Sometimes, doing a few things really well seems to be a good formula for success. I learnt this lesson watching the local team from the Kerala loaders union unload and unpack a 20-foot truck in under two hours. They have a monopoly over the loading and unloading of goods, and they are fast, efficient, and (in this case) provide service with a smile.
A little online research tells me the “loaders union” primarily refers to the Kerala Headload Workers Welfare Board, a government body established under the Kerala Headload Workers Act, 1978. This board regulates the employment of headload workers, manages their welfare, and ensures industrial peace in the loading and unloading sector.
The virtues of experienced hands and shoulders and legs and minds were clearly visible. A familiar ease of functioning from a crew that had worked together as a team, was also on display. This team did not know when the truck was arriving, nor did they have an idea about its contents or where each box and package needed to go once unloaded. This is the nature of their job and they can operate with a flow and an ease that comes with years of experience.
When I compare this to the Public Relations Industry the parallels are clear. Know when to bring in the specialist teams and make sure the team that you deploy has worked together on previous mandates. Take for instance when an online crisis suddenly erupts. Calling in the Online Reputation Management (ORM) experts along with the equivalent of a Digital SWAT team that has trained together to deploy their services on short notice is the expertise required to navigate a tough assignment.
The same holds true when I compare this to group coaching and facilitation. A lot of training and preparation goes in ahead of the session. But once the truck doors metaphorically open, one has no idea what the contents will be. The participants who attend the session, the conversations, and sometimes conflicts that emerge all need to be handled adroitly. In the experienced hands of a professional coach or facilitator, these situations are dealt with efficiently. In the hands of a novice or a crew that has good intent but not good enough experience, there can be a lot of damage and breakage when the group starts unloading.
As I read more about the loader’s union in Kerala, I also got to know that it is not without its problems. One notable example of this is the prevalence till recently of something called “Nooku Kooli” (Malayalam for ‘gawking wages’). A practice where union workers demand payment for merely observing loading or unloading activities conducted by others. This practice has been widely criticised as extortion and has led to legal and political challenges. “Nooku Kooli” was eventually banned in 2018. These are the kinds of issues that can arise with any monopolistic situation. A reminder to never take advantage of a dominant position.
What is the moral of my weekly musing? A message to myself perhaps – develop a unique skill. Hopefully, one that others need and value, will make my contribution meaningful. Make myself available when they need me. Deliver service with a smile. Don’t sit on the side-lines and watch, roll up my sleeves and do the work. The union of good intentions with good work is the recipe for success in life. It does not matter if you are loading (at the start of the journey) or unloading (at the end of that journey) the same rule applies. Specialised, professional service, delivered with a smile, will take you the extra mile.
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A trusted coaching and communications professional, Nikhil Dey is a certified life and leadership coach (International Coach Federation - ICF). Nurturing talent and helping clients achieve their goals is what makes him happy. He loves learning from students of communication, teaching courses and guest lecturing at various educational institutions. When he is not working you will find him on the tennis court or out for long walks with his family and four legged friends.
Previously he has held senior leadership positions at Weber Shandwick and Genesis BCW.
He can be reached on twitter @deydreaming
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