Story 002 Part 2 – Banking Job Targets Reality

Life of a Banker in India | Banking Job Targets Reality

Ye bhi koi aarop nahi hai.
Ye bhi sirf ek observation hai.

Targets jab sirf dashboards tak simit rehte hain, tab wo manageable lagte hain. Problem tab shuru hoti hai jab targets decisions lene lagte hain—chhote nahi, balki aise decisions jo banking officer, bank manager, branch head, assistant branch head, ki professional identity ko dheere-dheere reshape kar dete hain. Aur Banking Job Targets Reality aur outcome positive bahot kam hota hai.

Ek point ke baad, banking job targets reality ye hoti hai ki har din ek invisible choice ke saath start hota hai. Choice likhi hui nahi hoti, lekin mehsoos hoti hai.
Peeche rehna ya aage rehna. (Red Zone-Green Zone)
Safe rehna ya noticeable banna. (Grey Zone – Green Zone – Red Zone)

Is choice ka koi official mention nahi hota. Lekin consequences sabko pata hote hain.

A banking officer ko ye nahi kaha jaata ki “push karo.” Ye bhi nahi kaha jaata ki “ignore karo.” Targets bas diye jaate hain—thode zyada, thode jaldi, thode kam margin ke saath. Aur fir system wait karta hai ki numbers kaise move hote hain.

Yahin se pressure ka ek naya layer banta hai jo bahot deadly hone laga hai—silent pressure.

Customer interaction ab sirf service interaction nahi rehti. Har interaction ke peeche ek internal calculation chalti rehti hai. Officer outwardly polite hota hai, professionally composed hota hai, lekin andar ek sawal ghoom raha hota hai:
Is month ke numbers isse help honge ya nahi?
Aur yahi karan hai ki branch heads wo sara interaction avoid karne laga hai jis se targets achieve nahi honge, jisse balance sheet growth nahi hoga. Kyu ki wo Banking Job Targets Reality ko samajhta hai, samajhne laga hai.

Banking Job Targets Reality: Change of Priorities

Is sawal ka jawab behavior ko change nahi karta—par priorities ko kar deta hai.
Branch mein banker seekh jaata hai ki kaunsi muskurahat ka reward milta hai. Customer ke saamne smile automatic hoti hai—thodi extra, thodi rehearsed. Kyunki wahan smile ka matlab hai relationship, aur relationship ka matlab hai numbers. Customer ke ghar ka function ho, bachche ki birthday party ho, retirement dinner ho—banker wahan pahunch jaata hai. Thaka hua hota hai, par present hota hai. Kyunki wahan na jaana ek “missed opportunity” maana jaata hai.

Ghar aakar wahi banker zyada bolta nahi. Muskurahat ka quota khatam ho chuka hota hai. Bachche kuch keh rahe hote hain, par dimaag next day ke targets ke saath busy hota hai. Wife ya husband koi baat share karna chahte hain, par reply short hota hai—“kal baat karte hain.” Kal kab aata hai, ye clear nahi hota.

Banker customer ki party miss nahi karta,
par apne bachche ka birthday “adjust” ho jaata hai.
Customer ka anniversary dinner yaad rehta hai,
par apni marriage anniversary next weekend shift jaati hai.

Office mein presence proof hota hai.
Ghar mein presence assumption.

Kaam ke liye energy manage hoti hai.
Family ke liye jo bachta hai, wahi milta hai.

Customer ke saamne patience rehearsed hota hai—
ghar pe silence default ban jaata hai.

Yeh koi ek din ka shift nahi hota.
Yeh dheere-dheere normal ban jaata hai.

Aur jab ye normal ban jaata hai,
toh banker khud se ye poochna bhi band kar deta hai
ki priority badli hai ya bas majboori ko routine ka naam de diya gaya hai.
Banking Job Targets Reality khud ki reality and priority ko change kar deti hai.

Is stage par, targets ethics se ladte hue nahi dikhte. Wo bas space kam kar dete hain. Time kam kar dete hain. Options kam kar dete hain.
Aur jab options kam ho jaate hain, decisions apne aap narrow ho jaate hain.

Review meetings mein aksar ek common sentence sunai deta hai:
“Baaki log kaise kar rahe hain?”

Ye comparison neutral lag sakta hai, lekin iska impact personal hota hai. Har branch ka market alag hota hai, har officer ka area alag hota hai, lekin expectation ek jaisi hoti hai. Context explain kiya jaa sakta hai, lekin number justify nahi ho paata.

Yahin par banking job targets reality ka stress ka ek aur roop saamne aata hai—self-doubt.

Officer apni capability par sawal karna shuru karta hai. Pehle system par, fir market par, aur dheere-dheere khud par. Achha performer hone ke bawajood, ek average month poore saal ke confidence ko erase kar deta hai.

Targets achieve ho bhi jaayein, toh relief temporary hota hai. Celebration nahi hoti. Sirf ek silent exhale hoti hai. Kyunki sabko pata hota hai—next cycle already shuru ho chuki hai.

Is process mein sabse zyada jo cheez affect hoti hai, wo hai emotional bandwidth. Officer ke paas customers ke liye patience kam hoti jaati hai. Family ke liye energy kam hoti jaati hai. Aur khud ke liye clarity almost khatam ho jaati hai.

Ye sab kisi ek din mein nahi hota. Ye gradual hota hai. Itna gradual ki jab tak officer notice karta hai, tab tak ye “normal” ban chuka hota hai.

Banking job targets reality ka ye hissa na IBPS PO Exam Form me likha hota hai na, job description mein discuss hota hai, na salary comparisons mein. Ye bas silently pass hota rehta hai—branch se branch, officer se officer.

Targets yahan villain ke jaise behave nahi karte.
Wo system ka hissa ban ke kaam karte hain.
Aur isi wajah se unse ladna mushkil ho jaata hai.

Kyunki jab pressure officially sanctioned ho, toh usse pressure kehna bhi uncomfortable lagta hai.

Aur abhi kahani khatam nahi hui hai.

Kyunki jab targets sirf decisions hi nahi, balki insaan ke personal boundaries ko cross karna shuru kar dete hain—tab banking life ka sabse uncomfortable phase shuru hota hai.

To be continued.

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