“Hi Naina, can I drop in and see you now?” Adil sounded anxious over the phone.
It was 7.30 pm and I was preparing to leave for home. Most of the staff had already left.
“Where are you now?” I asked him
“I can be there in thirty minutes,” he was clearly pleading.
“Ok, come over Adil. I shall wait for you.” I called home and said I would be late.
Starry-eyed
Adil had earlier worked with us as an Account Director. He was an average performer who worked hard and always gave his best.
I clearly remember how excited he sounded when he walked into my room that day 11 months ago.
“Naina, I have got a great job offer from this large diversified group. They want to appoint me as Vice-President, Corporate Communications. The salary and perquisites package is also much higher. And the best part is that I will based at the corporate office and report directly to the Chairman.”
Something did not sound right here. He had neither the relevant experience nor the expertise for this new role. And the salary and perks offered were way above his real market value.
“Adil, are you sure you want to move into this new role? You have never worked in the corporate sector. Remember that the dynamics of working with senior leadership there is very different from how it is here. I also understand the management over there is not very professional.”
“Don’t you think they would have assessed my capabilities before offering me the job, Naina?” He seemed upset. “Don’t worry, I shall serve my full notice of two months here and ensure a smooth transition.”
How do you correct the misplaced enthusiasm of an employee who is so blinded by the new position and salary? How do you tell him that he would soon stand exposed as he clearly lacked the competencies required for the new role? And that he was clearly pricing himself out of the market?
I knew that anything I said would be construed as a ploy to hold him back, so I wished him the very best and let him leave.
In the 11 months since he left us, I met Adil thrice. Every time he passed by our office, he would call and drop in on the pretext of having coffee with me. On each occasion he made it a point to tell me how close he was to the Chairman, and how he often accompanied him on his personal plane on trips abroad. Adil also said his daughter was now being dropped and picked up from school in his chauffeur-driven Honda City. The list went on.
Hard truths
It was 7.45 pm when he walked into my room. His face was ashen and he seemed to have aged suddenly. As he sat down I offered him a glass of water, which he immediately placed on the table – his hands were trembling. I waited till his breathing turned normal.
“What happened Adil? You seem upset! Please relax.”
Tears welled up in his eyes. “Naina I just don’t know what to do. Around 6 this evening my Chairman called me and sought my immediate resignation. He said I was not pulling my weight and that the other business unit heads were not happy with my contributions.” He continued, “I have not informed my wife yet. She will be devastated! Any chance I can get my job back?”
“You are lucky Adil. The position fell vacant last month. You can certainly join back but it will have to be at the same designation and salary as it was when you left us.”
“Naina, I have recently invested in another property. Can my salary be increased to at least cover the instalment payments? And could I be provided a car and driver too. My family, especially my daughter, is used to this now.”
“Sorry Adil, the package will have to be exactly what it was when you left us. I cannot afford to give wrong signals to my existing employees.”
“Thanks so much Naina. I truly appreciate your offer and understand your compulsions. Let me try and first look elsewhere for a job that pays close to what I am drawing now. Could you please keep your offer open for some more time?”
“No issues, Adil. I will wait for a month.” He seemed more relaxed as we shook hands and he left the room.
If only Adil had listened to me 11 months ago. I had cautioned him about taking a job that paid much above his market value, and demanded capabilities way beyond what he possessed. I was certain there was no way he would find what he was expecting.
A month later Adil rejoined us. His designation, salary and perquisites were exactly the same as they were when he left us 11 months earlier.
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