Today, randomly, I thought of this small incident that happened more than a decade ago.
I'd have been 22, when I had a brief stint at an event management company in Kerala. For one of the events, they had to do some purchases, for which the manager took me along with her to Mumbai. While we were at the market, purchasing things for the event, she also stopped by a small clothing store, from where she bought this beautiful, ivory coloured salwar material. I loved it too, so after she made the purchase, I asked the shopkeeper to give me a few meters too. Suddenly, she interrupted and asked me to buy something else, saying something like "I am the manager. I don't want you to wear the same dress as me". I obviously felt bad, but since I was naive and timid, I went ahead and bought something similar.
Today, when I look back, I feel that I should have protested. What's with this hierarchy?
But,when I think about it deeply, well, I am guilty of it too...
Because, in my career, I have donned many roles, including that of the top-person in the company, which made me feel I was superior and everyone should listen to me. I have had this reservations towards people and got really offended when I felt even the slightest of discomfort, which I considered as disrespect? Well, these were in a non-hierarchial set-up, so I feel I was wrong too!
Even today, in the work-front, I sometimes end up judging people - while I want seniors to treat me like an equal, I expect juniors (be it age or experience) to respect me. The previous incident that I mentioned makes me retrospect the whole thing. If my manager was wrong, I am wrong too!
I think it has got more to do with the conditioning where you feel superior in a certain way. I am going to try get this superiority feeling off my system, that will be my next task.
Ok then, see you around!
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