Rajesh was a highly-respected journalist with more than 20 years of experience. Although he had a serious disposition, he was never known to lose his calm. He was someone you could easily approach for help or advice.
So, it took everyone at work by surprise when they saw him lashing out at Jogi, a young reporter who worked under him. “What kind of work are you doing? Your reports are awful. There are too many mistakes. This is completely unacceptable!” Rajesh yelled.
“I am sorry, Rajesh,” a petrified Jogi muttered.
“You really need to pull up your socks if you want to work here,” Rajesh said bluntly before leaving for the day. All eyes were on Jogi who was fighting hard to hold back his tears.
This was not the first time Jogi was reprimanded by his superiors. His careless attitude towards work had landed him in trouble many a time. But somehow, he always got away with a warning. However, today was different.
The entire evening, Jogi felt a kind of restlessness within him. He feared his days in the organisation were numbered. He couldn’t stop thinking about his mistakes and the uncertainty of his future. He wished he had a mentor to guide him.
As he lay on his bed deep in thoughts, his phone began to ring.
It was Rajesh.
“Jogi, do not take what I said to heart. I have a lot of faith in your capabilities. But, you really need to improve your work ethic,” said Rajesh. “Come to me if you have any doubts. Don’t just sit at work, try to learn! I will help you every step of the way,” he added.
“Okay, Sir. Thank you so much for calling. It means a lot,” replied Jogi.
The next morning as he reached the office, Rajesh greeted him with a smile and a pat on his back.
Both wished each other good morning and returned to work, only this time, Jogi wasn’t taking his job for granted anymore. He had finally received his wake-up call.