Workscool, a management consultancy for educational initiatives brings you this story. Due to the closed nature of the education fraternity, many a knowledge management opportunity is lost. Workscool has worked with some institutes and faced problems similar to the ones in this story. Travel into the world of Workscool with this story ? a fictitious story, with real problems and?.real solutions!
"The Bookhelp trust was setup in 1984 because our Chairman wanted to change the face of education in the country. And now after two decades, we have three schools, two colleges and a shelter for poor children. With your help and association, we have crossed the 10000 student mark last week. We would like to now honour the senior faculty?"
Ameya Upadhyay stretched with boredom apparent in his 25 year old eyes. He had heard Mrs. Anagha Koli speak before and thought she was inspiring. But today was different. Trust her to make even a landmark event into another mundane 'annual day' type function where there was lighting of the lamp, an uninterested chief-guest, their never-ending speeches and then awards for almost the whole institute. The tirade would inevitably end in a hall full of stuffed drowsy old men and women who would barely be able to keep awake for the classes in their schedule. He thanked his stars that this was not a corporate office. A big corporate lunch party in a five star with booze flowing freely would not quite bode well for this audience. For a moment, he let himself imagine these teachers in executive outfits rolling out of a five star lobby and into their classrooms fully loaded. The smile on his face got wiped out as soon as he saw Koli walking straight towards him. It had been 6 months and she still gave him the shivers. All said and done, she was a veteran educationist, all of 50, and he, an out of place post-graduate in management. She was the principal and she thought he was highly unnecessary. She had made this quite apparent many times.
"Good afternoon Madam", said Ameya, with ease
"Good afternoon, Ameya. Did you capture the minutes of the proceedings. We have to include it in our magazine."
"Yes Madam, you ? already told me that. I was just wondering if we could have a different kind of celebration: one that is not official. Afterall, even students are a part of this achievement."
"You have something in mind, Ameya?" Koli asked, looking away.
"Yes, ma'am", Ameya says, his hopes rising. He had never got such encouragement before.
"Give me a write-up of it then" said Koli and walked off with her majestic gait.
"I knew that was too easy" thought Ameya. He was very sure that had he not been handpicked by Mr. Raghuvanshi to help manage his institutes, she would have banned him from the premises.
"Hi! Ameya?right?", said a well-dressed middle aged man who had just moved closer to him.
"Yes?"
"Hi, I am Rajesh Raghuvanshi. My father told me you would be here."
"Oh, Mr. Raghuvanshi. What a pleasure. I felt you looked familiar. You look like a younger version of Sir himself." Ameya checked himself. "Pardon me. I guess I just jumped at the sight of a friendly face", he said with a tiny smile.
"Let us go to upstairs Ameya. I would like to talk to you."
There was no hint of a smile or any kindness in Rajesh's face, but Ameya knew that Rajesh was handling half of the senior Raghuvanshi's affairs and he was a thorough businessman?something that Ameya had wanted to become one day.
Soon they reached the management office. This office had been used only once before in the past six months when Mr. Raghuvanshi had personally come to show Ameya around. Ameya missed him. He missed his old job. He missed his parents. He missed is home. He just felt out of place.
"Sit down please", said Rajesh taking the bigger chair.
"So, how is it going?"
"Everything is fine", Ameya lied. "How is Onetree doing?"
"Good?good, you know Onetree! Always our flagship"
"I used to work there. Actually I was a management trainee at Onetree when Raghuvanshi Sir asked me if I would be interested in the institute"
"Oh, for how long did you work there?"
"About 11 months. I was due for appraisal the week before I met him personally. I was a good performer and was sure I will get a good permanent position. But then he got me here and showed me around?told me the story and I felt that this is where I wanted to be."
"Ok. So do you like this place better?"
"I took placement in Onetree because I wanted to be in the education industry and that's the closest we got during placements. Everyone in campus knew that Onetree is one of the biggest publishers of textbooks and I knew that marketing in the education industry would pick up soon?But I guess this profile is also good?"
"So what exactly do you do here?"
Ameya got mixed signals. If Rajesh knew his name, he would know why Sir had posted him here. If Rajesh really did know and was just re-interviewing him, then Ameya was typing a resignation letter mentally. That was Ameya for you: all youth, all hot blood, all ego, but no malice.
"I?uh, am posted here to implant management practices that I learnt in my BSchool that I would think would help run this place more efficiently."
"So what have you done till now?"
So, this WAS an interview after all.
"Well?I have studied the functioning and suggested some changes. But I doubt anything is going to be done."
"Ameya, things do not get done by themselves. One has to do them."
"Yes, but I have only responsibilities and no authority. I am still a management consultant here. I cannot even sign on my canteen vouchers." Rajesh had unknowingly broken a dam. Ameya realized that this was not the time to get offensive or defensive. He calmed down.
"Let me see what I can do. Meanwhile why don't you give me a proposal for making the institute better? Take your time. But it has to be worthy of the new position you will hold."
Ameya brightened up a little.
"Thank you." He left the cabin. He had, for the first time, work assigned to him. He felt good.
The next episode: Ameya's view of the problems in the institute
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