Yesterday I went for rendering a training session at a major manufacturing-organization of the region… but there was a difference…There are more agencies vying for the assignment so the client wanted each one of us to conduct a sample-session so that they could pit us against each other and then finalize…
You know something… Actress Shelly Winters (4 nominations and two Oscars in acting) was asked to give audition for a role. She came there with a large bag…pulled out her two Academy Awards…and simply said “some people in this town think I can act.”… I heard she got the role without audition…!
Although we are not Shelly Winters, but due to all the work that we have done over the years (I presume ‘good’), now hardly ever anyone asks us to audition (the last time I can recall was a couple of years back, when VP of one of the national-level PSUs took my telephonic interview for 50 odd minutes before giving us an assignment!). But when this client asked us for that session a few days back, I just got a flashback…
In our initial days as entrepreneurs (almost a decade back)…we were just struggling to make a mark and thus were trying everything we could! At that time, one fine day I just hopped on to my scooter (technically my dad’s scooter) and landed at the swanky & posh HO of a telecom major without an appointment (and without a tie…! I hate ties! And only wear them when there is no choice) …
I kept waiting and as the luck would have it… my persistence got me into the GM-HR’s cabin… I introduced myself & our organization (which of course no one knew other than us) and said “we are in training & consulting…” That impressive person looked up at me and said… “Please give me the definition of ‘training’… and please keep speaking on it till I ask you to stop”…
I defined it (thankfully! I have always believed in thinking ‘about & upon’ the work rather than just doing it for the sake of it!) and kept talking further… After around 25 minutes, he just stood up, shook my hand and said “When would you want to start?”)…
It was amazing! When we were just beginners, when no one was banking on us, when even many of our close people had not put faith in us and when quite a few dear ones had simply given up on us…At such time, one stranger saw something that even we couldn’t see (because as far as I can recall, although what I had said to him was good but still it was no where near ‘great’!) Well! His trust got us going and today we have come at least this far…
There is nothing more precious than ‘someone standing by your side’, when most aren’t…
…Cut to ‘present’… I said to my colleague… “Fine! Let’s go for the audition!”
Got to keep proving that ‘someone’ right!
