FIFTH COLUMN

Office politics

By Sushma

"Namaste, ji", "Good morning, ji".. these good will laden greeting echo through corridors of most offices here. Behind the ‘Ji’s attached to every name, behind the genuine or plastic smiles, there exists a world that only an insider can see. An insider recognises a heartfelt greeting from a desultory reply that barely disguise intense dislike, or green venom brimming behind a smile - no matter how heavily saturated the animated greetings may be in saccharine sweetness.

However, going by the honky dory facade, everybody seem to be on such good terms, seem so ready to help and even exchange jokes. A novice to an upwardly mobile office set up got exactly such an impression. When he expressed appreciation regarding the amicable environment, silence accompanied by knowing smiles, left him wondering. Only after a couple of months, did he feel the myriad of undercurrents that gradually was enough to stifle a nonpolitical free spirit.

A novice learns that when it comes to the crunch, very few would have the good grace to stand by ones principles and not to ‘kill’ a colleague to go ahead oneself. ‘Killing’ exists in many forms. Most of all, it exists between the same nationality and often between different castes and cultures. Other nationalities would not even be aware such a war is afoot - so discreet and so vague the whole process is. Only the perpetrators of the ‘crime’ and the ‘sufferers’ would be aware of what is going on. The sufferers do not protest because of lack of ‘evidence’. With most perpetrators, it is so much so a part of their character, they have moulded their psyches so much so, that for them it is fully justified as a game for survival.

One of the survivors’ skills is listening and watching all that is not their business. Such characters’ pride themselves on their sleuthing capabilities and do not miss out a beat when asked for their opinion. With a sombre face and judgmental attitude, they paint a picture that appears very genuine but in reality could be just another strategy to ‘kill’. Nothing is not their business.

On the other hand, one is sometimes overcome by surprise to find a genuine helping hand extends out without any motives or strings attached. This may be rare but it really reinforces your belief in goodness and tells you that there still are good people left on this earth.

What the three monkeys, one with its hand on its mouth, another with its hand on its ears and the last with its hands on its eyes say, needs to be reinforced in an office environment. The gist of what the monkeys say - Do not say bad things, do not listen to bad things and do not see bad things - are well and good. We also need to stop people when they do bad things or say bad things. Perhaps a picture or a model each of the three monkeys on all desks in offices would temper the monkeying around? A bit of education, a bit to hammer awareness regarding ones behaviour, is better than none.