STRESS, SUCCESS AND EVERYTHING IN-BETWEEN
The Highs and Lows of A Woman’s Journey in the Corporate World
CARE: This is Chapter 64 of my book Stress, Success and Everything In-Between. These are individual anecdotes but to understand the professional journey in totality, I would recommend reading the book right from Chapter 01 onwards.
That
winter evening, I was late in leaving the office. Driving at a high speed, as I
entered the South Avenue from Vijay Chowk, I rammed straight into a Delhi
Police barricade. Placed in a dark patch under the shadow of a tree, I had not
seen it. The road was deserted, and I was, to be honest, driving recklessly.
The impact was so forceful that the steel barricade rebounded, encircled my car
and hit its rear door. The jolt shook me out of my reverie. I got down and inspected the car: the rear door was jammed.
Nobody was hurt. It was only my car which got damaged.
I
looked around nervously. The road was deserted, and I decided to drive away.
Suddenly, two cops on a motorcycle surfaced from nowhere, their red and blue
lights flashing. They waved at me to stop, checked my registration papers and
driving licence and directed me to follow them to the Police Station. I had no
option but to follow them.
It had
been a bad day, and my mind was embroiled in my thoughts. I felt like I was
living through a nightmare. The sound of the siren and the flashing of the
police lights only served to amplify the anxiety I was already feeling.
We
reached the police station. The cops told the Station House Officer what had
happened and why I had been brought there. The SHO asked me sternly, “The road
was empty, and you still did not see the barricade. Why, Madam?”
“I am
sorry, sir. Yes, I did not see the barricade. It was placed under the shadow of
a tree, and the place was quite dark, making the barricade almost invisible.
There were no blinkers on the barricade. I admit it was my mistake, and I am
sorry for what happened,” I said politely.
The
Station House Officer was a nice person. He warned me to be careful in future
and allowed me to leave the police station without any punishment. I felt
relieved, as this was the best thing that happened that day after various
factors had taken a toll on me.
***
Back
in the car, I did not switch on the music and drove home in silence, reliving
what happened that day.
Juggling
a demanding job and ever-increasing family responsibilities, I had developed an
internal mental switch to maintain my sanity. Every morning, when I stepped out
of the house, I switched off the domestic mode and turned the official switch
on. In the evening, as I got into my car, I switched off my official mode and
turned on my favourite music. The domestic mode would come alive only when I
reached home. Thus, the interregnum between leaving the office and reaching
home was my “Me Time” when I forgot the world. However, that evening, my
worries consumed me, preventing me from relaxing. There was an onslaught of
problems from all sides throughout the day.
***
Soon after I reached the office, my son called, “Mom, I have just reached home.”
“Why?
What happened?” I was alarmed. He had joined a reputed engineering college for
a four-year course just a month ago.
“The
physical ragging is atrocious. The seniors are no less than monsters. I cannot
take it anymore. I am not going back there,” he sounded upset.
“You
relax at home now. We will talk about it in the evening,” I comforted him.
A little later, my mother called up from Lucknow, “Papa is in a critical condition. Can you come over one of these weekends to look him up? It is not urgent, but who knows what happens tomorrow…?” She had left the sentence incomplete for me to infer its meaning. My heart sank as I realized that if I did not go to Lucknow now, I may never see my father again.
Just before lunch, Ronnie Khanna (not his real name), who was earlier in my team, walked into my room. He looked serious and worried. “Madam, if you do not mind, I want to give some personal advice. Please clear the proposals of Faiz Ali Sahab.”
“But
none of the proposals for donation to his institutes fulfil the criteria for
donation under community services banking.”
“What
you are saying is correct technically, but madam, it may not be good for you
personally. I have come to caution you because I have worked with you earlier
and continue to be your well-wisher,” Ronnie sounded concerned.
“Faiz
Ali is sitting in the VIP lobby, raising a stink because you have turned down
all the proposals for donations to his institute,” Ronnie’s tone was grim, the
lines of worry getting dark on his serious face.
“He is
a Local Board member and can be nasty. He is threatening to have you
transferred to a difficult place.”
“But I
have not turned them down myself. It is with the approval of the big boss,” I
said confidently.
“You
know our boss is spineless, and this man is saying that he will have you
transferred to a place where even potable water may not be available,” he
whispered as he looked at the door from the corner of his eyes.
“I do
not care. Please tell that fellow I am willing to go even to the North East. I
would boil the water before drinking it but shall not do anything against the
norms,” I was unruffled. Disappointed at my firm response, Ronnie left the
room.
