A new awakening

Indira Gandhi International, Terminal 2, New Delhi.

I was busy talking on my mobile when a bright, smiling face looked up at me and said ‘Hello’. I smiled back with a wave and continued my talk on the phone, even as my mind was racing to recall who this young man was.

Call over, I shook hands with him and said ‘Hi’. He sensed that I did not recognise him but was being polite.

He with his smile intact – ‘ Not sure if you will remember me, but I was part of the Agency team at Tata AIG in the Nariman Point office’.

“ Ha yes, your face looks familiar but sorry I’m unable to place you.” – Me.

Still with a smile he responded ‘ We closed that particular account ( he named it) together and it was my first marine insurance deal’. Oh yes, I vividly recalled that account because we negotiated with a Chinese, tough negotiations amidst language barriers. “ Yes, yes”, I nodded. ‘ Was in Powai, right?’ Yes, he smiled broadly now. Still, I was struggling to place this familiar face. Finally, he announced his name and there was a faint remembrance first and then yes, now I could recall this young man. He was far younger then, more than 14 years ago, leaner and with darker hair, but with the same sparkling eyes.

We chatted for a while. He had left the insurance industry around 10 years ago and was now doing exceedingly well in the electronic media industry in a senior position.

As we parted, I felt proud that he could remember me, our working together on his first big marine deal even though he had left this industry a decade ago. I had left a lasting impression in a youngster, am a role-model, I thought…..but only for a fleeting second. Then …….a sense of shame enveloped me – I remembered the client, the venue,recalled the deal vividly, but forgot who my colleague was, who worked alongside me. Guess I was so focussed on closing the deal and felt that it was I alone who clinched it. How stupid!.

It added to his experience but not mine. I had been so full of myself that I had forgotten that a youngster was observing me, learning from me and playing his own role in a small way. So important for a senior team member to set the right precedents & practices and above all their actions should be worthy of emulation. Maybe my action was, but not my mind-set which missed the point that it was a team-effort, after all.