Father to son

"Your conduct at work should be reminiscent of how I and your mother have brought you up as a human being. Don’t forget the codes of conduct given out by our great religion in seeking your livelihood"

Societies are defined by how men and women are raised at home. Parenting responsibility is enormous in this regard. Without any gender bias, parents producing responsible male members of society makes it a safer and more compassionate place for all to live and thrive in, especially the womenfolk. A major milestone in a son’s life is his transition from being a student to becoming a working man. I feel it is befitting to once again guide, this time regarding the working norms. Following in the footsteps of my father, below is the letter which I also wrote to my son as he joined his first job yesterday in the corporate sector. I am sharing it here with a view that it may entice and excite many fathers to express and guide their sons as they step into a new era of their lives. Here it goes.

My Dear Son,

As you ascend in your life, it is like descending into an ocean, in fact. Where winds and waves at times shall make you sail to distances and destinations in a flicker, and at others will retard you by blowing and flowing against you. What will matter will be your attitude. Humble as you sail smooth and strong when in turbulent waters. In practical life, my son has demands of his own and places them on you by the hour, by the minute, and by the second. And how do you gear yourself up to meet those is not a riddle or a puzzle. It is all about life balance. A successful professional is the one who can strike this balance when it comes to family, work, and social interactions.

Family knows you in and out, friends know you in and out, however, colleagues will know you to some extent sooner or later. Let me disclaim that by colleagues, I mean your seniors, team leads, team members, and those whom you will be leading in the future. But this cognizance of you, by your colleagues, shall be calling upon reflection of few traits in your professional undertakings. Remember, personal relations at work are based on your professional acumen and delivery of the same. It will never happen that you don’t rise to the occasion yourself, professionally and still expect others to be of help to you. First give and then ask. I shall bring out a few important aspects for you to understand and follow as guidelines.

Foremost is assuming responsibility for yourself. Be disciplined, value time, and plan backwards from an important activity in your next day’s commitments. Give yourself ample time to prepare for the day ahead. Lay out your clothes to wear and your shoes to put on. Look chic. Choreograph your time at home to be at ease at your workplace. Avoid rushing to work; instead, allow ample travel time. Be cheerful once you enter your workplace; greet everyone with a smile. Be it someone from the sanitary staff or your manager. Once you settle at your desk, take a cup of coffee or tea, sipping and carrying out a mental appreciation for the priority of work as your computer boots up. Once done, start off your work day with the first thing first.

With regards to your manager and team leads, you need to jot down what they ask you to do. A handy diary still works, as you are typing on your phone may give an impression that you are busy messaging and not attentive. The assigned work may need some time to complete, which can be hours, days, or weeks. If you cannot make out the deadline, then don’t presume, ask then and there. Once you get down to work and it dawns on you that it cannot be completed in the given time frame, generate an interim report. It is always better to let the issues be known in advance than to miss a given deadline. No work is complete till the time you don’t raise your hand that it is done. This means, feedback is important and must. Close the loop by reporting “done” as a thumb rule. Be precise and focused in your verbal communication and written correspondence, both. Always follow the formats of the same in vogue at work. As for your team members and the people you will be leading in the future, be compassionate, helpful, and empathetic. Don’t shy away from asking others if they need your help. Take some time out to get to know them personally, cutting out the professional jargon when possible. Evince a keen interest in team building and bonding events.

Your conduct at work should be reminiscent of how I and your mother have brought you up as a human being. Don’t forget the codes of conduct given out by our great religion in seeking your livelihood. Remember, time, money you handle, and women you deal with at work are sacrosanct to you. Respect them. Keep your dealings open, fair, and transparent. Stay away from organisational politics and pressure groups as far as you can. Hearsay and intrigue are detested; avoid them. Try to talk good about people when with them or away from them. Be known for your output. Be known as someone who is honest and reliable. Last but not the least, do not forget that “luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity”. So prepare yourself well, my son.

God Speed

With Loads of Love & Prayers Your father