Fed Up With The Boss?

Sanjay was hurriedly scanning the morning news paper pages. He normally doesn't get time to read any news item in detail on his breakfast table. He has to report to his office in time. He is stuck with a khadoos boss who has made Sanjay's life miserable.

Just when Sanjay was folding back the news paper a small advertisement on an inside page in an obscure corner attracted his attention. The Ad read like this:

Fed up with the boss?

If you are fed up with a difficult boss and feel miserable in life due to him we provide individual guidance and solutions to solve your problem.

A contact number was also given at the bottom of the Advt.

Sanjay made a quick note of it and decided to explore it on a weekend. He immediately started for his office for which he had to change the BRTS at least once on the way.

On dialing the number given in the Ad  he heard a sweet voice of a girl who introduced herself and the name of the firm for which she worked and asked whether Sanjay needed an appointment with her boss. After hearing from Sanjay about his preferences she seemed to go through a computer screen and fixed a date for Sanjay's meeting.

"You can pay Rs. 1000/- in cash or you can make a card payment on the spot for the first visit", she politely told Sanjay. Sanjay readily agreed.

On the day of appointment, a Saturday morning, Sanjay reached the place and was immediately asked by the receptionist to go the cabin behind her reception desk. An impressive middle aged person was sitting on a spacious chair in a room that was elegantly furnished.

"Good morning Mr. Sanjay. You have reached the right place. We will find a lasting solution for your problem. I am Sudhanshu Mehta. I was a legal practitioner before I started this firm. We will discuss about it later. But for now just brief me about your boss."

"I hope whatever we discuss will remain strictly confidential." Sanjay wanted to doubly ensure this aspect. He knew the consequences if his boss came to know about it anytime in future.

"Just take my word for it. Otherwise I won't be sitting here." Sudhanshu Mehta, assuming it was his real name, said with an assuring smile on his face. Sanjay tended to believe Sudhanshu's words.

"I work in this city in a branch of a Kolkata-based firm. This firm supplies various industrial products to the customers in the Western Region of the country. There are about 30 people in our office. About 20 of us do essentially a clerical work in various capacities, 5 look after the marketing and there are 4 office boys and a lady secretary-cum-typist for the Boss. We are a very good team. The problem is our boss. The whole day he just irritates and shouts on all of us. He always finds ways and means to make us fight against each other. Never appreciates our work. Makes us work beyond normal working hours every day, sometimes even on holidays. Never sanctions our leave, even for legitimate reasons, before humiliating us in front of our colleagues. He always makes us feel that we all were a bunch of idiots and threatens to file adverse reports about us to the Head Office in Kolkata if we did not perform to his expectations. Now he plans to install CCTV cameras everywhere in our office and watch our movements from a monitor in his cabin. He always suspects that we were only idling and conspiring against him during the office time." Sanjay took a pause as he was not sure whether telling any specific events will strengthen his arguments at that stage.

"Nice. It's interesting." Sudhanshu commented.

"Excuse me. What is nice about it?" Sanjay could not hide a small irritation in his voice.

"Oh. I mean your boss looks really difficult but normally majority of them behave that way. Have you ever thought about pressures on him from his superiors that make him behave that way? After all he is answerable to them and not you and your colleagues. Please don't get offended but majority of the employees in any office who have crossed the age of around thirty five want it to be a little easy as they do not want to worry about any deadlines." Sudhanshu deliberately stopped for getting Sanjay's reactions on his provocation.

"All of us in our office do know this. We never miss any deadline set by our boss. What we want is a cordial atmosphere in our office and a few nice words of appreciation from our boss every time we deliver. This is possible only if our boss understands this. We are not demanding any raise or promotions also. We leave it to the Company policy."

"I presume your boss must be little elder in age than you people. As one of the fundamental principles of management he cannot possibly allow you all to unite and feel collectively stronger than him. Then he won’t get the same quantum of work you are delivering now. Your efficiency will certainly fall below an acceptable level. Do you really think he can change now? Have any of you tried to point it out to him?"

"No way! Such a dialog with him is unthinkable. There will be a big blast if anybody even hints about it." Sanjay was absolutely sure about the consequences of such an adventure.

"I understand it. I see only two options now. Either you quit the job or you make him quit."

"Where do I go at my age? I have a wife and two school-going children. I just cannot try this option.

"Then make him quit. That's it."

