My Experiences with People - Gopa

First day after training – we were asked to meet Eshwari in Overture floor. Robin and I with other people from out batch were there on time waiting for someone to attend us. Karthik and Steve walked in with a studious fellow – who seemed to be very boring and reserved character. He was introduced to us as Gopa Kumar who will be our Team Leader – and my first Team Leader.

Robin and I had a perception that this guy is so studious and boring, it will be very tough to work with him. For a month or so the perception remained the same until we came out of the process training. It was the time when we actually started knowing Gopa.

Result Oriented, Diplomatic and Conviction – these are the 3 features that can easily describe Gopa. He always had shown trust on his team members and has given various opportunities based on their strengths and interests. He built a team in such way that they are self-motivated and confident.

Being a Manager – he learnt every task that the team used to do. He would work on the new project first and then set a right expectation with the client and the team. There are hardly a handful of managers (new generation managers) whom I have seen or heard who would get into the level of learning the basic tasks done by an agent.

He had always come up with new strategies of team building which would both build the team as well shape an individual as a professional. When he is out of the work floor, he becomes one among us; we never felt he is a manager when we are on the Cricket Ground every Saturday.

He is very strong with his vocabulary and he had certain patented (we called them patented) expressions – one famous which I cannot resist myself from writing here is – “Compare Apples to Apples not Apples to Oranges”.

I am not sure why I am so obsessed with Gopa’s way of working, many a times when I speak to my team member I act like him (though not the fullest extent) without my knowledge. It might be because he was my first Team Leader and Manager or due to his ability to make an impression in someone’s mind.

Whatever it is, he was my first manager in my career and he is a great pleasure to work with. Thanks for those lovely memories, Gopa. Looking forward to work with you again!