Fast developments in activities forced Director (Finance) to come to Calcutta early which surprised all as he never informed his tour program to anyone, and he didn't face any difficulty as he was drawing his salary from Bangalore office and one day I asked in-charge of the office, "How come you are paying the Director from your account where as he is posted here in Calcutta?" He informed that he arranged his posting to Bangalore by talking to ministry showing some reasons, which was actually a coy and bluff that showed how little ministry people bothered for such companies which didn't give any benefit. He being the Director can always manage this, but he did because he was constructing a house in Bangalore along with him in the same place, and he needed to be there with some reasons to carry out his personal project. However, one person with white skin entered my office early in the morning and I guessed he must be the Director as informed earlier by my office when I came. We greeted each other, but the person appeared to be very cunning in expression and talked very softly. He said, "I could not meet you on the date of joining as I got a message in the previous evening about sickness of my wife and left early in the morning." "How is she now? You could have taken care of her longer by informing me from Bangalore as we managed things in your absence also and all financial concurrences are obtained from you AGM prior to approval. Otherwise also we are in the process of setting marketing strategy for more business and I have initially found that the company is in deep financial trouble and you are able to spend in Bangalore comfortably which is unlike any responsible officer of the company." I gave a harsh message to the man who was trying to lie and play smart with me and it was not desirable to waste any time as "I had a difficult and long journey to perform". Director became uncomfortable and quickly left my office and for the whole day he kept fighting with different persons and officers pointing out faults. I didn't understand why I selected this approach to receive this person, and perhaps his behavior played heavily on my mind and concluded that person was irresponsible and not trustworthy, which became clearer in days to come. One day he came for informing me that he was travelling to Bangalore and when asked for purpose he said, "I am Director and I can go anywhere with business purpose and no sanction from you were required." "It's fine. I know this, but why then you took pain to tell me and you could have gone like the previous trip. I can manage without you and I could see in the last one week you have not done anything for business and spent your time in the office" I said. "But you didn't ask me to do anything special. You are the Director and work out plans to improve company performance and show you the thought process and not spend time like any other officer just discussing something and passing time and keeping working hands away looking into the fact that we have a very limited number of persons. I would like that before living on tour please give me financial reports showing fund flow, fund availability, realization of bills etc so that we can plan activities better. And also issue an order empowering AGM (Finance) to give financial concurrence as I am told that you were threatening him with dire consequences for all cases he cleared on my instruction, and he is quite upset about the same." He started looking around and left the office without uttering a single word. In the afternoon ED came to me with some paper and after finishing a brief discussion he said, "Sir I want to tell you that you are very tough on the Director who till yesterday was managing the show. He should at least be give good treatment as he is seriously aggrieved about this." I smiled and replied, "This means he talked to you whatever I told him primarily for work purposes. He has started the game of showing disrespect and uttered lies about his wife's sickness, as gynecological problems are very common in advanced age in ladies. He was constructing his house and made excuses for his wife's illness and why he lied. Everyone wants to build a house and he could have been frank and straightforward. You can't do such things at the company's cost when you know it to be in difficulties." "It is true and he behaves this way only. He managed to carry on with this as the permanent CMD was not in office and the bureaucrat CMD came once or twice in a month to this office. He had a free hand and did whatever he liked '' was the response of ED. "But still his status should not be ignored and he is unable to swallow this change" said ED. "This he has to learn and for me job performance is prime as you must have noticed from day one. You may tell him that automatically respect will flow if he cooperates with us in executing plans and schemes to enhance working" I concluded.
I felt this fast working method was not easily accepted by the slowed down staff and the working pattern for them was very different. I was prepared to take more risks but they all learnt a process where primarily they remained safe even at the cost of organization; nothing new in PSUs where questioning on performance was less and no single person could be held responsible for the decision which was always a group decision with consent of majority. This was one reason for slow decision making and ineffectiveness in this. I asked the feedback from my two technical officers on this who replied, "You are right and we earlier heard but never experienced this. All have many apprehensions and we are spending many hours convincing them that their interest will be protected only when no wrong intentions are exhibited while dealing with the issue. Of course we are slow and lethargic because this culture has grown by practice, although we grouse about not having many things desired. It may take some time, but we are with you and we want the company to improve, and this message is being forwarded to all center heads." I was relieved and said, "Please all check me if you find me pushing too hard and which may hurt any individual." "We have a request that you may give some more attention to the Director as he is not happy the way you started with him. After all he is the Director and he is talking to us individually and feels disturbed. It is also true that he started in a defiant way, but not being happy may not be helpful. He has more acquaintance in ministry and may give distorted feedback as a habit." I didn't say anything and kept looking at them and asked, "Do you think he will come to my way? I have a serious doubt according to my past experience. He may show off the support but act opposite whenever possible. He is revengeful and goes to any extent for a balance." The two started looking at each other and said, "How could you read him so correctly? All call him a Cobra in the organization. Still he may be given a chance which will be better for all of us and unnecessary uneasy climate shall get avoided." Finally I accepted their suggestion and decided to change the dealing method.
