Who is your Lamp, Ladder & Lifeboat?

While my heart fills with gratitude to a thousand souls, who have enabled me, empowered me, enriched me and enlightened me, after deep reflection
I realise,

I am my lamp,
I am my ladder,
I am my lifeboat.

The power and strength that each one of us carry within, is so dynamic and powerful, that belief can help us carry through, push through and win through…

Removing the ego from the small “I” within me and merging it with the Big “I” of the universe, I surrender my gratitude to the “atma – soul” strength within me.

Inviting you to explore the strength of your soul!

1993. Joined a system integrator organization as Marketing Executive, grew along with the organization for 24 years and reached the pinnacle, managing the entire operations of the organization.  All those years I was enjoying decent salaries, regular annual hikes, promotions, higher responsibilities, AC cabins, perks, cars, annual vacations, decision making powers and what not. I definitely say this was the golden era in my life. Life was like a melody until 2017, when my organization decided to merge with another big multinational for providing better lives for all its employees. But that became a jolt on me, as I was on the radar of the new management right from the day one. Little did I realize that there were a couple of people who were hell bent to ensure that I was thrown out. Within a year, I lost my job. At 49, here I was, suddenly on the streets, without knowing what to do. Have seen many people having mid-career crisis, but never thought I would face one.
The next 1 year was very tough. But my previous boss understood my position, asked me to manage the pending activities of the previous organization. He also ensured that I didn’t suffer much financially. Thank you Sudarsan Ranganathan for being a lifeboat throughout my life.

During this period, I was mentally down. Lot of confusion. Should I try for employment or should I start my own? How do I manage EMIs? From top of the world feeling, suddenly felt abysmal depression. Here was when I needed some one for moral support, when I was at dark. Blessed I was to have my colleague who was providing that support. Everyday she used to call me just to motivate me. Many times, I showed my irritation on her unnecessarily but she completely understood and didn’t react. She empathized with me and kept encouraging me. Thank you Meenakshi Prasanna for being a lamp in my life during that crunch period. I am really blessed to have such a wonderful sister in my life.

Even in my wildest dreams, I never thought that a person whom I met 25 years back would come and help me during this toughest period of my life. When generally employers don’t employ 50-year-old professionals, here is a person who doesn’t believe in numbers (age) and breaks the bias. He believes in potential. He believes in relationship. Thanks Venkataraman Subramanyan for providing me an opportunity in this wonderful organization and being a ladder in my life.

My heartfelt gratitude to all these 3 people. It is a wonderful feeling to recall tough times and thank people who stood by you. I have shared mine.

In the tapestry of my existence, my father is both the lamp and ladder that have guided me through life’s intricate patterns. His gentle wisdom acts as a luminous beacon, casting a warm glow on the uncertainties that shroud the path ahead. As I navigate the complexities of the world, his words resonate like a comforting light, dispelling the shadows of doubt and illuminating the way forward.

When I set my career path, the challenges I faced either if it’s going to be a financial support or an emotional support, he supported me like a boat which indeed balances between the heavy waves of lose and victory. His unwavering support provides the stability needed to climb the heights of challenges, transforming his role from a mere parental figure into an essential structure that elevates me toward my dreams. He guided me like a Friend, a sacrificing father and even now he is my strength who pushes me to achieve in my journey of life.

My Lifeboat, Lamp & Ladder is my Father ❤️

Sometimes, life does not make any sense. This can be true, especially when trying to create your space and identity in a new city with nobody to fall back on. Back in 2017, it was just a few months into my relocating to the city. One weekend during the Mumbai monsoons, I remember returning from a short trip to Pune only to discover that I had left my keys inside the house when I left on Friday.

It was 11 pm at night and I realised that I knew no one except my flatmates who had gone home for the weekend. I cursed myself for not being social, scourging my contact list for any distant relative or acquaintance who might offer me a roof for the night. After a while, I sat in the rain on a bench with a stray dog on my side waiting. I had decided to sleep on the bench in the worst-case scenario when the office WhatsApp group pinged. I wasn’t sure if I could call anyone in my workplace since I was a new employee and hadn’t had the time to interact much with anyone. I decided to call one of my colleagues who lived half an hour away, asking if she could help. As it turned out, one of her flatmates had gone home, and she had a spare bed for the night. I took an auto and rushed to her place, thanking her immensely.

She not only provided me a shelter but also a very stable friendship. She was my lifeboat, saving me on a dark and unpredictable night. From that day I started believing that in the darkest of times, there will always be a kind lifeboat, lamp or ladder to help us survive, walk ahead and grow. And it’s okay to lean in on them. After all, we are no one without the community.

In 2010, I embarked on a challenging journey in sales. I found myself working with a premium company, tasked for engaging with C-suite executives, understanding their pain points, and convincing them to invest in our high-value products. The stakes were high, and the pressure was intense. I was navigating and trying to comprehend the fine art of negotiation and the subtle dynamics of customer engagement.

