Life of a body guard is full of stress, particularly when one is engaged in protecting the life of a celebrity. Whereas a security guard can be sometimes stupid and still getaway with blunders. How often have we noticed a security guard in an organization asking embarrassing questions? I am sure many of us have noticed this goof ups on day to day basis.
Just yesterday in the evening my wife had an appointment with her boss to dicuss an important agenda, when she landed in the premises, she was questioned by the security guard? with regard to her credentials. She was not carrying her id card. Instead she gave him the visiting card, still he was ranting or rather insisting on id card. Just imagine being asked whether you are new to the organization after completing 29 years service to the organization. She had to silently gulp the bitter pill. Instead of getting irritated she just asked him whether I am looking so young? Thanking him for the compliment. He turned around at me and asked what is my status, I just commented that I am her bodyguard, he could not help smiling and let us go inside immediately without any further questioning?
Another incident of security goof up was when I went to a leading corporate entity, I requested him to guide me to wash room to relieve my pressure from the abdomen. He simply pointed to a direction. I followed his direction but was unable to trace the washroom, instead I just asked an employee to guide me. He guided me inside the premises. It was having a security feature of a glass paneled door opening with the id card, he asked me to accompany. I entered and relieved myself. The security guard came rushing and stated I had violated the protocol. He called the boss and complained. The boss came rushing thinking that I had indeed violated the security. But to his surprise, when he heard the incident, he just told the security guard to mind his business without much fuss on this account.
I don’t know why I get into an embarrassing situation most of the time when it comes to security guards. Once I went to receive my boss to Ahmedabad airport. We were a gang of 6 colleagues, we want to photograph him on his arrival. My colleagues were carrying a big garland to welcome him. I thought the occasion requires a photograph for our records. Before his arrival I excused myself and went to the PRO and got his permission to photograph. He gave me the green signal orally. I confidentally went ahead and photographed my boss being garlanded. Suddenly two machine gun totting security guards came and questioned me? My boss and colleagues were shocked. I coolly declared don t worry I will handle them. They took me to their boss for further interrogation. I told their boss I have sought permission well in advance from the airport PRO, he countered checked with the PRO, and confirmed my credentials. He let me go without confiscating the camera. My boss was relieved that I was not behind bars Lol. No wonder I have a surname……dere ….bail.
Well here the morale of the story is for the bosses or the person who is giving an appointment. I feel it is our duty as seniors to inform or alert the security guard that you are expecting so and so either a guest or a customer or a colleague so as to avoid embarrassing situations. Invariably I make it a point to inform the security that I am expecting so and so visitor or even a autorikshaw or a cab which I hire. This arrangement ensures that we are not embarrassed. It happened to me with a Lala company bosses who called for a interview and failed to inform their room number. When I contacted the receptionist of the 5 star hotel, they refused me to connect to their guest stating that it is a security risk. I had to call their corporate office in Delhi and get their cell number and contact the idiotic GM, who did not reveal his room no. It is good that I did not work for such an unprofessional company. No wonder such people are Lalas forever, and you can wonder how will they treat you as an employee. It is obviously slave mentality rather than professional managers. It is not worth working for such organizations even if they pay you a million……do you all agree?