Synopsis: Communication For Productivity
Letters written to some 7500 Workers / Managers /
Union Leaders, following a period of strike / Go slow / Murders (1979 -
1987), at Mumbai factory of Larsen & Toubro Ltd. This direct / open /
honest communication led to a remarkable atmosphere of trust between
Workers and Management, which, in turn, increased productivity at 3% per year
(ave).
|
25 DEC 1980
To:
Dear
friends
RETURN OF
THE PRODIGAL
The Bible
speaks of a father and his two sons.
When the
sons grew up to become adults, the
father gave each an equal share of
his wealth. There was also some fatherly advice on how to make the
wealth multiply by working hard.
It so
happened that the younger son did not quite heed the advice. He was
a happy-go-lucky type of a
man and avoided work whenever he could
get away with it.
Now that
he had money in his hands, to spend as he wished, the younger son
left home and started visiting places of pleasure.
He squandered away all his money
and soon started begging for
food. Half-starving, he now realized the good advice of his father but felt too
ashamed to go back to him.
Finally, one
day he overcame his remorse and returned home. The overjoyed father
ordered music and feast to
celebrate the event.
When the
hard-working elder son returned
home from the farm and learned of his father's orders, he was very unhappy and refused to take part
in the family reunion. Here
he was, toiling away under the blazing sun to preserve and multiply the family-wealth and whose home-coming is being celebrated? - the good-for-nothing vagabond!
It was
now the father's task to explain that
whereas he had greater respect for the elder
one and valuad
his work, he loved both sons
equally. The rejoicing was to
mark the return of the prodigal
to the family-fold and to the
family tradition of hardwork and respect for the elders.
No matter how far he may wander,
a child that returns home by evening is
not to be considered "Lost".'
On this X-mas day, I wonder if the story has any relevance to our own times and to our
own lives !
