Sunday, October 24, 2010

By the Water Cooler

Popular writer, Parul Sharma, has a contest. Any one can write a post telling a story/anecdote based in an office. The winner will get a free autographed copy of her latest book, By the Water Cooler. (Last date to enter the contest is October 31, 2010.)

So, here is my entry to that contest.

I work for a multi national corporation which has more than 275,000 employees. I work in California. Our headquarters is in New York. This happened couple of years ago. On a Friday, two minutes before 5 PM, I got a call. The caller said he is from the CEO’s office and the CEO wants some information about a particular client and that too within 15 minutes. (I thought this guy is using CEO’s name to get the information in the last minute.) I was irritated. My employees have already closed their desk and ready to go home. I told the caller that if the CEO wants it very badly he can call me and please give him my number.

After 10 minutes, my phone rang. I could see in the called ID, our CEO’s name CB. I picked up the phone and said hello. The caller said: I am CB. I am very sorry to bother you this late on a Friday evening. A dinner meeting with the President of this client company has been arranged in the last minute. I am meeting him for dinner in another one hour. I need to get some background about this Company so I can have some intelligent conversation with him. Can you please help me?

I was stunned. The CEO of one of the largest companies in the world calling me and politely requesting some information and apologizing for the last minute request. I told him not to worry and the requested information will be faxed to him within the next 20 minutes. I faxed the information within 15 minutes.

Again the phone rang. Our CEO himself on the line. He thanked me profusely for faxing the necessary information.

When the annual bonus was given out at the end of that year, I was very well taken care of. I then learnt that the CEO had called my VP and told him to “take care” of me during bonus time.
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43 comments:

  1. Black Walnut PearlOctober 24, 2010 at 12:10 PM

    Wow! that's very interesting post SG. Good luck for "By the water cooler" contest.

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  2. AmritOctober 24, 2010 at 6:10 PM

    Good luck SG.:)

    It is good and happy one.

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  3. chitraOctober 24, 2010 at 10:15 PM

    Best wishes for your entry. happy,you were taken care of well during the bonus time.

    Lot of dishum , dishum SG. what's happening in your blog?

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  4. Rama AnanthOctober 24, 2010 at 10:28 PM

    All the best SG.
    BTW even I want to know how can you allow all this dishum dishum in your blog, it was free for all over here.

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  5. N R IndianOctober 24, 2010 at 11:24 PM

    @SG
    Great story. I like your style.
    Best of luck to you with your entry.

    @chitra
    @rama
    I know you asked SG about the dishum, dishum on his blog and I'm sure SG will answer you.
    Hey SG, I don't mean to cross the line here but I also want to say something about this.

    Chitra & Rama,
    I am the reason for dishum, dishum on SG's blog.
    Well, I'm part of the reason.
    It takes at least 2 to tango...right?

    I speak my mind and some people start calling me names.
    They don't like what I have to say so they insult me and want to silence me.
    I guess FREE Speech is ok, only as long as I agree with them.

    I then proceed to dissect their ludicrous comments like a masterful surgeon.
    All they do is get angrier and continue the name calling and throw new questions and warped opinions falsified as facts in my direction.

    And of course, my main 3 points that I've had to repeat over and over and over again (in 3 straight comments) have yet to be addressed.

    I guess I must be the CHOSEN ONE.
    I'm THE MAN...they love to hate.

    N R Indian
    ~Respect All - Fear NONE!

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  6. lostworldOctober 25, 2010 at 12:14 AM

    O wow.. nice anecdote :) All the very best for the contest!

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  7. ASOctober 25, 2010 at 1:14 AM

    hii

    wow! good good :D

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  8. smOctober 25, 2010 at 1:25 AM

    good luck SG

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  9. Felicity Grace TerryOctober 25, 2010 at 3:36 AM

    Good luck with your entry, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

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  10. radhaOctober 25, 2010 at 4:06 AM

    Hope you get rewarded at the contest too!

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  11. BhargaviOctober 25, 2010 at 5:26 AM

    nice! Good luck with the contest !

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  12. SGOctober 25, 2010 at 6:54 AM

    Thanks for your comments Vanitha. I am glad you liked this anecdote.

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  13. SGOctober 25, 2010 at 6:55 AM

    Thanks for your comments A. Yes, it ended happily.

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  14. SGOctober 25, 2010 at 6:58 AM

    Thanks for your comments Chitra. Thanks for your best wishes.

    Dishum Dishum was on previous post. That chapter is closed. Since you asked, here it is:

    It was an ordinary post on frozen memories. I wrote that long time ago as a guest in Insignia's post. Now I had published it in my own blog. Some people, by mistake, thought I am bashing India and Indians. That is what started the dishum dishum.

