Buffoon bankers
I have been working in a well reputed bank in Pakistan (whose name I will not mention) for the last five years. I have learnt a lot about banking, from credit modules to debt ratio analysis to greeting customers. What I have not as yet been able to understand is how our banking industry’s middle management is filled with buffoons wearing ill fitted suits with qualifications of no more than Bachelors in Commerce (BCom) and brains the size of a bird’s. Why is this so? The reason I feel the current state of the banking industry is depressing, is not only because ...
Read Full Post
De-meriting the merit system
Pakistan is notorious for multiple reasons – ranging from terrorism to illiteracy and poverty. Recently, however, I feel that our merit system has seen a bit of a downturn. It seems that in the professional world, it’s all about who you know, not what you know. And for fresh graduates like myself, that is indeed quite demotivating. My friends and acquaintances will start with the: “my dad knows the head of HR at company XYZ so I’m going to be starting there from next month.” And i’ll wonder what relevance a social sciences degree will have in the finance department. Aah, ...
Read Full Post
So you hate TV? Do something!
The Pakistani Television media has a problem. It is too often racist, sexist and intolerant of religious beliefs of minorities. How do citizens push back against the tide of propaganda being fed on the airwaves? I don’t think anyone should be advocating for the government to regulate channels. When the government is given power to regulate media it is very easy for regulation to become censorship. What should be done? It is simple. Citizens should push for economic boycotts. It is important to understand how media works and how they generate money. Unlike print media which also earns money through the circulation of ...
Read Full Post
Corporate memories after marriage
If I look back on the three years of my hardcore corporate life, I remember nothing – nothing but the fact that I was busy and going insane. I remember the times I would look up from my cubicle for some blood circulation and see faces staring at screens that stared back in anticipation — or the times I would look up and my big fat boss would be staring down at me, eyebrow raised with questions mounted on the royal arch. There were a few moments that provided a semblance of real life, like coming back home and sleeping, or ...
Read Full Post
We’re being stalked by Ufone, Mobilink, Telenor et al!
While surfing through channels yesterday, I saw an ad about ‘talking’ and ‘shawking‘. For the umpteenth time, I realised we are being pushed into a culture of ‘talk more’. Have you ever noticed the plethora of telecommunication advertisements? They are everywhere. Switch on the radio and the same advertisements are being aired, with their not-so-subtle offers to talk at the cheapest rates in the world. Open a newspaper and the big expensive adverts glare back at you. Lets not forget the huge billboards adorning the city. Its like the advertisement companies and the telecommunication business are following you everywhere. Even if by ...
Read Full Post
Entering the corporate minefield
Growing up most girls whilst combing their Barbie’s unbelievably silky hair dream of life with a Ken look alike in a White House inspired mansion with three children who supplement the family income by being Gap for Kids models. I however owing to; a militant mother and being dropped on the head by a clumsy aunt umpteen times during infancy remember giving my Malibu Barbie’s flaxen locks 100 vigorous strokes and dreaming of taking over Mattel Inc. And truth be told the quest for boardroom success has not diminished in the last 20 something years. So I did what any other ...
Read Full Post
To be a leader worth following
The biggest problems exists in leadership and people rather than any other aspect of a business enterprise. Organisations usually try to sort out opportunities in their productivity and profitability but the real growth lies in attitudes. Organisations try to assess problems in their processes, machines, markets and technology but the biggest source of problem are the people. Weak top managers and decision makers fail to fire those who are not working. They cannot assess whom has the potential to work or not. If they are not working why aren’t they doing so? If leadership was all about monitoring who is working and firing those who are not – ...
Read Full Post
Women face an uphill battle in the corporate world
Clare Boothe Luce once said “Because I am a woman, I must make unusual efforts to succeed. If I fail, no one will say, ‘She doesn’t have what it takes.’ They will say, ‘Women don’t have what it takes.’” I had just completed my MBA and was in the process of applying for jobs in Karachi when I received an interview call from an organisation through my college graduate directory. It was a small organisation but I decided to go for the interview just for the learning experience if nothing else. I cannot disclose the name of the organisation but my interview ...
Read Full PostA day in the life of a corporate banker
The day begins at 8:30am as she drives to work. The road seems choked. As usual another traffic jam on II Chundrigar road. All of a sudden she hears a thud. She realizes someone just banged into her brand new Civic given to her by her bank. She votes if she should get off to inspect but realizes she’s already late for a client meeting. Like most corporate bankers her life revolves around 90-hour work weeks crafting deals that she will present to prospective clients. Her first meeting starts with a possible client where she has to present the pros ...
Read Full Post1-9 of 9
