By Taru Bahl
“SAAHAB is at a meeting”. How often we have heard these five exasperating words. They have a finality which shuts you up immediately. Sugar coating a denial, they serve as the perfect foil to the otherwise ride, “I do not want to meet you”. It encompasses a gamut of excuses all of which lend a respectability to the person’s state of perpetual business, Organizations, professionals, self-styled Managing Directors and Consultants use these ‘meeting’ pretext to portray their ‘doing’ Image. The head of one such organization has self strategically. . Sitting facing the window he can see all the people coming in towards the main foyer. So when the furniture, stationery and other stockiest make their visit to collect payments, a discreet ‘no’ is made to the PA on the intercom, who with a straight face tells the visitor “Siris at a meeting and cannot be disturbed.” There are people turning away callers for petty reasons like ‘not being in the mood” or “done not wish to start the day by seeing the devil’s face”. It sure would be interesting to storm the well-guarded bastions of some of these Saahabs who are always at a meeting to see what exactly they are up to. Do not be surprised if you catch those swatting flies, having atete atetc over a cup of coffee or gossiping on Graham Bell’s invention! There are times when at such meetings business is discussed, but just for a while, because soon they revert to their favorite subject talking shop, and this could well run into hours. It is all very well, because to each his own, but it gets disgusting when there are people waiting to see the Saahabs but are denied entry. They are unapologetically asked to come later, again with no reassurance of meeting the person. ‘Concerned. The full of importance “Babus’ who are wanted by their ‘janta’ too feign to be busy most of the time discussing, obviously “state matters!’ According to a die-hard ‘meeting’ freak the row of people who keep coming to him for a small favor again and yet again enhance his self-esteem. He feels important and much sought after. At least he is honest enough to admit it because there are others who will go to any length defending them. The sad pan is they fool themselves by actually believing that they are doing backbreaking work in office. Then you have people like the printers, photographers, advertising agencies that are always hard pressed for time. Their demanding professions push them to extend deadlines and beg for grace time. Their clients therefore have a merry wild goose chase trying to page them. Since they are rarely available in the office the best time to catch them is at home in the morning, Ingenuous that his tribe is, they have found a way here too, to outwit their clients, Whenever you ring them up you are told by the wife (usually) or the domestic help that “Saahab is in the bathroom”, So, from 7.30 to 9.30 am the Saahab has his luxurious bath— probably an oil bath, sauna bath. An herbal bath and all the other refreshing antics in the health book. After trying desperately for two hours, in between finding the phone engaged, when you do man ‘age to get through you are told ‘Saahab has just left”. Unfortunately since such people and organizations are to be found in plenty they eclipse the few who genuinely have a hectic work culture, Their real meetings are characterized by serious internal brainstorming sessions, one to one meetings and others which are strictly work related.
A piece of advice from one such corporate head is to take appointments and in the event of a person calling it off after you have reached the venue of the meeting make sure that you raise such a hue and cry that he cither is forced to shed his unprofessional behavior and see you or else remembers to be careful with you the next time, So all of you who profess haying meetings at the drop of a hat, think before you act smart, lest you be caught with your‘ ‘meeting agenda” down!
Article extracted from this publication >> December 9, 1994
