Right Attitude

(Published in Banking Services Chronicle September 2002)

The simple meaning of attitude is “the way you think and feel about something”. And this shows in the way you behave. But these days journalists have attributed another meaning to the word. They say a person has attitude when he or she has a striking and individual style of behaviour, especially a forceful or aggressive one.

Now, did you note the last part? By definition, attitude is “forceful” or “aggressive”. Clearly, there has been a distortion of sorts in the meaning. No wonder we see a plethora of instances that manifest wrong attitude. Consider the case of Pakistan, for example, that vehemently negates everything that India stands for. Even democracy.

There was a function organised on 17 June, 1994 to release Mani Shankar Aiyer’s book Pakistan Papers. Riaz Khokhar, Pakistan’s then high commissioner in New Delhi, was among one of the invitees. His opening remark was: “Pakistan does not consider India or the Indian political experiment as a relevant model for Pakistan.”
Such a negative mindset is often the outcome of inferiority complex. And it applies as much to a person as to a country. Pakistan knows it stands nowhere when compared to Big Brother India. In fact, from Day One it has adopted a complaining attitude. Instead of harping on receiving a “moth-eaten and truncated Pakistan”, it could have adopted the “small is beautiful” paradigm. But this was not to be.

Just because I started with Pakistan, one should not infer that I give India a clean chit. We are as much victims of a cloistered mindset. Look at the way people have reacted to the opening of foreign direct investment (FDI) in print media in spite of the safeguards adopted. Sometimes it assumes ridiculous proportions. For example, a newspaper may glorify FDI in other sectors. But the same newspaper fights shy of FDI in print media, probably because it feels its own existence to be at stake.

Of our politicians, the less said the better. They shamelessly ward off any ethical restrictions imposed upon them. If the Election Commission (EC) directs that candidates disclose details of criminal cases filed against them, the politicians start running for legislative covers. BJP leader VK Malhotra frankly admits: “The directions by the Election Commission would mean that most candidates will not be able to contest elections.” Similarly, they stiffly resist the disclosure of their assets.

How the politicians exploit religious sentiments is also an open secret. And even Presidential elections are no exception. That APJ Abdul Kalam was the NDA’s choice for the country’s highest office is a great idea. There are few Indians who can match his reputation. But that he was chosen because he was a Muslim, and that too a veena-playing Muslim, is in bad taste. Similar was the case of Congress’ rejection of PC Alexander.

Instead of distorting the meaning of the word, let us strike the right attitude — a desire to excel come what may. Take the case of Henry Ford. In the first year in the automobile business, he went bankrupt. Two years later, his second company also failed. But he did not give up. He started a third company and the rest is automobile history.

And don’t think such an attitude is possible only in the US. We have a number of admirable heroes back home too. Let me take this occasion to pay homage to Dhirubhai Ambani — the man who started from scratch and built the Rs 64,000-crore Reliance empire. Neither the lack of money nor the lack of education deterred him from revolutionising the Indian business scenario. He won the trust of shareholders and maintained it.

What was the secret of Ambani’s success? Right attitude. He did not bemoan his plight. Instead, he devised ways to forge ahead in the sea of opportunities.