Ladies and gentlemen, assume that you have been pushed to the corner by your adversary... Understand, that he is equally strong. Remember though, that chances of winning over a situation always exist. Tell me, how will you react to such a situation? An eminent psychologist posed this hypothetical challenge during a lecture-cum-discussion session in a seminar on ‘Leadership’. We, post graduate students of Personnel Management were asked to form groups, discuss alternative courses, and give a quick response. Thereafter, we had to individually come out with workable strategies.
As we huddled in groups to brainstorm, the psychologist intervened to caution us on some crucial points. He said, “Utopian concepts have no place in management. The resources at your disposal are scarce and their optimum utilisation is sine-quo-non. Since the market is highly competitive, you cannot afford to put off a swift decision, else your rival will take over the vacuum that gets created. Therefore, you have no option but to plan carefully and act fast. Planning is nothing but finding answers to three basic questions -- Where do we stand? Where do we want to go? How do we go?”
The session went on for over three hours, as the psychologist intently listened to each student but reserved his own option. However, he summed up the session with the following remarks: “A man’s stature and attitude can be judged by the moral strength he possesses and exhibits in times of crisis. A person may be an intellectual giant and may even be valiant enough to meet any challenge, but if his mind is confused and he vacillates at every stage he cannot be depended upon. A person should maintain his equipoise under all circumstances and for this, control of the mind, through constant practice, discipline and check over the senses, should be ensured.”
The psychologist paused for a while and then said, “The strength of the leader lies in his capacity to maintain patience when he is subjected to shock. He must then dispassionately and pragmatically review the situation. The fact that you are in trouble does not indicate that you have committed a mistake. Perhaps, your strategy may not have been perfect. So, introspect and find out where and when you went wrong. Accept mistakes boldly. Have an open mind and listen to qualified staff. I can’t think of any one solution to the situation explained. It depends on the leader, the policies and the environment”.
George Judah, the Director of our prestigious Institute, who used to then charge ₹1,000 per lecture when invited by companies to address their top executives, invariably attended such important lectures in the campus and participated in the discussions. Immediately after this particular session, he called me to his cabin and briefed me on the impending weekly seminar, stating, “You will be the master of eremonies. I give you a free hand, to select the moderator, select the topic of your choice and invite any student to address the audience.”
I was nervous. I picked up courage and requested him, “Sir, can you spare some time to finalise the modalities.....topics....”
“Sir, give me some guideline about the aim and the scope of the seminar,’’ I pleaded.
He replied, “Well, I want to embarrass the students! I want you to catch them off-guard and put them to test. I recommend a smug behaviour from you, though with a smile on your face. Mind you -- you will be representing the management and the aim is to test the patience and capacity of our students during trying times. Let us see how they react to provocation. Let it be an extempore speech....”
Such suggestions from the director were not unusual. After all, the institute is known for its creative activities. It is considered one of the best institutes in India and students passing out of its precincts are always in great demand.
However, my major challenge was to organise the seminar, against several odds. (But I remembered the challenge given by the psychologist and knew his words of wisdom would come to my rescue.)
At the outset, I had to face the problem of getting adjusted to the campus culture. There were several reasons.
I was 40 years old and was serving in the Army; other students were in their early 20s. The generation gap reflected in my approach and behaviour, which was resented by the students. The institute timings were from 1200 hours to 2100 hours; due to my duty hours, I was always a late comer. The students used to go to the factories during the morning hours with their partners, but I could do that only during my leave period. Above all, my ‘dress sense’ was ordinary, for the simple reason that I had limited means. It was then that I realised how apt Malcolm Muggeridge, the British journalist, author and satirist was, when he said, “The only Englishmen now left in the world are the educated Indians.”
If ever by accident I occupied a vacant chair between two students, those who were sitting on either side walked away to sit elsewhere. No one was willing to share his or her costly books which I could hardly afford to buy. Their impression about the intellectual capabilities of military men was poor.
I was jeered at, not cheered for, whenever I raised relevant questions during discussions, lectures, seminars and workshops. I had accepted all this humiliation and the otherwise untenable situation, with stoic silence. I never did blame them. I understood this was symptomatic of a social trend. However, the inner strength with which I competed with youngsters, I recharged after repeatedly reciting what Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said: “Age is opportunity no less/ Than youth itself, though in another dress/And as the evening twilight fades away/ The sky is filled with stars, invisible by day.’’
In those days I was leading a hectic life and so I slept fitfully. I used to spend the nights and the wee hours of the morning in research and studies as I wanted to prove my worth. My superior officers not only encouraged me but even loaned their library cards for me to use. They did everything possible to help me out and boosted my morale.
Finally, after weeks of agony and waiting, the right opportunity did come in the form of the first semester university examinations and debates on professional subjects. Though I had won most of the debates, my right place in the class was still denied. Then came the results.
When the Director came to the class to present a rose to the topper, I was late as usual, but the same students who had initially ostracised me, were magnanimous enough to welcome me with placards displayed at several places, with the words, “Congrats Bala, you are the first”.I could not believe it, how could it be? Even as a school going boy, I had failed my matriculation exam at the first attempt. So perhaps it was the provocation which motivated me to reach to that height! By repeatedly trying to push me down, my classmates had actually instilled the spirit in me to fight back! The credit for my performance thus goes to the students.
Costly books were now pushed into my bags in return for summarised notes for the giver. My simple attire and mode of transport were no more topics of their discussions.
