Page 35 - A Banker Down the Rabbit Hole

they would like to be given officer like supervisory perks and salary while
being workmen technically to remain office bearers of workers' unions.
On seeing the new table, he had the natural attraction for the new table
and suggested to the Second in Command to provide it to him and replace
his table. The Second in Command retorted, "The new table is for a new
Loan Department headed by a new Loan Officer. Even I am not laying
claim to it. You may continue on the existing table that could be replaced
later". The union leader was quite reasonable person and did not insist
on it any more.

I guessed that my volunteering for work on day one, had a good impact
on Second in Command. So he set up a new Loan and MIS Department
with two Assistants. My boss told me that there were large scale defaults
in handloom loan accounts in spite of huge efforts for recovery. These
loans were forced by the Government. The borrowers in general were
under the impression that they need not repay. We had now only one
recourse to make a claim of default with the Deposit Insurance and Credit
Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) who would pay us up to 90% of the
default amount. I told him that I was aware of the rules of claims from
DICGC and could do this task along with normal routine of fresh loans.

I got the claim forms printed and started filing claims in bunches of 6-8
cases with DICGC after getting some clarification by personally visiting the
DICGC office. We were very happy to start getting the claimed amounts in
stages. Then there were new credit proposals being appraised and
sanctioned. It was a good opportunity to work with Second in Command
who was really good at credit analysis. We got approved several good loan
proposals at the branch besides following up old loan borrowers.

Insights from the episode
1. Volunteering for work brings faster recognition.
2. It also brings new opportunities for learning and self-development.
I shall narrate a few more similar episodes to reinforce this insight.

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32 | A Banker down the Rabbit Hole