What it feels like to work in a Truly Human company

The shock

“He’s had a stroke.”

Those chilling words from my mother sent a shiver down my spine late on Sunday evening in February. My father had been admitted to hospital a couple days ago for low hemoglobin count, and I was making my routine call to check in at the start of their day in India. He has irregular heart beat which had caused a large stroke ten years ago, affecting his cognitive abilities and balance, but with careful management and care from my mother, things had been mostly stable the last few years. So this was unexpected and alarming news. I barely slept that night and gave only passing thought to the meetings and obligations I would miss as my wife and I booked flight tickets, arranged for our pet sitter to move in, and took the first flight out to Delhi. 

I started my career in our Delhi office almost twenty-four years ago, thereafter moving to different cities and countries. It has been a thrilling journey with the opportunity to work on a variety of challenges in different contexts, partnering with exceptional and dedicated colleagues from around the world. 

Life in Accenture is full on. Let’s face it…we are intense. Our people wake up every morning focused on bringing innovative ideas to help solve complex challenges that our clients face. We are driven. Our conversations are specific and we get to business quickly, defining problem statements, making asks of each other, and typically wrapping up with a call to action, clear next steps and owners. Technology plays a key role in enabling collaboration across boundaries, both geographic and organizational. We often work in fluid teams, typically comprised of people with a diverse set of capabilities and cultures, focused on a shared purpose. Many people would describe Accenture as a fulfilling and thrilling experience, in a way that envelopes much of their life.

Yet that description belies the underlying humanity that binds us. It comes to the fore in unexpected ways and at times we most need it. As an only child, living on the opposite side of the world from my ageing parents, I began to experience it in a very real, personal way. We are human.

My (Accenture and personal) worlds converge

Without me even knowing, a dear colleague paid a visit to my parents. My father needed blood transfusions so he brought along a couple friends, all of whom donated to the hospital blood bank. For someone they didn’t even know! As we landed in Delhi, not only was a car waiting for us, but he personally came to accompany us to the hospital, knowing we would be anxious and tired after a long journey. My mother told me later that he had been inquiring the past few days to ensure they had whatever help they needed.

My days were spent in the hospital tending to immediate needs and trying to ascertain my father’s condition from the doctors. The previous investigations had been suspended as he recovered from the stroke, and we knew we had to prepare for more to come. I researched various options, and eventually landed upon a home care nursing solution.  Having left Delhi almost two decades ago, I found myself navigating an unfamiliar system. Every little thing took time and energy to put in place. Each day left me exhausted, with hardly any energy for me to focus on my job. 

My absence was, simply put, abrupt. Like most Accenture leaders, I had a busy calendar with internal and external commitments, and upcoming travel. I was leading a variety of initiatives at different stages of completion. People counted on my presence and involvement to drive them forward. Yet, I was in no position to play my part.

With quiet precision, my team took over to fill the void. Calls disappeared from my calendar and email traffic subsided. A couple of significant items remained, and I was only too glad for the chance to participate as it gave me a welcome distraction from the stress. My boss checked in regularly, reminding me to focus solely on my parents.

After two weeks away, I returned to New York on a cold, sunny Friday morning. Which was finally when the exhaustion from days of little sleep and extended stress set in. I could hardly move my tired body and was glad to have a weekend to recover.

And then there was more…

The investigations resumed a few days later. Initial blood reports did not come out clean and my father was readmitted to the hospital for more procedures. I was on a conference call the morning of March 7, when a WhatsApp message beeped on my phone. It had a picture of the biopsy report. My father had colon cancer. 

Cancer!

Another shiver down the spine. Disorientation. Disbelief. Helplessness.

Even before I could make sense of it all, my Accenture world began to encircle me with care and love. My boss called from her travels. In a calm and collected voice she focused on solutions…like our partnership with a leading global medical consortium, pointing me to help for travel during my visa renewal…and she recounted the story of one of our senior leaders who had successfully overcome the same illness as my father.  

Over the past few days, the support from my Accenture family has been unprecedented. One leader sent me a hand-written postcard expressing empathy and her deepest support. Another email said “…stay healthy and peaceful through this the best you can, and take advantage of all of us who are here for you.”  A colleague who I only recently met for the first time shared the story of her parents’ successful battles with cancer and how positive mental attitude really mattered. The senior leader who had colon cancer reached out to me immediately, late her night as she traveled. Her message read “I am living proof that many people make a full recovery. Stay positive.” Immediately upon her return, she sat me down and walked through her own journey. Hearing from someone who had gone through the ordeal helped me visualize what may lie ahead.

It wasn’t just Accenture employees. An alumnus from my early days in India offered to connect me to renowned doctors in Delhi. Another invited us home for dinner this weekend so I could meet with his sibling and her friends – doctors in USA – who offered invaluable advice. 

One of my biggest sources of help came from outside Accenture, in fact from a total stranger! When my wife and I settled into our seats on the flight to Delhi last month, our co-passenger turned out to be a practicing surgeon in the States. He was traveling to bid adieu to his ailing father-in-law. Despite his own circumstance, this amazing man not only gave us advice on the long airplane ride, he stayed in touch constantly and has now facilitated the future course of care for my father in a leading hospital, where we will be admitting him this week. It was as if the universe magically conspired to put me in the hands of a caring and compassionate soul when I needed it the most. Humanity inspires.

I am making my way over the oceans to India as I pen this. I know it will not be an easy time. What I do know is that I carry with me the prayers and goodwill of my friends, family, colleagues, well-wishers and mentors from around the world. It will be disingenuous of me to say that I am not torn about my responsibilities at work. But my colleagues have been unambiguous in reminding me on where my focus ought to be. The words of my boss as I walked out of her office were clear “Rahul, promise me that you will focus on what you need to and you will take care of yourself.”  

As a member of a truly human organization I can do just that, knowing that my Accenture family has my back.