Drop the Teddy Bear

Aswin's Teddy Bear

"Aswin! Will you keep that Teddy Bear aside and come and brush your teeth?"

"No ma. I’ll keep my Teddy Bear and brush my teeth."

"Aswin, will you drop your Teddy Bear? It is getting late. Come and have your bath."

"No pa. I want to hold it while bathing."

That was my neighbor's son, Ashwin, and his Teddy Bear a year back. I used to watch him holding his Teddy Bear 24/7. Now he is four. Nowadays he is not carrying his Teddy Bear 24/7. He keeps his Teddy Bear only during playtime. He drops it whenever he wants to do other work.

A four-year-old child knows when to use his Teddy Bear and when to drop it? But how about we, adults? Are we ready to drop our Teddy Bear? Our Teddy Bears are nothing but our obsessions. Our obsessions with certain food, certain cities, and certain ideologies. Are we ready to drop them when there is a need? Or are we going to hold them tight, irrespective of the situation?

Uncomfortable Obsessions

Rajesh was one of our team members. Whenever we go out for team lunch, he would always order his favorite onion rava dosa. Nothing wrong! But if onion rava dosa is not available, he would skip the team lunch.

Did I say that Onion Rava Dosa was his favorite dish? Sorry, no! It was not his favorite, but it was his obsession. Favorite things give you a comforting feeling. But obsessions make you feel uncomfortable. Rajesh is not ready to drop onion rava dosa even if it is going to spoil the joyous mood of the get-together.

My Seat In the Bus

When I started my career, I used to go by the company bus. The employees used to sit in the same seat as if it was reserved for them. Most of the time, fellow workers get agitated on seeing me. The reason? I used to occupy their seat before they board the bus. The so-called reserved seat. For many employees, a specific seat in the company bus is their favorite seat. The seat that is diagonally opposite to the driver is their Teddy Bear. They cannot drop the Teddy Bear and offer the seat to others.

Relocation Dilemma

Let me narrate my experience. Year 2005. I was working for a small company in a very niche area. The small company did not give me much exposure. I got bored with the small company and vexed with the work pressure. I desperately decided to join a leading IT organization to get a wider exposure. I shared my CV with Rajan. Rajan immediately forwarded my profile to his team manager. Within a week, I got the interview call. I fared well, but I was not sure if they would select me. Within a week, I also got the offer letter. Not only that. The cherry on the cake was that I got a salary hike of 40% of what I was earning. You all may be wondering that I was on cloud nine.

No! I was not on cloud nine. There was a catch in the offer letter. I was supposed to take the new job at Hyderabad. My God! How can I leave Chennai? I have been in Chennai for more than 30 years. Chennai is my Teddy Bear. No way I can leave this Chennai.

Many of my relatives and friends asked me to leave Chennai and go to Hyderabad. But I was not convinced. After a little bit of contemplation, I went to my mentor Ram. He advised me to take up the job at Hyderabad.

"Ram, how can I leave Chennai and go to another place?"

"So what? Chennai is not your native place. Better you take this job. Your future would be totally different."

After listening to Ram and seeing his conviction, I got convinced. At the age of 43, I decided to leave Chennai and take up a new job in Hyderabad. Initially, it was very gloomy as I was away from my family for the first time. I missed my family. I had to prepare my food. But later things improved.

A large team was operating from Hyderabad to support a multinational Oil and Gas company. I mingled with all my team members. I could travel overseas left and right and get global exposure. Within six months, I could get a transfer to Chennai. But those six months? Oh! My God! That helped me a lot to connect with leaders and establish myself. In 2019 I retired as the Oil and Gas Practice Head with complete satisfaction. All that was possible only because I decided to drop my Teddy Bear, i.e., Chennai.

Passion and Obsession

There is a subtle difference between Passion and Obsession. Passion is a positive obsession, while obsession is a negative passion. Dropping your Teddy Bear may be difficult in the beginning, but proved to bring in long term results. If you keep holding your Teddy Bear, it is difficult to expand your circle. You cannot even hug others.

Conclusion

The stories highlight the importance of flexibility and adaptability. Leaders should be open to letting go of attachments or obsessions that hinder progress or limit opportunities for growth. Leaders should be willing to make difficult decisions and embrace change when it aligns with the goals and vision of their organization. This includes being open to new ideas, strategies, and ways of doing things, even if it means stepping out of their comfort zones or relinquishing familiar practices. By demonstrating flexibility and adaptability, leaders can foster a culture of innovation and resilience within their teams, enabling them to thrive in an ever-changing environment

"Teddy bear, Teddy Bear, you are the best of the breed But I don’t mind dropping you when there is a need"