I thought about it for some time and decided to inform the boss. I thought it would be good to forewarn him so that he could counter the undesirable onslaught by the Local Board member. When I apprised him of the situation, he listened attentively and said, “I hope you have not told him that all these notes were declined with my approval.”
“No,
sir. Not at all! He does not know anything about that,” I said with pride in my
voice, pride in being a disciplined soldier. My loyalties were with my Bank and my boss only.
“Hmmm…
Do not tell him about this conversation, and keep these folders in your
custody. He should not see them under any circumstances and not even get wind
of the fact that I declined them,” he sounded relieved.
I had
assessed my boss to be straightforward and strong, but was he? How mistaken I was! This happened before lunchtime, and my transfer orders for Dehra Dun were
issued by the evening.
Later in the evening, Ronnie told me that Faiz Ali would not leave the top man’s room until he signed my transfer orders. Not having enough guts to explain the official policies, he preferred to succumb to his pressure and comply with his demands in a cowardly manner. How I missed my previous boss! (See Episode no 63. Two Opposite Leadership Styles (Year 1994)
https://ranjanabharij.blogspot.com/2024/10/63-two-leadership-styles-year-1994.html
***
I had
reached home. As I parked the car in front of my house, I felt fatigue wash
over me. The events of the day, culminating in the car accident and the police
encounter, left me feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.
I
continued to sit in the car for a few minutes, contemplating which issue to
deal with first, break the news of my transfer to Dehra Dun to the family, book
my tickets for Lucknow to meet my ailing father or to help my son handle the
issue of ragging at the college.
I took a deep breath, gathered myself and
stepped out of the car, ready to handle all the unexpected challenges that had
suddenly cropped up that day.
(To be continued...)
*****
10 comments:
The stress and travails of our profession were always daunting. Very well written Ranjana.
Narendra Singh
A woman has many hats to wear. She wears the one nearest and keeps on walking meeting every challenge as it comes. The strong woman veneer comes off in this episode where the trials and tribulations of a woman come to the fore.
The office episode where the spineless boss only looks after himself, the helpful and concerned colllegue who is bothered and forewarns are normal colleagues.
You have faced many challenges and recall them so well. Thanks for sharing. These episodes are lessons in everyday management of life.
Varsha Uke Nagpal
Wow! And kudos for managing the difficult roles of mother, daughter, wife, executive so effectively.
Again, these are all incidents which demonstrate your very effective management skills.
Rakesh Govil
What a day you had ! And you could keep your sanity intact. Very impressive.
Mamta Varma
Your story is a testament to the power of resilience! Balancing work and family responsibilities isn't easy, but your 'me time' ritual is a great reminder to prioritize self-care. Reckless driving and handling is a hidden talent of you. Keep on sharing such inspirational stories.
Rukkie Oberoi
Well narrated, as always.
Shakespeare says:
When misfortunes come,
They come not single spies,
But in huge battalions.
But Ranjana stood her ground with aplomb n patience, in multifarious roles.
I bow to you.
Eagerly awaiting next episodes: may be, something from Dehradun.
Vijay Gupta
This is a very impressive narrative which highlights your professionalism, integrity, and commitment to ethics, even in the face of unjust pressure from influential figures.
This also underscores the emotional toll of juggling family responsibilities and a demanding career. Your calm reflection, particularly in moments of crisis, paints a portrait of strength, with a poised readiness to tackle the next set of hurdles. It’s an engaging, relatable account of resilience under pressure.
Hats off to you, Ma’am!
Your story refers to someone who can recover quickly from difficulties and remains calm and in control during stressful or challenging situations,
maintaining the strength and managing to stay calm despite facing multiple pressures throughout the day.
Gulshan Kumar Dhingra
With so many brilliantly inked leaves of this book with first hand experiences, it is not easy to say which one is/ ones are more instructive and interesting. Every time I read the new page, I not only admire it, I tell myself I could have taken several pages and added to mine to use your experience. It seems late in the evening of my life to make much of their practical use. Nevertheless, they remain very valuable for all who read them and for me to cite them as examples to those who are still in their younger years and can be benefited by them.
Prannath Pankaj
Bad day but you recollect and write about it. Khudos.
Rajesh Ailawadi
Loved reading this one. The narrative has the life that our personal experiences (good or not so good) have. You have painted it with your emotions and verbalised it with your experience. Looks like your core and the persona you write With is flowing like our breath - it takes all with it and the reader lives it like his life’s journey Best
Shashi Sharma
Post a Comment