VALUES PROMOTE BETTER THAN ORGANISATION VALUES

He was the Director General of the Railway force. But one morning, DG was feeling uneasy as he had read terrible news of child trafficking. He was worried about the pain these children underwent but could also understand the pain of their parents. What bothered him the most was the possibility of exploitation of those kids. As a leader, he felt that everyone in his department should have a moral understanding of this issue and empathise with it. He called his IG immediately and proposed an intervention on ethics and values for the Railway force. But the IG believed that if the system is robust, human trafficking can be checked through railways or any other means of transportation. IG was not convinced about such training on Ethics and Values. IG was in a hurry that day. He said, “Sir, today I was discussing the same thing with my parents, and there was a spark in my father’s eyes. The first time he accepted my profile as a police officer, as till now he felt I am not doing good things.” DG smiled and so did IG.

In one of the review meetings, the department awarded a railway constable for returning a mobile phone to an elderly couple by contacting them. It was a great gesture. The constable even shared that the couple blessed and hugged him. While he was leaving the conference hall, the DG said, “Tell me, jawan. Suppose you found a missing child on the train and later you would have been successful in returning to their parents, how would you feel? Whether your happiness and satisfaction with your duty would have been the same as returning that mobile phone?” The constable was looking at him with awe. He was not finding any answer from his side. But his body language was certainly preparing him for the higher sense of sensitivity and larger consciousness in society. He returned quietly.

That was the last day of DG in the office. He was surrounded by his officers. When he was returning with farewell garlands and getting ready to board his personal car, he saw someone. That person was that constable. He was looking emotional and in tears. “Sir, I found a few kids a day before yesterday. I took them to their home and it was a highly satisfying effort, sir. Please let me touch your feet. You will never retire for all of us. You are the epitome of values. Hope the training in values and ethics will be refining us day by day, ” he said. Listening to this, the DG hugged him and put those garlands around the constable’s shoulders.

Later, he asked, “Why have you not informed the department? You would have been appreciated and awarded.” The constable replied, “My happiness was more to see that reunion. And trust me, sir, it was like becoming an inspector when I saw the happiness of their parents. Values promote us better than other processes of the organisation.”