As I write this blog post, I remember Katherine Fulton from the Monitor Institute talking to our fellows’ class in the nice conference room of Acumen Fund (NY office). She said to us that if there was anything to take away with us for the rest of our fellowship it would be “Patience”. Since I started my fellowship I’ve been working on a project has been on and off as the funding for it was to come from an external foundation. Finally after nearly nearly five months of waiting
we have received the funding and the project is in full swing. We are developing a learning environment so that as LifeSpring starts scaling up, the large number of diverse set of employees that need to be trained on the various processes can be done easily. The mood is upbeat and we expect to get this project done before my fellowship gets done this August. I have learnt that if you believe you are doing the right thing for the right reasons then
things will fall in place, you just have to be “Patient”.
Another insight that I would like to share with everyone is to do with “Dignity”. As I spend more time with Anant Kumar, CEO of LifeSpring I am convinced choice alone is not enough, dignity is equally important. This needs to be incorporated into the company culture if the enterprise wants to deliver these services to the customers with high quality. At LifeSpring no matter what anyone’s origin is, they deserve the same respect. In India there are cultural barriers, educational hierarchies, and organizational hierarchies. All these need to be put aside when
working at LifeSpring. Some examples of such a conflict are husbands of Customers of LifeSpring may be working as drivers at the doctor’s place. So imagine the doctor now having to respect the customer as they would any one else.
Or simply because the nurse is less educated does not mean they can be mistreated by the doctors. So key is respect and thereby dignity must be provided to everyone associated with LifeSpring – customers, team members, and partners.
I’d like to hear from you so please post your comments on what you think about this writeup…
Acumen Fund Fellows 
May 3, 2009 at 6:54 pm
I’d like to second everything you wrote in this entry. Often times, people tend to overlook the intangibles that are gained through work experiences. While it’s important to develop a strong technical background, it’s just as important to realize and develop these so-called “soft” skills. As you pointed out in this entry, recognizing the importance of patience and dignity adds tremendous value to your experience, both professionally and personally.
On a different subject – learning to respect others’ dignity is a universal virtue. Whether you’re working in an industrialized nation or in a developing country, you should treat all people with dignity.
The world needs more leaders who demonstrate Awareness and after this entry, I’m hopeful.
May 4, 2009 at 5:32 am
Bret thanks for reading the post and providing your comments. I agree with you that respecting others’ dignity is a universal vitrue no matter which part of the world you are in.
May 6, 2009 at 7:52 am
Premal, I agree strongly that one of the best things an organization in India can do is to provide the exact same quality products or access to services (like an ambulance) regardless of the person’s income level or societal distinction.
Interesting personal story…When I first arrived in Mumbai I was actually told to leave a restaurant in my ‘middle class’ neighbourhood because as the owner said, “this place not for you ma’am”.
May 6, 2009 at 8:58 am
Joanna, what do you mean by “not for you” – was it for people of a higher or lower “class”?
Thanks Premal for a great post here. I think we can all agree in the abstract that Patience and Dignity are universally important to success in business as in life. But putting those values into action is easier said than done.
I am looking forward to learning more about how LifeSpring is institutionalizing these values into its training programs, because that action may be a valuable lesson for all of us, whether in business or not.
May 7, 2009 at 5:24 am
Well in some ways your guess is as good as mine, but my take was that this restaurant proprietor felt I should be eating at more expensive establishments and not one like his that caters to the ‘middle-to-lower class’ neighbourhood that I live in. On the other hand it is entirely possible he just didn’t like the look of me! Was an interesting experience, luckily not one I have come across since.
June 10, 2009 at 11:08 am
[…] By Premal Desai To continue with my previous post about dignity. I wanted to share with you how LifeSpring has built a standard for providing customer service. […]
February 7, 2010 at 10:04 am
umm… I am no
February 8, 2010 at 5:14 pm
OP: I could be daff (lord knows I have been told lol) but you made absolutely no sense what so ever…
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