Small World

There is a kiddie ride in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Florida called “It’s a small world”. As you are ferried in a trolley, you pass scenes from different countries while the song aptly titled “It’s a small world after all” keeps playing in the background ad nauseum. Kids of course love this gentle repetition while adults feel anything but gentle after hearing the rhyme which refuses to dislodge from your brain hours after leaving the ride. But the point it makes, is that we are all the same and still connected to everyone else in the world. I first saw this ride 20 year ago (OMG!). And as the years go by, I find the words to be so true, so often, that once again the rhyme has taken residence in my head.
During my trip to Baroda, I was to spend two days at a site reviewing some of their data. The first person I met, took one look at me and said, “I have met you earlier. I take the weekend class at Xaviers in Mumbai and you came to teach us couple of months ago.” I was astonished. Here I was, in a city which I had visited when I was an awkward teenager. And now, I was being recognized by someone who probably instantly expected me to behave “teacher-like” or worse, was evaluating me to see if I was worthy.

This happens to me so often. I have a handful of clients who are my former colleagues from my work life in the US and they continue to give me work in India because they know me and trust me. Then they spread the word to others who may not know me directly but have an indirect faith in me due to the recommendation of my first level supporters. And if I meet their expectation, they pass on good words and so the circle grows. But every so often, I find clients who know me through two different sources and I know that they diligently seek cross-references before assigning me new work. I can’t control what any of my past client/colleagues will say. But I never worry. Why?

I try to be consistent in my work, whether the client is directly known to me, or is a first-timer. I try to understand their expectations and do the work as if it my personal task, not an outsourced project. I go some extra distance, sometimes that may be an extra mile or at times it is done gratis. But I take pride in the work that leaves my desk, work done as an employee in the past and work I continue to do today as a consultant. One prospective client asked me at a face-to-face meeting, “at the end of the day, you are still a consultant, how can I be sure that you are doing the best for me, I am totally invested in my project as the CEO?” I had not prepared an answer for this question. But I told him the truth. “Everything that I do professionally, I do it with personal pride. It does not matter whether I get paid a salary as an employee or if I get paid on an hourly basis as a consultant. I am here because a former colleague (a European) recommended my work after observing me. You can start by trusting his word but we will continue because you trust me.” I got the project.

Today the world is really small. Technology and mobility have made it impossible for us to remain comfortably anonymous in our silos. There are emails and chats criss-crossing the globe even as we sleep. Someone may be assessing, comparing, complaining or recommending you. You can’t control it. So it is best to ignore what is happening behind your back. It is best to focus on what is at hand. And let your body of work speak for itself.
Need I say more?