Ologies

Once, one senior management professional was working for Indian company. He was a highly educated man with a long tail of degrees after his name. He got the positions and designation by virtue of luck; but with a little experience of real life. Owners used him as a pet person to communicate their agenda. In the organization one management trainee joined in HR. Every evening the trainee would visit the cabin of this professional to listen to him and hold forth on many different subjects. He was very impressed with the learning of the professional.

One evening as the trainee was about to leave the cabin after several hours of conversion, the professional asked, “Young man, have you studied, Industrial Psychology?”

“There was one subject during the course sir, but I do not remember details now.”

“What? You don’t know the science of understanding people? You are going to make your career in HR and you don’t remember that, you have wasted your two years which you spent to get the degree.” Trainee was good and polite person, he thought, it must be true to know and remember this. He thought, “I really wasted two years and I will go home today and will learn all theories of Industrial Psychology”.

Next week as the trainee once again was about to leave the cabin, the professional ask, “Young man, have you studied, Philosophy?”

“No sir, I was a commerce student.”

“It doesn’t matter from which stream you are; you should learn Philosophy, as you are in HR. When you deal with employees, sometimes Philosophy helps. Not doing so you have wasted your half life. Young man life is based on Philosophy.”

“You are learned person sir, you must be true.” The young man decided to visit Crossword and decided to purchase some Philosophy books.

One day, the trainee went to him to discuss one issue.

“Do you know history?” He asked

“What sir, History?” trainee asked.

“Yes, History! Before bringing any issue to me, you should know the history of this organization. In every issue there is a History. First learn the history of this organization, if you want to learn more, please come to me, I will teach you the History. I know everything here about this organization.” Learned professional replied.

It happened with every meeting. Young trainee was learning different aspects of different “ologies”.

He was very frustrated and unhappy. If such senior level person is saying so, I must have wasted my education and college life, he thought. His training period was extended.

Year passed. As the professional was very busy in educating people on different ologies, other practical part of life got ignored. All HR professional were busy studying different ologies, putting impractical policies based on those ologies in place and increasing bureaucracy in the organization.

One fine morning, blue collar workmen formed a union.

After six months, it was the turn of young trainee. He came running in the cabin of learned professional. “Sir, have you studied FIGHTOLOGY or SAVEALIFELOGY?”

“What? What are these?”

“Sir, you have wasted your full life, our employees got furious on COD (Charter of Demands). They stopped work, union leaders instigated these innocent workers and they are coming to beat you, you have only two options, - Fight with them, FIGHTOLOGY or run from back side for saving you life,- SAVEALIFEOLOGY and think about your future and not the HISTORY.”

You may study all the ologies of the world, but if you do not learn both these ologies- practical aspect of life, all your studies are useless.

The said professional is now independent HR consultant.

(I believe that theory supports the practice and all different ologies are helpful in life. However one should not be extreme on this. We should also see the practicability of these ologies before implementing them in our own life or organization.)