66. IGNORANCE IS BLISS (1997)

 STRESS, SUCCESS AND EVERYTHING IN-BETWEEN 

The Highs and Lows of A Woman’s Journey in the Corporate World

CARE: This is Chapter 66 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.

Dehra Dun Main Branch had been notorious for its militant unions, and there were numerous tales of their indiscipline and aggressive behaviour in the past. But when I joined this branch, I was told that it had since become clean and the undesirable elements had already been neutralised. However, the miscreants continued to be posted there.

A few days after my taking over, I learnt that some staff members use the premises for boozing after office hours. I promptly issued an office order that no employee shall sit in the branch after office hours unless there was a written order for working overtime.

A few days later, when I came out of the building at the end of the day and started my car, I noticed at least a dozen two-wheelers stationed in the parking area. There was no other car, which meant all the Managers had already left the office. I looked at the watch. It was already 7 pm.

I asked the guard on duty whether any employees were still sitting in the branch. When he nodded, I asked him to go inside and ask them to leave immediately. I waited and waited, but nobody came out. I again asked the guard to go upstairs and bring all of them downstairs. He appeared reluctant but mentioned their names. I lost my temper and threatened that if he did not turn them out of the building, I would suspend him then and there for dereliction of duty. 

The poor fellow went upstairs again. I do not know what he told them, but the guys sitting inside unauthorisedly came down. I asked them to explain what they were doing upstairs despite clear orders against sitting in the branch beyond office hours. They mumbled and fumbled and gave vague excuses. They said they were to go for a wedding, and instead of going home, they were waiting at the branch. I sternly told them they were sitting there unauthorisedly and should leave immediately. They looked at each other and quietly moved towards their respective vehicles, and I drove away. 

I must have driven about 100 metres when it struck me that they might not have left and may have returned to the branch after I left. I turned the car and came back to the branch building. Sure enough, they were still there and did not appear to be in the mood to leave. I lost my temper and yelled at them. I parked my car and saw to it that they all left. After that, I instructed the guard to lock the gate. I also told him I would return after some time to check them. I stayed put there until all of them left the place. I was pleased with myself for taking this action against delinquent employees.

When I reached the branch the next day, I sensed a strange silence in the banking hall. A few minutes later, the Manager (Accounts) came to me. He wanted to know what had transpired the previous evening. When I told him, he was surprised at my handling the situation in this manner. Then he asked me sheepishly whether I knew who the concerned people were. On knowing my ignorance, he whispered in undertones that they were the biggest goons of the branch who had played havoc with one of the branch heads in the past. However, he also told me that those people were now quite zapped after experiencing my unbridled verbal shouting. 

After he left the room, I covered my face with my hand and laughed. I also thanked my stars I knew neither their names nor the faces of those notorious guys. Who knows whether I would have been so tough with them had I known their shady backgrounds.

Don’t they say ignorance is bliss?  

(To be continued...)

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