Hello H:
Thanks for the response.
I am sure as a biz. mgm't. 'xikhyok'( I am withdrawing the 'guru'
characterization on account of your protest) you understand the
need to assume calculated risks in order to generate gains. The
ancient adage " No-risk, no gain" did not come about for
nothing. I am glad you are setting a good example not only for your
students but also for the risk-averse kharkhowa masses about whom you
despair, just like so many others among us do.
To tell you the truth however, I am ON YOUR SIDE here. The
adversarial tenor of my questions were designed to help ferret out the
issues underlying the somewhat lame and often simple-minded
expressions deriding "typical assamese mindset" or Assamese
sloth or Assamese corruption or a variety of other pejoratives that
the intellectually lazy people toss around to explain the
symptoms.
But I am glad you are no longer one of them, and have come out to
examine the reasons for which we witness those symptoms.
I am in full agreement with you that the self-loathing slur that
the Assamese don't like to work hard as a genetic trait is patently
false. Question is WHY do so many otherwise able people wallow
in it? Any thoughts on that?
Furthermore, on the same subject, your observation "--I
THINK IT IS THE PREVAILING ENVIRONMENT IN ASSAM WHERE NON PERFORMANCE
IS A TRAIT AND ACCEPTED WITHOUT ANY DISDAIN." needs some more
investigation. Allow me to pose some more questions, again adversarial
in tone, but no hostility intended:
when did it first
appear? And could it be attributed to some event
I know you explained the subsistence farming heritage that we all
come from and which did not require great efforts to survive, making
us a laid-back lot. But since the growth of urban settlements and
life-styles, people had to break from the farming/physical activities
to intellectual pursuits, which require certain amount of productivity
to be remunerated to make a living with. It is in this context
that I raise the above questions.
I don't expect you to play a social-scientist here, but as a part
of that group of intellectual laborers which we all are, and you being
one who does an honest day's work,attempting to fulfill the
expectations associated with your responsibilities in law-abiding
ways, do so IN SPITE of the PREVAILING conditions that you
cited.
How is that?
What makes you so special among the masses who don't?
There has to be an easily understandable set of reasons. And I
like to think you are eminently aware of them. My attempt here is to
coax you to say it aloud, clearly and unambiguously, letting the chips
fall where they may, something many of my fellow Assam-netters go to
great lengths to avoid doing. You already touched on some of
them, obliquely. But let us have a frontal assault and take that bull
by the horns :-).
Finally, I have one more question here for you and an important
one :
Best,
m
At 8:59 AM +0530 10/25/06, Shantikam Hazarika wrote:
Mahanta:
I know it is risky to get into any debate with you, but let me just try.
On 10/24/06, Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
H
> Hardwork is something I find most Assamese people shun and most assamesepeople, even at high and responsible places give priority to >>sleep, food,idleness over their work responsibilities.
*** Do you, as a management guru, have any thoughts on WHY it is so, and how it might be remedied ?
FOR HEAVENS i AM NO MANAGEMENT GURU, JUST A HUMBLE ORDINARY LAW
ABIDING CITIZEN OF INDIA WHO HAS A JOB TO DO AND TRIES TO DO IT TO THE
BEST OF HIS ABILITY.Is it genetic, and thus unchangeable? DEFINITELY NO. I WORKED WITH ASSAMESE WORKERS IN OIL INDIA WHO WERE UNBELIEVABLY HARD WORKING, RESPONSIBLE, RELIABLE AND CONSCIENTIOUS. ALSO MOST OF THE ASSAMESE PEOPLE WORKING OUTSIDE THE STATE GET GOOD REPORTS ABOUT THEIR PERSONAL QUALITIES.
Or could it be a associated with efforts vs. rewards, incentives to >perform, and expectations or the absence thereof ? I THINK IT IS THE PREVAILING ENVIORNMENT IN ASSAM WHERE NON PERFORMANCE IS A TRAIT AND ACCEPTED WITHOUT ANY DISDAIN. TAKE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ADMIRED IN OUR SOCIETY - THEY ARE MOSTLY THE BUREAUCRATS AND INDIAN BUREAUCRACY IS A SITUATION WHERE YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO PERFORM AND STILL YOUR CAREER IS ASSURED. IN FACT ARUN SHOURIE ONCE SAID THAT INDIANBUREAUCRACY IS THE ONLY SERVICE WHERE A DONKEY EVENTUALLY ENDS UP AS A HORSE. THERE ARE VERY FEW PEOPLE IN ASSAM WHO HAVE ACHIEVED SOMETHING REALLY THROUGH HARD WORK.
WHEN THERE IS INCENTIVE IN NON-PERFORMANCE, WHY DO YOU WANT TO PERFORM?
TAKE THE TWO ENGLISH NEWSPAPERS OF ASSAM, SENTINEL AND ASSAM TRIBUNE.
THEIR CURRENT STANDARDS ARE APPALLING, BUT I DO NOT THINK THERE IS ANY
CHANGE IN THEIR STATUS OR SITUATION. IF I HAVE TO RELEASE AN
ADVERTISEMENT, IS HALL DO IT IN THE ASSAM TRIBUNE BECAUSE THE PEOPLE
EXPECT IT TO BE THERE. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE TELEGRAPH AND THE TIMES
OF INDIA ARE PRINTED LOCALLY NOW AND ARE BOTH TRYING TO MAKE DEEP
INROADS IN THE NEWS GATHERING ASPECTS. BUT THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO
DISLODGE THE SENTINEL AS LONG AS PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO READ ABOUT SOME
SCHOOLTEACHER RETIRING IN DHEMAJI, OR A CROWDS GOING BARESERK IN A
THEATRE IN SILANIJAAN.
>give priority to sleep, food, idleness over their work responsibilities.
*** Personally, I have always liked to sleep. It is the high point of my
day. If I can hit the sack when my body wants to, that is bliss. It is
freedom. I wouldn't think much of anyone who would grudge me my sleep.
Food, is not just a necessity of life. For many it is a luxury, reward for
hard-work. Is it a sin?
I THINK SLEEP AND FOOD CANNOT BE YOUR PRIME CONCERN. I ALSO SLEEP WHEN
I HAVE NOTHING TO DO, BUT IF REQUIRED I CAN MANAGE WITHOUT SLEEP ALSO.
GOOD FOOD I ENJOY, BUT IF IT IS NOT AVAILABLE, I CAN MAKE DO WITH
WHATEVER IS AVAILABLE. ENJOY A GOOD MEAL OR SLEEP AFTER YOU HAVE DONE
YOUR WORK, NOT WHILE YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DELIVERING.
Idleness is a result of NOT having to work for a living. Only those who are
paid to do nothing, or only those who are blessed with a hefty inheritance
could afford NOT to work. How many Assamse are in that situation?
SINCE WE DO NOT HAVE ABJECT POVERTY IN ASSAM, MANY ARE CONTENT WITH
THE STATUS QUO.
Could it therefore be that, hard work carries no incentive? That it does not
matter if you work harder, because there will be no extra reward for it?
That one would get paid , regardless of performance? And that the concept of
expectations on the employees' performance is non-existent?
*** These are the curiosities of an idle, management-challenged, kharkhowa
mind. Would be much obliged if you would share your professional thoughts on
causes and remedies.
Best.
Yours Mahanataly
cm :-)
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