Managing Change, Moving On..

‘Change is the only constant’

I’m a 20–22 MBA candidate at IIM Lucknow, one of India’s top management schools! They’re teaching us all sorts of hi-funda stuff: digital transformation to redefine the current scope of businesses, and once the business evolves- tweaking organizational structure and HR practices in response, choosing the least risky bets to pursue with a given WACC and so on.. basically frameworks to go on about managing resources for max profits!

Well well! I have spent 3 terms, 1.5 of which was fully on campus and the rest in the online mode given the ‘new normal’. And one thing I have certainly not learnt, even in the high pressure, deadline driven fast paced curriculum is managing my own mental health in the face of stress owing to the interplay of professional and personal pursuits. Without delving into details and sparing both the reader and writer of sad stories, let’s just say that I have let my self esteem hit the rock bottom during my time here. And only I was accountable for the shit I let myself through.

But that’s all done and dusted off! Of-course the demons still haunt me, but that’s that. I’m in control, I’m in charge now :)

I think of my experiences here at IIML much like those long, sometimes boring with unnecessary details Harvard case studies. The only way to really make sense of these verbose case studies is to see the forests for the trees. Taking a cue from an HBR article I read, that’s what I intend to do with my life going forward —

1. Not getting stuck in the details of the past. What’s happened has happened!! Just take along the key learning, dearie.
2. If the start is beautiful, end doesn’t have to be. Situations keep evolving. What matters is how you respond to it. The fixation on ‘Good ‘ol days’ is not healthy.
3. Focus on the vision and values. Remind yourself of your purpose and let that guide you through ailing times.
4. Feelings or hunches hold less weight than those exhibits at the end of cases. :P Likewise, life is data. Pull out the data not the feelings and evaluate the actions that led to the course you’re on and then redeem!
5. Find humor! So underrated and yet so important. Make your problems a source of funny for someone else and gain strength :)

Three more terms and a summer internship till I graduate! Please make my life a little less eventful, dear fate! :) Or maybe, just give me strength and the right consciousness to manage it all. Reminded of a beautiful song here which I used to sing in the morning assembly in school — some of its lyrics:

“Itni shakti hame de na dataa,

mann ka vishwas kamzor ho naa
Itni shakti hame de na dataa,
mann ka vishwas kamzor ho naa
Hum chalein nek raste pe hamse

bhulkar bhi koi bhul ho naa”