Are You Meeting The Right Guys?

 The answer to this question could be better offered in hindsight, in my opinion.

 Mostly we tend to believe the advance answer is “Yes” and that’s the reason one agrees to sit across the table else expect a regret note. But more often than not it could change to “No” once you do a post-mortem.

The meeting on a public holiday was called for hurriedly by his secretary yet I made it on time. But for unexplained reason(s) the meeting could finally begin good two hours late. And no apology / excuse rendered. So far (not) so good. But what blew me off thereafter was an experience of a lifetime! Being holiday and meeting venue a hotel, there were innumerable interruptions by his family members including a very adorable toddler, who all came along tagged. To add, the man was a motor-mouth and appeared to be Mr. KnowAll. Being courteous and not to be socially rude, I rendered him my full ears and the person blabbered on topics ranging from ‘how to operate a lathe machine’ to ‘finer nuances of an analog camera that’s now lost in time.’

I could fathom that this he thought would arouse my interest ostensibly because I am a Mechanical engineer who has previously worked in Photography business domain.

Ahem!! And the agenda of the meeting was to explore mutually beneficial business opportunities……

But for exchange of business cards that got pushed into the Rolodex, on my return journey, I tried hard to extract positive tangible takeaways from that three-quarters of an hour but couldn’t.

Hang on: one positive outcome is this blog post.

Compared to this ordeal, I still fondly recall a very enriching discussion I had long ago with a very friendly Swedish cabbie, Bjorn (I still remember his name as it matched with one of my all time idols – Bjorn Borg).

Travelling from Arlanda airport, Stockholm to Jönköping (head office location of the company I joined then) almost four hours drive just flew away and was one of those occasions that you wish time stands still. Deciphering me a person who was stepping foot first time there, Bjorn not only promoted his country as best as one can imagine but also on finer nuances, values, social & cultural aspects of Sweden that one need to respect. Articulate (fluent in English), erudite and overtly warm he had my full attention and unknowingly taught me many a things that have helped me enormously, ever since.

I don’t have a business card or photograph of Bjorn but his plethora of worldly advises till date remains entrenched in my memory many years down the line.

That too was just a one-off meeting!!

Such is this world….

(Views are personal)