During this initial phase, I made many mistakes, stumbled upon roadblocks, and fell short of my targets. Closing deals became an uphill task, with most of them either getting delayed or being grabbed by our competitors. The product we were pitching came with a premium price tag, and justifying this cost to our prospective clients was a challenge in itself. I was in the middle of a storm, trying to steer my way through, but seemingly drifting off course.

This was when my sales leader stepped in. He was a veteran in the sales industry, with a track record that spoke volumes about his expertise. He became my lamp, showing me the way amidst the darkness of confusion and uncertainty. He spent countless hours training me, refining my approach, and teaching me the ins and outs of effective customer engagement. He taught me how to navigate the conversations with CXOs, how to reach the negotiation stage effectively, and how to close the deals.

He was also my ladder, helping me grow both professionally and personally. His feedback was always objective, constructive, and insightful. He would accompany me to client meetings, observe my interaction, and later provide feedback on what went right and where I needed improvements. It was through this iterative process of learning that I started developing a better understanding of the sales landscape. I learned to ask the right questions, to listen actively, and to propose solutions that created tangible value for our clients.

During the toughest times, the leader was my lifeboat. When I was on the verge of losing important deals, he stepped in to salvage the situation. His expertise in negotiation and his ability to swiftly address the pain points of our clients often turned the tables in our favor. He was my saviour, pulling me out of troubled waters and set me back on the path to success.

Looking back, I realize that he was not just a Leader to me; he was a mentor, a guide, and a saviour. His guidance illuminated my path

Some childhood memories remain deeply etched and more so, if they changed one’s life for good. I remember my family shifting from Triplicane to Perambur in the then Madras when I was studying in 1st standard. It was an unplanned shift in the middle of academic year. I was an average student and found the new school, class, environment etc. difficult to cope.
It was then my parents met a family friend who came to the rescue. My teacher Mohana miss offered evening tuition. The kindness and affection showered along with the teaching suited my learning style was great. In the next few months, I started securing higher grades in the exam and there was no looking back.
 
Years rolled, and I was in my 11th standard running the rat race to get an entry into a professional college. While I was doing fine in most subjects -Mathematics remained a concern. Those were the days when coaching centers where just mushrooming in Chennai. There were limited options in my locality and commute to other places would eat away the study time. A neighbor referred me to a teacher near my home. Dinakara Pandian Sir was a tough but kind master. The classes for a small group would start at 5.30 am in the morning. Teaching higher secondary mathematics is not an easy task but my master had the magical touch to turn a mediocre person in to Ramanujam. His teaching helped to gain admission in a government engineering college on merit.
 
While I am deeply indebted to all the teachers who shaped my life, above two teachers have a special place in my heart as a #MyLamp, #MyLadder and my #Lightboat.

The year was 2004. I scored quite well in my 12th boards and had gained admission in a prestigious institution in Coimbatore. My father got the student loan process initiated at his bank. And for very unclear reasons, the bank was unwilling to sanction the loan. Perhaps because the hoity toity bank manager perceived my dad to be a small businessman who had barely completed middle school and spoke broken English. We’ll never know what the real reason was. Anyhow, my father took me to the bank with my mark sheets and amicably asked him to reconsider, he didn’t. I was sad but I knew we’d figure out another way. A week later, the Manager called and asked us to meet him. And this time around, I was in shock.
 
As soon as we entered the bank, everybody who was an ‘officer’ there stood up in respect, welcomed my dad and took us to the Manager’s room. The Manager was extra friendly with my dad and took him outside to meet someone. I was there in the Manager’s room simply looking around and my eyes fell on the letter in front of me. It was addressed to the Bank Manager, from the then Finance Minister. It referred to me and my dad and carried an ultimatum that if my educational loan wasn’t sanctioned at the earliest, severe action will be taken against the branch. I didn’t know how to react.
 
Turns out, after our earlier ‘unfavourable’ meeting, my dad wasted no time. He sought help and wrote to the finance minister. And a week later the tables just simply turned. I was happy yes, but also felt this unexplainable sense of pride for this man who ran a small business, who had barely completed middle school and spoke in broken english. The way he didn’t waste time haggling, instead aimed for where it really mattered and took a shot, and won – was. unbelievable. I could see the fear/respect (we’ll never know which) the people in the branch had for us that day. And that is why my father will always be my lamp. He showed me that when the going gets tough, the toughest get going, and it was my life’s first and biggest lesson.

Share a story of how a person became either your lamp (showed you the way), ladder (helped you grow) or lifeboat (was your saviour/magician at a tough time) in your life. If they are on LinkedIn, please tag them and show them you appreciate their help and guidance. Perhaps your story will inspire others to become the lamp, ladder and/or lifeboat for the people in their lives.