“Have you filled the appraisal form?” “No ma’am, I am doing it. Will be over in next half an hour” “Please come to me once it is over ok” “Why ma’am? any problem?” “No, I just want to speak something” “Why? Anything serious?” “Just like that...generally” “Ok ma’am, will be there in next 20 minutes” “See you in my cabin then”
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“Hi ma’am. What’s the matter?” “Did you complete the form?” “Ya...I did” “Did you submit it?” “No, Why?” “ Nothing…Hmmm.. What do you feel about the new section that has been introduced there?” “You mean that buddy review section?” “Yes, the same section” “I find it quite interesting. This is the first time I am doing this kind of thing. My earlier company did not have anything like this” “Did you fill that section?” “Yes…but why are you asking me this” “Well I am interested to know your opinion regarding Vikram” “Why specifically about Vikram?” “You tell me your opinion first. I will explain you other things later” “I have not interacted with him much. But I think basically he is a nice guy” “Have you written the same thing there in the sheet?” “Not exactly, I mean there were specific questions there right. I have answered them. But my general opinion about him is this” “OK, tell me specifically what you have written for – Does your buddy help you in your project work?” “Wait let me see……….Yes there. For Vikram I have written that – Occasionally Yes” “What do you mean? Has he helped you anytime during this project?” “We have started this project only last month. We have to still allocate the work” “But still” “He is ok…I mean nothing special…but ok” “What do you think about his behavior in last review meeting?” “Are you referring to that layoff episode?” “Exactly. Do you think it was right in his part to question me in that manner? After all I am the lead here.” “That’s right……” “And moreover he keeps bitching about me in the canteen area. I have sources who report to me regularly” “…….” “I have also noticed he loafs around in the cabin when you guys work so hard” “Yeh……He is bit lazy when it comes to documentation” “No, Not only that. He basically thinks too much about himself. He thinks he knows programming more than me. And he makes it a point to insult me in meetings” “………..” “I think if he thinks he is smart enough let him go. There is no dearth of people here” “………….” “I don’t think he even talks to you guys. I know you guys work hard. I do not want you people to suffer because of him. So I called you over here” “…Why ma’am?.......” “You people….everyone….just write that he is not working in the appraisal papers. I will have a strong case against him to present before management” “But ma’am………” “No, you do not fear. I will not leak your names. I promise” “…………………………………” “Don’t think he is the only great guy around. Have you heard about Sharath? I have talked with him. He is so simple and humble. We will ditch this guy” “But ma’am Vikram is crucial member in our team…..He has…..” “No, No, Wait. Don’t go by his words. He thinks he is irreplaceable is it? I can find 100 such people in half an hour” “We have started our work ma’am…..and he was present in all client meetings also…now if he goes…” “No problem. You don’t worry. I will convince the clients. They will understand these things. What do you think? Did they give us this contract because we had this guy? I got this contract and I will see that we deploy this on time” “……………………” “What do you think? “So what I should I do now ma’am?” “I want all of you to write that this guy does not do anything” “Ok…I can write it…But others….” “That’s why I called you. You tell the thing to others. Let me be frank with you. This guy should go. Otherwise you will have to witness unprecedented events happening here.” “I understand ma’am” “Try to understand. I am telling you all this because I do not want all of you talented people to suffer. I do not have any personal grudges against Vikram. But he is little arrogant. And I want to teach him that this industry does not entertain this. “ “Yes, I think he is bit arrogant. The other day I was struck in a place while coding. This guy comes around, looks at my code and just corrected it. But when he went past me, I saw a crooked smile on his face…..” “That’s what I am trying to convince you. Yes he may be helpful. But he helps because he wants to give an impression that he knows everything. What does he think? Can’t we solve small bugs in our code?” “Exactly ma’am. Even on that day I could have solved even without him” “Now you understand right. This guy is a little skewed and we need to tell me that we are here” “Yes ma’am…I agree with you. So what can we do for this?” “See now we have a golden opportunity with us. You people just write that Vikram is not co-operative and always disturbs you while you work. Then I will do what I should be doing as PM” “Ok ma’am I will do this” “Tell others about this. See that Vikram dosen’t get a clue about this” “No ma’am. I will be careful” “Finish the work by noon.” “Yeh sure….I will leave now ma’am” “Ok…..good luck…see you at lunch” ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Howz the day?” “As usual Vikram. Nothing special” “What do you mean nothing special? Chatting with ma’am for so long” “Usual stuff” “Forget it…Haven’t you filled the form” “Oh! The form! It’s there. Will check out later” “Busy with design?” “Have to finish it soon” “Do you think that client guy will understand all this? They are just what