“You've got to get to the stage in
life where going for it is more important than winning or losing.” ― Arthur
Ashe
When you are denied with basic
privileges and rights, you can approach the appropriate authorities to claim them.
When you have a grievance, you can redress them through right means. At times,
people cross their limits when they are in defensive position. Some people cut
corners and resort to unethical practices to win their cases. You must always emphasize on ethics and
etiquette to redress your grievances. You must not cross your limits. You must maintain
your dignity and honor. Other person might level serious allegations but you
must exercise restraint to maintain your dignity and honor. You must refrain
from making false allegations.
Once the college owner of a private
engineering college in Hyderabad did not pay my salary for more than three
months. Of course, cheating is the DNA of that college as that college doesn’t
pay salaries to the employees who submit their resignations. Everybody knew
that it was a rogue college with unethical practices. But faculty and employees
worked there due to their compulsions and constraints. The owner of the college
did not pay my salary for more than three months. Worse, he did not bother to
respond to my repeated requests to pay my salary while I was serving in the
college. Since college was not getting adequate students, it gave me one month
notice to leave the college. I served one month and during my service I repeatedly
asked for my salary. The owner did not pay my salary and the principal of the
college was a puppet who flattered the college owner to ensure her survival. She
was very selfish who always looked after her personal interests and ensured her
professional survival. At times, she gave wrong information to the college owner
to please the latter. Finally, I had to
leave the college without getting my salary as the notice period ended. Worse,
the rogue college did not give me the relieving letter and service certificate
without which I was unable to join another college for employment.
I approached various authorities in
the affiliated university, AICTE and other related departments to redress my grievance.
Some of the officials in the university advised the owner of the college to pay
my salary because my request was just and right. But the owner did not pay as
he had strong political connections hailing from affluent background. He also had
the support of local goons. Because of his money power, muscle power and
criminal mind, the employees and faculty had to leave the college without
getting their last month salaries. They feared to fight against him and the
college. In this way, he cheated many employees and intellectuals. Finally, it
was my turn to be cheated. As usual, the owner cheated me since he had the
habit to cheat and nobody questioned him until then.
The owner framed false charges since I
approached various authorities asking for my salary and certificates. The
Commissioner of Labor decided to take up my grievance and called the owner of
the college. Since owner of the college was guilty he did not have guts to face
the Labor Commissioner and me. He sent his Human Resource (HR) person as his
representative. When the Labor Commissioner questioned the HR person for not paying
my salary, he started leveling false charges. He made personal attacks on me. I
felt very bad but I controlled myself and continued discussing the issue by focusing
on the problem to resolve it. The HR person wanted to divert attention with his
baseless allegations. By then the Labor Commissioner understood the cruel intentions
of the HR and warned him to pay my salary immediately and give my relieving
order and service certificate.
I realized that people can go to any
extent to accuse others to prove their wrong points as right. What we must
remember is that truth and justice have a place in the world. There is always
victory to the good, not to the evil. Truth alone triumphs. Satyamev Jayate!
Throughout the proceedings of the
case, I followed the policy of negotiation, persuasion, and emphasized on constructive
dialogue and discussion to get my grievance redressed. Hence, always emphasize
on soft methods rather than hard methods to get your grievance redressed. Don’t
attack others personally. Attack only the issues, not the individuals. You can
attack ideas, not individuals. Above all, you can understand the character of
the person when he loses.
Conclusion
I found that the college owner did not
have any character as he was his losing ground. He instigated his employee (HR
executive) to file wrong cases against me to protect him. It demonstrated
chinks in his armor. It showed his weak character. What is the use of having
money when people don’t have moral values? What is the use of having charisma
when people don’t have character? To conclude, emphasize on character, not
charisma; and emphasize on moral power, not money power to achieve success in
life, and to earn dignity and honor.
“If you are neutral in situations of
injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its
foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will
not appreciate your neutrality.” ― Desmond Tutu
References
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Professor M.S.Rao, India
Founder of MSR
Leadership Consultants India
Recipient
of 10th International Prestigious Sardar Patel Award―2015
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