And done! Six very long months of systems, processes, roles, documentation, risks and reviews. For every young manager coming from b-school campus to Olam, completing the final review is a major milestone in his/her life. You have been "initiated" they say. Indeed. Feels more like a crash course in brain surgery but heck, what ever you say. "Now you know how Olam works". Well, i also know what does not work in Olam. "Now you are ready for responsibility". Ah! Now that makes a lot of sense.
I woke up yesterday and for the first time in many many weeks without currency risk, credit risk and roles of a BC running laps around my head. Without the constant anxiety of reviews taking up a lot of my mind space and without thinking about the boredom of redoing all that studying. I just woke up with a feeling of being free and with a mother of all hangovers ;)
The last few months has been quite transformational for me. I am still the same guy in many ways. Still have the same enthusiasm for trying out new things, learning, meeting new people and exploring new places. But at the same time, feel decently mature and responsible. A bit more cynical about people and situations but it seems that in management, it is a good quality. I feel quite proud and humble. Proud of braving everything thrown at me, staying in difficult places, the reviews and living with the sword of rejection dangling over my neck. "30% of you will not make it to the next round they say is how our induction began" (confused). But humble because now i know that there is so much that i do not know and need to learn. There is really so much that there is to know in terms on concrete and in softer skills of working. The Analog Communication and Digital Communication exams back in engineering were hard as shit and compared to them, these management concepts seem really simple. But the soft skills that one needs to implement them is what really makes one be successful or not.
I have also learnt to remove the word failure from my vocabulary. The last few months has shown me that any person, no matter how talented or smart does not meet success all the time. And it is when he is not successful that he learns and grows the most. Never thought that i would make friends with my work colleagues. Back at Applied Materials, i always maintained an arm's length distance with my colleagues. But that has definitely changed off late and the camaraderie i share with many of my colleagues is simply wonderful. I think the biggest learning for me in this training phase has been that in any situation or problem that one faces, go in with an open mind. Things change at a furious pace in our line of work and the more rigid one is, the harder it is to keep pace with them. Trust but verify, the famous three words that President Reagan used to talk about the USAs diplomatic principle is quite relevant here in Olam. Trust the information your colleagues give but verify it before using it in your work. And follow up. The onus is always on you!
The results are yet to be announced. A little anxious for sure but feel optimistic as well. Hoping that I get a week off towards the end of the month so as to go back home to India. Need to recharge my batteries and then hopefully begin the next phase of my life. In the mean time, i think i'll just enjoy the afterglow of the final review getting over :)
I woke up yesterday and for the first time in many many weeks without currency risk, credit risk and roles of a BC running laps around my head. Without the constant anxiety of reviews taking up a lot of my mind space and without thinking about the boredom of redoing all that studying. I just woke up with a feeling of being free and with a mother of all hangovers ;)
The last few months has been quite transformational for me. I am still the same guy in many ways. Still have the same enthusiasm for trying out new things, learning, meeting new people and exploring new places. But at the same time, feel decently mature and responsible. A bit more cynical about people and situations but it seems that in management, it is a good quality. I feel quite proud and humble. Proud of braving everything thrown at me, staying in difficult places, the reviews and living with the sword of rejection dangling over my neck. "30% of you will not make it to the next round they say is how our induction began" (confused). But humble because now i know that there is so much that i do not know and need to learn. There is really so much that there is to know in terms on concrete and in softer skills of working. The Analog Communication and Digital Communication exams back in engineering were hard as shit and compared to them, these management concepts seem really simple. But the soft skills that one needs to implement them is what really makes one be successful or not.
I have also learnt to remove the word failure from my vocabulary. The last few months has shown me that any person, no matter how talented or smart does not meet success all the time. And it is when he is not successful that he learns and grows the most. Never thought that i would make friends with my work colleagues. Back at Applied Materials, i always maintained an arm's length distance with my colleagues. But that has definitely changed off late and the camaraderie i share with many of my colleagues is simply wonderful. I think the biggest learning for me in this training phase has been that in any situation or problem that one faces, go in with an open mind. Things change at a furious pace in our line of work and the more rigid one is, the harder it is to keep pace with them. Trust but verify, the famous three words that President Reagan used to talk about the USAs diplomatic principle is quite relevant here in Olam. Trust the information your colleagues give but verify it before using it in your work. And follow up. The onus is always on you!
The results are yet to be announced. A little anxious for sure but feel optimistic as well. Hoping that I get a week off towards the end of the month so as to go back home to India. Need to recharge my batteries and then hopefully begin the next phase of my life. In the mean time, i think i'll just enjoy the afterglow of the final review getting over :)
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