I was very happy when I learned that my friend and classmate, Yogi, as we usually used to call Yogesh Bhardwaj, is shifting to Mumbai. Although we were in touch through emails and other social media, it was for the first time in last five years that we would be living in the same city. During past few years, we never had an opportunity to meet each other as he was busy with his career and traveling across the globe and I was busy with my business and family. I was glad that he would be coming to Mumbai for a long-term assignment and this would give us an opportunity to rejuvenate our memories and spend some quality time together.
Before being sent to Mumbai, Yogi was working in Bangalore for a leading Consulting Group as Senior Management Consultant. He was transferred to Mumbai to start a new service line for the company and cater to the needs of local clients. Among various professional challenges that he was entitled to address, his main concern was to get right kind of people in his team. His Project Manager had allowed him to hire twenty people in his team from varied institutes and background. But, apart from these professional commitments, on personal front, he was also trying hard to save his five year old relation with his Australian-Indian girlfriend, Simran Sharma. Their relation was in doldrums and both of them needed to take out some time from their professional lives to save the relation, if at all they were serious about its future.
He reached Mumbai on Friday, 04th June and I met him on 06th June in Hard Rock Cafe. It is such a pleasure to meet a friend after such a longs time. We spent nearly four hours there. Amongst my friends, I am considered as relationship counselor and they do not mind sharing their personal problems because they know that on one side they will get good advice and on other side they will get a patient and empathetic listener. Therefore, taking an advantage of time and opportunity, he shared with me the problems that he was facing in his relationship with Simran. I remember he had told me about her previously, but not in detail. This time he profoundly explained to me about their relationship and associated complexities. He appeared to be very frustrated, disappointed and confused about the future of their relation. I carefully listened to his story and asked him to give it one last chance. I advised him to be patient and not rush to conclusions. It was last chance which needed determination to make it successful, firmness and strength to take tough decisions, if required. I gave him the road-map to follow.
After sharing all our joys and glitches, I had a final duty of helping him out with recruitment. He asked me to help him with few references to facilitate him in his hiring process. He was very fond of creating an independent and reliable team. A good team is a must for the success of any project or assignment.
On following day, I shared few relevant profiles with him from my database of candidates and asked him to speak to them to discuss the role in detail. After few days he called to ask, “Do you know this female by name Shefali Rajput”. I said, “Not really, but what happened?”. Yogi replied, “She is one in the list of candidates that you gave to me. Although she appears to be innocent and very excited for the role but she has been irritating me”. “I called her to explain the role and to know her interest in the job”, he continued, “She told me that she is not in the town. She was smart enough to save my number. After couple of days, she called back to inform me that she has returned to the city and wants to know more about the role and attend the discussion. I explained the role to her. She seemed appropriate and interested, so, I asked her to come for an interview. I gave her interview schedule and venue. Next day she called up to inform that she cannot come for various reasons. I gave her new schedule and then she came for interview without resume but with her boyfriend”. I laughed at the entire story and asked him, “Are you hiring her?” He said, “I don’t know. Maybe I will. She seems to be a good resource. She is from a small town and I believe she will work harder to prove her talent and make it a point. If they have potential, I always prefer to give chance to people from small towns”. I replied, “You are the best judge, so do as you feel appropriate”.
Read the complete story at: Diary of Sanjeev Himachali: Coincidence or Destiny – A Story
From India, Mumbai
94Before being sent to Mumbai, Yogi was working in Bangalore for a leading Consulting Group as Senior Management Consultant. He was transferred to Mumbai to start a new service line for the company and cater to the needs of local clients. Among various professional challenges that he was entitled to address, his main concern was to get right kind of people in his team. His Project Manager had allowed him to hire twenty people in his team from varied institutes and background. But, apart from these professional commitments, on personal front, he was also trying hard to save his five year old relation with his Australian-Indian girlfriend, Simran Sharma. Their relation was in doldrums and both of them needed to take out some time from their professional lives to save the relation, if at all they were serious about its future.
He reached Mumbai on Friday, 04th June and I met him on 06th June in Hard Rock Cafe. It is such a pleasure to meet a friend after such a longs time. We spent nearly four hours there. Amongst my friends, I am considered as relationship counselor and they do not mind sharing their personal problems because they know that on one side they will get good advice and on other side they will get a patient and empathetic listener. Therefore, taking an advantage of time and opportunity, he shared with me the problems that he was facing in his relationship with Simran. I remember he had told me about her previously, but not in detail. This time he profoundly explained to me about their relationship and associated complexities. He appeared to be very frustrated, disappointed and confused about the future of their relation. I carefully listened to his story and asked him to give it one last chance. I advised him to be patient and not rush to conclusions. It was last chance which needed determination to make it successful, firmness and strength to take tough decisions, if required. I gave him the road-map to follow.
After sharing all our joys and glitches, I had a final duty of helping him out with recruitment. He asked me to help him with few references to facilitate him in his hiring process. He was very fond of creating an independent and reliable team. A good team is a must for the success of any project or assignment.
On following day, I shared few relevant profiles with him from my database of candidates and asked him to speak to them to discuss the role in detail. After few days he called to ask, “Do you know this female by name Shefali Rajput”. I said, “Not really, but what happened?”. Yogi replied, “She is one in the list of candidates that you gave to me. Although she appears to be innocent and very excited for the role but she has been irritating me”. “I called her to explain the role and to know her interest in the job”, he continued, “She told me that she is not in the town. She was smart enough to save my number. After couple of days, she called back to inform me that she has returned to the city and wants to know more about the role and attend the discussion. I explained the role to her. She seemed appropriate and interested, so, I asked her to come for an interview. I gave her interview schedule and venue. Next day she called up to inform that she cannot come for various reasons. I gave her new schedule and then she came for interview without resume but with her boyfriend”. I laughed at the entire story and asked him, “Are you hiring her?” He said, “I don’t know. Maybe I will. She seems to be a good resource. She is from a small town and I believe she will work harder to prove her talent and make it a point. If they have potential, I always prefer to give chance to people from small towns”. I replied, “You are the best judge, so do as you feel appropriate”.
Read the complete story at: Diary of Sanjeev Himachali: Coincidence or Destiny – A Story
From India, Mumbai
Dear Sanjeev, Have left the comment on the blog too....Keep sharing such good stories... Swetha Kha
From India, Mumbai
From India, Mumbai
Thanks Shweta. You have a great day and stay in touch. You may also be interested in the following story - Diary of Sanjeev Himachali: It was 2nd July
From India, Mumbai
From India, Mumbai
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