Robert Clements
Foreign Minister Jaishankar recently reminded an audience, with his American counterpart present, that Indian talent and skills had helped shape the technological era in the United States. Absolutely right! Our engineers have helped build America’s digital world. Unfortunately, reminding the landlord that you kept his house clean does not automatically renew your lease.
Back home, such statements make splendid headlines.
Our minister asserted! Our minister reminded! Our minister spoke firmly!
By breakfast, we are so delighted with what he said that nobody remembers to ask what the other gentleman agreed to. Apparently, a well delivered sentence now qualifies as an international agreement.
Which brings me to Mr Gail, a salesman who worked for my father when I was in college. My study adjoined the room where he reported his exploits to my poor dad. I use that word carefully, because listening to him, you would think he had conquered territories rather than visited customers.
“I told him this!” Mr Gail would announce. “Then I explained that! Then I made my position very clear!” Through the wall came stirring accounts of verbal victories. The customer had apparently been silenced, impressed and educated. Whether he had purchased anything remained a matter of astonishingly little interest.
One day, I marched into the room. “So, did you get the order?” I asked. Mr Gail hadn’t. I told my father to sack him. College students are wonderfully efficient at making personnel decisions, particularly when they are not responsible for paying anybody’s salary.
That was how I began doing sales quite young. I discovered that a customer could praise your presentation, admire your product, offer you tea and still buy from somebody else. Compliments were lovely, but my father’s company had the unfortunate habit of requiring money to function.
Today, listening to the applause surrounding ministerial statements, I hear Mr Gail through that wall again. “I told America!” Very good, sir. “I reminded America!” Excellent, sir. “I explained India’s contribution!” Wonderful. Now, somewhere between the reminder and the refreshments, did America agree to anything useful for our people?
Think of the professional, anxious about his visa, the family, worried about its future, or the technology firm, looking for business. They already know Indians are talented. What they need is greater certainty and practical help. A headline praising their contribution cannot be submitted to the bank as an instalment.
Of course, nobody expects an agreement to emerge whenever two ministers shake hands. But neither should every handshake or hug, be presented as though the other country has surrendered its policies along with its visiting card.
Results tell us whether it worked.
So, Mr Jaishankar, please forgive the college student in me for interrupting the presentation. Your words were impressive. But what concrete relief did you secure for our professionals and businesses? My dad’s salesman also returned with excellent accounts of what he said. My question remains exactly the same: “Did you get the order?”
It’s pretty obvious, you didn’t..!
