said the learned Professor Ramdas. These words he spoke at the final
feedback session after undergoing 12 days of training on soft skills at UNNATI
Bengaluru (www.unnatiblr.org). Out of 12
days, team of SatysSparks (www.satyssparks.com) had
conducted one and half days of well-planned and rehearsed coaching workshop on
individual discovery & development using Gallup strengths based development
framework. In the feedback Prof Ramdas had commented “Yes,
today’s session achieved the objective in helping me to unleash my hidden
talents. These will definitely help me to convert these to my strengths”. His
strengths are Achiever, Competition, Learner, Analytical and Consistency. He
has graded our programme 4 out of 5.
His remarks about my discipline left me in a state of shock. I started
thinking about my discipline since my childhood. Till the age of 12 when I left for the Sainik
School, I was thrashed by my father only twice. That also I did something silly
on being instigated by others. One of my uncles (we lived in a joint family
with three uncles) who believed in the concept of “spare the rod, spoil the
child”, he used his rod liberally on all siblings and cousins. Being the eldest
I got larger share. But according to me I was well disciplined. I was never
late even if I had to walk bare feet for 3 miles to reach the school. I always
completed the home work and scored good marks. In the school, the Head Master caned
me only once in three years, because I was the football captain and was to
deposit the football after the games which I did not do once. Not a bad record of discipline. But the
learned professor said that “I thought you being from Army had discipline”.
I went into another orbit. When in the Sainik School, I never violated
any rule but for once in 4 years. Out on a liberty till 6 PM, we stayed put in
Jhumari Tilaiya to watch an evening show (6-9 PM) movie “Phool aur Pathar”. We
were five of us and I was the senior most, House Captain. At 9 PM, we did not
have any means of transportation so we all ran back to the school distance
being 13 KM. I immediately went to the House Master Mr SK Chandra and reported
what had happened. We were about to be punished but since we had already run 13
KMs, Lt Col RL Gadeok, the Principal liked adventures, we were not punished. I
retained my House Captaincy. I still thought my discipline was very good, but
the learned professor said that “I thought you being from Army had discipline”.
Still further I travelled on my memory lane to the National Defence
Academy. I thought I had the best discipline. Right from the day one and the
first hour and the very first minute in the academy I exhibited by discipline
talents predominantly. I was never punished. My drill boot always had 13 nails.
My laces were always shining and straight. My drill shorts were always well
starched. The orderly never had any problem in putting is hands through my
shorts to pull the shirt under so that it remained well tucked in. Of course, I
attended a few mass punishments called Singarh Hikes. It was good for our
physical well-being. I passed my drill square in the first shot and “Drill is
the bedrock of discipline”. I was the right marker of the squad. And when in
file formation, I was in the centre. My drill was one of the best and drill is
the bedrock of discipline still the learned professor said that “I thought
you being from Army had discipline”.
Moving ahead my service with the Army and the United Nations--- I kept
my high disciplined performances. I kept my values in both the organization on
my head. Sometimes disobeyed unlawful commands to keep my values. I do not
remember any incident of violating any rule, contrary to the Army Act, Defence
Services Regulations and the Indian Penal codes, still the learned professor
said that “I thought you being from Army had discipline”.
After my retirement from the UN in February 2015, I became a volunteer faculty
of UNNATI and a visiting faculty of the Christ University and more recently a
Gallup Certified Strengths Coach. I have always been well prepared and on time.
In fact, bought my own projector and speaker system to beat the hassles that we
faced by interface between HDMI and VGA. And most important about my
association with Prof Ramdas was of one and half days. My team was always well
prepared, we had rehearsed threadbare and meticulously. Entire coaching session
was like a military precision. We had anticipated and had ready answers to all probable
questions that professors could ask. The feedback of 4 out 5 is 80% which I
consider excellent from the overall point of view, but still the learned
professor said that “I thought you being from Army had discipline”.
From the Gallup Clifton Strengths point of view my top five (signature
themes) are Learner, Achiever, Strategic, Arranger and Input. Discipline is not
there in my top five. My next five in sequence ie 6 to 10 are Maximizer,
Responsibility, Individualization, Empathy and Developer. Discipline is not
even in top 10. “Discipline” happened to be at 12th place for me.
Focus being at 11th place. The learned
professor can never be wrong. I do not have discipline even in my top 10 themes. Just to explain to
the readers that I have discipline. The other 11 themes ie Learner, Achiever, Strategic, Arranger, Input,
Maximizer, Responsibility, Individualization, Empathy, Developer and Focus are
naturally occurring in my life more frequently than Discipline. These determine
the way I think, feel and behave.
But still I was very curious to know the mind of Prof Ramdas. I asked
him during the tea break, as to what did he find lacking in my Discipline. He said, “Since you are from Army, I thought
you will give us commands ‘sit down’ ‘get up’ ‘turn right’ ‘turn left’ ‘quick
march’ and so on”. Impact of Hindi Movies and his perception of military
discipline made me an indisciplined disciplined person. Discipline
is the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behaviour and it
is anyway a part of my being. According to Gallup “people who are especially talented in the
Discipline theme enjoy routine and structure. Their world is best described by
the order they create,” but I enjoy other 11 talents more than routine
structure.
