Orbiting

Am sitting at Royal Orchid, in the middle of an highway where a bunch of 16 different corporate are dutifully listening in and pretending to care about a session on innovation and getting themselves shaken up enough to want to make a big leap for the company and get to where they have not been able to reach before

I sit here with three hours of sleep in me, the reason being that I was up till 4 am recording the various cribs, suggestions, grouses, histories that the people have vented over the last four days, to the consultants that we are.  We were not having any rocket science conversations, merely simple so what do you think? What are the issues that you are grappling with etc etc.

16 odd people. 16 hours of conversation and a great window to see how little organizations manage to talk to each other. I hate the term organization; the term immediately seems to transfer the responsibility of anything that is occurring to a third party entity and lets each individual sit back and twiddle his thumbs while some one higher up is supposed to take care of it

Its fascinating. This current group for example represents a small company that has grown to a respectable 200 odd people. Have made decent forays into some international markets, have an Indian presence going and well in one sense the founders have every reason to feel a sense of pride. But as a 28 year old, I unfortunately still tend to judge organizations from the culture that they seek to inculcate. The current one leaves me shuddering

First of all people refer to the other as SIR, the constant game of getting into the good books is a more twisted than twister, there are huge undercurrents and yet what is surfaces are always polite statements, of how everyone says “we should do this” “we should do that:” yada yada yada……. For example the line just quoted, its just a matter of taking this to the next level! What does that even mean.

I have accepted this, maybe too soon in life, that I am simply not interested in making it big in the corporate rat race. Irrespective of industry I don’t desire the window cubicle, the kingfisher silver card, the beeping beep of the blackberry to indicate that the presentation is to be made ready at 3am on Saturday.

Ironically, this is exactly what I am doing. The black berry comes today. Was working till 3 am today. Am here for a corporate workshop today. But there is one HUGE differential. The fact that I am here on my own terms, the people I work with are approachable, friends and there is a co creation minus any visible and/or invisible silos.

The freedom to choose…….. that is what it boils down for me. I still retain that one call to say thank you but no thank you, I would not be able to do this now. I will be able to do this and in this try to do this also. The ability to dress in clothes that define me, to learn and expand understanding and be trusted with everything and not one thing…….. the work may still be corporate, but its the chance to do that without being and behaving in any limiting life style is what makes me work without a grouse.

I respect corporate for what they add to the world. I don’t for the standardization, they need to get that value add on. Its possible to add value while orbiting that world and think I am glad to remain a mere satellite.