The Second Coming

Professional and personal aspirations for the New Year 2007

Strands of sticky red tape criss-cross my body and pin me down. Immobile, I can only sigh as little bureaucratic babus walk all over me. I feel like Gulliver, tied to the ground in Lilliput. I have been in this position for over nine months now!

Things have not been that bad, though. Not many people get to enjoy a spell of retirement in the middle of their careers. I daresay that I’ve gained on the swings what I’ve lost on the roundabouts. In the opening sentence of A Tale of Two Cities, Dickens aptly sums up what 2006 was like for me, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”. Yes, it has also given me the opportunity to look back at life and re-assess my priorities and aspirations. So, here goes…

1. A Passage Back to India
My first aspiration would be to return home to India. To gain perspective, you need to look at our country from the outside. On doing so, you cannot help but echo the poet Iqbal’s words, immortalized by Rakesh Sharma, “Saare Jahan Se Achcha”. It’s not just a cliché, it’s true…

I’ve explored opportunities in other lands. None can match the combination that India offers: culture, education, living standards, growth potential, security and racial harmony. All these have made India a destination of choice. The economic boom has resulted in a new-found respect for India and Indians. Tata Steel’s successful bid for Corus and Mittal Steel’s offer for Arcelor are symptomatic of our growing footprint.

The inadequate infrastructure and frustrating gubernatorial delays are mere road humps that decelerate the pace of progress.

2. A View to another Skill
I’ve never been fiercely ambitious. Career-wise, the pinnacle of my ambition was to be CFO of Titan or a company like it. With the company having identified my potential to move across functions, I can now aspire to be COO of a division like Tanishq. For this, I need to develop skills beyond my functional domain. I aspire to become a ‘Jack of all trades, master of one more’ this year.

Which skill? Maybe Marketing, in which I specialised at XLRI..? Or perhaps I could use the written word to churn out some great press releases, as a Public Relations person. Or use my people skills to transform the face of Human Resource management in Titan. Or my business sense, to get into a broader role where I can influence the results of the company. (The choice of an appropriate function would also depend on what Titan expects from me.)

In addition to using this new skill to further the company’s interests, I intend to prioritise my tasks better and to spend more time on the important few that could make a greater impact.

3. Sharpening the Saw
There’s a colleague who, whenever Titan’s financial results are declared, forwards the mail to me with a cryptic message, “Now look what you’ve done!” That is a flattering comment, no doubt, but unfair to the thousands of others who have contributed.

In some way, it shows that my perceived core competencies are Finance and – perhaps - common sense. The latter is like a muscle that develops on being exercised, which I have been doing. But I have miles to go before I can be world class in the evolving field of Finance. I need to keep ‘sharpening the saw’ (as Covey put it) to ensure that my competitive advantage is maintained. I intend to do this by enrolling for an appropriate course and interacting with peers in other organisations.

4. Let’s Get Physical
Having quit smoking recently, I believe that I have given myself a new lease of life. I aspire to stay off cigarettes and train for the Bangalore Ultra that is scheduled for December 16th, 2007. I intend to complete the 50 Kilometre distance in 5 hours, which would place me among the top finishers in the Veterans category.

I believe that my targeted timing is eminently achievable because I have completed a half-marathon in a shade over 2 hours. Starting a training regimen and sticking to it (while staying off nicotine) would be the keys to success.

5. One Life, Just Live It
I am firmly convinced that, as Titanians, we work for one of the best employers in India. But we may not always appreciate that fact – and the work that keeps us busy.

Beyond work, I aspire to spend more time with my family. To appreciate and encourage my children. To give more of myself to others. To appreciate life itself. To use my senses. (Have you felt the texture of leaves lately? Watched squirrels chasing each other round a tree? Watched butterflies fluttering by? Listened to birdsong in the morning? Smelt earth after the rain? Hugged a tree? Communed with nature? Try it, it soothes the soul.)

I aspire to acknowledge the presence of God and to sensitise others to His presence - by whatever name they choose to call Him. To seek His intervention to ensure that our mortal efforts yield divine results... I aspire to reach out to the underprivileged. I aspire, as Emerson put it, “to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition”.

Colombo.