Sanjeev was a bright young engineer in our company — razor-sharp, articulate, and quietly rebellious.
Every time he stepped into my office, I’d take a deep breath. He never came for small talk — only for big questions:
🌀 “How do you ensure my performance rating isn’t biased?”
🌀 “Why am I being evaluated on outdated goals?”
🌀 “Where is the link between performance and compensation?”
🌀 “What’s my growth path here?”
These weren’t complaints. They were challenges — offered with clarity, curiosity, and a genuine desire to improve the system.
Over time, an age gap melted into friendship. And even after he moved to Australia, we stayed connected.
I saw some great change in him after a while, probably marriage and fatherhood transformed him. He didn’t just parent — he practised parenting. He introduced his children to a wide range of skills — unknowingly practicing Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences. He gave his children what few working professionals manage — his full, present, joyful time. When I spoke to him last, he told me that many parents get in touch with him to guide them in parenting. His son, 11, speaks 11 languages and daughter speaks 9; they both give musical performances and run their video channel to teach the STEM subjects.
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I look back with a twinge of regret about my life. I couldn’t give that kind of time to my son. But maybe this story sparks something in you. And that will be my solace.
💡 What if HR and CSR leaders recognised the parenting potential in their people?
Imagine communities of employee-parents — not just managing both worlds, but thriving in them. Sharing wisdom. Mentoring others. Supporting child-focused initiatives with empathy born from lived experience.
Could your CSR Head tap into this Tribe of Tenders — to serve the very villages your company supports? I believe she could.
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