In the second half itself after lunch I called the Director to discuss the financial situation of the company and asked for a few days back and he was not ready. Instead he came with a proposal to extend the lease of his rented house in Bangalore. I wanted him here immediately but he requested for extension for the education of his son. I said, "You are required here in the head office. We can't work only on coordination from a distant place. You please find a house here and move and your son may get educated staying with your any relative which you must have many." "No it will be difficult and my wife can't leave her only son" he argued. "Alternately you hire a smaller house on your own and let them be there and you can be here doing your job" was my suggestion. "You are becoming inconsiderate. I have got approval from the ministry for this arrangement and you can't change" was a harsh reply. "Alright you leave the proposal with me and show me the order. I will talk to the person concerned in ministry and decide" was my reply. Once again I was infuriated that the person had the entire plan to extract conveniences but no intention to work. What a pity and how such a person manages to occupy a responsible position? I concentrated after normalizing on day to day work. In the evening AGM (Personnel) came in to check with me any need. I asked him to find a house for me as the present house belonging to the old company was to be vacated. He took note of this and before leaving asked, "Sir you have not agreed to extension of lease of house. He called me and asked to speak to you." "No I have not rejected but asked for the previous sanction order on the same. You may be having this in your file and this may be brought to me." "This was a private arrangement and I have also not seen the approval and for obvious reasons it was not demanded, he being the self controlling officer." was the reply. It was interesting and I didn't say anything only understanding that documentation and records were not maintained properly and many things happened without approvals. After two days the Director came to talk to me with financial statements and started discussing. At the end he again requested for the sanction and informed that the said order was in his personal file in Bangalore and didn't give to the establishment with a fear of getting it misplaced. "You have to stay in Calcutta and tell me what you are going to do" was my reply. He went away and came back after two days again and said, "I have decided to be here and stay in our guest house while my family will be in Bangalore. You may please approve the proposal." I approved a proposal for one year only and issued an order for shifting his office from Bangalore to Calcutta modifying the previous order which was issued by the joint secretary of ministry who was working as Chairman those days. He got shifted being afraid of harassment by employees whose dues were pending for long even after retirement or Voluntary retirement, and he wanted to avoid problems. This was another revelation
I thought finally to involve the Director in regular work which he did with some resistance as he didn't understand the technical parts and looked for faults which were overruled. This was an unhealthy way of working and virtually every decision I took with the limited cooperating people. Even ED I found highly negative when he was looking only in problem areas and no solutions were available. My enthusiasm was increasing with so many resistances and all of them were giving feedback which dampened my effort. I restricted the tours of the Director and he finally landed in the office of Jt Secretary when we went for a monthly review meeting with the Minister where I presented a strong progress making all silent and they could hardly speak any adverse comments. I took all their suggestions positively and started working on them from Delhi itself without any delay. I went to see Jt Secretary before my departure from Delhi when he spoke to me, "Dr Jha your Director is saying that you don't allow him to go Bangalore to see his family." "Sir he has come after spending one whole month with his family without doing any job for the company and I missed his presence as a new person. How can we afford the absence of a finance head in a poorly performing company like HSCL? When asked he replied arrogantly and put in files very negative remarks which may call for explanations from many vigilant agencies. Unfortunately he doesn't understand the seriousness and delays files for days and also threatens staff who want to work. You are acquainted with him and kindly ask him to behave" was my long reply which the Director was listening to sitting by my side. He became white as if his blood had dried in veins and he never expected this reply washing all his credibility if any. We came out and I came back to the Guest House for lunch. Post lunch I went to see some more ministerial officials as advised by my local representative, a very seasoned and smart officer with great capabilities to serve under all circumstances, waiting long hours late in the evening till not told to go home, and he was one of the rarest person who became my supporter in all days I worked for the company. He was highly resourceful and well connected and daring in liaison work. I met the Director who was a member in our Board and also looked after this company in the ministry, again a gem of a person and helpful in showing the way. After some introductory discussion he said, "You are not taking care of your finance director and he is quite unhappy for not being allowed to go to Bangalore. I explained him in detail but still he said, "He was looking after the company with total freedom which he has lost. He will take some time to adjust. I know he is not very capable but you don't have any alternative. It's better to keep him in your fold or otherwise he will keep on complaining and passing on distorted reports which shall consume your valuable time and also create an impression that you haven't managed your only Director." I kept silent and thanked him for giving his valuable time and came back to my office in the guest house. I asked my liaison officer for some advice who also said, "Sir let him go otherwise he will keep us all bothering unnecessarily as per his habit." I heard him and called the Director in my room and scolded him for his reported behavior in the Ministry and told him to take action for his removal if the same was reported. I reminded him about the most ugly behavior when I joined and he ran away to Bangalore just passing time and in return also he didn't show any cooperation. He might have done much difficult work for the company in the past, and those were appearing in the form of problems which I would be required to tackle. He should not worry how I could get him removed. But now I had no option but to allow him a trip to Bangalore. But you must report about work you do during your stay in Bangalore which shall be restricted to 3-4 days only. Director was a bit upset but gained his senses and went out to prepare to travel. I asked my liaison officer how he could go without any ticket. He informed me that the ticket was purchased sometime back and he was certain to go even if you would say no, because as Director he was entitled to make his own tour. I knew this but still I felt perturbed and recalled how in JESSOP even the Director could not travel without getting permission from the Chairman. Why couldn't this be applied to this huge loss making company? How could even a Director be allowed holidaying at company expense and without doing any worthwhile work? It set me thinking for long, also wondering why even ministry people didn't object when they were approached for such a recommendation, and that could be one reason for companies to go down.