Being Civil and Professional

I have thinking about my days in Ernst & Young (“EY”). I worked as an auditor subsequent to completing my university days.

First day of work, there was nothing to shout about. We, the Junior Assistants, were gathered in a room where tables and chairs are scarce and you need to be early to get a shit. If not, we will be standing around, waiting…I do not know whether the same still prevails in the firm or they have changed?? We were expected NOT to be in office after 10am everyday. Everyone is expected to be assigned to their workplan – assigned by the Partner to the Principal to the Senior Managers to the Managers and trailing down to the Junior Assistants. So, if you were not assigned, there must be something wrong with you…either you really do not know how to do work i.e taking proper instructions for specific tasks given or you are just not having the right attitude to learn.

Audit firm was a training ground for every Accountant to learn – work and the business world. During those years, I met a lot of people and worked with a lot of people. Multitude of characters and attitudes! We are the people that any accounting or finance division (especially) of company wish not to see or meet. Our presence was ‘despised’!! We ask too many questions in our line of duty – sensitive and required to know questions. So, in order to overcome this barrier, the firm organized trainings where one of them was – learning to work together by setting of differences aside – literally and/or figuratively. You might dislike someone but you have to work alongside the person in a civil and professional manner. Deliverables to client comes first! As such, if you ‘kena bambu’ or simply ignored or refused to be entertained by the client, you would be able to overcome the problem and find a solution to it.

I believe after so many years of having left EY, I still face the same issues. It is all in a day’s work. You just have to face it and try to overcome it with dignity. It is better to be a more courageous person than being nasty. No problems will be solved being nasty. Things can be solved by being tactful and sincere.

So, my friends, excuse my rantings – I just believe it needed to be pen down.