Vijay Tatkar's Blog

Friday July 11, 2008

A sad, tiring and brutal day
Yesterday, Sun finished a major portion of its RIF (Reduction in Force)in the US. Its always a sad day when we lose a colleague; for a manager (like me), it is doubly so on a day like this. Very tiring. Very stressful. Very brutal. But nothing compared to the sentiments that overwhelm those who are at the other end of this discussion. When you have to communicate this news as a manager, to someone you have worked with for a decade or more, the sadness in the room is indescribable. I have learnt so much in the past decade about management that this feels like a part of me has been cut off.
Of course, I wish I never have to do this again. Ever. Telling yourself that its part of the job is nowhere near convincing. Trying to convince oneself that its necessary for the business we are in (or, not in, which is why we have to do this) sounds hollow. For a manager, this is by far, the hardest job in their career. I still believe in this company passionately. I still believe this company has far more potential on the basis of its technical strength. But just once in a while, on a gloomy day like this, I get the feeling of being the bright, superbly talented person who is unable to reach their true strength.
Its also a day to be extra careful. That the same colleagues who took joy, pride and dignity in the execution of their daily duties are today afforded the same pride and dignity. That, yes, we will move on and accept the job eliminations some other day, but that today its about the memories and the abilities and interactions of those who are leaving that have dominated our lives in the past years.
So, Good luck friends. The memories will stay with us forever. Sun wishes you well and that someday you may even find it interesting to return to Sun and join the Sun Boomerang Club.
Posted by tatkar ( Jul 11 2008, 01:05:11 PM PDT ) Permalink Comments [0]

Like this post?   bookmark it   |    digg it   |   slashdot it   |   Technorati it