Professionalism lessons from dad’s retirement

A few days back, my dad retired after 35 years of service from a public sector bank. As I sat on the other side of the podium, I was overwhelmed to witness how he had positively influenced & mentored so many people in his official capacity. Listening to his retirement speech made me wonder and even question so many things about my own professional life. In this post, I have tried to recapture the essence of his speech for the benefit of Gen Y, Gen Z and all those in-between:)

A test of resilience

My Dad sacrificed his dream of going abroad and pursuing a career as a researcher/scientist after completing his Ph.D. in Biochemistry at the request of his dad i.e. my grandfather. He attempted the administrative services entrance exam twice and decided to forego another shot to take up a career in the banking domain. His rationale was simple- A bird in the hand was worth more than two in the bush. He worked in over 20 branches across the country including some in the remotest regions. And he kept contributing his best with every transfer even if it was to a worse location. You might now know the highs and lows of a banking job, but you might probably be familiar with facing similar challenges in life. Some moments might cause you to feel insecure, anxious, and stressed. When these moments hit you, you do not give up. You must practice resilience.

Importance of inner motivation

Like many other sectors, the public sector banks in our country are plagued by nepotism and regionalism. They don’t even have meaningful rewards and recognition systems. On being asked, what kept him going throughout, dad mentioned that most of us have no idea what is the condition of financing in rural India.

He says, “Your fancy private banks don’t even allow the kind of clientele I handle inside their bank premises. I have seen people needing money for some of their very basic needs. At all times in my career, I knew I was serving the people in the best way I can.”

His answer made me realize that his motivation was very intrinsic. You see this kind of motivation in your day-to-day life too. Whenever you watch a favorite movie, play a game with friends, or read a book, your motivation is intrinsic. You aren’t getting paid or materially rewarded to do these activities because you are satisfied and happy doing them. The same applies to work-life also.

The feeling of gratitude towards organization and mentors

He was emphatically proud of his association with the Bank. He said he owed every bit of his bread and butter to the organization. It did not just feed his family but gave wings to his children’s dreams. He did not have a hard feeling towards the bank for making him stay away from his wife for ~13 years. He just considered this as a duty, that he had signed up for when he chose to serve in the public sector! He paid immense respect to all his bosses and was very particular to say something about each of his team members. As a neutral party, I felt that was indeed very thoughtful and inspiring. How many of us feel truly grateful to our organizations? How many of us can even comprehend working for the same employer for 35 long years?

To sum it up, I want to share a very recent incident that captures the essence of my father’s professional ethics. Due to the vulnerability of immunity compromised people in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, I was really worried about him going to the Bank every day as an essential services provider. Giving more weight to my worries was the fact that dad already has a couple of health issues like severe Bronchitis, Asthma, Hypertension, and Diabetes. So I suggested him to consider taking a few days vacation since his retirement was anyway due in about a month. His reply left me wondering how he has always dedicated every ounce of his sweat to his organization. Dad said two things:

1. Beta, the country is facing an acute economic crisis right now. Being a banker, even if I can contribute in a small manner by disbursing Rs 500/- to the poor & the needy through the Govt. Jan-Dhan Yojana mandate, I will feel honored to do my bit by facilitating the same at my Branch.
2. I am the Branch Manager. I cannot run away from my responsibilities when they are needed the most. I have to lead my people from the front and inspire them to do their best.