However, soon came the campus elections and that almost spoiled the atmosphere. Many groups emerged and all of them approached me for support, because of the respect I commanded in the campus. I had, however decided to recommend one good student, at the last moment, for the institute’s presidentship. But I had not spoken my mind about the name.
I was considered a misfit amongst the elite and nouveau riche students. Was it because they came to the institute in cars and two-wheelers while I used a 15 year-old cycle to commute 15 kilometres daily from home? The discrimination was evident in the classroom as no one was willing to sit next to me or associate with me on the different committees. Was it because I possessed just one coat and tie, whereas they changed their coat and tie daily? I was forced to sit on the last chair.
When the Director came to the class to present a rose to the topper, I was late as usual, but the same students who had initially ostracised me, were magnanimous enough to welcome me with placards displayed at several places, with the words, “Congrats Bala, you are the first”. Thereafter, the scenario turned around. All of a sudden, I had become a hero.
It was under these circumstances that I was to hold the said seminar. And the Director’s suggestion made me think why I should not use this opportunity to humiliate the few students who still criticised me. Why not utilise the seminar to make them pay back in their own coin? Why not provoke the Director himself and watch the reaction?
I had divided the seminar into two parts -- the first part was to cover professional issues and second part was to be an “embarrassing session”. For the “embarrassing session” I had earmarked four students. One student, whom I shall call Mr X, was a close relative of a powerful political leader. Another student, whom I shall call Miss Y, was a bright student and a women’s liberation movement activist in the city. The third student was considered to be very close to the Director and the management of the institute, I shall call Mr. Z. The fourth one was a habitual critic of the institute whom I used to call Mr. Opposition. All of them were in one group and Mr. X was their candidate.
The doomsday came. The seminar hall was full of students with a sprinkling of a few managers from local industries. The Director had taken his seat and the formalities were over. The first session went on smoothly and I was nervous about the second session. Finally I called upon the students I mentioned above and the subjects assigned to them on the spot, were:
Mr. X – Why Mr. ‘A’ should be defeated in the next elections?
Miss Y – Why women were definitely inferior to men?
Mr. Z – Why I hate this institute?
Mr. Opposition – Why my institute is the best in the country?
The speakers had no option but to speak in favour of the topics assigned. To my utter surprise, each one of them began speaking flawlessly, as if they had been preparing for the particular topics for months! It was a well- argued oration and the crowd gave a standing ovation whenever a speaker completed his lecture. When the turn came for Mr. Z to speak, the Director stood up to intervene.
“May I have the permission of the master of ceremonies to tape record this lecture please?”
The permission was granted. Mr. Z, a person from the inner circles of the management, superbly argued his case against the management. He bitterly criticised the Director on certain aspects boldly and blamed the management for not paying sufficient attention to the undergraduate level course. What is more, he incorporated humorous but thought-provoking jokes. The Director heard the criticism with rapt attention, often laughing loudly.
The seminar was over and a dinner had been arranged after the same. I was naturally in a dejected state of mind as my strategy had backfired. The speakers received full credit. What surprised me more was that they came to thank me as if I had done some favour to them and requested that I sit with them at their table for dinner. Their behaviour put me in an embarrassing position. How could I reciprocate to their warmth? Their attitude only reminded me what Thiruvalluvar, a great Tamil saint-cum-poet, had said, “If you want to punish a man who has done wrong to you, do good to him so that he feels ashamed (for his action).”
The Director had called a meeting of the students’ council immediately after the seminar where the tape recorder was played. He invited suggestions to set right the issues highlighted by Mr. Z and gave on-the-spot directions to his staff.
Looking at me, he said, “Well done. The seminar was useful and interesting. You will get many more opportunities. I enjoyed it.”
“But Sir, I gave a topic to Mr. Z which....” Stated Judah, “I must thank you for that. It is in the interest of the organisation...A good feedback. Now, tell me, have I passed your test...be frank gentlemen!” The Director spoke happily and was in a jolly mood. I had no answer, and he tried to boost me up.
“Come on, Bala, have you forgotten Iacocca, the great management specialist? One of his commandants to leaders demanded that leaders should have mavericks. They are a great source of information. They are more useful than the yes-men. Take my case, I was really not aware of the points expressed by Mr. Z. He was around us for so long....But he never spoke about all these aspects. Thank God, he spoke at last.”
(That Mr Judah spoke from the bottom of his heart became clear later when he awarded all the best trophies of the institute to me – the best Creative Student Award, the Best All Round Award and the Most Outstanding student of the Masters Degree in Personnel Management Award. Though there is a selection committee for the awards, I came to know later that the Director too, had voted for me.)
As for me, I felt that I had planned for ‘something’ but ‘something else’ had happened. I felt that I had lost face and hence wanted to avoid the crowd. I walked towards my old cycle like a defeated soldier. Mr. X stopped me and insisted that I should have dinner with him. He was in the friendliest of terms and very gracious in his behaviour. I told him. “Mr. X, I support you and will vote for you. You are really great. I have to learn a lot from you people. Perhaps I am out-dated. Will you accept me in your group?” I asked him emotionally.
Miss Y intervened, “It is the other way round. It is we people who have to learn from you. Oh God! We just can’t imagine that a serving soldier of your age can compete with us in almost every front like a one-man-army and show us the path. We admire your guts and courage. Allow us to join your group, spend time with us too. We would like to visit your house and enjoy idli and dosas.”
Hence, remember, when you get pushed to the corner by your adversaries, understand, you are equally strong.
Dr (Col.) A. Balasubramanian
editor-in-chief
