Hamari Izzat: hamara staff!

In Pakistan humari izzat bare hone mein nahin hai. It is all about showing how powerful I am by yelling, taunting and belittling others. If I have a management position, everyone will know by me yelling at everyone and barking commands.

Now I understand this is necessary for some jobs, like drill sergeants, policemen etc. But for most bosses this is not a chore but pure joy. We feel stronger, better and bigger when we tell everyone else they are all useless individuals. 


I believe the opposite is true. The better manager (or Boss) I am the less I have to yell. You see: if I am a good boss:

*  I have good judgment of people so I only hire people who are up to the task, so I can trust them to do the job, without me telling them what to do and when. 
* I am strict, but honest. So if someone comes late every day, I ask why. If it’s about conveyance for instance  I ask them to stay longer, so they still work their hours.
*  I have hired only loyal people who work with passion, so I don’t have to check whether they are at work on time, they love their jobs so are here when needed. 
*  I reward my staff with pastries, when a crisis is handled well, and I ask them what went wrong, and what we can do better next time round. Then I keep this feedback in my file, so next time we know what to do! 
* Last but not least. Instead of preaching I do what I want to preach! I come in on time. I pay my workers a fair and honest wage on time.  I keep my  outdoors meetings to a minimum. I call in when I am sick, I am polite, honest and hardworking!


So instead of growing bigger by standing on others,  I grow bigger, and my people will follow! No more showing off my vocal cords! Hamari izzat: hamara staff!



twitter: @Irumnl


Dialogue and action!


Bolne waala galat hai, karne waala nahin!


In Pakistan talk is cheap. People just talk and talk and talk, to no avail. In our society talking is a great pastime, be it about politics, our relatives or anything else. No one gives a second thought to what they are saying  and why. In all the chitter chatter of life we forget that words have great power.


We love to talk about people, events, insaaf, honesty, corruption, izzat aur beizatti. Hum baaton ke peer hain. 

When we see a poor girl being married to an older guy, she doesn't even know. We all spend hours talking about it. But not one of us goes up to the town elders to stop this marriage. Ulta joh kahega ke yeh to galat hai, usko sab chup karadeinge! Tum kyon bol rahe ho? Tumhara kya masla hai? Woh tumhari behen to nahin hai. This is why there is so much corruption, hatred and greed. Karne waale ko sab parda dhaankeinge. Bolne waale ko bura karaardenge. Jo bolne waala hai woh galat hai, karne waala nahin!

But imagine this happened to YOUR sister, would you want the town elders to decide a personal matter in this way? Or would you move heaven and earth to prevent it? Bas yehi masla hai: we don't do anything. We don't follow our hearts in honesty. We are willing to pay lipservice but we are not  willing to change what we know is bad. 

So this ramadan where there is injustice: speak up and act on your instincts. This ramadan we don't just need Dialogue we need Action!




twitter: @Irumnl