Two experiences worth sharing about how purposely leadership ignore some situations.
In one such interaction with someone known & very senior in Law & Order department, we had asked that when Police knows that these are the dirty corners of city, all criminal activities, illegal activities happen in those areas, than why those areas are not cleaned immediately. The explanation was that if you see historically for 1000 of years, there are dirty corners in each community, each town. Sometimes, it’s good to ignore those areas & let it be as all negative energies of community, town will be contained in those known areas only. If you get rid of those elements, those negative energies are not going to disappear from society, but it will spread everywhere, & it will be difficult to locate. At least with those dirty corners, your entire city or other community areas are well preserved.
Second incidence was around the incident of Manjunath case period. We used to manage different characters, business partners across India. Some extremely good, some extremely difficult to manage. I was supposed to visit one difficult area for business purpose. One of the very senior leader, boss, business head, met me a week before my that trip. He told me that the area you are going to visit is wonderful area, amazing people, you can learn & contribute in that area. But, first time, he opened up & told me that there is dirty corner of business in that area. Just avoid that, in simple words, don’t try to be a hero, lot of things are there to do, focus there, don’t try & clean those corners at all. He is no more there in this world, but for us he was great leader, very strict, lot of pressure, ruthlessly workaholic. So when such so senior leader gives you such advice, you are already in dilemma about depth of problem in that corner, & how you will manage as if that is not as per your values.
The advice was don’t go there, don’t meet those characters for business. Let business suffer in those pockets.
Now, I entered that city & it was late evening, I was going probably second time in that town. I saw our logo on one cross road & I pulled my car to take some advice on where to stay in the town, a good hotel. It’s venue of our business partner so we confidently go inside office & introduce ourselves. So, here I enter the office, introduced myself, & sought advice on good recommended hotel for night stay. I felt something wrong unethical happening there already but I ignored. The person occupying that office was so happy to see me in sales office that he couldn’t believe that I had came to meet him. He told me that welcome sir, no one has come to this sales office for last many years, welcome, welcome. Who was he, same category guy, whom I was advised not to meet, avoid strictly.
You can understand the situation, the advice & you did exactly opposite of that advice by mistake.
Now good part, the advice was absolutely correct, that corner was dirty for years, but that information of dirty corner was 15 years old, & due to that advice given to everyone, no one went there to check current status. By the way, there wasn’t anything wrong unethical happening larger way, it was arrogance of operating in a way, ignoring set procedures. Yes past was dirty but present was almost clean. I wanted to tell this to our great boss, but couldn’t, as I knew that no one will believe me that we can talk & negotiate with him now.
So, the learning & bodh, each business-job will have some situations, corners, which need careful handling. Take over such situations, relations, corners & handover them properly when you move out. Yes, all these with utmost integrity.
