<p><em>If our thoughts are right, our actions would be right and would benefit all, says <strong>Rohit Das</strong></em><br><br>In my career, I have been associated with five corporate takeovers. In all of them, I have observed five classic phases of emotions through which most employees go through. The first is uncertainty and skepticism. What will happen to me?<br><br>The next phase is of euphoria. “Oh things will improve for us” — better pay and perks, better working condition — gains of personal nature. But not much thought go into what the new management expects from them. This is also the period where the new management starts noticing unpleasant things which they had missed during due diligence. And then, the inevitable process of change management sets in.<br><br>The third phase lasts till the new company kick-starts the process of change management. This is a time the employees get ruffled. Their comfort zones are questioned and shaken. This is the crib, cry and gossip period. And it ends with some people leaving by choice and some people made to leave.<br><br>The fourth phase is being alert and putting the best foot forward. Caution prevails as not to make any wrong move.<br><br>And then, finally, the team gels with the new ethos and it is time for business as usual.<br> <br>From the people point of view, the second and third phase is critical. Some companies handle it well by better communication and behaving humanely, while others handle it rather ruthlessly.<br><br>Beta is a small agency, which is moving through the second and third phase. Let us observe the behaviour of each charac-<br>ter and see if they could have acted differently for a better outcome. This alternate reaction is what I call ‘The Other Me’, a ‘Me’, which strives for a better out-come for all. <br><br><strong>Desai</strong><br>Desai decision to sell his 40-year-old baby to get into a new business clearly indicates that things were not well at Beta. He should have communicated the issues to his long associated team members. He owed that much to them.<br><br><strong>Arth</strong><br>A successful professional with a big ambition. After taking over Beta, he realised that ‘collections’ needed to be tackled and that a ‘new positioning’ was required in tune with the times. He started the process of streamlining the system, and put up a collection incentive scheme for his staff. For ‘new positioning’, he spoke to Omana, but not as a suggestion but as an order. Actions are the culmination of thoughts. If our thoughts are right, our actions would be right and would benefit all. Arth’s thoughts appear to be that of an arrogant person who does not believe in inclusiveness. Even while his money and reputation was at stake he did not take his team into confidence for setting the right agenda. He chose to remain aloof. He should have known that if going into a shell was a perfect solution, then the whole world would be an oyster.<br><br><strong>Nana</strong><br>Nana, because of his age and experience, was perceived to be a friendly, spiritual guide. And he appears to enjoy this position. How one projects himself is not as important as how others perceive him. But if how you project yourself is also how others perceive you, then you have to fulfil the responsibility that goes with it.<br><br>Nana was aware of some of the problems (a month ago, he came to know the bonus had been cancelled.) at Beta much before the others. But he chose not to share or do anything about it. Finally, when he approached Arth and didn’t get the required ‘importance’, he chose to abandon the team.<br><br>It appears he is more interested in his superannuation from Beta. (Some of the simile he used also shows his not-so spiritual mindset. The war simile — war creates destruction on both sides. Peace is desirable. The master-servant simile is misplaced in an employer-employee context. In the Ramayana, the context is that of a bhakt and aaradhya.)<br><br><strong>Employees</strong><br>They have to take a call whether to confront, compromise or construct. But they need a leader. Can Omana be that?<br>This, in a nutshell, is the story of me-first. Alas the other me (Beta) is lost.<br><em>Two souls alas, dwell within my breast, Each wants to separate from the other; One in the Hearty lovelust, Clings to the heart with clutching organs;<br>The other lifts itself mightily from the dust;<br>To high ancestral regions<br>– Goethe, Faust I, 1112 </em><br><br><em>The writer is director, Intrim Business Associates. A corporate consultant, he is a start up and turnaround specialist and also a life coach and mentor</em><br><br>(This story was published in BW | Businessworld Issue Dated 13-07-2015)</p>
