Moments - as They Come- Un announced

The Moments - as They Come - un announced
Mindfulness Helps to Deal with Adversities
This is my own experience - blessed by mindfulness to resolve real life issue.
As a finance person in medium sized grey iron foundry- struggling for consolidation, I was never known for the compassion and goody goody approach towards the people. My duties were mainly focused in faster liquidity, a tight purse and to fund the growth.
Managing Director came from out of state old unit with knowhow, experts and some business which the old one could not fulfill.

One fellow, expert, could speak only a native language, fearful appearance and rough habits one can have. He helped MD to set up production and training. Foundry was doing nearly 70% of business volume with brought in skills. Naturally he behaved like arrogant savior - but he never had any encounter me.

One morning MD told me - after salary revisions this fellow came to MD's home, hotly argued with him for sidetracking him - used rough language. MD's wife, who took care of the people her husband brought with him till they got settled, was terrified by the crude behavior and asked him out of home at once.

MD added he is all confused and wanted me to handle the situation, as I was virtually outsider. Having uprooted the fellow from his town, MD felt concerned for supervisor's future well being and was willing for any respectable way to get the fellow out of company without bitterness, without obliging him with his demands. Competitors were keen to have the knowhow was another risk and there were day to day problems of imbalanced production, value additions, deliveries and sourcing of inputs and so on.

I went to shop floor and asked him to my office. I offered him a cigarette and coffee. He was bit relaxed for importance given to him. I suggested him to go on leave till we decide about his future or he can come in and sit in my office doing nothing - cutting him off the operations to display we can do without him. He had lent so much of money to fellow workers and naturally needed excuse to be in a factory to collect the debts.

We executives used to take lunch together at noon. One of my colleagues was very happy for a new challenge thrown at me as I used to advocate turning adversities into opportunities in the company, he was eager to test me on my theories.. Moreover he needed this person for adequate intermediates for good production levels.

This was a tight rope walking - if I remove the fellow for good I would be responsible for inadequate intermediates, his continued presence was undesirable.

Next day the fellow came, sat in my office, declined the cigarette, drank cup of tea. Sitting there in my office he was getting restless, knowing me he was afraid of getting out on shop floor. After the lunch break, he asked me if he could talk to me. I said 'yes', he then started telling me all that he did for the factory, how in his community having no money or regular income is looked at, he has two kids, his poverty and so many such things. Knowing he cannot have a plain talk with anybody else, he started opening up and was judging my responses.

Middle age, in unknown land, language barrier, growing family responsibilities and hurt feelings had made him vulnerable. He was loosing his identity and worth as a skilled fellow - his trainees were doing better. I knew it very well - still his intermediates were needed to add at least 15% more value to our products. May be his absence will prolong the thin margins.


Next day he straight way asked me a sum of Rs. 50000/- so that he could resign and go back. It was his way of dictating the terms. I saw through him, his needs, aspirations and pains of going back from a growing business he helped to stabilize. He knew money he will get will never last for more than few months - still very vulnerable.

Mastering my memory and imagination I remembered many people re bouncing in such situations. I also put myself in his shoes. Then came a reflex action - I told him,'I will help you to be in a small industry - business, collect your debts, would you like it?'

He got thrilled and eager. I told him, I will help him to get space on rentals, provide equipments, materials, orders, good rates and weekly payments. He needs just to produce the intermediates, any quantities for supplying to us. He will be boss and control his workers, show his guts and skills to make as much money he can make out of it and earn a place of pride.

First, he could not believe it all, then asked me questions and then sensed a reason and honorable solution. We wrote down it all and signed it.

In any manufacturing company there is a technical and commercial divide, this was a technical solution from a commercial person. That day I shocked my lunch team with the news and proposal - all win solution. All liked it. MD told me that this has saved his face. We executed the plan. In first month itself value added products were 20% above normal, the contributions more than we invested to help the fellow to be a 'businessman' and it was a long lasting and pleasing solution. Indiscipline was removed and self motivated source was added.

Looking back I see it started 'outsourcing culture' in the foundry industry in our city and helped mushrooming subcontracting units.

Many think like this and grow; but do not realize when they stopped thinking creatively. The supervisor succeeded, became happy and entrusted business to his sons.

MD had to leave this organization unceremoniously; he was smart, but not enough to think afresh every day, every moment and in every adversity.

Many people fail like MD in this case, once they feel they have reached somewhere