Success has no short cuts

I came to attend a prior appointment at Mr. Kumar’s Kolkata office right on schedule but Mr. Kumar - General Manager (Purchase) was still busy in a meeting and I was told to wait in his chamber for some more time. As usual I started reading my book and I almost forgot that I was waiting for someone. More than an hour had passed since I came in but my client was still missing. In between I was served one cup of tea and the second time the steward came with two cups of tea and snacks, I inquired about the second cup and he replied to me with a smile that it was for GM sahib who was coming soon. 

As expected he landed within next five minutes and entered the room with a big smile and simultaneously offered his apologies for the delay in arriving for our scheduled meeting. He started eating the snacks and also offered me the same. While taking a sip of the hot tea he inquired about the book which I was reading and was still holding in my hand. The next half an hour was spent on the books and the exchange of names of various books and their authors. Although Mr. Kumar was commerce graduate but he was fond of reading fictions. Finally he asked me about my favourite author and book, without any hesitation I said: 'Ayn Rand' and the book: 'Fountain Head'.

He gave a very broad smile, stood from his seat, came to my side of the table first shook my hand and thereafter hugged me with lots of affection, fondness and warmth. He then told me that his favourite book was also ‘Fountain Head’. He called the steward again and instructed for one more round of tea. But I was not very keen to have another cup of tea but Mr. Kumar insisted and I could not refuse his offer. 

We kept on discussing for next one hour continuously on our product features and benefits for their commercial project and suddenly between the said conversations he asked me a very personal question about my salary. I was almost in a shocking state but he understood my dilemma and told me the reason why he asked this question. And without listening to my answer he uninterruptedly started talking about his part time job which he does for a south based company where they are recruiting sales agents for the company and in return the new sales agent recruits new members and hence the chain was extended and a very big team was formed. With every addition of the new member in the family the income of all the members increases by default in proportionate manner. 

Today he belongs to Gold club (There are Silver, Gold, Diamond and Platinum clubs based on the membership strength of individual sales agent). Right now he earns more than his salary. He simply appoints new sales agents; give them training and the wheel starts rolling. His Kolkata branch office is having five thousand members as of date and he wanted me to join his winning team. 

Thereafter he explained to me the modus operandi and work profile of a Sales agent, later he told me about the sales training programs and the handsome returns I will get in the form of foreign tours, expensive gifts, fat incentive and last but not the least the recognition in the society. I can earn more than what I am earning today and my income will be at-least many-fold if I work sincerely. With this additional income, I can fulfill all my dreams, buy properties, gold/diamond jewelry, foreign trip and can retire from the job at an early date of my choice. Enjoy my remaining life by becoming my own boss without working for others, isn't it a wonderful proposition?

I coolly listened to him and at the end very politely said no to his offer and took his permission to leave. At the outset, he was very upset, shocked and surprised with my refusal but still concluded the conversation with a request to reconsider my decision and let him know my final answer within a week’s time. I left Mr. Kumar’s office after 6 PM in the evening.

While driving home, I was evaluating and weighing the pros and cons of Mr. Kumar’s proposal and I reached home in partly confused and wavering state of mind. After dinner I sat down on my writing table and noted down brief notes about today’s activities and required actions. I wanted to concentrate on my book but I could not read more than two pages and closed the book in between. My wife was watching her favourite serial on the TV and I was still moving around with Mr. Kumar’s proposal. It was half past eleven, my wife had already gone to sleep and I was still trying very hard to sleep but could not succeed. 

Next morning after breakfast, I left for office around nine in the morning. While driving to office I reached to my final decision and that was to sincerely concentrate on my present job, with aggressive approach, positive attitude, serious efforts, hard work and adopt new strategies to exceed/over shoot the existing targets of sales, revenue and margins by enhancing our present business in value/volume and giving excellent performance throughout; finally putting all out efforts to get an extra ordinary results in the present job itself rather than opting for an extra income outside.                  

