Team Work

This is a powerful message to the modern society at a time when we seem to have lost our sense of direction... especially those little people who have a little power. The narration goes like this: An young, academically bright person went to apply for a managerial position in a famous company. He passed the first interview, the director himself did the final interview... The director discovered from his resume that the youth's academic achievements were excellent all the way, from the secondary school level until postgraduate research- never was there an year when he did not outperform. The director asked, "Did you obtain any scholarships in school?" The youth answered, "None". The director asked, "Was it your father who paid for your tuition?" The youth answered, "My father passed away when I was a one- year- old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees." The director asked, "What does your mother do for a living?" The youth answered, "My mother works as a clothes cleaner. The director then requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect. The director asked again, "Have you ever helped your mother wash clothes" The youth answered, "Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Further, my mother could wash clothes faster than me." And the director said, "I have a request. When you go back today, go and clean your mother's hands and then see me tomorrow morning." So when he went back, he requested his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, and with mixed feelings, extended her hands. The youth cleaned his mother's hands slowly. Tears flowed down his cheeks as he did so... It was the first time he noticed that his mother's hands were so wrinkled and there were so many bruises in her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother cried when they were cleaned. This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday to enable him to pay the school fee. The bruises in the mother's hands were the price that the mother had to pay for his graduation, academic excellence and his future. After finishing the cleaning of his mother's hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes. That night, the mother and son talked for a very long time. Next morning, the youth went back to the director's office. The Director noticed tears in the youth's eyes and asked: "Can you tell me what you have done or learned yesterday?" The youth answered, " I cleaned my mother's hands; also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes". The Director asked, " please tell me your feelings about it." The youth said: Number 1: Now I know what appreciation means. In the absence of my mother, there would not have been the successful me today. Number 2: In trying to help my mother only did I realize how difficult and tough it is to get things done. Number 3: I have come to appreciate the importance and value of family relationship. The director said, "These are exactly the qualities I am looking for in my manager. I want to recruit a person who can appreciate help rendered by others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired." Later on, under his leadership every employee worked diligently as a team. The company's performance improved tremendously and continuously...... A child, who has been protected and habitually given whatever he wants, would develop an 'entitlement mentality' and would always put himself first. He would be ignorant about his parent's efforts or hardships. When he starts work, he assumes that every person must listen to him. And when he administers, he would never know the sufferings of his employees or appreciate their good work. These people may be successful for a short while but will eventually fail due to the disgust of the employees. He will grumble and will be full of hatred and will finally collapse under pressure. You will find these people in all work places, whether colleges or factories. So the most important quality of a 'person in charge' is to appreciate the effort and hard work others put in and to achieve the ability to work with others to get things done in a timely fashion: what is well-known in modern management as the concept of 'TEAM WORK'. Thank you and enjoy the rest of your week-end, Love, Prof. Dr. Alex Abraham Odikandathil