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Gyan Gurus - Talent & Careers

Career flexibility  (View Comments)

Walter E Vieira is a senior management consultant who started India’s first Marketing Consulting Company (MAS) in 1975. He offers consulting and training services to companies in India, S E Asia, Africa and USA, over three decades.

Posted On Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at 02:10:10 PM

My son who lives in California has a housekeeper, a Mexican woman who comes twice a week and gives the house a thorough ‘spruce up.’ She does such an excellent job that even my four-year-old granddaughter, on returning from school joyously exclaims: ‘Oh Carmen was here!”  Carmen’s husband worked for an IT company in town.  With the meltdown, he lost his job. Now John accompanies Carmen on her rounds, and they do the jobs together.  The result: They complete each home now, in half the time.  And they have begun accepting more assignments – since they have more time.  Did John feel bad about making the change from an IT office to working as a housekeeper?  Did he feel ashamed?  Did he resent working with his wife?  None of these.

John was happy doing what he needed to do and earning a living ‘by the sweat of his brow’ rather than sitting and mopping about his glorious past and the bleak future.  And he hopes that he will get back to his IT job when things improve – either in the same company or some other.

John showed me how one can change gears and face life stoically, in an adversity.

On another occasion, I began talking to Tony, the mason who was working in the same house in California.  I asked him how long he had been doing masonry work – and I was surprised to know it was only three years. “Really? And what did you do before that?,” I asked him.  He told me he was a commercial airline pilot for fifteen years – had worked for American Airlines; and was laid off when the company began flying downhill. With the whole airline industry being in trouble, he did not want to just wait on the sidelines. It is also expensive to keep the flying license alive.  So what did he do?

He had always liked masonry work.  He decided he would attend some courses and qualify as a certified mason.  Now he is enjoying this career and earning good money in the process. Perhaps, not as much as he would have earned as a commercial pilot – but nothing to be sniffed at, either. And then, who knows when the world economy improves again – perhaps, he would resume flying – which still is his first love.

Hai Wan is an expert on how to do business in China.  She is now so well known that she was asked to be the official interpreter when the Deputy Prime Minister of China visited the US.  She has a Phd in Sociology and has taught at US universities.  The second time we had a meal together, I found that she left an inordinately large tip.  As it is, the tip in the US is more than in most countries. And she always left even more.   I could not help mentioning this to Hai Wan.  That she was extraordinarily generous.  She looked at me with a far away look in her eyes. You know, Walter, when I first came to the US from China, I worked as a waitress. And I worked long hours to be able to pay for board and lodge and finance my education.  I was always happy when customers left generous tips for good service.  I always went out of my way to provide such service.  I have not  forgotten those days. Today, I am on the other side of the table. I am doing for them, what I expected to be done to me.

Hai Wan had changed careers. She had grown in knowledge, in stature, and in affordability.  Hai Wan grew into a future, without forgetting the past. A new and upscale profession from a more run-of-the mill job.  Tony moved consciously, deliberately from a highflying job – to a down to earth profession without remorse or regret.  John took on what was conveniently available and made the best of it – waiting for the tide to come in again.

Lessons for all of us in flexibility, in fortitude; and the dignity of labour.

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