STRESS, SUCCESS AND EVERYTHING IN-BETWEEN
The Highs and Lows of A Woman’s Journey in the Corporate World
CARE: This is Chapter 74 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, link given below:
https://ranjanabharij.blogspot.com/2023/06/stress-success-and-everything-in.html
Exactly nine months after I joined the Okhla Industrial Estate branch, the inspection team arrived and checked thoroughly every aspect of banking. I was ecstatic when the rating jumped two steps up. It was an unprecedented feat, especially given the high level of NPAs (Non-Performing Accounts). My superiors praised me endlessly, and I felt a sense of accomplishment.
Soon thereafter, I was due for promotion and was short-listed for an interview. The interview date arrived quickly, and I was sitting outside the room waiting for my turn. It was my first chance for promotion to the top executive grade. Waiting for my turn for the interview, I felt a bit nervous and tense. I had excelled in my assignments, garnered glowing appraisals, and meticulously prepared for the theoretical aspects of banking. Yet, the spectre of performance anxiety was raising its ugly head off and on.
There
was still some time for my turn to come. There was only one candidate between
me and the interview board. Vinay Varma (not his real name), who was also one of the candidates but
listed at the end, commented from the far end of the room, “Ranjana, do not
worry. You will surely make it.”
Sensing
his tongue-in-cheek tone, I asked, “And how you are so sure, Vinay?”
“It is
because you are a woman. For women candidates, the Interview Board does not see
performance. What matters is how you smile at them. You have a charming smile,
so you are through. Simple, my dear Dr Watson!”
Vinay
burst into laughter, suggesting that my charm, rather than my performance,
would ensure my promotion.
His
snide comment resonated well with others in the room. It was a stark
reminder of the pervasive chauvinism in the workplace. While I was accustomed
to such petty remarks, his words stung. Swallowing the affront, I gave the
dialogue a light-hearted twist, “Oh really? Had you told me this secret
earlier, I would not have worked that hard.”
My
turn for the interview had come, and I walked in. The interview went smoothly.
I felt confident in my answers and was happy with my performance. The earlier
dialogue with other candidates did not affect me: I knew I had cracked it.
A
month later, I was surprised to receive an apologetic phone call from a
colleague, "I am very sorry. It is so unfortunate."
"Why?
What happened?" I asked curiously.
"Oh!
You did not know about it? In that case, I should not have called you up,"
the colleague sounded repentant.
"But
what has happened?" I insisted.
"The
result has been announced, and I am very sorry you could not make it. Now the
rest of your career has gone for a toss," he continued lamenting.
"Never
mind, sir. I have two more chances. I am sure I will make it the next
time," I tried to put on a brave front.
"No,
Madam. A soldier who once falls on the battlefield never gets up. Your career
has now reached a dead end," he continued to mourn the death of my career.
Not
expecting this failure, I was a little upset. However, I rationalized it by
telling myself that the interview was a process of elimination. Those who were
promoted must be better than me, but deep in my heart, I knew the capabilities
of those who had been promoted. Never mind, I will try next time, I comforted
myself. I did not run up to my seniors, seeking their sympathy and the reasons
for my rejection. I had faith in the system.
A
fortnight later, I had to attend a meeting in the Head Office. It was sheer
chance that I came face to face with the Chairman of the Interview Board.
Seeing me, he stopped, "I am very sorry, Mrs Bharij. You could not make
it. You see, I was quite helpless. We could not promote both the ladies from
this area. There were only two of you. I am sure you will understand this
limitation."
I was
shocked but did not say anything. I had learned well that spontaneous reactions
are better avoided in this strongly hierarchical setup, but my blood was
boiling. It was straight from the Chairman of the Interview Board. Is there a
quota for women? Why could they not promote both women if both were good? What
had I not done? I had taken the unions head-on. I had improved customer service
manifold. I brought about improvement in every parameter of the functioning of
the branch. The Inspection rating of the branch had skyrocketed. Some of the
people the Bank had selected for promotion had not performed half as well, but
there was no quota for their gender. I had read somewhere that a woman has to
work doubly hard to prove half as good as a man. Was it not true? When it was
the question of reward as promotion, an unwritten quota had limited my upward
movement. I had just hit the glass ceiling and had hit it hard. It was painful.
Until then, I had not felt upset about my non-promotion. But after knowing the real reason for my rejection, my faith in the system was shaken.
How I wished I was not privy to this inside information!
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