"How do we do that?" Sanjay almost lost hopes of any help from Sudhanshu.

"That's what our firm is for. We have contacts. We have a tie up with many agencies that are on our panel. We avail their services from time to time. We can do a number of things that can make your boss disappear from the scene."

"Like what?"

"We have a variety of packages in all price ranges. The cost varies from situation to situation. You have to pay more if you want to remain behind the scene."

"Now I am confused. Please elaborate on the packages and their costs. Only then I can make a choice." Sanjay was getting little nervous about the way the conversation was proceeding.

"I am not suggesting anything but we can hire a contract killer who will do a swift operation and will send your boss ‘up there’. Or say our goons can beat him up on his way home and send him to a hospital bed for months never to return to the office."

Sanjay was shocked to hear these solutions. He shuddered even when he imagined the scenario of the events like these taking place. He remembered the wife and the two children of his boss. She is a very nice lady and both the children are so sweet. If anything happens to the boss the family will suffer. Sanjay definitely did not want it this way. He told Sudhanshu firmly that he was looking for some milder solution that will force his boss to quit.

"See Mr. Sanjay, our firm has to cater to the needs from the market. We have to be ready with the options that our clients may demand from us. Coming back to your case, may be, we could arrange a big financial irregularity to take place in your office with the help of your marketing team. When it comes out in the open your company Head Office will have no other option but to fire him from his chair."

"No. That will make all of us to face enquiry from the Head Office. Someone from us will definitely buckle under the pressure and spill the beans. Moreover I cannot trust my colleagues fully. Who will be ready to do this hara kiri? This doesn't look like a workable idea." Sanjay responded firmly to Sudhanshu's proposal.

"Then tell me how the relations between your boss and the lady secretary are? We can make a sting operation with a hidden camera and trap them in a juicy scandal that will make both of them to go in one stroke." Sudhanshu was not getting tired of giving suggestions.

"I am afraid I have come to a wrong place. None of us in our office can doubt the relations between our Boss and the secretary even in their wildest of dreams. Whatever his other faults, our boss is a thorough gentleman. We cannot go to so low a level and ruin his family life this way. I am sorry to have wasted your valuable time. Our meeting is over." Sanjay started getting up from his seat.

"Wait Mr. Sanjay", Sudhanshu was mischievously smiling when he said this. He continued further, "Look Mr. Sanjay, the moment I saw you I knew this. After sitting in this chair for so long I can read the faces of my clients. I knew the problem was not with your boss. You really don't hate him that much. You are stuck up in a job which you cannot change due to the limitations from your home front. You cannot take big risks in life now and aspire to get a high paying job in a different city. But on the other hand you do see an easy excuse in your boss whom you can hold responsible for all of your woes.

"Most of us in this country, a millions living in the cities, are going through this situation. We know our limitations. We know we cannot get faster promotions. Office jobs are essentially monotonous in nature. Since all of us in our office are doing the same routine job we don't command respect from our superiors, colleagues and subordinates. This is really frustrating. We start doubting the very purpose of our existence in the office and our own life.

"Your solution does not lie in getting rid of a difficult boss. I see you as a God-fearing person. You are looking for a miracle to take place in your life. Nothing wrong in that. Daydreaming is a necessity for all human beings. I have a solution on that also. We have a tantric, Pt. Sharma, on our panel. You meet him. He will solve your problem. But choice is yours. I cannot force you to meet him."

Sanjay did not speak for a few minutes. His mind was full of conflicting thoughts. After all, Sudhanshu must be right. He finally took the contact details of Pt Sharma from Sudhanshu and left his cabin after formally thanking him. Sudhanshu certainly looked to be a very good salesman.

Pt. Sharma looked exactly the way Sanjay had imagined him to be. A bearded and spectacled elderly person with long grey hair that looked almost silver in colour. He was wearing simple white clothes and a folded brownish woolen shawl was gracefully hanging on his left shoulder. A Rudraksh mala around his neck, a red tilak on his forehead and a divine smile on the face made him look different from the other normal beings. Sanjay did not have to spend much time in explaining his woes to Pt. Sharma. Sharmaji took down the details of time, date and the place of Sanjay's birth from him and started doing some calculations referring to a few books on his table in between.

After about ten minutes he looked at Sanjay and started speaking in a soft tone.

