From India with Love - Week 2
I am coming to the end of my second week in India and thought I would write home about my experiences as we set up our first international office. Â One of the first things you notice in India is the energy of 1.1 billion people or 3 times the US population living in a country a third its size. Â In the US we are blessed with an abundance of natural resources but in India you realize that it’s greatest natural resource is its people striving to make a better life for themselves and their families.
I continue to learn some of the subtle and not so subtle differences between doing business in India and the US. Â For instance the work at home culture definitely has not taken hold here. Â Since most people live in multi-generational settings I have been told that if you work at home your parents are convinced that you have lost your job. Â Also the work environments are much more communal with the concept of private offices or even private cubes almost nonexistent. Â Surprisingly I find it much easier to work in this environment than I would have thought. Â I guess it’s a function of when you work right next to your coworkers there is a recognition that you can never talk too loud. Â I am still looking forward to encountering a typical Indian interview process since my understanding is that its much more akin to how you might be interviewed when joining the military. Â In a country of 1.1 billion people I guess no one wants to waste too much time.
Outside of work I think I am finally understanding how driving works here in India. Â At first I did not understand all of the incessant honking but now I see there is a method to the madness. Â The way it has been explained to me is that every driver is responsible for whatever is in front of them. Â That leaves the responsibility on the other driver who may be behind you or beside you to let you know that they are there. Â Staying in lanes is really optional since you can get at least one extra lane of traffic on a road if everyone squeezes in tight so the honking becomes an important way to signal to other drivers that they better not hit you. Â The trucks even have instructions on their lift gates to honk when you are behind them. Â What I have come to appreciate is that there are many ways to get from point A to point B and while doing it here in India feels like more of an adventure it seems to work for them.
I also continue to be impressed with how hard people work here in India. Â I am still not completely convinced that some people ever leave the office. Â Also even when they do they are constantly on call to handle client requests or requests from managers or colleagues.
I am firmly convinced that India has a lot to offer and I hope that we have a lot to offer India. Â Our focus on developing individual talent and helping people grow and develop their full potential is something that I hope works well in a country with so much potential to offer.
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