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Whistle While You Work
How many of you feel like whistling while you work? Does this ever happen on a Monday? Would you be happy if you had to work in the coal mines all day and come back and share a room with six others (à la the seven dwarfs in Snow White)? Probably not at all!
So what should you do? Quit your job and follow your passion? How many of you think it’s unsexy to work 9–5 at the same company for years, and maybe even decades, together? While the idea of joining a start-up, establishing a small company, or even setting up a yoga camp at the foothills of the Himalayas might sound inviting, it’s not possible for most people.
How can you whistle where you currently work? How can you find joy in your work even if you are not on the beach or in the Himalayas?
Feel a Sense of Ownership
I was most pleasantly surprised to see a warm smile on every employee’s face when I visited the Taj Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur with my family last weekend. This majestic palace, situated on the Chittar Hill, is the sixth largest private residence in the world, with over 350 rooms. Umaid Bhawan Palace has hosted many nation heads but its most recent famous guests were Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas, who got married there in 2018.
The present Maharaja Gaj Singh Ji continues to live in the palace, which the Taj shares with the royal family. Most of the employees have been working for the Maharaja’s family for three or four generations. I think such a long engagement makes all the difference to the work culture at the palace. Case in point: Swaroop. His family, over three generations, has spent close to 100 years on this property. As the general manager of the property put it, ‘They are still serving the palace.’ And that really showed. They treated all their guests as royalty. As far they were concerned, since we were at the palace, we were guests of the maharaja. This was true for every guest, irrespective of the category of room they had chosen.
Despite being part of a large group of hotels, every employee we met took pride in their work, felt a strong sense of ownership, and remained committed to providing a superior level of hospitality.
the kingdom, in some sense.
It soon became quite clear why they whistle while they work. Here was a corporate giant that had come into a small town, adopted its ways, and allowed the employees to set the tone for the hospitality. This ensured that the employees took pride and ownership in their work. In my visit to the palace in Jodhpur, I learnt a huge lesson in leadership.
Do you love what you do? Are you constantly hankering for what you love? Can you
- take ownership and feel a sense of pride in your work?
- sharpen your abilities so that you can start breaking the bar?
- find joy in what you do?
- whistle on your way to work every day?
Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, it’s off to work we go…
11 comments on “Whistle While You Work”
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I always enjoy reading your great writings and I must say it actually keeps me positive and even gives a feel to do something innovative. More over, my all time dream was to be an influencer and people like you are my role models to reach heights.
NYC
That means nice in millennial-speak
Beautiful place to work with Taj UBP…. Happy to work with Taj UBP team… May be in future again I would like to work with Taj UBP…. Lovely palace with awesome beauty in it….
It’s very wonderful I proud of Umaid bhawan palace
It’s very wonderful palce in world the world.you fill like a maharaja in place during stay in umaid bhawan palace.I proud of Umaid bhawan palace
It’s very wonderful palce in world .you fill like a maharaja in place during stay in umaid bhawan palace.I proud of Umaid bhawan palace.
Seen the Palace in pictures! I would love to go there someday, to the place where work is worship and service to others.
One of the largest royal residences in the world , the golden-yellow sandstone Umaid Bhawan Palace is a monument to Jodhpur’s gallantry.
Only with a sense of ownership comes a sense of pride in what you do and you tend to work to your best of abilities. I have seen it in many devoted employees in companies I’ve worked in.
I m the biggest lover of this palace such a tremendous place . N big proudly feel det I have a huge palace in my rajasthan . one of the largest royal residential suits . I love it more den other palace
Umaid bhawan palace is very different palace from other hotels , where there is familiarity. this palace really shows tajness nd joyness. I feel proud that I’m part of this palace.