"You need to regularly perform a pooja on a Yantra that I will make for you. We call it a Swami Vashikaran Yantra. This Yantra works wonders. Swami Vashikaran Yantra is specifically employed to bring your boss under your influence, to get promotion at work and create harmony at work place. This Yantra not only allows you to command respect and admiration from your superiors, but also from the colleagues and subordinates in your office as well.

"Our Vashikaran Yantra is personalized and custom-made keeping in mind your specific problem. This Yantra is energised as per your own horoscope and taking in to consideration the details of the person whom you want to bring under your influence.

"Our Yantras are sanctified, consecrated and energized by us during auspicious moments for a particular Sadhana. We do Prana Prathistha of all the Vashikaran Yantras individually and make them energized by performing a special Cheitanya Puja on them and hence the probability of their success is magnified several folds.

"Remember, the results of the Yantra do vary based on your previous Karmas. Your good Karmas in the past and now onward will obliviously bring faster and better results. The Yantra should always be used in a positive and constructive manner, to influence others, create love and affection, and win favors.

"Just tell me when you make up your mind. It takes some time before we could deliver a personalized Yantra for you." Pt. Sharma took a pause and waited for Sanjay's response.

"Sounds great! Can I know about the charges I may have to pay in case I decide to go for one?" Sanjay could decide to go ahead only if the cost of the Yantra suited to his pocket.

"It is 250 USD onwards." Pt Sharma replied in a matter of fact tone. He knew that he did not need further canvassing on his product. His clients in general have no way to evaluate these products as there are no established yardsticks to compare them.

"Are they imported?" Sanjay did not believe what he heard.

"No no. We get orders for the Yantras from the clients settled all over the world. That's why we always quote our prices in USDs"

"I will let you know in a week's time Panditji. I would like to take your leave as for today."

"Ok, just a small suggestion. If you want still better results from our Yantra you will need to get an item belonging to the person on which you want to cast your influence on. We will energize the Yantra by keeping this item by the side of the Yantra. Remember, this item has to be obtained without the person's knowledge. It will not matter much if you cannot get an item belonging to your boss. But if you can manage, it will increase the chances of your success."

"I will see." Sanjay was really clueless about how he could do it. But he did not want to commit on it either way at that point of time. He left Pt. Sharma's office with a renewed hope.

Next few days he was thinking on Panditji's suggestion to get a personal item belonging to his boss without his knowledge. “How is that possible? What are those items that the boss leaves on his table or in the table drawer during the office hours? A cell phone, car key, wallet, napkin, goggles? Though Sharmaji did not say it in words what he said was a direct suggestion for a theft. If I enter the boss's cabin when boss is not inside and steal an item from his table everybody in the office will see me doing it. When the boss notices the theft my colleagues will gladly testify that I was the only person who entered in his cabin when boss was not around.” There was no end to Sanjay’s thoughts.  He wanted to abandon this plan but the prospects of better results from the Yantra were compelling him to do it at any cost.

Finally a brilliant idea struck him. He knew his boss always used a ball point pen of a particular brand that was little costlier than the normal. What if Sanjay purchased an identical pen of the same golden color the boss was currently using and interchanged both of them swiftly after entering in his cabin even if boss was around? These days a new ball point pen starts writing immediately and boss would not know the difference between the old and the new one. "Good!" Sanjay was impressed with himself. And the very next day he could actually execute his plan without a flaw. He immediately took Sharmaji’s appointment and handed over the ball point pen of the boss to him. They made a deal then that Sanjay would pay Rs. 25,000/- in cash in advance to Sharmaji and Sharmaji would deliver the Yantra in return in a week's time.

Sanjay started performing pooja from the day he received the Vashikaran Yantra. That day he received a smile from his boss for the first time during his career. He had located an important office file the boss was looking for. To his surprise the boss even thanked him. "This Yantra looks to be very powerful," Sanjay thought to himself.

Very soon there was a perceptible change in the office atmosphere. All the staff members were noticing this effect and were pleasantly surprised to see a totally different personality in their Boss. How had it happened? They started asking each other first in hush-hush tone and then there were loud gossips in the office when the boss was not around. "Whatever may be the cause, our life has suddenly taken a good turn. Now we feel like taking up more and more work on our own. This was unthinkable just before a few weeks." Everybody in the office agreed with each other on this.

Sanjay never participated in these discussions. Only he knew the reason for this miracle but did not want to share this information with anybody lest the power of the Yantra might weaken if he did that.

