INDEX 2007-08: A three part story about The Learning, The Gearing Up, and The Grand Finale

The story of possibly one of the biggest events of my life, and is a tale of mastering something you love – with the help of certain key individuals who stand right by you along the way. Divided into 3 parts, first where I learned in my first year, second where I prepared a team for the showdown, and lastly, for the Grand Finale and everything after it

The Learning

This phase of the story talks about my first year at IIM Lucknow, and how I got to learn whatever I did, and how it made me attempt something grand.
In the first year, I was one among hundreds. Everyone there was a stud, a topper, an excellent performer, and a great mind. I had won events, and done well in exams prior to this, and all this, without much effort, knowledge or hard work. But on reaching this new haven, I found things to be a lot more challenging and a lot more painful than what I had ever seen.

People say that if success comes too easily to you, you don’t value it, and don’t have the strength of character to come back when you are down. I could feel this now. I tried to win events. I tried to do decently in academics. All I got was losses, and a decent result, nothing more, nothing less. And it was clear that I couldn’t compete with the brainiacs, who were ready to slave themselves for a Gold Medal.

Was I giving my all in the events- No. Had I ever been stretched and needed to know what giving it your all means? No. So how was I supposed to know the effort and the knowledge required to win in the Big League? There aren’t many teachers who would teach you that. And get a team which doesn’t trust themselves or you, and you have a set of people who are always ready to do a shoddy job for a project, and like an ostrich, bury their heads under the surface, and just HOPE against HOPE that they win.

I got one such win, in an event with Mr. PS, who I didn’t like personally and later realized the event didn’t see much participation at all. Still, this was a start, and I wouldn’t ever downplay it, even though not many knew what the event was. Its also a fact that even after repeated reminders to the organisers, I never got the money we were supposed to win. And one aim which I had was to forge a perfect team, a team of people who were creative, hardworking, compatible, and who thought we could win.

We had fun in many events, but there aren’t many instances where I remember us doing really well. This was about the time I was beginning to resign to the fact that I do not belong in the Big League, and I was a small fish in a big pond now. This led to a lowering motivation to even try the Big Events, and theres only one way of ensuring you don’t win – By not participating. This is something I ended up doing, though I hated it. But I always had excuses for it. Some of these were, I have to study, the events about consulting or finance, it would take too much time, or just the fact that I don’t have a good team (this meant I changed many many teams, and for the majority of my stay in Hel(L), never had a stable reliable team).

Strange as it may seem, no one who is any good, wont team up with you unless you have won something or shown some brilliance somewhere. And thus, starts the vicious circle.

But as in most stories, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, always a guardian angel, always a friend, always a guide. The guide I found was Mr. MP, and choosing his team (actually, he and my next door neighbour chose me) over a certain female’s team turned to be the best decision I made. And this decision wasn’t based on facts, figures or logic. Just a gut feel and a sense of being wanted was what it really was. Hence, I was a part of an Index Market Research Team - Team Perfect Score (TPS). Little did I know that these 3 letters would soon become so important to me.

What this team provided me was a brotherhood, and a sense of belonging. Now this was a mean 20 member team with 10 seniors and 10 juniors. Luckily, the team lead, MP, was in my hostel floor. Just because of this reason, I got to see the real action a lot closer than most 1st year members would do in any team. Further, our team was one of the favourites, and boasted of some of the most prolific event winners.
My role in the team was very insignificant, doing nothing for the most part of it – apart from some little googling here and there. But the team lead, MP, had continuously motivated each of us to keep striving harder to CREATE DIFFERENTIATORS and build quality. This was TQM to the test as he expected quality even from the first drafts prepared by useless brainless first years. But still, I was passionate, and willing to work and learn. So I never said no to any work, and this may have been a solid reason behind my learning whatever little I learned.

Our team didn’t have an easy ride. We were fighting, among the top teams on all project proposals. But sadly, we never managed to win any. This was de-motivating for most, but did we know of any leaders who falter when the going gets tough? MP, our team lead, was also sure that not only would we get a project, but also that we would emerge the winners. And we always played to win, never to be runners up. And then, finally, we did win a project, and our journey was on its way.

The room allotted to us for prop making was closest to my room. Maybe because of the logistics, I was named the Vice Team Lead of the team. This meant added responsibility, and being the first amongst the juniors at least for any work or task. The level of delegation meant I now believed it was MY TEAM, and I was ready to communicate harsh messages, long work hours, and being the first one to unlock the room. Great strategy by the Team Lead, to ensure one more guy really wants to win, and to get some of the dirty work off his back.

This was the time I was learning a lot. The leader was always confident, always calm, when everything else was going all over the place. Most juniors would have never ever realized that anything is wrong, but more often than not, I knew, and was freaked out. The leader, was presidential at all times :)

We worked hard, we had loads of fun, and the leader BUILT a team. Something I hadn’t managed to do in all my time there. And it felt great. We enjoyed ourselves, celebrated birthdays, and came closer to each other. Then, some people left the team, and as with any favourite, many others wanted to join in. I was again consulted about this, and it was imperative that the team bonding is not disrupted, and the new guys feel at home. I guess this is where the winning team was born.

And we did what others do and a lot more. And as our trusted leader had predicted, based on solid logic and preparation, we were the winners. I had won something, something big. And there was one man who I thought gifted me the win. Mr. MP. There were others too. MT, MV, SK, KS, RS, and loads more, but none affected me, energized me and taught me how to win like the Team Lead. He was my best friend, apart from VTG, who was the one who I formed my small teams with. VTG was diligent, creative, hardworking, and a simple man, who I never argued with. I never had won anything with him, though he had won without me. Still, I knew that if I made a team, I would want him on it.

MP also got me some other friends, Prezi to be, Mess Secy, the H 9ers, Pa. I was also confident that these people, who had seen what victory and the party after it tastes like, are the ones who would be our best bet for a rerun. And MP and the seniors also ensured that the juniors stick together, as a team, and create some sort of history by making Team Perfect Score win two years in consecution.
MP also formed another team with me, for another event, where he had done all the work, but needed someone to present at a college in Delhi, as he had his exams. I was his chosen one as he needed someone from the juniors, who won’t have had their exams then. As I had done till now, I fumbled up, came back empty handed, though with a free trip to home.

Still, there was a hunger, and a belief. Both gifted by MP, and they were driving me towards what I believed I should achieve. The summer internship was also a stage where MP encouraged me, lambasted my poor work, and improved it to ensure I got a PPO. That’s the company I would be joining now, and that was MY first big personal victory.

Needless to say, I am thankful to him.

Next in the trilogy, The Gearing Up, which talks about all the efforts and manoeuvres for INDEX, with me as the Team Lead, trying to fill in huge shoes.

Comment and suggestions for the next one are welcome :)