they are – miserly dogs who want to save money. They are least bothered about your technically sophisticated design. Just tell them whether it will save then Dollars and they are happy” “Not everyone is so Vikram” “Yes not everyone is same. But all clients whom our management brings to us are like that. They are least bothered about aesthetics of programming or clarity of design. What they need is just that cost-cutting, people like who work for Rupees and don’t complain about all this” “Hold on Vikram…I have no mood to listen to this lecture…Not today” “It is because of people like you that we are today working for one-fourth the salary which we deserve. If only people like PM realize this we would be ruling the IT world by now” “Stop Vikram, What is bad about our PM now?” “She is a dumb head, you know that. I wonder whether she has ever written a line of program in her entire life” “But why should she prove her coding skills now. She is a manager and she does that well” “Yeah….I understand. She spends half of her time chatting it others and call it meeting and then rest of the time busy messaging. Is this the way to manage things in a tech company?” “Ok. So now you have problems with her managing style also” “I always had problem with her. I think all of you also have. But you guys don’t talk. I open my mouth and…….” “And you will pay for all this one day” “….What do you mean…..Will they remove me….” “I didn’t say that” “You were hinting at something like this” “No” “…..I don’t mind. I am not the person who will cry over spilt milk. I know I can survive anywhere” “Ok baba….you are the greatest coder in this world….ok…happy” “Yes. Be like that and I will write nice words about you in buddy review” “Thank you very much my lord. I am blessed” “You are welcome. Fine, I’ll move. Finish your work fast and fill the form ok” “As you say my lord” “Bye” “Same here” ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tring…Tring…..Tring……….. “Hello” “Hai…..this is me” “Arrreeeyyy……what a surprise. I thought you will be busy with ma’am and that Vikram for the whole day. What’s the chakkar?” “Stop fooling. I want to speak with you urgently. Come down to Café” “Just a minute….will complete this one and come” “I know what you are doing there. Just come down. The matter is serious. I am keeping the phone down” “Ok…Now tell me who is your problem. Vikram or your Maaaaaam?” “Frankly speaking I am confused” “Why, what is the matter?” “Ma’am called me today morning” “Yeh..I know….You two discussed for a long time” “Yes, the matter is serious” “Vikram….is it?” “Exactly. How did you guess?” “Come on….it’s simple. The way that guy spoke in the meeting last time. It was bad” “You also believe that” “Ofcourse. What do you think? If I were to be in ma’am’s place I would have thrown him out then and there” “So do you think he deserves to be out?” “Definitely. Without any doubt. I mean..how can ask the senior like that in an open meeting?” “But he spoke sense” “What rubbish? What were we discussing that day?” “Final release dates” “Right, release dates, then what was the necessity to raise all that issues” “It was related, I mean, the issue of layoffs was related to release” “I understand that. Some people were removed because those guys sitting in US think they should save money. Be practical, we get work because we come cheap” “But that does not mean you remove people in crucial stages” “See that was needed. But remember we were given hikes. Even that Vikram got handsome hike” “But what Vikram told was not this” “No I know. He said that layoff should not start at lower level and all that…” “It is correct…It makes sense” “Are you mad? I mean there is this lady who is in this industry for so long. And you make a speech saying that people who are struck in COBOL should be sent home. I mean that is too much of an attack” “But he did not mean ma’am when he said that” “How do you know that? I feel he always targeted that poor ma’am. I understand that she has not improved in her skill set. But her basics are strong, stonger than any one of us” “So you feel Vikram said that purposefully” “Without an iota of doubt” “So you think he is arrogant” “In a way…. Yes he is arrogant” “But he is intelligent also” “Come on, in this industry intelligence is something which everyone has or at least everybody pretends they have” “So what about Vikram? Ma’am says of all of us write negative remarks on him, she will remove him” “As in what? Will she suspend him and all that? Vikram will not take this easily. We should move carefully” “No, ma’am has said she will take case about everything” “Yes, she may know all this HR stuff. Afterall she is here from a long time” “So we write all wrong things about him?” “See we cannot cook up things. We will write what we have experienced. Let ma’am do the rest” “Ok…that I think is right” ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By the order of Management It is hereby informed that Vikram, who is working as Software Engineer, is discharged from his duties with effect from today. This decision has been taken after the committee submitted its report on the alleged inability of Vikram to discharge his duties as expected by him in this company The management herby takes this opportunity to warn all employees not to show any indiscipline in workplace. That all employees should work up to satisfaction of immediate supervisors and thereby the management and ultimately the clients should be understood by one and all. (Sd/-) |