The Yantra was casting its spell on the boss as well the entire office. During Diwali Festival that came the following month all the members of the staff in Sanjay’s office received a very handsome bonus for the first time in their career. Sanjay and two of his colleagues were promoted to higher posts raising hopes of other colleagues in line.

One evening before the boss left for his home he declared that he wished to invite all the staff members to his house for a get-together with him and his family members next evening. All staff members should directly come to his house from the office. "Such a get-together will certainly strengthen our bonds to a great extent," he said further before leaving.

The get-together at the boss's place the next evening was a huge success. At the end, one senior member from the staff expressed a desire to speak a few words on behalf of all the staff members. The boss gladly permitted.

"Dear Sir and all my colleagues gathered here this evening,

You all will agree with me that this was really an occasion to remember for all of us for a long time to come. We all know that the credit for this goes entirely to the head of our office family.

For the last few days we have been experiencing an altogether different and pleasant personality in our Sir. This change has sparked an entirely new vigor in all of us. On this occasion I request our Sir to tell the secret of this change in him. We all are eager to know the secret behind this miracle. This will make us follow him and make a positive change in our life."

Everybody clapped and supported their senior colleague. Sanjay was not very much pleased with this idea. He only hoped that boss did not know Sharmaji or Sudhanshu Mehta, not even by a remote chance. That would be a disaster for Sanjay.

Boss laughed heartily. He agreed to explain the miracle in brief and started his speech immediately:

"Dear friends,

I knew that one day I will be asked to explain this miracle. I was ready for it all these days. The credit for all this goes to one person whom you all know. He is associated with our Company."

Sanjay held his breath. "Is boss going to tell about the Yantra? How did he come to know about it? What if the boss discloses my name? How the others in the office will react? Will the Yantra remain powerful once everybody knows about it?” Sanjay nervously stepped back a little and started looking for a place around to hide himself, if required.

Boss continued his speech after a deliberate pause.

"The name of the person is Dr Vishal Trivedi, the famous Physician in the city who is also on our Company's Medical Panel. He is the person who introduced me to Brahma Kumaris, an international spiritual organization.

"It so happened that I have been receiving medical treatment from Dr. Vihal Trivedi for the last few years. My blood pressure, cholesterol level and sugar level were dangerously increasing and the medicines prescribed by Vishal were not effective at all. On his advice I started going for a 5 Km brisk morning walk daily and practiced a few Yogic postures since the last many years. But the levels were not coming down. Vishal started telling me that by doing the morning walk and Yoga I was only trying to take care of my body. But what was I doing about my mental health? Human body and mind were very closely related. Vishal observed that the stress and anxiety I was carrying the whole day and night due to my position in the office was spoiling my mental health. I needed to consciously make efforts to improve it. I needed to take it easy and calm down. All these three ailments I was suffering from were essentially psychosomatic.

"He then suggested me to practice meditation along with the physical exercises I was doing. I did not believe him to start with. I used to ask him, "How practicing meditation is going to reduce my office workload? How will this change the staff members in my office who find newer ways everyday to make my life miserable? How my Company Head Office is going to change their deadlines if I practice meditation?"

“Dr. Vishal then told me to join him on a Sunday morning when he visited a Brahma Kumari Centre beyond the S G Highway. I went with him and attended a meditation session. And very soon I cleared so many myths I was holding about myself and the people around me for so long. I started watching Happiness Unlimited TV series produced by Brahma Kumaris regularly. They show it on the Peace of Mind TV Channel. Do watch the channel if you are not doing it already.

"They tell you about how one can increase his spiritual power and remain happy and peaceful at every instant of time under any external situation. Spiritual power gives you the power to choose creative thinking rather than automated thinking, response rather than reaction, peace, love and harmony rather than stress, conflict and chaos. They ask you to accept the people around you as they were and instead of criticism use compassion in dealing with them. Send only positive vibrations to them. When these vibrations reach those people they will automatically reciprocate in the same way. You will notice that the overall efficiency of the people in your office or home will certainly increase to a great extent.

"I don't wish to give you a big sermon on this now but just want to tell you that I feel totally liberated and free of all the tensions all the time. You all can watch the channel and experience it yourself...

Boss went on speaking for some more time but nothing was entering Sanjay's head. He was cursing himself for shelling out Rs. 26,000/- for nothing. He also started wondering about how much commission Sudhanshu must have received from Sharma in the process.