84. THE LONELY ROAD OF CHANGE (2009)

 STRESS, SUCCESS AND EVERYTHING IN-BETWEEN 

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

CARE: Chapter 84 is the last chapter 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.

Leading the BPR (Business Process Re-engineering) Project in the Bank was like navigating a minefield. My team and I had a dual mandate. First, we had to design innovative processes in collaboration with the Consultants. Then came the more challenging part of testing and implementing them. This meant dissecting existing systems, identifying their flaws, and crafting new solutions aligned with global best practices. Getting technical support and testing the initiatives on the ground before rolling them across the Bank was challenging. But doing all this without disruption and without inflating costs was difficult. Imagine trying to steer a behemoth with a team of just forty. Daunting does not even begin to describe it.

This initiative was under intense scrutiny, with progress closely monitored at the highest levels. During performance reviews, circle heads were grilled about implementation delays. They mounted pressure on me to massage the data, to paint a falsely optimistic picture for the Chairman. I refused. Honesty was non-negotiable. Predictably, this did not win me any popularity contests. In fact, it often made me the target of their frustration. BPR initiatives were invariably cited as the root cause of all the issues faced by the Bank, with loss of business being the topmost. BPR was invariably cited as the Blood Pressure Raiser. Accepting change is not easy, and the implementors were no exception. They made BPR the culprit for all their shortcomings. In every meeting, I faced the brickbats and withstood the criticism bravely. 

I began to question myself. Was my approach flawed? Was I clashing with the culture of the Bank? This gnawed at me until I met a veteran BPR implementer from a European bank. He had spent fifteen years on a similar project. His first question was startling: "How many friends are you left with in the Bank after five years in the project?" It was a gut punch but also a validation. He understood. He got it. He knew the isolation that comes with driving change. It was a price I seemed to be paying.

But, honestly, did it matter? My focus was sharp. I would not be swayed by their criticism. The bigger picture was always in my sight.

And now, years later, seeing those initiatives thriving, transforming the Bank into a globally competitive institution is the reward. This is what makes the challenges, the isolation, and the criticism worthwhile.

I faced the fire, and I emerged victorious. I blew away the criticism like bubbles. Today, I can hold my head high and say I worked hard. I worked with dedication. I did not cave in under the pressures. My last assignment in the Bank has become the source of my lifetime satisfaction.

The journey was challenging. The route was tough and lonely. I was left with no friends. In the end, I reached the same place where everyone arrived at the fag end of the journey. But I am proud I did what I was supposed to do. All that the Cheshire Cat had said in my dream way back in the year 1971, had come true*. 

I am happy to say I did it my way!

*****

*To read my dialogue with the Cheshire Cat, please read Chapter 8 of this Blog Book as per the link  https://ranjanabharij.blogspot.com/2023/08/8-stress-success-and-everything-in.html

 *****