“The best brains of the nation may be found on the LAST BENCHES of the classroom ” -APJ Abdul Kalam
I like this saying from our Ex-President… coz I have always been on the back bench. OK..Ok..I know what you are thinking right now. I am not trying to claim that I have the best brain in the nation.
We the back benchers were not one of those studious students at school and my gang at school hardly pass any exams except for 10th public exams. Don’t ask me about how we cleared up till 9th standard. Honestly I don’t know. I have to remember and thank all my teachers for giving us those chances. Even the way we cleared the 10th standard without even opening a single page of any book were real adventures. Even today, We still talk about those 10th exams endlessly like war Heros.
At school, we always look for opportunities to get involved in some kind of trouble just to show off that we are cool guys, girls at school liked it and we have to show our reputation as a gang. Well, I think the only interesting thing at school which kept us from not dropping out was THE SPORTS. We all play like crazy even for 12 hours straight and we participate in any extracurricular activities just to avoid class rooms.
During those school days, Everyone saw us as a failures and always mentioned we would be worthless and a complete waste of time and money. Because paper qualification had the prime importance and everything else doesn’t worth doing it. Thanks to my parents, they never cared about the marks I scored.
But I will say with conviction, that the most of the back benchers are street smart. I am still in very close touch with my friends in schools and college (Back benchers), seeing them today, I can clearly say that they are doing very well in terms of financials and personal life. In fact better than many of the front benchers or book smarts.
I was just thinking loud on, how once worthless guys are doing so well without any good paper qualifications or big scores.
After graduating somehow with low scores as usual, we were ready for any job and any salary and we are ready to work hard and take every opportunity to impress the bosses (Like we tried to impress the girls at schools). Results were obvious, more salary and quick promotions because bosses like people who show it in action rather than people show it in presentations. We like to take decisions, what would be right for a situation and which is right for our clients and the team, without any fear and ready to face any kind of action in case of failures.
Another street smart thing that I notice is that every back bencher will identify the other one easily. When someone joins as a peer with excellent qualification, we don’t even care about it. Because we know that their high end fundas won’t work in real time situations and I will run away when one of those book smart guys starts talking rules, processes and industry standards.
At the same time, when we find another smart back bencher as peer, we won’t compete with them; we will become good friends and team up. We help each other grow because we don’t feel insecure by see another person growing because we know anyone who grows will pull the others up so that we can team up for the next level growth. I see them as friends who are not selfish and smart enough to understand only if the team or company grows we can grow and we will ensure that all of us would benefit from anybody’s growth. In corporate world they call these concepts as team work or politics. If you like it or not, this is how it works.
Also, I feel the most of the back benchers are honest; straight forward and fearless. they will say what they think and they don’t care whether it would hurt anybody, which will come in handy during tough times.
I formed a team at contus only with the back benchers who are extremely street smart, fearless and honest. I know them from the back benches of my schools, colleges or at work. Well, VCs and Angels dont like it but who cares they never help when we are in need.
I can say that the best brain of Contus Support today is founded in back benches of my college, schools or at work.
I know my wife will call it as rubbish logic like many of you… As a back bencher, I don’t care about those comments because one needs to be street smart to get this logic.
Cheers