Work life & Meditation

Every time I went for a meditation camp few acquaintances and relatives of mine would ask me if I was planning to become a nun. No, I was not! I was intending to become a professional. Meditation taught me to be non-judgmental and non-reactive. Whether it was a good sensation or bad I had to let it pass. I also learnt the importance of silence through meditation. The same techniques can be applied to survive in a professional world. Whether it be praise or criticism we have to learn how to let it pass. Just because someone is too good to us doesn't mean we can trust them. Evil intentions are usually disguised in the veil of politeness. Similarly, just because someone condemns us doesn't mean we have a reason to doubt ourselves. If the criticism is justified, then we've got to use our wisdom to make needed improvements. On the other hand, if the criticism is baseless, then we have to learn how to ignore it. Silence also becomes very necessary in professional dealings. Many times the words we use can be used against us. Vipassana advocates noble silence whereby no communication is possible even through gestures and body language. Having a blank expression where no other person can guess what's running through your mind is also crucial at work. This is important for two reasons - first, one must separate work and emotions and second, because it helps us keep a safe distance from people who are experts at manipulation. 

Work life entails a lot of pressure and stress. There are many chances of emotional fluctuation. One time you're elated and at other times you're down in distress. Learning how to deal with such highs and lows and keeping a stable balance guarantees a mentally healthy life. We also gain extra strength and stability for dealing with difficult situations. Having a calm personality and being a person who's fair and competent is the mark of a true professional. The only way I can think of how to get to that mark is by applying the techniques of meditation. So, the next time I sit to meditate - it's not just because I am looking for a spiritually fulfilled life, it's also because I'm looking forward to be a mentally healthy professional.

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Feedback - what does it say?

When you're new in any organization, the first few months is the time for learning. During this phase you'd expect your colleagues to co-operate and your seniors to guide you. You're also likely to make some mistakes. Perhaps you end up doing things differently than it's usually done. You will need someone to outline the system and process for you. If I do a certain process differently, it doesn't mean I think I'm better than everyone else and I'm trying to implement my own system. It only means that I haven't understood the system yet and I want someone to show me the right way. However, few managers tend to think the other way round. This morning I made a simple mistake of numbering in a slightly different manner than it's usually done. I wasn't trying to change the system or prove my ways are better. I just didn't know and I had too much work to notice the minor slip. The feedback I got, "Do you think your ways are better than my system and everyone else who worked here before you? If you think that way then you've got to prove it to me and I can assure you, you can't." The same person once told me, "I don't want you to do the easy way. I want you to do things my way." Now when I think of the constant feedback I keep getting from this person, I realize the feedback speaks less about me and more about him. Apparently, I don't mind! That's what work life is all about. A lot of people see their own reflection and perception in you. You gotta learn to keep an open mind and open ears whereby you listen everything, ignore most of it and retain a few points that help you learn and grow.

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Bad examples

If a high ranking official talks about fairness, integrity and professionalism but lets his personal ego and issues influence his professional decisions, then it's hard to follow the values and standards he sets. If the same official favors and appreciates even the mistakes of a mendacious worker while condemning the efforts of the conscientious one, then its easy to question his intentions. When that same person changes business partners and makes employees overwork but underpays in the name of cost-saving yet refuses to let go of the perks and allowances granted to him, then its obvious to eye him as corrupt. Big talks doesn't make anyone appear big in the eyes of others. The work one does and the behavior one exhibits follows like a shadow. If the intention of a manager or someone in a higher authority role is to motivate and influence their co-workers and subordinates, big talks don't serve the purpose. What truly determines the character and commitment level of a professional is the work and not the words. Sadly too many hypocrites exist and we have to learn to deal with them. Sad but true - professionalism demands we keep a straight face despite the disgust. We simply learn to carry on with our work responsibilities without placing any degree of trust and respect for those who manage us in the name of corporate hierarchy. They are the unfortunate bad examples in the name of leadership. We despise them but the best we can do is try never to be like them and stay alert for though we're good, we all have to learn how to save our a**.

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Management Styles

I'd always been the kind of person who've believed in motivating a person through love. I regarded fear motivation as a wrong practice. Appreciation and kindness seemed to me the best way to get work done through people. Democracy and freedom in work was important. But, lately a few instances where I've had the responsibility to manage has made me think differently. How you motivate and manage largely depends upon the kind of people you're dealing with. If it's proactive subordinates or team members who take their work seriously, are dedicated, willing to learn and understand what is expected of them then appreciation and democracy works the best. However, if you're dealing with people who're incompetent yet exhibit an atmosphere of overconfidence, take no initiative to learn, have no respect for authority and constantly makes mistakes that put you in a difficult position then direction, strictness and some degree of fear motivation becomes necessary.

Administering activities and managing a group of people is a difficult job. We cannot say one model works better than the other one. Whether you become a democratic leader or an authoritarian one depends directly on the kind of people you're managing. On a personal level, it might be considered as changing colors but on a professional level it's being flexible and tactful. After all, one's responsibility as a chief administrator is getting the work done efficiently and up to the standards without any blunders and not pleasing people. The key rule here is to learn about the people you're going to manage and adjust your management style accordingly.

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