We were at a friend’s wedding yesterday. A grand show, love in the air, good wishes from family and friends, great food (of course!).
We had planned to drive back to Bangalore the same day, so tried to make an early exit. But when we reached the car park of the wedding hall, we found one cute little car, with a large ‘L’ board, parked so precisely that it blocked the exit for every car that was there!
As I was asking the attendant at the car park about the owner, more people came out, with the same intent of leaving early! The attendant was busy telling me how he had requested the gent not to park where he did, but he had nevertheless parked insisting that he was going to be back in five minutes, before anyone came out. And that was an hour ago!
Fifteen useless minutes hanging around the car park in the sweltering heat, we finally decided to make a public announcement at the wedding, requesting the owner of the pretty green car to move it so others can move too. I was one among many, a small crowd, waiting in the meagre shade of one stunted tree, eagerly waiting to see the owner.
A young 20 something guy sauntered in with his dad, looking around as if he too was looking to move his car, studiously avoided eye contact with all of us, dad and son chatting away, slowly moved to the car, son surreptitiously unlocked it, and got in. Still ignoring the entire crowd, he reversed out of the car park, dad guiding him out. No eye contact, not a word to anyone there!
Could the young guy and his dad have done this better? Shown some urgency in the way they walked in, taken a minute to meet us in the eye and apologise for the inconvenience, shown some regret, some shame? What was signal that the dad was giving his young man – that it was okay to be brazen when you are wrong?
I was reminded of a time when I was 10. I inadvertently broke a jar at a shop, and kept mum since no one saw it. Came out and told dad, feeling very good about not having been caught. Imagine my horror when he caught my arm, marched me right back into the shop and asked me to tell the shopkeeper what I had done. Then, he paid for the jar!
But it taught me a lasting lesson, which I carry in personal and professional life. That mistakes happen, sometimes we do it consciously and wilfully, but I need to be man (woman) enough to face the music. Courage is the act of standing up and accepting the consequences and what makes a leader. We all slip up, sometimes knowingly, sometimes unknowingly, but how we react when things go wrong because of our action is really what matters; and it is that reaction that remains in people’s mind.
Follow me for more thoughts, tips and tricks that can provoke thought, and can contribute to raising the level of excellence in individuals, leaders, organizations and families. Organization’s transformation starts with individuals.