Appreciation

Pravin was working for a software company as a consultant.

"So how is your work? You said you are with a company working as a software consultant Praveen", his friend Amar asked.
"Good, the people are good. There is one project manager Sagar", said Praveen "who closely coordinates with me in the project"
"And you know this Sagar is a very difficult guy, very demanding", added Pravin.

"Demanding? What type of demanding is he?” was the next question by Amar.

"You know Sagar is always pressing timelines and even he asks people to stay late for work."

"Sometimes they also feel that the urgency is a false urgency created by Sagar only to get the things done", told Praveen with wrinkles on his forehead.

"Even he is ridiculed on his back about his demanding nature.", Praveen started again as if remembering something, "that day I overheard the developers cracking joke on him"

"He was being ridiculed as a Captain of the project, software developer regiment, who is very strict and rude."

"Interesting", said Amar "then what happened next?" asked Amar again.
"Nothing, project is nearing completion and may be over this month then my contract with that company ends."

Some months later when Amar and Praveen were chatting on messenger

Praveen: Hi Amar

Amar: Hi Praveen whatsup hows life

Praveen: fine yaar, I joined a big MNC couple of months back.

Amar: great and what is the current project

Praveen: our company has outsourced one sub part of the project to one company, that company you know I was working as a consultant? And I am coordinating it.

Amar: oh yes, so it seems you suggested that company to them

Praveen: yes because I felt they could do things

Amar: and who is the project manager this time? I remember your Captain Sagar from the last experience.

Praveen: same Sagar. I demanded to work only with him.

Amar: oh god! You said he was difficult and pressing and demanding and what not last time, so how could you choose him for the work again.

Praveen: You know he is the guy who delivered the project in-spite of much turbulence. I observed him very closely. He often gets bad remarks, but you know what? he gets the things delivered.

Amar: hum so you say he is a good project manager for a client but not for the developers; see as soon as you have switched the roles you are praising him so deeply.

Praveen: you may be right, but I have seen many project managers and amongst them this guy really knows what he is doing and will always be preferred over others.

Amar: ok, time to go see you again Praveen

Now Praveen and Sagar are again working together, only the roles are different and this can be a start of great friendship.

Tushar Joshi, Nagpur

(Image courtesy Jonathan Machen )