KEEP THE FAITH, CUT OUT THE NOISE

The road not taken in HR corridors

@KeepUpWithKaustubh

There are no permanent heroes or villains in life, just men or women of the moment. English cricketer Ben Stokes is a good example of the ‘man of the moment’. He’s already once been declared man of the match when England played South Africa early on in the World Cup, he is a good contender for the best all-rounder of the World Cup, and his catch of Andile Phehlukwayo has also been called one of the greatest catches of all time. So while he is the hero of the season, he was quite the villain a short while ago. In September 2017, stokes was arrested in Bristol for a street brawl outside a nightclub. There was also an alleged video of the incident that showed him punching two men. As a fallout, he lost out a position in the English squad for the 2017-18 Ashes, as well as his sponsorship contract with New Balance. He went on to be acquitted and today he stands a hero.

Our Indian cricket team stands testament to this fickle truth too. They have played like heroes through most of the World Cup, but crashed out of the semi-finals rather unceremoniously. Though fans and India at large have tried to be mature about the loss, certain media houses and some individuals have shamelessly started playing the blame game. What we need to understand is that this is a competitive sport – sadly the match isn’t over till there is a result!

No sooner did India’s World Cup dream get over, than the media started asking when Mahi will retire. People seem quick to forget that the experience that the man brings to the field, and the strategy born of that experience is worth his weight in gold. While lesser folk were vocal about Dhoni’s cautious approach to run-scoring, they completely failed to understand that Dhoni was probably cleverly plotting to ensure that India’s run rate remained high.

One of the best examples is that of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, from back when he was the country’s cricket captain. He became the man who led Pakistan to their first ever World Cup victory. He was hailed as an infallible hero and fans couldn’t get enough of him. Sadly, public memory proved short once again. In the ensuing tour of West Indies, Imran Khan fell short of his fans’ expectations and was vilified by the media and fans alike.

Significantly, people are quick to judge in every sphere of life, not just on the sporting field. Look at companies and regular working professionals. Global CEOs are heroes when the brands they build are – and fade into oblivion when competitors emerge victorious. Lower down in the rungs, employees are recognised for achievements both big and small. However, one false move can cost them all the adoration they have earned so far. A salesman of the year needs to lose just one big client to come crashing down in the eyes of co-workers. An HR leader just needs one spell of attrition to have his or her capabilities questioned. A security head just needs one data breach to be called incompetent.

But humans are fallible, and it’s impossible to live a whole life without making at least one momentous mistake. SO how do you cope when you fall from grace overnight. Sure, you probably know that you’re just one success away from being hailed as a hero again, but that interim period of zero-ness is maddening.

My advice is to CUT THE NOISE. People will judge you, maybe even the ones you love the most. It is in times like those when all the validation you need will come from within. All you need to know is that you made the best decision you could in that moment; you refused to play safe, you took that chance. If your intentions were honest and right, all you need to do is shut yourself off till you recuperate. Believing in yourself when other around you don’t is the real test of your character, and one that you are alone equipped to pass.

Let me quote one of my favourite lines in life, from the iconic John Lennon:

“Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, It’s not the end”.