One of the
high ranking official (incredibly high) paid a chance and a scheduled visit to
my school and the purpose of the visit redeemed after the official left. His
advices, the so called, “Kalop Zangpo” (Good advice formally!) left us
(teachers) bemused if not preoccupied and left us for thinking. He had all the tenacity of being a high
ranking official, especially the posture in which he presented in front of a
thousand plus students along with fifty or so staff.
Motivation
was the talk of the morning and he presented to us that motivation was the
ultimate driving force behind all undertakings and endeavors-a common fact re
iterated! I know on the other that if something is good (The Kalop Zangpo),
it’s worth telling twice.
But when the
‘worth telling twice’ thing is repeated again and again at the mercy of
listeners going awry in thoughts, one cannot help but generate mixed feelings
about the speaker who assumes a momentary detoxification forgetting that we are
all made up of flesh and bones, if not blood! His narrative ability on advises is quite commendable as he can put the most un-humble of the listeners to
sleep. The instant question on my mind was, how did he garner votes during his
politicking campaign?
We lent our
ears for all that he had to say and he offered us his to answer ours. But, when
question 1 came in, he reflected the same to the other subordinate who was just
behind. Never answered question 1 of course!
Considering
the official’s tryst in our ministry, he was an old veteran. While trying to
answer Question 1, he misquoted JFK. It should have been, “Ask not what your
country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country”. I
unquote-with all due respect! He thus misquoted, “If you cannot………….” naming
the great American statesman JFK. Absurdity! Also never took in Question 2 and
hurriedly left faintly murmuring I have someone waiting for me. If a mass of
people genuinely talk, not necessarily good, about someone, it should be
perceived that everything is wrong with that someone. The talks came from various anecdotal
incidents where he held such visits and gatherings.
An
inspiration must be aroused in listeners when such decorated official speaks to
a curious gathering. Instead, a de-motivating seed was sown in our hearts. I
wrote-out what my colleagues spoke-out from their hearts-out. So while
listening I will now filter people, who to listen to whom not to. What sinks in
the heart is what one has listened to genuinely. This is the story of my tryst
with an elected representative.
So dear
folks happy listening to your own representatives! Have a good
day ahead!
“The most basic of all human needs is the need to
understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to
them."— Ralph Nichols
