It was a hot summer day, one of the dog days in my life; I was returning back from the field too tired, too thirsty, thinking do I need to slough a lot like this, to my educational background I could get a cool job though. Thought of giving up my sales profession.
Just parking my vehicle, a flash of scene brought me back; an old man around his 70s was pulling his hand- cart selling salt in a gunny bag. A wave of inspiration passed on me when someone around 70 could work this hard, why can’t I. I am back on energy, back into my seat, deeply thinking am I doing the right thing. Is my career graph is growing- No. My logical mind stepped in, do I need to be like the same old man, continue to do business in an old industry, selling salt in a gunny bag, the world has changed, and someone has taken away your bread. My inner voice said ‘If you don’t change, you have to slough like the same old man “.I decided not to quit but to changing business. Not selling the same old salt.
My computer monitor flashed a famous quote of an ice hockey player retold by Steve Jobs “It’s not the where the Puck went (puck is ice hockey ball) go where the puck is going to happen.
I had seen my puck, the booming IT industry then. My entry was tough, learning was a double challenge, new customers, new friends, new technologies, but my core skill and passion remained the same in Sales & Marketing.
In a very short time, I am not only able to manage but come in the top, my earnings increased, doing somewhat 4x times of what my peers in the older industry are doing.
The one thing I learned the hard way is be prepared for the change. It’s not even easy at an individual level, at the organizational level it’s going to be a humongous task, nevertheless, the most long-standing highly successful organization anticipated and changed with times. changing business are the ones which stood the test of time.
A bigger challenge is thrown in front of all of us, a challenge equivalent to two world wars and demonetization all combined in one shot. No one knew what the aftermath effects going to be.
Listening to overwhelming noises on zoom, every domain expert is shouting their bit, finance person saying finance is important, tight the rope, Marketing person shouts marketing is important without customers what you will do, HR expert is not silent he is asking to take care of employees. All correct sir, But our Iceberg is Melting. No one knows how the new normal is going to be.
I am not trying to create fear, I am only saying, sit back, relax, deeply think, every business is unique, your business is unique and your skills and passion are unique, common ideas won’t work. Be prepared for the change, be bold, drop your old learning’s, most of the learning is going to be a weightage only.
It’s not where the puck went, go where the puck is going to happen, just be prepared and be watchful like the ice hockey player watching his puck.
Stay alert, stay prepared for changing business. That’s the new normal.
P.S: The blog post written during the Covid-19 lockdown period.
