AGM

Circa 2005......I attended my first ever annual general meeting at Human Rights Law Network [HRLN] where I worked in the Disability Rights Initiative [DRI]. Post the AGM, Sujata my colleague who is with "Combat Law" (www.combatlaw.org) the bi-monthly human rights magazine that is an integral part of HRLN, asked me to write a report on the meeting. My first instinct was to say no and I should have considering the tall order she gave next.......to put into a paragraph, max a page, the proceedings of the four days of meeting!!!!

I was going through my files and chanced upon the report that I finally managed to put together for Sujata. She was really kind in her praise and put it up in our in-house newsletter. I have made a few edits and thought it a good idea to enter it in my blog. Hope I receive more bouquets than brick-bats!!!!!!

HRLN - Annual General Meeting, October 2005 - GOA

Large organizations can often make an individual feel very insignificant in the larger scheme of things. At one end a “doing something for the sake of doing it” and “have to earn buddy” kind of attitude can set in that can send everything into a downward spiral. “What I do and I” are important to the exclusion of everything else is at the other end of the spectrum. And, of course, there is lots else that lie in between. But a four-day organization review meeting seemed a most unlikely strategy to rejuvenate the cadres, especially during the holiday season! Management gurus please go back to school.

Speaking for myself, it was a very grumpy, sleepy zombie that arrived in 'paradiso' Goa. But as the moments ticked by (a little too fast during some sessions; very slow in others) one could barely stop oneself from jumping right in and taking ownership at the macro-level. Just could not help it! Meeting colleagues from across the country; some old friends, some voices transformed to faces and sharing the same roof with some strangers for a major part of the day. The presentations of each initiative, the explosive intensity and the drama during discussions; the anger and the frustrations, the laughter and ribbing that followed the goofiness of co-workers, all came tumbling out. The slave driving was expected but then there were a couple of time offs for a walk on the beach long after sun down, a rain soaked cruise, some wine, some beer, some shopping and some dancing! Hey there was some singing during the sessions as well!!

The insignificance I then realized was after all only in relation to the larger scheme of things; things that belonged in the realm of philosophy and high brow intellectualism and not in the harsh realities faced by the millions of individuals across the nation. Further realization that a Network is a support system, a strength in numbers which lies in the spirit, grit and determination of its members. And, each member, is an important and integral part of what has gone into and continuously contributes to the relentless evolution of the organization from a mere idea to a major factor in the Human Rights movement in the country. Is this the secret formula for “conversions”? Anyway, I was transformed from the grumpy, sleepy zombie to a rejuvenated individual who came away from Goa, raring to go!

Yours sincerely,

Sitting Duck for Management Gurus

Take a bow

P.S. : Visit www.hrln.org for more information on the organization