The week passed away without any problem and then came the weekend. I was at home on Sunday morning when I got a call from Mr. Kumar, who was passing Gariahat-crossing and he wanted to visit my house at Jodhpur Park, Kolkata, that's why he inquired about my home address; I was left with no option but to give him the direction to my house over phone and within next fifteen minutes he reached my place along with his wife.

After introduction, he straight away talked about his proposal with me in front of my wife and daughters. Mrs. Kumar was also sharing her experiences with us. I could see my wife’s expression/reactions which were not very positive, she was totally in a dilemma; the reason being: first I had not told her about Mr. Kumar’s visit and secondly his proposal about part-time job of Sales agent has totally put her in an off-mood. Mr. Kumar repeated the same story to my wife but this time supported with colored photo album, product literature and samples which his company sells directly to the end-users through Sales agents without involving any middlemen/distribution channels in between.    

He even started telling me not to think about my present job and said: “I can take the agency in my wife’s name and I can work on her behalf as he used to do. I am employed there for 9-AM to 6-PM job and I can do any other work after office hours, on Sundays and holidays. Nobody will object to it, because I have already informed my boss and in my views, neither it’s unethical nor wrong. Moreover, if we both work for one full year seriously and appoint maximum number of new members, your income will cross your present pay-packet without much problem”.

Mr. Kumar seriously feels and believes that ours will be a great success story because I am from marketing profession and my wife is from teaching profile; he liked me personally that’s why he wanted me to join his team without any further delay. They stayed for three hours with us and after lunch they left and invited us to attend the monthly star celebration and prize distribution function at Kolkata’s five star hotels in the evening which will be followed by dinner and cocktail.

I was more worried about my wife and daughters who have never witnessed such drama in their entire lives before. I was wondering what I will tell them now. Who were these guests, why they came and what their objective was? They stayed for few hours with us and while leaving they stole all our peace. I never wanted to tell them about Mr. Kumar’s proposal at the first place but I had been left with no option but to tell them the entire story now without any further delay.

After listening to my part of the story, my wife asked me only one question: “You really want to join him but before that please remember your own views on value system, ethic and loyalty?” I told them in a very crystal clear voice that I don’t want to join Mr. Kumar; moreover, I don’t need this kind of money, perks and luxury. I have decided to concentrate in my present job, because I have been looked after by my present employer well and why should I buy problem unnecessarily by doing part-time work for the third party which was not appropriate, authentic, correct, ethical and right at the first place.

We did not attend Mr. Kumar’s party that evening and I sent a personal note to Mr. Kumar informing him about my decision of not joining his team and politely asked for his forgiveness. Thereafter, I have tried my level best to erase the influence of all the big talks on ambitions, assets, fame, money, respect, reputation and wealth from my mind, body and soul. At the same time I also thanked my family and God Almighty for giving me the right advice, courage, direction, instruction and inspiration to move ahead towards the right path without getting influenced in between with the boastful attraction of big money, fame and luxury which I would not have earned in the right manner. 

The next day morning I informed my seniors about Mr. Kumar’s visit to my house, his proposal and my final decision. My Boss listened to me patiently and then congratulated me for taking a right decision in that regard.

Later during our annual sales meet at Darjeeling Hotel my boss told this story in the conference and advised all the team members to keep one thing in my mind: “When you are employed you are in the service for full time (24X7) and you are answerable to one master. You must stick to your main job only, any deviation from the primary objective and responsibility will put you in such an awkward and embarrassing situation which you will regret whole of your life. Moreover that route will be one-way traffic only and returning will not be possible. Therefore, this is an individual’s conscious call which every one of us has to take in our lives from time to time but we must never ever forget the core issue and that is before responding to anyone else in this matter we are first answerable to our own conscious and soul and we must put our right foot forward towards the right direction with hundred percent dedication, devotion, trust and take an appropriate, correct, final and right decision fearlessly without being biased and prejudiced.”   

With Prayers

Gurcharan