They say MBA is about networking and understanding people. Each person we meet is a case study in oneself. New experiences change the way we think which is why I must admit that all humans to a certain extent are hypocrites. We form certain opinions which take different shapes based on the circumstances we are in and the experiences we go through. Another aspect of hypocrisy is evident when we approach particular scenario differently while dealing with different individuals. Of course, I felt offended as a kid when someone else told me that I was too young to go to the playground alone.
Later, I would not let my niece visit the park all by her. My rendezvous with this theory of human hypocrisy happened after an enthralling, fun-filled classroom experience in the first term of my Post Graduate Programme at IIM Raipur.
It was the morning 9 AM class of Organisational Behavior when our professor had decided to wake many of us up from our half-asleep state. The session proceeded with our Professor labelling five of us students (who included me as well) with something written on a few chits. She later stuck those on our foreheads being careful that none of us knew what was written on that chit which then became our identities. Unaware of what name/category/class/preference I was entitled to, I along with four other peers sat in front of the entire class awaiting their response. After a while, someone just stood up and questioned, “What would you do if you come to know that the guy you like was a gay?” Then, there was a barrage of questions that all five of us had to be ready to answer. “How is life when you have got to manage home and office with so much extra load.”, “Do you treat anybody as an untouchable?”, “Is it not difficult for you to get a job?”, “Do you like your friends calling you names?” were some other questions in line. All five of us were supposed to answer these questions and on each answer, the class burst into laughter. Someone told it is not difficult to manage any load, only later realizing that she/he was labelled as a pregnant woman.
After our identities were revealed to us, we came to know that we were tagged as gay, pregnant woman, HIV Positive, transgender, and obese. All of a sudden, our own attitudes changed. The same person later committed that it would be very difficult for her as a pregnant woman to manage the load and still hold on to her job. In a while, our perceptions had changed. Thus, we all realized that there are always added perspectives to any given situation. We might not be able to see all of these perspectives at once but, we should always try to find out the other side of the coin before forming opinions.
Which ABG company would you want to work for and why?
I aspire to work with Idea Cellular. The telecommunications industry in India is blossoming. India ranks 2nd highest in terms of total internet users. Thus, I would like to learn more about this industry. The brand which in itself talks about new and innovative ideas having the power to change lives is perceived as an entity of trust and initiatives. After having done my graduation in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering and PGP from IIM Raipur, I think I will be able to put the best of my knowledge to practice that can prove to be of benefit for the company.
Shailja Tiwari - is a 2nd-year student at IIM Raipur