Its none of my Business…!!!
“Well, then… Jesus said, give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and give to God what belongs to God..” (Mark-12:17- Holy Bible)
I like this statement. It has many deep interpretations..
One of it (may be mine..) is that We are not expected to do everything come in our way; even you have expertise or wisdom… Let Caesar do his and let God…
I have two challenges for writing this piece..
One: Last week, we discussed about taking call of others if it is beneficial..this week, I am arguing that we don’t have to do others work..!! I am afraid of your comment.. “Oh come on Rafeeque, your views are contradictory..!!!”
Two: This thought is very subtle. I drafted this story about ten times in mind before typing…am I able to put it across explicitly???
Let me share a couple of incidents which implanted this thought in me..
Incident # 1: 2004 Summer, I was attending a Vigilance Course at the CBI Academy, Ghaziabad, New Delhi. It was part of my employment in AAI..Though I forgot the name of the gentleman who inaugurated the session, I got stumbled upon one of his statement.. “before starting any vigilance investigation, you must confirm whether, it requires a vigilance investigation or is it a case of a disciplinary inquiry to be conducted by HR Department. At the first instance, if you feel so, do not investigate the matter but send to HR in a sealed cover for necessary action..”
Point: It is not that a vigilance officer who is not capable of investigating a disciplinary matter (most of the time..it is overlapped.. ). Because it is not his business; some one else to carry it out…
Incident #2: I was sitting in a prestigious High Court of the country, waiting for my case to board. In Courts, (for my non-lawyer friends..) each Bench would be allocated a specific nature of cases. Eg: Service matters, Labour matters, Criminal matters, Company matters etc., It was a service matter bench presided by the Chief Justice (CJ) Bench.. CJ is well known and popular by his depth in law and pro-activeness. When a counsel started arguing his matter passionately, CJ interfered and asked..
“Counsel, is it a matter involved a labor issue?”
“Yes, Me Lord..a part of it.. may be…” the lawyer admitted.
“Well, then I don’t have to hear this case. Lets transfer this to the Labour Bench..”
Point, It does not mean that the Hon’ble CJ is not acquainted with Labour matters. Rather he is an expert and has delivered land mark judgments in labor cases when he presided over the labour bench.. What he made it clear that he is not supposed to hear that matter at that point of time; it is some one else’s work…
Suddenly, both of these incidents jointly took me to a wonderful wisdom…I enjoyed it as if I cracked a life secret…!!
“Mind your own business”
It is absolutely okay to say openly that “it is none of my business” (be careful about your tone.. you will be tempted to be harsh..!!)
Yes friends, knowingly or not, we undertake many of things which may be done by some one else.. perhaps, they may be sitting quietly and enjoying it.. this happens both in professional and personal life..
the major road block for saying no to others work is the fear that the other person may think that you are a duffer…!!! it may be construed as your weakness, ignorance, excuse etc.,
Let me borrow the well known management principle “Whose Monkeys are in your shoulder ”? please check..
Often, we take other’s monkeys on our shoulder..and complain..Oh God..I am stressed…what a work load..!!
Friends, if a Chief Justice, in open court, can declare that it is not my work, if senior bureaucrats of our country can return files on the ground of not his/her area of work..Why shouldn’t we..?
I tell you, I am practicing this technique for quite a long time. Hardly I was told to take it back..in most of the cases, it works well..because, the other person knows that it is his/her work..
I believe, human being, by design, is meant to do a specific area of work ….not all..otherwise, we wouldn’t have lot of ‘subject matter experts’ around us..
Remember..so far in my experience, no employee has been rewarded by any employer because he/she used to do others work..!!!
Please note: Doing others work as a favor… is an exception to this theory
So, please have a look at your shoulder..and ensure that only your monkeys are sitting there…
Have a great week ahead !!!!!
source:::: Reblogged from the post of my friend Rafeeque…
Natarajan
Take off with Natarajan 
As I read your comment, “mind your own business” I wondered if that would cause more inaction and less interaction with others. Knowing their business enables me to hand it off to someone else more focused or more qualified in that arena.
You have come across a great team making strategy: surround yourself with people unlike you and, together, you can accomplish much.
Great blog; I love blogs that make me think like this one did!