When the music froze....

The whole stage was in rhythm with the music beautifully flowing in from Bose speakers sitting mighty at the top of the auditorium.

Kids were full of energy, and a demanding high paced Rajasthani folk dance was getting brilliantly executed.

We, and another 100 odd couples were engrossed in this performance by school students, aged 10-12, organized during our orientation as our wards had just got admission there.

Suddenly, the thundering music froze mid-way and…and so did the kids. Till now they were majestically running around the stage and had just formed a pose at the centre with both hands in air, head moving to a side, body slightly tilted; and now they were just there - in that difficult pose, no movement.

So now the group was in problem, music had stopped and they were supposed to be dancing to it. Clock was ticking 10..20...30....40.....50 seconds...quite a lot

But the kids, during these few but seemingly very long seconds presented a typical example of problem-handling which applies equally well to any team in an office:

- they all maintained the smiles, poise and grace (so come what may, maintain the positive outlook)

- no one stepped out of the formation (learning: maintain mutual respect and trust)

- they demonstrated complete faith in the background team workers; the music player here (learning: team is generally wider than what we end up believing in)

- they remembered what the coach must have told him every day for this moment (learning: have mentors and coaches, listen to them, and respect them)

- nothing beats the practice (learning: practice, practice, practice)

- (learning: keep looking forward) here they kept looking forward to music resuming which was evident….

as when the music resumed after 65 seconds, they just continued with the dance full of enthusiasm as if nothing had happened.

I was thoroughly humbled.