INITIATIVE: MESSRS. JOSHI, SUNDARAM AND MURALI

SERVICE STORY

BY PG.POOCHERY

"My LIC days"

He always used to entrust me with assignments which would be of a serious nature.

I do not know whether I deserved such a treatment. To be an emissary to the Chief of personnel department of central office and talk to the General Secretary of an employees association was something more than I could dream of.

Nevertheless it happened. Mr. Joshi who was the chief of the personnel department at central office called me to his cabin when I was on one of my visits to the central office. He told me, Mr. Sundaram was not talking to him. Their relation with each other had to be improved. So the Chief suggested I visit Mr. Sundaram and talk to him.

I seriously followed up the matter. Booked a second class train ticket and proceeded to the office of the general secretary at Chennai.

I had planned a talk for a couple of days. But stay at Chennai was a problem. It was supposed to be a personal visit. Even I could not get guest house accommodation at such short notice. With the help of a union functionary, I managed accommodation, rather an entry to the guest house. I had to sleep there over a sofa braving mosquito and midsummer heat.

I talked to Mr. Sundaram for a couple of days. Mr. Sundaram might have perhaps guessed the purpose of my meeting with him. He did accommodate me and he talked over different subjects.

Incidentally he made a mention of a particular branch office at Mysore functioning in two buildings. There were a few problems connected with the same. Since I knew the division head at Mysore, I talked to him. I told Mr. Menon who was the division head there that Mr. Sundaram might talk to the Chairman on this matter. I learned since that the issue was solved by the division head immediately.

I prepared brief notes and returned to the division headquarters. I approached the division head mr. murali for the facility of sending the report by fax.

Division head agreed with me and I was allowed to send my confidential report to the chief through his official fax. But he advised, it would be better to send the report by normal post since it was likely that others might see the confidential information I was trying to convey to the central office if I sent the report by fax.

Finally the report was sent. I do not know if I succeeded in helping the Chief. I do not also know if I was able to bring about better understanding between Mr. Joshi and Mr. Sundaram. But to me it was a big experiment and experience.

I remember Mr. Murali for the help he had extended to me. Not only in this matter, but he lent a helping hand to me whenever I approached him for a help in such matters.

I personally owe all of them a lot.

….

Lesson: There is no insignificant worker in an industry. Anybody is capable of achieving organisation ends.

*** ** *