20 Years! And where do I stand?

Well, it's 20 years! A massive number of days, indeed!

A professional life that enriched, enlightened, evoked various emotions!  Under any circumstances, I won't say it was a ‘hit-the-dream-button’ nor would say ‘what-the-hell’ experience.

To describe in short and to be fair, it could be to an extent a roller-coaster ride, for the sheer reason that, in spite of ups and downs, fears and falls, the journey was adrenaline pumping and enjoyed the adventurous moments throughout!!!

The 20 years were also a when-will-I kind of feeling i.e. during which I tend to continue to miss the native home to daily work kind of life, as my father enjoyed (and he wanted me to do the same but the rush of young blood refused to do so...)!

Yes, he wanted me to become a teacher, by all means I respect, admire the profession and still teaching my daughter the same. But my one dimensional view of those days prohibited me from the same and I could still recall my chat with my father. I said government jobs are for those who don’t have self-belief. I’m capable, I'm confident and I could earn more than the entire pension-life in short time in my private sector. And there are no performance indicators for government jobs. Either you perform or punch-lunch-punch, you will get the slow firm growth.Whereas with my performance, I could go heights in short time.

Well, if I need to re-assess my above stand after 20 years, I still don't know which side I stand.  But a thing which I am made of - as I understood now is - for sure, I cannot do the same routines over a period of time and for double sure, I do love teaching (or as per my team 'preaching') as well.

So, where do I stand?  It is very difficult to sum-up still.

The journey started off as a trainee and it was a time which had some set rules (who had set is not clear though) like join as a trainer, confirm in 1 year, engineer in 3 years, senior engineer in 8 years, Assistant Manager in 12 years and Manager in 15 years! Of course, the IT came and broke all those rules and younger ones started becoming CEOs by mid-thirties.

Break-through of a seasoned system is never easy. And I did try that in spite of being in non-IT sector. After a steady growth of 5 years, a change came from nowhere on a rainy day. It was a travel from north to east by all means! The magnetic power of sticking to a stabilized job and a progress-by-steps organization was broken by the will to explore new things. 

And the next two years are the greatest years of the professional life by all means. It did break the paradigm which in fact brought something I never dreamt of...an overseas job was never ever on the cards of aims / goals.  And it did come in the same old style from my school life. A change, as wide as a right angle. Yes, you read it right!

Close to two years, all alone in midst of a crowd. It was experimenting than exploring. It was experiencing than enjoying. It was an end to a beginning. The rocks of mind got softened like the soft sands of Saudi Arabian desert. And then came the wave, which washed away the markings.

A brief period which was never imagined, a page which was not acceptable in my career book did happen. The stillness from job routine kept the mind busier than the body. That self-imposed exile ended with a throw-away quick fire exposure to an on-shore international exposure in Gwalior.  The first meet of South vs North. And it was like a new cloth, excited to wear, non-fitting and uncomfortable. Few months down the lane the thought process of far could be fair made the next move - once again crossing the borders. 

And it was 10 years!

The hard grind of 10 years brought the stability to the mind and subsequently to the job. In fact, the one suited my style to a certain extent with new challenges, project after project, FAIs after FAIs... Handling of big giants, overseas travels. The focus shifted from aspiration to do-well and that performance brought the growth, naturally.

As goes the saying, everything has a saturation point and when it meets the family position, your next move is auto-installed. And it did in style with bringing back to on-shore.  A new life, new leaf, which went from first gear to 6th gear in a months’ time and before you realize and change the gear, 4 years gone.  And the four years was wit immense challenge, new horizons, new learnings and life was on air.  The next two years, a back-to-routine with calmness after the storm....life goes...

And the completion of 20 years!  In a way, I personally feel 20 years is more significance than 25 years or so (though it gets the recognition of jubilee celebrations), as 20 years is the one which really transforms a man into a professional.  20 to 25 may be a phase of upping the hierarchical ladder no difference than your early part of career.

From a small village to round the globe, from dimensional to dynamic, from wonder-kid to wonder-guide it's a journey I can cherish.  To get back to my father's words, at least after 16 years, I came first time to work within my state, if not district or home.

So, where do I stand in these 20 years?

I don't know really, again, a sense of calmness is the feel.  No more looking around for role models, no more jealousy mindset, no more I want to achieve this attitude.  It feels like the typical fatherhood, the feel that gives more than wanting more.  It tells you the view of the other side, it tells you to understand others constraints, it whispers in your ears to let-them-go, don't-be-wild.

I know a thing or two for sure...

I gave my best, every moment, every job and in every organization, whatsoever are the results.  I came out of each organization with an assurance of red carpet in case I wish to come back.  I left every organization sad & happy, a point that makes me proud.  The career growth curve for each one differs and a straight line is never considered an art, isn't it?

Through the journey, I see that I have also broken some myths.  Just to share a few,

Myth No. 1: 'Love the job, not the organization' that's what they say.  I beg to differ.  Why not the organization?  At the end of the day, it is also fair to love the mother who gave you the kids, isn't it?  I loved each and every organization I was / am associated with it and gave the output until the last day.  In turn I got a lot of love back, by the Management of each organization to stay back / come back.

Myth No. 2: Employees do not leave the job, the leave the boss.  I made a mockery of this myth, I would say.  All the bosses I have got so far have been amazing ambassadors of leadership.  From giving me freedom, encouraging me to do improvements, exposing me without fear....All bosses still make me to feel good even now.

Myth No. 3: Keep jumping to get jumps.  False, whenever or wherever I stayed longer, it reduced the acuteness of the graph.

I have learnt a lot....And I am still learning...And I give back to my team what I have learnt...If you agree that this is a wonderful feet, then you gave me the answer.