"Do the needful"

One fine morning around 8:20 am when I reached office reception, I saw a guy waiting near the glass door. He looked at me and said with a smile “Do the needful”. For a second, I couldn’t get him but then he was pointing his fingers towards my ID card to flash at entrance so that he can go through main glass door. I flashed ID card and we took staircase to go to our respective work floor. As soon as I reached first floor, I heard voice of same guy “if you won’t mind, “Do the needful” at second floor entrance gate too”. I won’t mind flashing ID card at second floor but instead made me to think more about these words “Do the needful”. My first conclusion was “Corporate way of asking favour”.

As usual (routine work in very first half an hour in office), I went to switch-on the lights C & D (which are above my cubicle); switch on computer and wait to complete its boot; and then browse through mailbox, note down the to-do list for the day, prepare the channel management scorecard for morning meeting with boss at 9 am.

At 9 am, my boss and channel management team (myself, Chirag, Praveen) met to review progress and discuss & plan for new initiative. Boss was explaining action points to be done by Praveen but seeing him blank, he said not to worry; Abhishek will “Do the needful” where ever you are struck. These 3 words again strike me “Do the needful”. I was trying to interpret the meaning of these words again; and came to second conclusion “Corporate way to ask help in work”.

We finished our discussion around 10 am and were on our way to respective cubicle; Chirag came to me and said “Abhishek, as you know I am new in this team and I am not able to get what our boss has said me to do, I mean what to start? How to start? Whom to contact? Etc. etc. so please “Do the needful”. Now what does it mean now? Was he asking me favour or asking me to help him? I got his message seeing his eyes filled with hope. So with this, I drew my third conclusion “Please complete the work (assignment or task) for me”. He thanked me and left towards his cubicle.

I was going through action points and prioritizing it according to its importance & due date for completion. As a channel management – executive, I got into work like follow-up with branches, status, rollout, appointment, etc. It was around 12:30 pm; I saw mail from my colleague Ashok (Logistic – Executive) requesting me to send him list of partners. I got irritated with this because day before yesterday, I have already sent him partner list. I called him up at his extension and said him calmly that required partner list already been forwarded to him day before yesterday. He replied “Abhishek, in two days there can be anything in list; I mean new appointment or de-listing partner”. I said “Ashok, there is no updation in list. The list which I have sent you is the updated one.” He replied “Abhishek, ‘Do the needful’ by resending it by mail”. Again ‘Do the needful’; I was trying to get his words “Do the needful by resending it by mail”. The list which I have sent earlier though it was updated, I have to resend it. In corporate, mail is strong communication as well as weapon and can put you in trouble if actions are not taken at appropriate time. I got the point and wrote fourth conclusion “Revert and provide what is required from you through mail; else you will be in trouble”

One of my friends, Mohit (business development – executive) called me for coffee around 3 pm evening. I went cafeteria and met him there. We were sipping our coffee and Mohit was grieving for something. After few minutes, he explained me that he got a mail with three simple words “Do the needful”; back of mind I was thinking my friend is too victim of these words. He said that he got a mail from one of his colleague with these simple three words “Do the needful” which meant him to complete the task for which he is not responsible nor he is suppose to do but just because his colleague had marked his boss mail id and he got mail from boss to complete this task (close this issue); he have to do this. My friend enlightened me with fifth conclusion “Somebody can get rid of their own responsibility by burdening your shoulders”

We were back to work after short coffee break. Preparing reports, presentation, follow-up, etc was keeping me busy and hour’s hand was moving like minutes. It was around 5:15 pm, I got a mail with some absurd subject and body of mail was only “Do the needful”. I looked up and trying to find face of god to say him “Do the needful”. Back to mail screen, I couldn’t understand what exactly am I suppose to do; then decided to read chain of mails and figure it out what action to be taken to close this issue. After reading series of mails, I got to know that there needs a change in partner address for which mail was being circulated around the globe and finally landed to my system PC mailbox. Interestingly, I called the guy who had sent me this mail and asked him “what am I suppose to do”. He replied “Abhishek, I just saw partner name and you being in channel management; I thought to forward it to you”. I kept the phone and was thinking “how lazy the person was! Without knowing what to be done or say who will be responsible person to close this issue; he had just sent mail saying “Do the needful”. I also agree with him, being it something about partner name and me as channel management - executive; he had sent mail to me but atleast would have read the mail and send me mail regarding issue. He had just blindly sent me the mail. This mail has sent one more signal to my brain stating sixth conclusion “If you are feeling lazy and don’t want to get into depth of issue, just forward mail to one of colleague who is in that specific department; and don’t worry as it will reach to the person who will close the issue”

With lots of “Do the needful” and many interpretation of it; I left for the day from office.

One may have different views or say different people may have same views for the same three words “Do the needful”. I am just sharing my views.

With this, I would also say you “Do the needful” and you would have got it right by leaving me comment on this blog.