Discussion

Things were not working right. Something was wrong. I was having this feeling since many days. All my colleagues seemed to cope up with the work pressure and deadlines. Somehow I was restless.

Was it I who was only restless? What to do now? Who to contact? Will there be anyone who can understand my situation and give some solution?

"Calm down Calm down Sameer!” I said to myself. "First try to know the real problem" I repeated the words I have heard in some movie, where the teacher trains her students to overcome hurdles.
Sometimes movies also help you this way, they teach things.

"And what is your real problem Sameer? Can you write down the most important three issues that are disturbing you currently", I again talked to me.
"Yes why not", said I; internally knowing that I wasn’t having the slightest clue of what I was about to say next. There wasn't any thought yet in my mind about the most important issues before now. But this self dialog was helping, I thought, and again got engaged in the dialog.

"You see I work so hard but the work given to me is so much that I cannot complete it in the given time frame. What ever I do it never gets appreciation, and I am always behind the schedule."
"So is it the time management problem? or work management problem?", my second mind asked me.
"No it is the appreciation problem, I feel useless if no one appreciates what I have done."
"Oh, so you got the issue nailed now," said my second mind and continued, "I will rephrase the problem now and it is you have no problem to work late and work hard, and only you want is people should note what you are doing and should appreciate the work done in time."
"Exactly! You said it"

"Now let us try to find a solution to this issue", said my second mind. "Yes yes", I responded eagerly and "how to do that?" was my obvious question.

"Well I don’t know Sameer", said my second mind; "but I must find one for you as I am the creative part of your existence."

"Hey you see that calendar?” asked my mind.
"Where oh on the right wall yes", said I
"And it says bhiu nakos mii tujhyaa paathishii aahe, means don’t be afraid I am always with you"
"So..."
"It gives me one idea, see we work for someone. The output of our work, the deliverables is property of our company. So if there is any problem we should reach above our position to convey the problems to them who own these deliverables."

"Hey do you really think this can solve the issue? And not aggravate it, look I don’t want to be cornered as a nagger or an in-competent employee", said I with force.

"You may be right but what I think is if all the ways are exhausted and you have left with no option, there is a option to surrender to the supreme authority, and for us the supreme authority in work are our superiors."
"I agree to this, but how to proceed"
"Plan a meeting with the management and raise the concern"
"Will that help?"
"It may or may not but it will provide us a feeling that we have done our job of telling them at the right time"
"And what should I tell them"
"All the things you told me, all the issues and the exact thing what we pointed out some minutes ago".

"Hey you know what, I am feeling good now. Talking to you was great Sameer!"
"No problem yaar after all I am your second mind, and the creative one, remember!"

"You know", I said, "I feel fresh after all this thoughts. I can work with energy again now. The problem seems to have vanished. I no longer feel dejected. But yes I will keep the solution you suggested in mind. Whenever there will be the time when I am left with no other option I will follow the “surrender to the supreme power” way what you told."
"No problem yaar, but do you agree that problem should not persist. If there is something haunting you in the back of your mind then it affects the work and the work is the only criteria to prove your existence."
"Yes I agree to that"

"So shall we celebrate with coffee now?” asked my second mind. "Yes by all means", I nodded my face marching towards the pantry to have a cup of coffee.

Tushar Joshi, Nagpur

(Image courtesy Vanessa)