Trust Others Behind Their Back:

A while back, my teammate and I went downstairs for a break (read: drown ourselves in a cup of coffee). The conversation started with the customary "How was the weekend?" type Qs. Soon, it drifted to the best topic he and I have known for years... "how much does your boss suck?" ;-).

Just as I was about to open my mouth, my mate found another couple of chaps starting at a corner, fagging the life outta a cigarette. And there began a litany.

I felt damn frustrated. Bloody those 3 guys were jumping on one another in recalling my boss with all the nice phrases they have learnt all these lives, and I was finding it darn difficult to offer my woes. After trying sundry times, I pledged not to speak. I wanted them to realize the curse they were inflicting on nature, by not giving me an opportunity to speak :-(. What started as an ego clash soon transformed into a resolution.

A few moments back, I was dying to bully my boss; and now, I promised to myself that I will test myself on how long I can hold myself from criticizing the poor soul. I conquered myself for a good 20 minutes. (I bet a gang of IT pros may spend an eternity bullying their boss!)

Then, I went ahead, and promised myself to change the perspective of my teammates. I pledged to give "the benefit of doubt" to my boss. I asked my guys whether they had expressed their "concerns" in front of the boss. I told them that maybe we do not see the picture from the perspective of my boss; maybe it is not the person who they hate, but his style of working, and hence they should twist their criticism so that they criticise not the person, but this way of working. It was my time, I kept on delivering the sermon, and my poor friends were spellbound, not because I spoke very well, but because I spoke something they could never imagine me to utter. (I was a typical IT pro whose favourite time pass was to curse his boss.)

After I started gasping for some oxygen, one of the three patient listeners reminded us all that it had been a good 1 hour since we came down. All four of us headed to the elevator, and did not discuss that topic.

When I was about to swipe my card, and enter the office, one of my teammates held me by my shoulder, and said, "That was lovely, Vivek. I wish you ever say this for me, when I am not with you. It is great to have people who do not break your trust behind you." I smiled back, and said "You dare try to be like our boss." We had a good laugh, and then we returned to our desks.

hazaar raahein mud k dekhin, kahin se koi sada na aayi,
badi wafa se nibhaai tum ne, hamaari thodi se bewafaai :-)