Of Tea Ladies, Peons, Office-Boys, Couriers, and Security Guards…. And their Leadership.

#Leadership #Humility #Office

Reflections of leadership mostly relate to the roller-coaster stories of challenges and achievements, of conquests and mighty turnarounds, reminiscing about super inspiring bosses, swashbuckling heroes and mighty statesmen. We all remember them, we have learnt from them, imbibed and also imitate them. But here are some real heroes too who are great leaders in their own ways.

Tea Ladies:

In my corporate journey, I made many dear friends among the Tea-Ladies (a Singaporean term to refer to the lady (generally a bit aged!) who keep the offices and pantries spic and span, and serve the guests and managers, drinks in the meetings. They are the sweetest of people I have come across and the happiest too, amongst the office staff. Never a complaint or a nag, always with a beautiful smile and a terrific sense of service orientation. Often, they are contract engaged, and not part of the usual rigmarole of scales, and performance evaluations. If we brought them in, they would be the best performing of all !!!. They are the first ones to spot if someone is unwell, or feeling down – they are always there to come, and cheer you up… with a cup of Tea or a snack and ask your welfare, rather genuinely…  The Tea Ladies are true leaders. I have learnt quite a bit from them, and how nicely they perform a Human Resource function most humanely. I remember most fondly, the Tea Ladies, they are the kindest of people I have come across in an office. Often, they only speak minimal English, and make it up with Malay or Chinese words, but their genuine affection and expression is the most vividly understandable.

Couriers & Office Boys:

‘Office Boy’ is a rather old British term for a Jeeves like person who tends to all the simple tasks and errands in an office. No matter their age, they are still called office boys and in Singapore they are often addressed as ‘Uncle’- for the entire office, once they are older. These boys or uncles, double up doing courier jobs, deliveries, bank work and running errands. This tribe is fast disappearing. They are no less than the good old journalists, who pick up the latest stories from the street… they bring hot news into the office, of what happened where, and sometimes also who got fired in which meeting too. They are great sources of information, guidance and for new recruits, and they do mentor them very gently. My first cultural coaches to Chinese and Singaporean office culture was this office boy – Johnny, who’s English i.e Singlish with its heavy accent was most entertaining - shorn of grammar and un-necessary embellishments of adjectives, it was delightful - staccato…just like bullets firing out from a machine gun! They are great story tellers, and some are comic too – they are leaders of a kind who keep up the joyful spirit of an office always, with wholesome entertainment.

Peons:

The term originated in Portugese / Spanish and became popularised in British colonies where a peon would do all the unskilled or menial job in an office. In colonial days, they served a master.. whatever the master needed. My stories with Peons are all from my years in India. Peons double up to move files, papers, serve drinks, fetch office supplies, and just about do anything you need, and the higher the officer’s ranking, you were entitled to exclusive peons including in the Government, where the Peons wielded enormous shadow power and used it blatantly more than the boss itself.  They never had a job definition, it was all about how they created their own zones of influence, a great leadership trait indeed! They are usually very helpful people, who played such undefined but important roles. Loyalty to the boss meant everything to them and they would go to great lengths just to support, help and achieve whatever the boss needed. They are also the most resourceful, and manage to achieve the impossible. I remember one particular peon, who realised that I was looking for a colour monitor (in the early 80’s) to do a presentation on a package called Harvard Graphics (precursor to all the PowerPoints), and such colour monitors were far and few. Loo and behold he managed to place one in the conference room on time, and all went well – until the next morning, when we discovered the disaster… he simply plucked out the colour monitor from the Sr Manager HR’s room, who perhaps was on leave, and placed it in the conference room. The unrepentant fellow’s logic was it was a company property that was needed more for a presentation, than sitting on the Manager’s table! What he did was not right, but yet an example of resourcefulness and thinking on his feet.

Security Guards:

They have the most onerous of jobs, and nobody really cares for them though tragically they have to care for everyone! As gate-keepers assuring the safety and security of the place, before the advent securities technologies – the security folks relied on their keen sense of observation, and at time their sheer intuition. Enforcing rules and regulations without exercising force, is a touch call. The security guards, do have a rather boring and repetitive job. They do play such an essential part in the corporate life, and the entire retinue of office goers pass through every day – and they do greet, and also salute sometimes, which is so kind of them. A sheer smile, acknowledgement and greeting them, makes them feel so valued and important.

My Learning:

We talk about leadership, with complex graphics and high-flown jargon, but I have learnt the most humbling lessons of leadership by being friends with these wonderful ‘colleagues’ – whose education may be less, and language skills limited, but their life experiences and wisdom is far exceeding many who they end up serving. I found them most Authentic, Real, and Genuine too in what do, and true to self-transparent, which makes me call them true leaders too. 

When you spend time with them, and connect as a colleague, I mean on human-to-human equation, than as the boss talking to a subordinate, you built great trust, loyalty and intimacy – you reap rich returns in terms of what they give back to you - so much warmth, affection and care. Even acknowledging them with a greeting and smile, makes their day – a simple “Thank You’ and taking some interest in them makes them feel so elated.

What these wonderful people bring to the office is a form of servant leadership (selflessness) in action, that establishes the fact, that those who display this level of compassion and care for others is truly worthy of being a leader. Such character traits of compassion and care are critical for collaboration within the organization. The practice of compassion, care and a sense of justice is so important. These traits are the cousins of collaboration and teamwork. ‘It’s not about me, but about something more important than me’. These are the people who can teach a thing or two about humility to leaders.

Venkat P. Venkat SN S.Venkita Padmanabhan (Venkat) Shailaja Kamarshi Annurag Batra Harish Bhat Sandhya Karpe