Hey! You dont count!

05Jun08

It’s the time of the year when new kids from college start joining their first companies. It’s a nice time for us old hands to watch the enthu of the greenhorns. Over the past 3 years, I have seen supreme enthu levels from quite a few faschas.

Usually- after around 6 months- these kids start settling down. They understand a little bit of how things work and for some reason begin to believe they are really important. Over multiple sessions I have heard comments like

“You know if I leave today, the whole work will come to a stop. I am the only guy who knows area X”

“My manager is completely dependent on me, without me there is no way this product will ship”

” My VP personally told me I am critical to the company”

” My leaving might affect the stock price of my company”

Let me share this secret with those of you who are entering our world.

You don’t count!

Do not believe that you really decide the fate of the company and thereby the world! Yes even if your VP told you that personally you dodo.

Like Gandhi’s mantra- always keep asking yourself this

“If I die in a gruesome accident today- Will my company declare bankruptcy ? Will my lead not be able to feed his kids as a result of that? “

Surprise! The answer to both is NO!

The company survived without you, and it will continue after you. And after your kids too.

So, with that out of the way- Come in- Have fun , enjoy the party, learn. And don’t ever tell me how important you are to your company. Ok?

- Just spoke to a hyper enthu intern who said some of the above comments. Frustration rebounds.


Filed under: gyan   |  13 Comments

13 Responses to “Hey! You dont count!”  

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  1. 1 mythalez on June 5, 2008 said:

    point 1. ‘dodo’ is copyrighted and cannot be used in such a reckless fashion

    point 2. rofl @ poor dreamdos (oh .. that is dreaming weirdos :D )

    I shout for PJ posts encore !!

    Reply
  2. 2 Kunal on June 5, 2008 said:

    let them enjoy the hypothetical importance for few months! why shatter their dreams so soon? la-la land is fun :D

    let me go play another game of pool while the product dismantles around my absence :P

    Reply
  3. 3 Kulbir Saini on June 5, 2008 said:

    rightly said .. you don’t count :P

    Reply
  4. 4 utkarsh on June 5, 2008 said:

    Ahh .. finally .. something that I feel like commenting on :)
    this post seems to be the result of months and months of frustration .. and pent up anger at your boss, peers and probably yourself :P
    Any chance the intern was a IIIT or IIT product ??

    Reply
  5. 5 Rohith on June 5, 2008 said:

    I was actually worried that I might count and bring the company down by working in it :D now I am totally relieved to know that I don’t count :P …. and thanks for coming out of PJ prapancham :)

    Reply
  6. 6 Sangfroid on June 6, 2008 said:

    :-) Well said!
    Just count the moolah … no other counting :-P

    Reply
  7. 7 skp on June 6, 2008 said:

    Nice !

    Why don’t you slap some of those perverts …. idiots from iwo jima …

    Reply
  8. 8 playboi on June 6, 2008 said:

    But my company and the whole ecosystem around it does depend on me !
    without me, the team parties would be crap-organized.
    without me, the level of BC will go down.
    without me, there will be fewer bugs for QA.
    without me, there will be less work for finance dept. regarding dinner bill reimbursements
    without me, the night time cab wallas’ kids will starve.

    Hence, without me, over all employee satifaction would plunge to all time low, leading to suicides.
    Hence, without me, QA dept will have to fire people.
    Hence, without me, MBA colleges will get closed.
    Hence, without me, the Oil Prices in the country will fall to a all time low.

    Reply
  9. 9 jayaram on June 6, 2008 said:

    rama, rohith,khare- The PJ posts will be back soon , this is just a temporary break. I guess each of you will take that as good or as bad news but thats the fact :)

    khare- IIT product with 1 year work ex he was :)

    skp- office manners and dignity prevent :(
    sangfroid- Perfectly said. Thats the only thing that matters!

    rao- in your case, you genuinely seem to be making a critical difference to the company ! :) . Time to find a new job it means

    Reply
  10. 10 waagle on June 9, 2008 said:

    so when does one get start counting :P ?

    Reply
  11. 11 Bhanu on June 9, 2008 said:

    Realistic…!!!

    Reply
  12. 12 sandeep on June 10, 2008 said:

    hehehe…if only ppl realize this ;) )

    Reply
  13. 13 Kulbir Saini on June 14, 2008 said:

    waiting for the PJ post …

    Reply

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