On the face of it, it was just an ordinary day. However, as
I witnessed a not so ordinary conversation between two opinionated gentlemen, and
was inspired to change the way I think, the day became worth remembering. The
lunch break was on and the three of us, I and these two guys were sitting in
the office sipping chai.
Guy 1: Hey, did you
have a look at the new organisational policy document?
Guy 2: Yes, I did
yesterday. They want us to work even harder and report each and every detail,
isn’t it?
I: Yes. As if we were
not slogging our asses off already.
Guy 1: I was surprised
to read the volunteer policy. They are giving letters of
recommendation to them
after their projects.
Guy 2: Yeah, what’s the big deal in that? I had told
my volunteers on day 1 itself that they’d be receiving letters. I think it’s a
smart move.
Guy 1: Really, no
actually this wasn’t the case last year. The volunteers came at their expense,
worked with full dedication and never got anything in return.
Guy 2: They would have
probably realized that people would work harder if we promise them something
concrete, something that will stay with them.
Guy 1: Wouldn’t that
be a drift away from the purpose? We want to promote the spirit of volunteerism
among college students. If we tell them they’d be receiving certificates for
their work, how can we tell if they are really dedicated?
I wondered if it would be better if they changed the topic
of discussion.
Guy 2: See, this is
management. You are making these kids miss classes and work for you at their
own expenses. You need to give them something. Since money remains out of
question, a simple letter will keep them motivated. And how does this question
their dedication?
Guy 1: My point is
that we should only take in those students who actually support our cause. We
don’t need those who are doing it for their own selfish reasons.
At this time, I was sure the conversation had drifted into
another deeper level. I was afraid the conversation would soon turn into an
argument.
Guy 2: We are all
selfish in that sense, right? Are you a free labourer?
Guy 1: Let’s exclude
ourselves from this discussion.
Guy 2: See, whether
someone is coming to us with selfish motives or not, if they are helping us in
our work, and helping the organisation by spreading its work among their
networks, why should that be a problem? I overheard Maitree saying that the
number of volunteers and interns combined has jumped this year, and they had to
reject many applications. Almost all start-ups and non-profits are hiring
youngsters these days and giving them certificates as a reward for their hard
work.
Guy 1: What I am
saying is, let’s promote volunteerism in its truest sense. This looks like a
win-win situation; the firm is getting its work done for free, these kids have
something concrete to mention in their CVs. But then how different are we from
the others? It’s like being selfish and smart.
Guy 2: I have always
wondered why people are so quick in labelling acts or people as selfish. Is it
criminal to be selfish? Is it no good to think about yourself? I strongly feel
that we are all selfish in many ways, doing things we want to do. And why?
Because we derive something from those acts, isn’t it? Why are we here? Because
we enjoy our work, we are respected and appreciated, we are earning good money.
Aren’t we being selfish in that sense?
At this point, the first guy seemed short of words.
Suddenly, we heard the bell rang and it signalled each one of us to go back to
our work. I wished we could continue the discussion. But then the point had
already been made. I don’t know about the other guy, but I became less
judgemental about other people from that day on.
Pranav Sukhija
Teacher of primary school children, counselor for many, perpetual thinker, voracious writer, avid (not greedy) reader, crazy dancer, joyful singer, wannabe guitarist, wannabe actor, wannabe chef, comfort food lover, nature lover, self-proclaimed photographer, ingenious explorer, Delhi boy who doesn't fulfill most of the assumed 'typical' Delhi boy qualities.
Teacher of primary school children, counselor for many, perpetual thinker, voracious writer, avid (not greedy) reader, crazy dancer, joyful singer, wannabe guitarist, wannabe actor, wannabe chef, comfort food lover, nature lover, self-proclaimed photographer, ingenious explorer, Delhi boy who doesn't fulfill most of the assumed 'typical' Delhi boy qualities.
