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How many of you enjoy working with your Indian boss, respect him technically and as a person, and learn from him (not your Indian peers or subordinates, but bos

How many of you enjoy working with your Indian boss, respect him technically and as a person, and learn from him (not your Indian peers or subordinates, but boss)? There are significant cultural, regulatory/legal, and policy issues to be solved or evolved before India can take on Silicon Valley.

luu 17y ago
Would you mind being more explicit, for those of us who don't have direct experience with what you're talking about? At my last start-up, I had an Indian mentor, five years older than me, who had been through exactly what I was going through. I had tremendous respect for him, both “technically and as a person”. I learned more from him than I did from any of my non-Indian friends, co-workers, or bosses. He's thinking of heading back to India to do a start-up there. I'm not Indian, but I'd love to spend a few years there, so I might go with him. As far as I can tell, he would make a great boss. Is there something I'm missing?
- indiaboy 17y ago
  As an Indian, I am absolutely delighted to hear of your positive experience. Way to go for your mentor, and for you too. I have never had an Indian boss myself (I work in the US). But I have quite a few friends who have had, or continue to have (and who confide in me with their opinions and issues). Naturally I also know a lot of Indians in various industry or academic positions in the US (developers, managers, directors, professors). Most of these people (not all) are technically sharp and quite smart. At the same time when it comes to treating people who work for them, most of them - I dare say nearly all of them - are amazingly selfish, self-centered, uncompromising, and hard headed. Tact or diplomacy is virtually non-existant. The world is centered around them, around what they have done in life, and around what they plan to do in the future. The end justifies the means, in many ways, for them. I would even say that backstabbing (for the next promotion in industry, or so called fame in academia) is the norm. These cultural issues are just the tip of the iceberg. Mind you, I have specifically not seen many of these issues with most American managers or profs, or among foreigners, say, among the Chinese. As for state policy, legal, and regulatory issues, those are well known at least among us who have lived in India. It will take me a few more pages to describe :) Suffice it to say we have a long way to go. A very long way. For the Indians reading these lines, before you call me a self-hating Desi, just take an hour and really think about your own life and upbringing and behavior, and those of other Indians in positions of power whom you know. Be honest with yourself, if only for one time in your life.
  - ramanujan 17y ago
    I am also of Indian ancestry and recognize absolutely nothing valid in your comment. Do you mean to say that the Chinese Communist party or the people who caused Enron and the recent collapse of the world financial system are more ethical? Of course there are unethical people in every community, but there is zero evidence for your claim that said behavior is unique to Indians.
    - indiaboy 17y ago
      You are over reacting. I am talking about Indians in technical fields (industry and academia, engineering/software in particular). I am not talking about "creative" accountants at Enron, or the capitalist Chinese communists, or Wall Street hedge fund managers. Anyway, we have a disagreement and I leave it at that.
  - keeptrying 17y ago
    I see this too, ie openly self centered Indian bosses. However what I don't think you realise is that most everyone in a position of power, Indian or otherwise, have similar motivations to make their own lives better using the people under them. American and European bosses however manipulate you in a way where you actually feel good about it. An Indian boss is usually the most transparent and fir that reason the easiest to manage once you get past your frustration with having to work with him. All in all I now prefer a boss whose manipulations are blatantly apparent to one who can skillfully hide the same.
deleted 17y ago
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luu 17y ago

Would you mind being more explicit, for those of us who don't have direct experience with what you're talking about? At my last start-up, I had an Indian mentor, five years older than me, who had been through exactly what I was going through. I had tremendous respect for him, both “technically and as a person”. I learned more from him than I did from any of my non-Indian friends, co-workers, or bosses. He's thinking of heading back to India to do a start-up there. I'm not Indian, but I'd love to spend a few years there, so I might go with him. As far as I can tell, he would make a great boss. Is there something I'm missing?

indiaboy 17y ago
As an Indian, I am absolutely delighted to hear of your positive experience. Way to go for your mentor, and for you too. I have never had an Indian boss myself (I work in the US). But I have quite a few friends who have had, or continue to have (and who confide in me with their opinions and issues). Naturally I also know a lot of Indians in various industry or academic positions in the US (developers, managers, directors, professors). Most of these people (not all) are technically sharp and quite smart. At the same time when it comes to treating people who work for them, most of them - I dare say nearly all of them - are amazingly selfish, self-centered, uncompromising, and hard headed. Tact or diplomacy is virtually non-existant. The world is centered around them, around what they have done in life, and around what they plan to do in the future. The end justifies the means, in many ways, for them. I would even say that backstabbing (for the next promotion in industry, or so called fame in academia) is the norm. These cultural issues are just the tip of the iceberg. Mind you, I have specifically not seen many of these issues with most American managers or profs, or among foreigners, say, among the Chinese. As for state policy, legal, and regulatory issues, those are well known at least among us who have lived in India. It will take me a few more pages to describe :) Suffice it to say we have a long way to go. A very long way. For the Indians reading these lines, before you call me a self-hating Desi, just take an hour and really think about your own life and upbringing and behavior, and those of other Indians in positions of power whom you know. Be honest with yourself, if only for one time in your life.
- ramanujan 17y ago
  I am also of Indian ancestry and recognize absolutely nothing valid in your comment. Do you mean to say that the Chinese Communist party or the people who caused Enron and the recent collapse of the world financial system are more ethical? Of course there are unethical people in every community, but there is zero evidence for your claim that said behavior is unique to Indians.
  - indiaboy 17y ago
    You are over reacting. I am talking about Indians in technical fields (industry and academia, engineering/software in particular). I am not talking about "creative" accountants at Enron, or the capitalist Chinese communists, or Wall Street hedge fund managers. Anyway, we have a disagreement and I leave it at that.
- keeptrying 17y ago
  I see this too, ie openly self centered Indian bosses. However what I don't think you realise is that most everyone in a position of power, Indian or otherwise, have similar motivations to make their own lives better using the people under them. American and European bosses however manipulate you in a way where you actually feel good about it. An Indian boss is usually the most transparent and fir that reason the easiest to manage once you get past your frustration with having to work with him. All in all I now prefer a boss whose manipulations are blatantly apparent to one who can skillfully hide the same.

deleted 17y ago

[deleted]