Since time immemorial, we have always learned that one must have a clear idea and knowledge about data points, facts and background even limitations before facing an opponent especially, in legal matters. This can help one strategize the best way to nail them. But how about using least communication or no information technique as a sure fire way as a weapon to bomb an argument and even win them? Let’s explore.

Way back in 1998, as an HR or more so as an IR (Industrial Relations) practitioner, I was then experienced yet with raw energy to enjoy flaying my opponent (mostly dreaded yet educated union leaders backed by erstwhile left front Govt. of West Bengal) with lethal argument backed by in depth research with perspective hair splitting law points. So much so was then the tempo and yarning to outsmart each other, that at times even a day’s customary morning wish would have been skewed with pun-filled oblique remarks and innuendos! 

The hitch was to effect a change of service condition for unionized Staff; an employer needs to give forty two days prior notice to them notifying the change he proposes to make without any caveat for them to oppose it. Here, the change was to declare Saturday as a full working day in the Head office keeping parity with the Factory working hours. My boss always had a serious allergy to accepting impossible provisions of serving notice as he used to consider them draconian! Hence, to add insult to the injury my boss didn’t consider serving even half of that mandatory notice period. I wasn’t quite agreeable and rather unhappy with my boss fearing that it would be against the law and we will have to have a sure face loss before the Govt. and of course to the Union babus once it comes up for the conciliation at the office of Assistant Labour Commissioner. My boss sounded affirmative to my concerns and the whole matter seemed to have subsided without creating any further ripple on the surface of this issue for months.

In one hot blazing summer afternoon in Kolkata, my boss fondly called me at his chamber and told me to hurry up to rush at Asst. Labour Commissioner’s office within half an hour where the said issue would come up for final hearing before the Union Representatives! I had Goosebumps and I realised my hair must have then risen like hare’s ear on hearing him! All my displeasure against my boss and disapproval then had no meaning as time was running away! I fought, I pleaded with him to at least have some mercy on me to allow me to read the file so that on my way I can gobble it whatever up to tease my brain to put up some brave argument since I would be representing my Company. But, to my surprise, he denied that too and tried to compose me affectionately saying: “my boy you simply say to ALC we have already stated clearly in writing of our stand point through our letter dated such and such and we have no further new things to say.” Golden words as if! Needless to say, throughout my trip to ALC’s office on that day, I had never cursed any one so badly in life as I did to my miserable fate for working under such an impossible creature on Earth!

At the Commissioner’s office, I was received with warmth by the bespectacled ALC who was in his late fifties. With usual passing taunts from a band of five union representatives who were already there before I reached, the meeting began in time. ALC’s customary announcement to maintain peace during discussion was promptly affirmed by a lizard call precariously hanging from the overhead ceiling. A chorus of mild laughter filled the air and probably served as an instant ice breaker! ALC offered us Tea in proverbial Kolkata earthen pots as a preamble to the discussion. But my heart was racing with every beat of passing seconds, with imaginary fear of ensuing embarrassment. Discussion began with ALC’s request and assertion of withdrawing our tough demand considering Union people’s long and loyal association with the Organisation. He went on and on. However, the real salvo was thrown at me when he politely asked me to hear from me without any interruption from Union people in further detail about the issue. As I was already prepared for that I promptly retorted to that notorious one liner taught by my boss. ALC paused for a little, probably was not prepared to hear such a cart and fastest and shortest reply like this! Still he got back himself, smiled at me and tried to ease out the situation thinking to take me out from a typical formal mode of conversation. But I had to reply with the same recorded statement again. Now, he got surprised a little but broadmindedly took it as a good joke and laughed out loud to again ease out any apprehended tension between the Management and the Union representatives! He even appreciated my sense of humour and offered one more cup of Tea for all. When every time his each sincere attempt of opening my mouth was constantly foiled by the same stale and parrot-like stupid answer from me and when I could not even express to him what unbearable internal pain I was undergoing at that time, he probably then thought it prudent to relieve this sad soul from the discussion without dragging it further. While he continued his discussion with the Union People, I took leave of him and came out of his office like a prisoner who got much awaited release after serving his jail term! I was back to my office that day like a defeated, lone and battered soldier from an unwarranted battlefield. For a few days I could recall, I almost avoided interaction with my boss with feelings of irritation piled up at the back of my mind like a garbage filled bin. This way almost three months had passed and my bruised ego received a bit of an embalming effect by then as time passed by. Suddenly, one fine morning I could not believe what I had heard! I heard that our Union had willy-nilly accepted the management proposal with a rider that they would attend office on all Saturdays except on a month’s second and fourth Saturday. It was a win-win for both the management and the union, being agreeable with partial loss or partial win, the way one can look at it against earlier locked horn situations.

My boss had a last laugh as everything went according to his clever plan. He knew that if he had demanded a “full” from the union he would definitely be receiving “half” other than losing the entire battle at the very beginning by asking for half of the demand. He said this was possible as he made me behave in front of ALC like a stubborn Parrot by repeating the same statement again and again. He said “If you knew the full facts of the case you would have argued with new or different statements and the Labour office could get a chance of interpreting it in their own advantageous way to linger on and on!”

Morale of the story: Depending on the situations in life, at times limited communication or no communication is the best way to win!