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  15. SGOctober 25, 2010 at 7:00 AM

    Thanks for your comments Rama. As I said before, my blog is like the Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park in London. I will publish all opinions/arguments. The only thing I don't like is name calling.

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  16. SGOctober 25, 2010 at 7:02 AM

    Thanks for your commens N R Indian. Thanks for the explnation about dishum dishum. That chapter is closed.

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  17. SGOctober 25, 2010 at 7:04 AM

    Thanks for your commens Lostworld. And, thanks for your best wishes.

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  18. SGOctober 25, 2010 at 7:05 AM

    Thanks for your comments AS. I am glad you liked this.

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  19. SGOctober 25, 2010 at 7:05 AM

    Thanks for your best wishes SM.

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  20. SGOctober 25, 2010 at 7:05 AM

    Thanks for your comments Tracy. And, thanks for your best wishes.

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  21. SGOctober 25, 2010 at 7:06 AM

    Thanks for your comments Radha. Thanks for your best wishes.

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  22. SGOctober 25, 2010 at 7:07 AM

    Thanks for your comments Bedazzled. Good luck to you too. I loved your anecdote.

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  23. NRIGirlOctober 25, 2010 at 8:30 AM

    Cool! Thanks for sharing. Of course, all the best with the contest.

    ~ NRIGirl

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  24. TitaxyOctober 25, 2010 at 8:34 AM

    oh wow...I wish something like that happens to me :D I would love a big bonus :P

    Best wishes for the contest, Sg!

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  25. SGOctober 25, 2010 at 9:44 AM

    Thanks for your comments NRIGirl. And, thaks for your best wishes also.

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  26. SGOctober 25, 2010 at 9:46 AM

    Thanks for your comments Titaxy. Getting a direct call from the CEO is like winning a lottery. Hope you get a big bonus this year.

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  27. RajlakshmiOctober 25, 2010 at 9:52 AM

    woaa the CEO himself calling you...
    and that also so politely asking for information. Good entry.

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  28. Emily, Ruby Slipper JourneysOctober 25, 2010 at 10:42 AM

    Wow, a CEO who isn't a j**k. Nice entry!

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  29. SGOctober 25, 2010 at 11:20 AM

    Thanks for your comments Rajlakshmi. He was very polite. But his aides were not. People always use some big guy's name (he VP wants it immediately, the CFO wants it right now) and we don't question that. But on that day, I got irritated and told the CEO's aide to tell the CEO to personally call me.

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  30. SGOctober 25, 2010 at 11:22 AM

    Thanks for your comments Emily. He is a good guy. You should have seen the tsunami in my office for the next 15 minutes after he hung up the phone.

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  31. AnonymousOctober 25, 2010 at 8:30 PM

    Good Luck SG.

    Please keep us posted on the result of the contest too...I sincerely pray that you win.

    Nice anecdote too...

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  32. SGOctober 25, 2010 at 8:47 PM

    Thanks for your comments Stranger. I am glad you liked this anecdote. And, thanks for your prayers. I will certainly publish the results.

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  33. InsigniaOctober 26, 2010 at 1:29 AM

    A sensible man he is. Good luck to you.

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  34. SGOctober 26, 2010 at 7:52 AM

    Thanks for your comments Insignia. Thanks for your best wishes.

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  35. SGOctober 26, 2010 at 3:06 PM

    Thanks for your comments Shaan. And, welcome to my blog. I am glad you liked this post.

    Shaan, please visit here as often as possible. Thanks.

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  36. RenuOctober 26, 2010 at 8:36 PM

    good luck for the contest! and it reaffirmed my view that nour deeds nevr go unnoticed.

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  37. SGOctober 27, 2010 at 10:49 AM

    Thanks for your comments Renu. And, thanks for your best wishes.

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  38. shuchitaOctober 27, 2010 at 1:33 PM

    nice post and it feels good to work for people like that best of luck for the contest
    :)

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  39. rajiOctober 31, 2010 at 11:58 PM

    This was really impressive ,and i was wondering about your CEO ;how could he??I mean how on earth could he be unaware of his own company?But a very nice job from your side, good.And hopefully this incident clicks in the contest.

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  40. NehaNovember 1, 2010 at 11:28 AM

    nice anecdote SG..good luck for the contest :)

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  41. AartiNovember 2, 2010 at 10:28 AM

    heyy...

    Congrats on the win!! just saw it on parul's page...

    enjoyed reading your post! good deeds dont go unnoticed... :)

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  42. ViniNovember 2, 2010 at 10:11 PM

    Congrats on the win :)
    That really was one sweet CEO.

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  43. Shesha ChaturvediApril 15, 2018 at 11:49 AM

    Nice :)

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