Imagine a 20-something colleague of ours slogging 16 hrs a day, 7 days a week, rarely taking a holiday, living out of a suitcase - across time-zones - at least 20 days a month, speaking on diverse subjects, handling difficult negotiations with vendors and clients, facing merciless 24x7 scrutiny of competitors, media and jealous colleagues waiting for him to make ONE tiny mistake; and yet, staying calm, composed and never asking for empathy, praise or pay-raise. Such a colleague would be rated a top performer, a darling of the organisation, touted as a role model and put on a pedestal.
This gentleman Modi is doing pretty much all of the above, for one of the most complex organisations in the world, called the Republic of India. He's doing it at 65 when most of his contemporaries are respected Dadajis, into the 5th year of a salubrious retired life, enjoying a leisurely morning walk, playing with grandkids, giving gyan to the neighbourhood maali, bemoaning what India has come to, but generally having a good time. Most other PMs and Presidents are in their 40s and 50s and the stress of unlimited public expectations is already showing on them.
Let's mock Modi, condemn him, be perpetually unhappy with him, because after all, he's just another politician and we have the birthright to do so.
We are the highly demanding shareholders, employers cum clients of Modi who demand results, not mere hard work. It's another matter that the last time we put in a 16 hour-day (probably 5 times in our entire existence), we made sure everyone right up to our CEO knew.
We can't reform a damn department, organisation or our own street in 18 months but we expect Modi to turn around a large, complex, divided and irritated country overnight.
Let's just pause for a minute, keep aside our hatred, disdain and cynicism towards Modi and simply wish him well. Just for trying.
This gentleman Modi is doing pretty much all of the above, for one of the most complex organisations in the world, called the Republic of India. He's doing it at 65 when most of his contemporaries are respected Dadajis, into the 5th year of a salubrious retired life, enjoying a leisurely morning walk, playing with grandkids, giving gyan to the neighbourhood maali, bemoaning what India has come to, but generally having a good time. Most other PMs and Presidents are in their 40s and 50s and the stress of unlimited public expectations is already showing on them.
Let's mock Modi, condemn him, be perpetually unhappy with him, because after all, he's just another politician and we have the birthright to do so.
We are the highly demanding shareholders, employers cum clients of Modi who demand results, not mere hard work. It's another matter that the last time we put in a 16 hour-day (probably 5 times in our entire existence), we made sure everyone right up to our CEO knew.
We can't reform a damn department, organisation or our own street in 18 months but we expect Modi to turn around a large, complex, divided and irritated country overnight.
Let's just pause for a minute, keep aside our hatred, disdain and cynicism towards Modi and simply wish him well. Just for trying.
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