If people are coming to work excited . . . if they're making mistakes freely and fearlessly. . if they're having fun . . . if they're concentrating doing things, rather than preparing reports and going to meetings - then somewhere you have leaders -Robert Townsend
Every leader has his own story of success, failure, belief, struggle, motivation and inspiration, so do I have it all.. I had it even when I was working in this big IT giant, where my work was appreciated by all. I was working in a banking domain project, joined as an associate engineer, with all thoughts of proving myself, my capabilities, my calibre. Was filled with enthusiam and pumped with gushing blood in my veins to set standards for myself and for others. I was an outstanding student throughout my studies. I completed my graduation and masters with all thoughts to live and enjoy my life great time in this silicon world. Where profession becomes part of you and you become part of it. Where there is no end of success stories, no end of mamoth remuneration, tremendous onsite opportnities; where you keep on flying, work and enjoy, all on company's expenses. Where you see these huge corporate buildings, towers, with shinny glasses and large cubicals. Its the place in which i always dreamt to be.
With all my great efforts and ability to understand the domain, I kept going on in my career without looking back. I got promoted as a Sr. Associate Engineer in no longer time. My management always trusted me being responsible and the initiaves I took for the completion of various projects I worked in.
Then there was a new client, who gave our company a huge contract. Management trusted upon me once again and handed over this new assignment. Oh wow... I was a lead now! I built my own team, got knowledge transfer done. Sat with the business development team, gathered the requirements, did analysis, created proof of concepts and created several presentations. I was called for onsite training for business understanding where I got the exposure of working closely with the business users. Oh gosh... it feels so amazing when you work with the people, who will be using the application made by you. I would be saving their so much money by handing them over such an efficient application, which will save them so much time and will develop and increase their business many folds. Then I came back to train my team and our days started to become shorter and nights also started to become the part of it... then the workload started consuming our weeknds and we were left with no space to even breathe in a lill' air. Be it toughest of the times, my team always supported me with their best. We always thought we have been doing so well... but management had their own views about it.. Things started to turn the other way. Our efforts were ignored by calling it lack of effeciency, they said,"you lack time management", they wanted it to be developed overnight... "how is it possible, if someone can tell me that!!", i spoke to my team. We all started to give out all what we were left with, but still, escalations from client ripped it all... client started to blame the management. My manager's poor estimates and commitments paid the price by taking my and few other team member's jobs. They recruited a new guy who could handle and clean all this shit, which my manager did, so that my manager could play safe and save his ass. Few others who had some good PR, got shifted in some other project. I was asked to hand over all documents, knowledge and understanding, I gained and developed in past one year in this project to the new guy and was asked to leave...
Oh did I ever thought that company was also facing recession?? Was I so much into my work that I completely ignored the fact that be it any place politics has its presence everywhere?? Later I came to know that the middle management had always benefitted from my work. My manager also recieved the recognition for saving the project. Serveral stories were made behind me that I was never a performer, management gave me a chance to prove my existence and thats why they gave me that project... it ripped me into pieces. Recession started to bliss me with its love... There were no jobs in the market. Every company showed me no vacancies or kept my resume on hold, consultants never turned back.. All my dreams shattered in pain. Several years of my dedication gave me nothing in return at the end.. But may be it was not the end of it...
"Every leader has his own story of success, failure, belief, struggle, motivation and inspiration, so do I have it all.."
I have it all even now, I, without wasting a single moment, enrolled in a professional course. Cracked lot of certifications and got this new job in this huge IT giant, where my work will be appreciated by all.
Today was my first day, I filled new recuit forms for almost half of the day... Now I remember my name, address and date of birth so well that i can write it without even thinking of it; the most boring day of anyone's life. But for me, it was not a boring day, I had a job with me today. I still remember all what I went through and with all those memories I met my hiring manager.. He introduced this new lead to his team. I was so excited to see my new team. After that he called me to his cabin and told me that mangement recruited me to replace the existing lead, him being under-performer, and I should take handover of knowledge base from him ASAP. I went to the lead and asked him as what was instructed to me. I was not able to see into his eyes. But then I didn't bother myself much because now I was here for some business, as i had already learnt alot from my experiences. Now things are different, may be because 'its not me' anymore.
