27 years ago on this day I walked out of the Corporate Consulting sector. I was getting engaged in the afternoon to an environmental activist and it looked like the right thing to do to not pursue corporate profitmaking consulting job.
I have continued being a consultant in the social sector ever since, on my own mostly, later in partnership and joining forces with many others. It has been a great learning. As I reflect on it today, the following come to mind today as probably most critical learning –
Attire: I belonged to the corporate class that was brand conscious, matched ties and socks, went to the most expensive hairstylist in the city at that time and even casuals were brands. Social sector taught me to shed these pretences, I have been firmly with khadi and cotton textiles since more than two decades now. Patronizing more organic cotton initiatives in early stages than I care to remember, proudly telling the story of the farmers, weavers, artisanal women who benefit from me wearing them if anyone cares to listen. It has not been easy though, corridors of power and keepers of power in their colonial comfort authority and sartorial, look down on local livelihoods supporting attire even today.
Jargon: One of the earliest things I dropped in the social sector was the jargonising, though it was not easy, it took me nearly two years to de-jargonize myself. However, I should confess with the market take-over of the social sector today, the same jargons that I dropped are being used by younger generation of ‘’specialists’’ today in the development sector with neither knowledge of its genealogy nor comprehension of its consequence.
Concepts: I had the privilege of learning from some of the best in the social sector, thanks to the early connections I could get in the sector. Non-eurocentric curriculum, de-colonizing the mind, social, environmental and cognitive justice, right to information, and many more new concepts along with the entire Gandhian lexicon of Swaraj, Swadeshi, Swadhyaya, Satyagraha, became my new concepts to view the world.
Priorities: Every conversation mattered more than the timelines and schedules. My corporate days teaching of project management gave way to unscheduled long meetings, calls, because one can make a difference to someone’s effort. Till date I have grassroot workers, social entrepreneurs and activists drop by unannounced and seek counsel and time. Dropping everything that I do to attend to their pressing demand as a way of prioritizing I have held forth, it has not been easy, but, I have never refused time to anyone, unless I know I cannot help them.
Money: I did not start working in this sector with any financial backing, and, thanks to often working with the most difficult and under-funded groups, money has never been easy to find in this space. I have never really struggled either. I claim that unless I am making a difference to someone’s life somewhere in society, I don’t take a salary every month and this I have done for 27 years.
Patience: I was an extremely impatient and rather abusive language person in my corporate days. Thanks to being exposed to some true world leaders and spiritual teachers (of which I have had some of the best to learn with), I have built up patience and mindful communication as a discipline today. It does get tested often, particularly when I deal with ambitious and ignorant younger lot. But, like I often claim, someday I will achieve enlightenment in the waiting room of a government office.
Friendships: Corporate sector taught me to watch over my shoulder all the time, never trust my colleague and not to share with any openness. Social sector, particularly working with organic farmers taught me to share with abundance, working with spiritual people taught me to be trusting everyone and be open, working with grassroot change makers taught me to forge friendships with co-strugglers and always stand in solidarity with them. Today I have friendships that I cherish with several inspiring individuals.
Learning: One trait I carried from the corporate sector into the social sector that has helped me immensely is the continuous learning. Only difference being, I learn a lot from farmers, village women, artisans, and all kinds of people and my idea of knowledge has expanded massively.
I reached my limit of concentrated writing for a Sunday afternoon. Not sure how it will benefit anyone. Nevertheless sharing it in this platform for what it is worth. Social sector work has given me immense satisfaction, my career choice has never has given me illness or sleepless night, though the choice of travel and food sometimes do. And with age, I recognize being able to stay peaceful, sleep and wake up without help, read, listen to music, meditate, laugh, share and love with abundance, are all the things that really matter in life.
Later: This article initially published by Ramasubramanian, Director, Samanvaya online in social platforms got some good feedback and seemed to have been useful for many. Some of the prominent feedback below.
Thanks for sharing this 😊🙏🏽 As someone who worked in the corporate sector till 2023 and is trying to move to the social sector, reading about your journey and experiences gives some insight into the transition. Would have never thought you were an impatient man though haha sounds like a previous life to me. - Ira Swasthi, Envrronmental Writer
Thank you for showing the path to recovery, and when I say recovery, I meant recovery of the lost space, recovering where the search for real growth, happiness and contentment leads to. I wish I could join your journey somewhere, some day. - Devinder Sharma, Food Policy Analyst
This kind of experience cum knowledge write up help the people who move from Corporate to Social sector .
Look forward to know more of your journey in the social sector. Appreciate the efforts - Prof. Anthony Stephen, Dept. of Social Entrepreneurship, Madras School of Social WorkWonderful, heartwarming and inspiring. Stay blessed and continue to inspire 🙏🏽 and love, Ram 🎉. - Uday Shankar, Innovator - Musician