You need to read, seriously, no joke !
Take out some time out of your busy schedules for reading. As I suggest you working out on this, things could sound useless to you. Why, because for the most part, you are taught that you get a Govt job and you are done. So, you alone are not solely responsible for all this dear colleagues.
The colonial mindset that earlier allowed people presume that being in Govt. job is all that you need is still being infused in your mind even before you think about taking up a job in real world.
Sadly enough, that time was different from the today’s. Present is the time of information, economy of information and everything based on information. This is knowledge economy and the one who is most updated has an edge. If you are not updated you will be left behind.
Did You Figured Exactly, Why You Need to Read?
Appalling as this may sound to you, many of my colleagues are not even sure what responsibilities they are entrusted with. And, exactly what are the statutory mechanism precisely in place, to deal with those responsibilities. Not only this, many of us are ignorant of the very basic structure of our organisation and how does the entire organization functions about.
Want to Assume Relevance? You Need to Read
The public at large conveniently presume that you as a government servant are pretty much conversant with everything. Anything that relates to your organization. But, the reality is quite a contrary to what people perceive in general.
The wide gap between general perception and reality demands that you read about your organization, laws, regulations and manual of procedures.
The old paradigm of Govt. Jobs being secure is just melting away. Every govt. is rethinking on staffing policy and doing every bit to outsource your job to spend less. Think twice, if your job can be outsourced you have no job security. Let’s come out of the illusion of being in secure jobs early. The earlier, the better.
Even if you can not think that far, your existence will assume no relevance in the time to come if you are not updating yourself. Easiest way out: You need to read and remain updated.
Wanna Be Smarter at Work place ? Need to Read Back Home
How many of us have ever carved out a time slot from our personal busy space to read the books back in our home? How many of us felt urge to read the stuff back in our home based on a some intuition that these information are likely to help you in the office? I guess only handful of you.
This apathy on our part has led most of us into some of the truly embarrassing situations in our work place at some point of time. Personally, I too have found myself in situations calling to somebody to guide me. I have been through many times, when I felt at my work space, that I needed guidance of somebody more knowledgeable than me.
So, why this situation to let come in again and again? If you could study for hours day in and day out before getting into your job, why not to devote a fraction of that today. Yes, all that you lack in realizing that there is need to read to allow things go smartly in office.
The Real Picture, If You Really Read is Here!
I have however, not exactly painted the true picture of how and when you read the essential stuff today. Its not that you do not read anything now. Instead, you read countless scraps on WhatsApp by flipping your mobile every 5 minutes. And then you resort to reading only when need felt on the spur of moment. The need arise in course of disposing of your office work and you are clueless about dealing with assignments.
So, what you do is that you refer to specific provisions and rules in place, and discuss with your colleague sitting next to you. Somehow, you happen to resolve the issue and then forget everything for good. You hardly refer or study the same topic/subject on your own.
The worse case scenario is that you do not even refer any book or manual either. You got up from your seat, seek attention of a senior colleague nearby whom you think to be smarter than you and get an idea. Many times the ideas are so pathetic that if you ever referred the actual manuals, you scratch your head as to why the hell you asked from that senior fellow.
Even worse, is that seeking consultations from some of your colleagues on phone. Many a time, you do not get answered or even in case of being answered the idea is so fuzzy that it turns out a total shit. You just move on implementing the unripe ideas and forget ever to check with authentic manuals.
Need to Read the Real & Relevant stuff
Remarkably, your reading today has more to do with reading on WhatsApp these days. Social Media and WhatsApp are making you consume lot but produce less. You get so addictive of these things that you happen to believe suddenly that you have acquired enough of skill and information. But at the end of the day, you hardly retain any skill, that is of some use in your work place.
Why can’t you be a proactive in referring the actual books and compilations before the need arises. All that you need is to realize that there is a need to read the actual stuff. You can only contribute to organisation and retain your relevance if you are in habit of reading .
On a conclusive note, you got to understand the need to read actual, solid and relevant stuff to enhance your skills at work place. And that reading real and relevant has no substitute whatsoever!
No Substitute of Reading These Books
1.Customs Act 1962,
2.Customs Tariff Act, 1975
3.Customs Manual,
All updated versions, ie, published in current financial year.