Fanaticism at work..dont disturb !!
Almost a week at my new job and I can already see significant differences in the way things are done here ..A lot more passion,a lot more straight-from-the-gut talk...a lot more "lets-do-this-bcos-we-want-to !"..but also a lack of process understanding,re-inventing the wheel over and over again and maybe,therefore...a lot less effective..sometimes....
In my lifetime,I have been associated with the following organizations(school,college and workplaces)-Don Bosco,Delhi;Carmel School,Blore;SCVK,Blore;MES College,Blore;BMS College,Blore,2 companies-a medium-sized IT concern and then a huge FMCG;IIT Madras;One of India's largest IT companies and then now-a medium-sized IT company.
2 places stand out in my memory out of the above.2 Places where i had fun....
First was SCVK-an ICSE school,2nd batch to ever pass out..13 in the class-6 guys and 7 girls...lack of facilities,lack of resources...lack of almost everything...but..the advantages(or is it disadvantages) of a small organization-want something to be done ? Do it yourself ! and so..a 100% first class at the end of the final year !
Second came MBA @ IIT madras..38 students...2nd batch to ever pass out(again !)..lack of facilities,lack of resources...lack of almost everything(we were so shocked after the first few days that some of us even considered going back to work and do an MBA the following year !)...but..the advantages(or is it disadvantages) of a small organization-want something to be done ? Do it yourself(we have even swept the floor of auditorium before the Pre-placement talk of the first company to come for campus recruitment that year !The day after has been the most satisfying of my life..so far..:) ! and so..100% placements(with a decent average salary !) at the end of the 2 years !
At both places..I was involved in almost everything that happened(as were most other people-If you didnt get involved,you risked being left out as the lazy good-for-nothing one !:)...so much so,that I am still in touch with the people there..to this day...
But..the common thread between the 2-fanaticism...With small organizations the advantage is that you have do everything yourself and do it well !! It helps to mentally psych yourself that the whole world is out to get you and the only way you can survive is to fight it out-backs to the wall,blood and guts stuff...and thats why the fanaticism..
I see that kind of fanaticism with the way things are done at my new employer...but it is still early days yet and I do not want to take a call right now...I hope,i am rite and this place stands out in my memory,the same way,the other 2 do..
Bcos...People cannot work bcos they have to,they need to work bcos they want to..You can do it for a couple of years...but in the end,you need to do what you really believe in and something you are good at...In my first job,I yearned to see that kind of fanaticism...that kind of involvement..that kind of passion..It happened in bits and pieces-during my first project,but died a slow death somewhere along the way...I guess that was the disadvantage of working for a large organization..It is already so large that it doesnt really matter if you put in that delta effort more at work or not...
On the other hand,smaller companies tend to have their own disadvantages as well..especially for people who like to do things in an organized and structured manner..as I said earlier,the process or lack of it is a concern..also,office politics can be deadly at smaller organizations..
PS: some other day..a post about my observations on the changes that small organizations have to go through when they try to scale up..and scale up big !! based on 2 live case-studies that I have been personally witness to...
Disclaimer: the author of this post does not profess to be a management/global-gyan guru...he understands and respects them when you have views and opinions which do not necessarily concur with his own..The above post is based on observations gathered through experiences gained by him after a lifetime in this world...which is why it is called a blog with comments and not an e-magazine soliciting your "esteemed" views...
PPS: I hope that disclaimer satisfies you , miss avenger..long time since I received a mail from you..and longer since i retorted..was getting a little boring..so...Theek se chaabi lagao toh gudhiya bhi naachne lagti hai,tum toh phir bhi insaan hi ho..
:)