Dr. Pritam Seth looked at the class. “What is the second mistake and second mantra?” asked Bhalla. Pritamji smiled, “The second mistake the managers make is to assure that ‘present trends will continue’. This is complacency. People will assume that the company will continue to run and products will continue to sell. They take for granted that existing arrangements are forever. Even people assume that they will live forever.”
“The continuity is reassuring and satisfaction of security is present when continuity is assumed. Continuity and change are two aspects of reality. Change is hidden in everything and every system. Things change. Trends will end. End is hidden in trend. Let me tell you the episode of three fish of Thane lake.
There was a huge lake near Thane. It was a beautiful lake and the water was sweet. There was a weir for overflow where excess water used to flow out in rainy seasons. In summers the water level was below the level of weir. There were three fish in Thane lake. ‘Dhirga Darshi’ (visionary who sees far into future), ‘Samaya Sphurti’ (timely idea generator – who is a situational manager) and ‘Manda Budhhi’ (slow thinker – the lazy inactive member).
Dhirga Darshi was medium built and gentle and prompt with initiative and finishiative. Samaya
Sphurti was slim, quick and alert with initiative. Manda Budhhi was over fat, slow and without initiative and finishiative. The three were great friends and were mostly together.
One day during the rainy season, when the lake was full and water was overflowing, Dhirga Darshi – the visionary went for a stroll-swim and was swimming at surface level. Then he saw a group of six men, with powerful built, discussing on the bank of the lake. Dhirga Darshi heard the word ‘Fishing’.
Dhirga Darshi went near the bank immediately and started listening attentively.
“That is good,” said the leader of the group. “let us come back in the summer ourselves. In summer when the water level is low with large nylon nets let us do the mass fishing using fishing boats. Since we are some of the best fishermen we can have a bumper crop of sweet water fish.” All others agreed.
Dhirga Darshi rushed inside and called for his friends, “Hey Samaya Sphurti ! Manda Buddhi!! Come ! Come !!” When both of them came near Dhirga Darshi, the visionary said, “Dear friends ! I just heard the group of fisher-men who discussed and decided to carry out mass fishing in this lake in the coming summers when water level will come down!” “So what?” asked Manda Buddhi. Samaya Sphurti was thinking. Dhirga Darshi said, “Water is now over flowing. Let us go away from this lake.
The overflowing water forms a stream and joins a river. Let us go to the new opportunity of the river!”
Samaya Sphurti said, “What is the hurry? Let us see at that time!” Manda Buddhi said, “Dhirga Darshi ! you are always creating problems bringing out imaginary situations. Nothing is going to occur. Let us happily continue in this lake. It is a known place, secure and safe.” Manda Buddhi went away to sleep in the house. Samya Sphurti went to swim along with the other fish. Dhirga Darshi headed towards the exit, went along the flowing waters across the weir into the steam and into the river. Then he discovered the river pool along the bank, a wonderful hidden place where few fish were swimming in joy and then in due course it travelled to a reservoir of river dam where fishing is prohibited.
Summers came and the water level in Thane lake came down. Fishermen in groups came and fished with large plastic nets. In one such net both Samaya Sphurti and Manda Buddhi were caught. Samaya Sphurti thought with alertness and stood still with open eyes on a dead stance. One of the fishermen who was like our Manda Buddhi saw Samya Sphurti, picked it up and said, “Dead fish!” and threw it back in the lake. Samaya Sphurti escaped. In the next rainy season he went into the stream, river and reservoir where he met his old friend. When Manda Buddhi too was caught in the net. It got agitated and jumped around. One of the bright fishermen saw him and picked it up and said, “This is big! This is fat! This will be tasty. Let us send it to Golden Swan Club.” Thus Manda Buddhi travelled in a basket of ice to the Kitchen of Golden Swan Club where it became part of a delicious dinner. Dr. Pritam Seth looked at the class. The class was happy. He said, “The second Mantra is ‘present trend will end. One must prepare for the worst and endeavour for the best. What will occur is a differently better future.”
Author:
Dr. Bansari Dave, Associate Professor, Unitedworld School of Business (UWSB)
