Going that Extra Mile

Please Look! I am waiting!!

The other day I was stranded at an office. I had gone there as a trainer, but was not given the name of the right person and the contact number to meet there.  The security would not let me enter the premise for want of that vital information. The receptionist at the desk saw my dilemma, could have sorted the issue in a matter of minutes. BUT she was new to the job, just joined that day and scarcely knew the right people to contact. Accepted. The security could have helped but did not feel it necessary to do so. They were doing their duty. Accepted.

Two stressful hours and several phone calls , later, I contacted the right person and gained legitimate entry and went to the training room. But lo and behold, the participants who had waited in vain for 2 hours for the trainer to arrive then assumed that the training had been called off, went away and had to be called back. Of course the story does have a happy ending - I did conduct the training to everyone's satisfaction.

What struck me in this whole episode was "Why do we not go that extra mile to help out, to untangle issues at work place easily? " All the people who saw my discomfort at waiting , making so many calls and wasting productive hours could have spared a few minutes and sorted things out asap. But NO !! Everyone was doing their duty!!  That is going about their work.

This is not the first of its kind of experience. This is my wishful thinking that in all our ( read my countrymen) professional dealings we need to go that extra mile to solve PEOPLE's problems. Ultimately we all live for each other - we need to be there for each other, to make life more comfortable and less stressful for others. We should do if we can.

It is a miserable experience to go to some govt. offices and get some document out which is actually yours by right. It often turns out to be hours and hours of wait, repeated visits and ultimately paying someone  to get that piece of paper that you so desperately needed. If only the person at work goes that extra mile. Life would be so easy.

I want my country to value the time and energy of each and every Indian. I want all of us to help out each other in times of need I want that Indian culture - Going that extra mile.

Going that extra mile means not just doing your duty at work - If you see a problem that you might be able to resolve and make another human being more comfortable, it is a chance one must not miss to help out. That is called "Customer care, Salesmanship" or whatever. You project your business in a positive angle. Doing it all the time to your countrymen and fellow human being - that is really going that extra mile. One does come across that kind of attitude and then one feels immesnsly proud of being an Indian. It is that winning attitude - Going that extra mile for someone else.

Please look if someone is waiting and you are in a position to help!