said that ours was the nearest factory to her new home and wondered if she could be of some help.

“I was impressed and thought this was a Godsend. Incidentally, her name is Prema Mayapur. The name combining love and motherly affection and her aura were such that I instantly told her she could join as a consultant.

“She told me that being a consultant was a sterile job without accountability for results and the joy of making things happen. She would prefer to be a staff member. Again, I spontaneously made her an offer to be our Director of HR. We spoke about the details and she agreed to join,” explained Krishna.

“That’s very good fairy tale, but what about the miraculous happenings and miraculous moves you mentioned?” Ram asked.

“On the first day she came to work at 7am,  although the factory starts at 7.30am and the office at 8.30am. She walked into the workers’ canteen and stood in the queue to pick up a plate for breakfast. Those in the queue ahead of her moved aside and urged her to move straight to the buffet table to serve herself. She declined and said to the delight of all that ‘we are all employees and are equal with different responsibilities. I would not like to jump the queue’.

 “She served herself the food and took a vacant chair at a nearby table where three others were seated. She introduced herself and asked the others to tell her about themselves.

“While they were talking, one of them got a call on his mobile. He put his plate aside and looked disturbed. She asked him what had happened. He said our friend and a leader met with an accident and is being treated at home as there is no hospital nearby and also no bed available in the other.

“Prema, too, stopped eating and said come we will drive to his residence and help. She asked him to call an ambulance to that address. They picked up the injured person and together got into the ambulance and told them to drive to the nearest hospital. The employee told her that it was expensive and not on the approved list. She said not to worry about it. The admission staff asked for a company guarantee letter and Prema gave her credit card. She ensured that the patient was admitted and waited till the surgery was over. Word got around and everyone was full of gratitude to her,” exclaimed Krishna

“But, people’s memories are short. How are you sure that would change the corporate picture?”

“That was the first day of pleasant change for all. After that Prema brought in a few positive change initiatives to me for approval and announcement. There is a continuous flow of them now. She has assured me that new programmes will be linked with the employees’ morale, smooth working and rise in productivity. The people realise the goodies will vanish if company’s income does not rise for which each one has to put in his best. She has been suggesting that to them in her own subtle manner.

“She has turned your new definition of LUCK (Love, Understanding, Collaboration, Kinship) into a laminated pocket card adding 30 ‘Fortune Factors’ and an appropriate saying of great thinkers as given below. Each one of us carry it in our wallets or mobile cases.

Love, Openness & Yogic Affinity for Lasting Trust & Yearning

(Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.  -Mother Teresa)

Understand New Directions, Equations, Realities, Scenarios, Talents, Abilities, Nuances, Diversities/ Diplomacy

  (The best and the most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with heart. -Helen Keller)

Collaboration, Openness, Love, Lead, Affinity, Buoyancy, Obligations, Respect, Alertness, Targets, Inspiration, optimism Network

  (Unity is strength……when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved. -Mattie Stepanek]

Kindness, Intimacy, Novelty, Sincerity, Honesty, Intuitiveness, Payoff

  (Acceptance is the truest kinship with humanity. - Gilbert K Chesterton)

“Prema has started a newsletter about the tremendous scope for the food processing industry both, in the domestic and overseas markets, available government incentives and keenness of the foreign investors to participate in the booming field with technology and funds. It has brought awareness of the industry’s potential and led to motivation to contributing the best to the progress of the company.

“She introduced a monthly meeting of managers and workers under the banner A U M – Allround Upliftment Moves - to initiate a new programmes for expansion. The foremost is to encourage employees and incubate start-ups. The company will divest some sections with machines and tools and provide facilities on the adjoining vacant plots for a nominal rent. 

“A scheme called “Free Time (1 hour) for ‘innovation pursuits’ is introduced providing access to R&D and other facilities. The project aim has to be spelt out and a mentor to be named.

“An ‘Employee Wellbeing Survey’ has been initiated asking for personal, family, section, departmental problems with suggested solutions and help required. A medical centre is planned with a trained nurse as well as doctors and  counsellors.

“We have also registered ‘Vidya Vikas Trust’ with three senior most employees among the trustees and plan to institute scholarships and other knowledge improvement programmes. Prema has also appealed to employees to contribute what they can and quite a few have been donating regularly.

“A circular with a form titled Sarvangin Vikas, i.e. all-round growth, is on the website, which among other items asks for  anonymous or signed suggestions for allround growth of the company. A note at the top says ‘all ideas should be practicable and feasible within the company’s resources and no kite flying. A person who gives the suggestion must be ready to participate in the implementation’. 

“The company  is registered with the ‘Industrial Sports Association’ and employees told to form teams for various games and be ready compete in the inter-company events.

“We have also taken membership of local ‘Hobby Clubs’ for adults and children and interested employees can enrol with half the fees paid by the company.

“An arts circle, Kala Ramana will chalk out programmes on holidays for all employees and their families and the company will provide the space. 

“The most important point is that, unlike in the past, workers ‘no longer roam around like wild animals nor does anyone bark at someone else.' And, the production has risen and scrap gone down. For my part, as per Plato’s dictum, I am slowly but surely constraining my ‘desires with rationality and purify…..of animality.

“Guru, thanks to your advice ‘to start constructive dialogue with loving feelings and actions’, I could open my mind to change and could see the opportunities instead of demonic obstructions and give a free hand to Prema, or maa, as we call her, instead of madam. I look forward to your visiting us soon and meeting her, so that the two of you can help us  soar higher and higher.”

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