My Behaviour...

GS Ramesh

I didn’t react to that person who reported to me and I told him to let them shout. He was surprised by my behaviour. After 30 minutes, I went out and stood in front of them and told them about what happened inside the room and said that I had not come here to apologize to the people and that if they were not going to go back to their work, then I would have no other choice but to take action.

 I had only come and stood before them because of their age and experience. I respect elders, they were surprised about my style, they calmed down & then I told them to sit in the Conference room, they went inside & sat.

I asked them what was the problem, they said that for the last 15 years there were so many issues & so far none was solved for them. I told them to list out their issues in the board. They wrote, I studied them and then I told them that they waited for so long & now to give me 15 days to resolve all their issues. They laughed at it. You can imagine all the senior people laughing at me.

On the 12^th day, I again called them in the Conference room and asked them what they have to say about their issues. The same senior most person got up came near me and hugged me and said that I was going to be a very successful man. And that, I had all their blessings, that I had resolved their issues and I had built trust which can never break between us and they were with you. Honestly, the learning which we get out of this is as said before Empathy is the key principle and for HR Professionals “Do it before they expect and the World is yours.”

Well I challenged my Senior

GS Ramesh

After joining we used to have regular review meetings on Saturdays wherein the big boss and other Seniors used to be present and we were the Junior most. While Saturday Review Meetings used to be tough for all, it was quite informative and educative. 

In one of the meetings, the Head of Personnel of one of the Coal Mines openly challenged that no one could manage his Mines, wherein more than 4000 employees were working and it is a difficult Mine. He challenged in the open meeting whether anyone could accept his challenge.

I was the Junior most full of zest and as usual I raised my hand and I told him, I accept the challenge. Everyone were shocked and laughed, but I said that “I meant it. I would like to take this challenge.” My big boss, I don’t know what he felt, after few days, suddenly he gave the charge of that Mine to me.

The day when I took charge, it was obviously very challenging and I used to come to office at 8.45 A.M., whereas office time was at 9.00 A.M. To my surprise, I found the office staff entering the office at 9.30 A.M., 9.45 A.M., 10.00 A.M.,  I called one senior most person who was about 55 years of age and asked him that why all the people were coming late. 

He stared at my face and then said in the past Mr. ‘A’ came and left, Mr. ‘B’ came and left, Mr. ‘C’ came and left, no one could touch us, you are too young to handle us. This reply came as a jolt, but immediately I responded to him stating that ‘A’ came ‘B’ came ‘C’ came & left, but now Ramesh has come & he will not leave and you might have to leave the company if you don’t fall into the discipline. He was shocked and looked at my face on hearing this reply, then I asked him to leave the room & go and sit in his seat.

  

After some time there was a big noise in the Office and I was told that all the staff had come out of the office and stood outside the gate shouting against me and told that I had insulted the Senior most person.

They were bare bodied

 

GS Ramesh

Well I am very happy that people are started liking my Blog. The response is very encouraging.

Handling Coal Miners was an experience by itself. When we see a Coal Miner, his attire is helmet, which is known as Caplamp and they will be bare bodied, except having a dress which you can call it equivalent to swimming suit. 

When I visited underground mine, I could see the different working condition. That means loading coal through a basket wherein the oxygen level as well as humidity level both were not at very comfortable limit. Honestly recalling their working with high level of commitment and the present people who enjoy most of their life in AC and always cribbing is their habit. I may be wrong.  I have experienced such people who are working in tough working conditions, they also need right appreciation, recognition by the society. Similarly many unorganized sector still have not got the right response from the society as compared to organized sector who always claim that they are the one who is contributing to the nation. This is a malady. 

I always thank God that I got an opportunity to work in Coal sector, Steel sector, Cement sector, Government sector and then in Auto sector and sometimes I feel writing a book comparing all the sectors and their experiences, which itself has been a great learning more than the academic learning of MBA or otherwise. Today comfort has become a big menace of the growth of the country. Honestly I learnt the dynamics of HR, Man Management and Industrial Relations in Coal and Steel sector and the take away, I can summarize in one sentence is

“ Be empathetic to others”

“Develop ability to feel for others”

“Learn to give happiness to others”