Dr S Ranganathan, ClinRise Derma Pvt., Ltd., Chennai

1. Only the useful people can go useless in due course of time. Naturally when one
becomes useless, must accept the rejection, despite the past glory and achievements.
This is the universal law.
It means, the people who had served some purpose, made a difference and added
some meaning to the organization are the one most likely to get rejected than those
who were ‘simply’ in the system without any worthwhile contribution.
When such reality pricks, people should remember the history gracefully that they
had contributed in the past and the order of the day has changed and hence must
play second fiddle.
Look at the pride of lion or pack of hyena or swarm of bees. All these animals are
lead by their team leaders (the dominant male or female). As long as these leaders
can remain dominant purely through their merit, they can retain the highest
position in hierarchy. Otherwise, the second they become ineffective, they are
outrageously rejected and mercilessly chased out of the team. Rest of their life they
will have to live a life in solitude.
The problems people face in corporate are multifold. Every one wants to be
continuously relevant, accepted as dominant and important by others. But
unfortunately most of us nurture the above desire without nurturing the qualities
and traits essential for one to become continuously relevant and useful. Instead of
that, people often engage in blaming the system and the arrival of a new leader.
Most of the employees in the middle age and those who stuck in the middle
management level in every corporate generally face such problem. Unfortunately
even in their early fifties also, many would remain in the cadre of ‘Manager’,
managing something or other. When a new batch of young talents join the
organization, these old folks sulk and sullen at them enviously. If such young new
comers are made as their bosses, the ‘over aged managers’ will fall into pity and
grief.
Instead of being worried, see how you can update yourself and can remain relevant.
If you cannot, accept the truth gracefully and learn to live happily.
In animal world, all animals form group/team only to achieve and not when they
have lost their identity and relevance. Never the chased out dominant lions of two
prides ever form a team.
But the young bachelor male lions do form team and look for a pride to conquer.
In corporate, the ‘old folk’ do gang up due to their rejection or less importance. They
discuss a lot about how ungrateful the organization has become and how valuable
contributions they have made to the organizations in the past etc.

2. Remember, ruminate and reminisce your past to make your present happy and not
to make yourself unhappy and sad. When people of similar fate gangs up, they could
only breed and multiply their sadness and never could make any meaning or merit
out of such grouping.
All animals in nature would group together only to achieve or to make some
meaning. Never the ‘lost/rejected’ animals ever form a group of their own.
Continuously update your knowledge and be relevant besides quickly finding the
ladder and grow. Otherwise accept the universal law gracefully and be happy.
Dr S Ranganathan
ClinRise Derma Pvt., Ltd., Chennai
Desire, Dream and Destination – Social Entrepreneur Forum