Implement first, then plan!

My experience says that often, small learning’s have a greater impact on our lives...they not only alter our thought process but certainly our actions too.

This is one such learning:

An interesting discussion with one of my bosses in the telecom company that I worked:

Me: Boss, I am fed up of doing the market. I wish I was on the other side of the table.
Boss: You are implementing the strategy/policy of the company at the ground level. What’s wrong with that?
Me: Nothing Sir, but its really tough out there.
Boss: You are the face of the company in the market. Based on your market feedback, the management decides future strategy and/or takes corrective actions if required.
There are two sides to any business...Planning/Strategy & Implementation.

{and then the golden words...}

“Always remember, if you don’t know how to implement, you can never plan”.

Hence it is extremely important for young guys like you to first understand & expertise implementation, which can only happen when you work at the ground level.

Me: Yes boss, point taken!

Its a Goal

A few months back I met a career counsellor in Delhi, one Dr. Acharya. I basically consulted him in order to gain some perspective about where I was heading career-wise and what corrective action was required.

This gentleman enquired everything about my profile (education, jobs etc) and even asked me some questions on behavioural tendencies. When it was my turn to speak he patiently heard me out as I narrated how dissatisfied I was with work and how I was like a ship without direction. The discussion went on for over an hour. In the end, he told me one thing, rather the only thing that was missing in the entire sequence of events – The lack of Goals and a Vision. According to him, all other issues were secondary and just needed an attitudinal change, but the primary issue was that I did not have any short-term and long-term career goal in mind.

I must admit that I left the meeting quite disappointed, cuz I was seeking a solution to my problems, not a lecture on goal setting.

Today that has changed. I’ve started to believe in what he said. Because for the first time, I have a goal in mind. I have a Vision. Its true that this time it has come to my mind on its own.

Dr Acharya, I have penned down my short-term and long-term goals as directed by you and be rest assured that I will go all out to achieve them.

The Salesman!

Sales is the worst job that one can get into. It is also the best job if one makes it through. Although it is a fact that sales guys are frequently subjected to needless haranguing, often because of the dictatorial tendencies of their bosses, it is also true that from an organisational perspective, they are the most respected and valued for. They also enjoy the best of salaries and incentives. All this cuz they generate the one thing that drives the company – Revenue.

So a typical day of a sales person is as follows:

Morning:
- Get up all tensed, cuz if you don’t get that deal today, then your happiness for the remainder of the month will certainly be humped.
- Go to office. Give projection/commitment for the month and for the day (thank god we are spared for the hourly figures)!
Daytime:
- Go to field. Meet Clients (if there are scheduled meetings), else ‘Cold call’ if in the mood. If not, Bunk. Park your car in the shade. Switch on A/C & Music. Sleep. Put your phone on not reachable. Do operations work if any.
Evening:
- Give update on daily sale. Send Sale report. Fix meetings for next day.
Night:
- Conference call with boss. Sale report dissected. Spanking session on for 45mins-1 hour. Sleep. (Sleep well cuz you are obviously tired of the spanking).

Individuals with certain characteristics only can succeed in sales – ones who are aggressive, who have the ability to rough it out in the field without the comforts of an air-conditioned environment and literally work 24X7 & of course who can handle the immense pressure! Aside from this, luck too plays an important role.

In my tenure as a seller of technology, ad space & prepaid sim cards, I had my share of hits & misses. There were occasions where I was severely pulled up for non performance, abused by my bosses, threatened that I would lose my job etc...but also occasions where I was praised for quality work and cracking improbable deals. I also firmly believe that good salespersons are best suited to become entrepreneurs because they know ‘Business Development’ in the real sense.

The only downside to sales as I saw it was that at the end of the day, only one thing mattered – The Excel sheet! No matter how hard one tried to crack a deal, the efforts were not accounted for. Ultimately, it was only the “Target v/s Achievement” sheet that mattered. And the guys who topped this sheet (by hook or crook) were the ones who climbed up the ladder!

Aspirational madness

I have come across many people in my life...all from different walks, from diverse backgraounds...people who make an impact on you by their simple ways of life...i came across most of them in the different organisations that I had worked for...and established a good rapport with them and eventually a bond...
On my day to day interactions with these colleagues, I figured out how simplistic their nature was and how they were absolutely "content" with what they were doing. I hardly ever heard them crib about their lives...or fret about what they have, what they dont have, what they wish to have, hardly ever seen them "tensed" about anything...material aspirations did not matter to these guys...they just lived their life by the day, in "acceptance" of everything...their jobs, marriage, lifestyle etc...
I asked one of them, what do you do on weekends? n he said, .."kuch nahi...thoda tv dekhne ka, thoda biwi ko dekhne ka...aur sone ka". other than that, the occasional hindi movie in a theatre and dining out with family/friends".

I compared their lifestyle to mine...not only was the difference evident but reality sunk in - I was a cribster, always fretting about something or the other, totally dissatisfied with my work...hugely aspirational...be it earning money, or spending money...always wanting to have the "good things in life"...always wanting to "enjoy" with friends & have a good time.. making me realise that I am a victim of what i call "aspirational madness".

I've started believing that Aspiration and Dissatisfaction are inversely proportional and Im trying to answer these questions - Is my desire for "more" and "better" turning me into an insane person? Am I just being foolish by being aspirational? Should I just "let it be" in order to be content?