My designated Technical Officer came in first after ED left and asked if I would like to have a cup of tea, who one of the two persons attached to my office. Surprisingly my PS was granted a few days leave by the Director before he left for Bangalore and my Technical Officer informed me that they would take up the jobs of office management in his absence. He also informed me that many other officers would like to meet me to greet me while I was taking tea. There were only two chairs in front of me and I asked all to come together which crowded the small place. I greeted them all and gave my brief introduction as if reading out my resume including family details and my background and experience of work. I conclusively said, "I am here to work with you all to improve the company and ensure that your livelihood continues in a respectable manner. We will generate our own money to get paid and also to take care of a huge amount of dues. You all have a long experience and mine is the first day when I expect you all to give your best and support me so that we achieve what is desirable. Problems are many and we can solve them one by one. But you should never feel discouraged and whenever you feel so my doors are open for anyone and everyone. I will be meeting you all one by one at your workplace to see how you keep you place, which I expect to be befitting showing that you care to work and also which reveals your personality. Clean workplace symbolizes a clear mind set, but do not throw away files and papers to clean the place for that will be the next thing I shall demand." They all were again stunned by my straight talk and businesslike approach. I bid them a smiling departure from the place. In the meantime tea got cold which my technical officer wanted to replace. I stopped him and gulped the cold tea showing that the smallest resource was not wasted.
I called my two Technical Officers and had a long chat when they informed me the details of the company's present performance and gave glimpses of problems before the company. I asked them to prepare a file including all problems and issues and submit to me in two days time while we continue to do our daily chores of files and paperwork. I needed more explanation on different files and papers which they helped me to understand with background. In between I wanted to give some dictation which the Director's PS refused as he needed permission of his boss to leave his seat under strict instructions and I didn't bother and asked my Technical Officer to do the same. My anger for the Director grew and decided to teach the man a lesson for his life. They also informed me the way the Director kept terrorizing them in all matters and to follow his dictates. It was a funny way of running a company generally in a bureaucratic manner where rules only applied and a minimum of human elements IN organizations were considered causing further distress to companies, and which were most important for the success of these.
I went home for lunch to avail time to cool myself and give thoughts to my experience of the first half of the first day. My wife was waiting and before serving food asked her customary question, "How was the beginning of the day?" I kept silent as desire to answer was not there and she immediately got furious as per her nature, and I avoided and sat down to satisfy my hunger, which was also served in anguish. I went to take some rest before leaving for office again and told my wife to talk in the evening as I didn't want to convey wrong impressions keeping in mind that my wife was a argumentative type of person borrowed from her brothers and their children, who could discuss subjects without any content for hours gulping many cups of tea, and they felt big about it. In the office I called AGM (Personnel & Administration) who wanted to see me before lunch itself, but I told him to wait for the second half of the day. The person was polite, well behaved and intelligent and understood subjects fast being discussed. I guessed he had worked in Durgapur Steel Plant and he confirmed the same, because this plant was prone to disturbances and life for all officers was difficult more so for the Personnel people as Unions called for frequent agitation and strikes, and interestingly none could find any remedy for this but lived with. AGM informed me about HR issues and also the working styles of all senior executives including Director and ED which made me decide to wait before any precipitate actions. Interestingly he was managing Director well and could get his work done from him with some persuasion, one being his control in administrative matters, which was needed by him. Secondly he was capable of handling IR issues better and this was his big strength and also a consolation for him. IR issues are very time consuming and disengaging from real work to improve performance of the company. I got some solace and confidence at last in this person who proved to be a pillar of support to me in this organization and became my confidence in all matters including managing distant units spread all over the country.