Playing the second fiddle, play hard.

Leonard Bernstein remains one of the most colossally endowed and successful American musicians. Being asked once that "What is the hardest instrument to play?" He replied within a jiffy: "Second fiddle. I can always get plenty of first violinists, but to find one who plays second violin with as much enthusiasm or second French horn or second flute, now that's a problem. And yet if no one plays second, we have no harmony."

It is easily seen in our day to day lives, both at personal and #professional levels. Playing second fiddle is considered inferior in our society right from our childhood days to colleges and it stretches till the end of our existence in most of the societies. This is such a hindrance in many a corporate’s results and outcomes.

Ego and the syndrome of I, Me and Myself is by far the most discernible motives for people not giving their best while playing second fiddle. This is more of a mental block and psychological resistance in realizing our impending and delivering our best consistently.

We aim, rather, only aim to be secured at the top of the league that too unchallenged. The moment that is challenged we leave no stone unturned to either remove that very person from there or put all our energy to make him unstable. This is another reasons that many of us don’t want to play second fiddle nor give our best which we could have given being the first amongst the equals.

Leaders have to play a bigger role in overcoming this for larger good to their departments and organizations. The urge and hunger of that one position in mind isn’t wrong at all. Most of us leave aside everything, dreaming for that position. So expecting one to slow down and stay on hold before that is wrong. At the same time this needs to be understood and conveyed that it is a process and a journey which needs to be traveled step by step. Jumping and hopping of places leave many red faced in career and lives. The eye catchy and envious titles and designations are order of the day but unfortunately it is no big deal to find so many people playing second fiddle to their designation and look easy misfit. Hoppers get that dream position when pigs fly.

This subject isn’t easily discussed or communicated openly too. Professionals don’t realize if they possess this problem and how can it be overcome. One of the easiest ways to get out of this illness is to start appreciating one’s roles and figure out ways to enhance the boundary and stay firm to deliver on that and not be feeling inferior to others’ reach and jobs. Every organization gives enough of opportunity that many can prove that it’s just their own thinking to be second to many. The platforms need to grasped and showcase what one is capable of. Someone studying in third years is only because he has completed his second year so a second year folk needs not be feeling second to the third year one.

Coming back to leadership roles towards helping colleagues staying away from this sensitivity, there is a beautiful life story that happened to our team at one of the workplaces.

We were pitching to one of largest Public Sector Banks to partner and extend our services for #MSME #Risk #Management. I along with the Head-Business Development (SME) and GM-SME were the last organization to present our candidature and the DGM of #SME Department of that #bank was a duly sharp, knowledgeable, hard negotiator and without any soft talk around the topic. Being third in the team, I kept quiet all along the meeting which had run for over an hour already and two of my seniors were holding the fort. Slowly it looked that a #Global name has impressed the DGM more than an Indian name. Humbly, I asked for my side of story and having been allowed, I was able to wrap up the deal with maximum percentage to our organization and a lifelong kind of friendship with the entire SME set up of that bank. The GM who had come new to the organization, after coming out of the office and not able to hold on with his excitement and joy, bowing almost ninety degrees exclaimed, “I have rarely seen this U turning deal closures in my entire journey. I would have killed you for asking to speak if the deal would have gone wrong”, and he went on praising me and my boss. When I go in hindsight, my immediate boss (at that workplace) comes in my mind who never let us feel that any of his team’s first line is playing second fiddle and allowed autonomy in most difficult of deals and problems.

There are many similar instances where despite knowing that I am playing second fiddle my best kept coming out as I was never made to feel to be second by my CXOs, bosses and immediate managers nor I let this enter my mindspace.

Each and every epic of world has a decorated mention of people playing that role. #Spirituality conveys on this so beautifully.

No church can bring the feeling of divine presence if people don’t work selflessly nor even thinking of getting #accolades and #recognition. The Bhajans (song to connect to Lord) don’t sound melodious if more violinists or tabla players don’t complement the lyrics and the lead ones playing different instruments. Gurudwara and Langars, world over, leaves us mesmerizing when thousands of fellow brethren serve in background covering their heads and bowing down to His blessing in their hearts without an iota of hitch to do so to the managing committees’ name and fame.

This, if taken seriously, will help organizations retain good talents and many to live better lives out of their own created rut. However, this has to be started at parenting level to schools to colleges to #HumanResource professionals to #Leadership. Collectively we can do away with the stigma that second is inferior to first always, not being the best is ok to live best, slipping while running is ok and so on.

Playing second fiddle requires a great listener and observer. Are you one?

Avinash Chandra Jha