A DAY WITH MY
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Mr. S. Patrick Whaley
of Johnson & Johnson Ltd.

I narrate here my experience of working in the field with my
Managing Director, in May 1966, at Bangalore. What a really memorable experience it was to work with a great human being.

What a great charismatic person Mr. S. Patrick Whaley, my Managing Director, Johnson & Johnson Ltd., was to an ordinary salesman as I was then.

Sometime in May 1966, I got an express telegram at Madras from my Sales Manager. He wanted me to receive our Managing Director at Bangalore Airport. I was a little nervous first because many a time working in the Bombay Office, I have witnessed his blasting at top Sales Executives always using adverse, ear-unfriendly adjectives. When he grew angry over a right cause he never cared about time, context and others’ presence in front. He was short and stocky and to my understanding was of Scottish origin. His gait was fast and straight. While we worked in the hall, I used to see him opening the cabinets of executives and entering in it in lightning fastness. If we did not hear his shouts inside we were sure of him coming out with an enchanting smile. Every now and then the Executives’ cabinets will have new coats of paints. The office was kept spick-and-span. It was one of the few organizations in India then to have Saturday as a weekly holiday. Fifteen minutes after the working hours a host of workers will emerge with wood polish cans and buckets, full of water to polish the furniture and wash the floors. This was a daily routine. The company employed a few assistants for help, but no peons. The staff was to wear pants, a full- sleeved shirt with a tie of his choice. The shoes had to shine with everyday polishing. All employees observed these defined norms without fail.

One day I wore a half-sleeved shirt as the full-sleeved shirt was unavailable and to my bad luck I had to cross the Managing Director at the passage. He stopped for a second, looked at my shirt and then left. That was the first and last day I wore a half-sleeved shirt in the office because I knew the meaning of that look. Later in my stint at Bombay office, whenever I crossed him at the passage I was the recipient of a charming smile from him. He had never told me, but I assumed that he had a special regard for me because many a time he found me working late hours in the office either drafting a distributor agreement or a salesman’s appointment or typing out in the absence of the concerned Secretary. To the best of my understanding Mr. Patrick Whaley’s was a direct appointment from J & J abroad and his role was to further promote J & J brand name in India. He was a dynamic and aggressive person who not only promoted the image of J & J in India, but also, established its production facility at Mulund in Bombay. The factory was posh, modern and was known for its architectural excellence and exclusiveness. In front of the factory there was a vast lush green lawn, which was the talk and envy of the city’s industrial circles and the admiration of the connoisseurs. The factory had music channels spread all over. A call to an employee will be conveyed through the internal address system. Visitors were not allowed inside but asked to sit at the reception and the concerned person will be called to the reception for the meeting. If any one has to go inside the factory he will be provided with a white uniform and a cap that reminds one of a Doctor’s surgery attire. Food equal to the quality of five star hotels was provided at the canteen by uniformed staff at an unbelievable low rate. Mr. Whaley delegated powers to his subordinates in such a way that everything went on as he desired and none could even dream of coming to J & J level those days. The factory responsibility was delegated to an Italian, De Angeli by name and I could see him every now and then in our city office reporting to Mr. Patrick Whaley. Mr. Win Chadha - a big-built man -, another good human being was his choice as the General Sales Manager. When Mr. Win Chadha enters the office in the morning it was our custom to stand up and wish him “Good Morning”.

So at this old age too I visualise Mr. Patrick Whaley as a great man of great qualities, great ability and a great administrator who could never be equaled in any standard. He practiced his vision to perfection at an age when no industries could ever think of these types of modern and progressive concepts.

This was the person I was going to meet - He was a person of perfection and I, an ordinary industrial salesman. I could remember for a while his two faces - one emitting fury and the other sporting a bewitching smile. Working in Bombay office I never had an opportunity to talk to him face to face and I never knew what his attitude would be to his Salesman.

A day before his expected arrival I landed in Bangalore to take care of his stay and comforts. I went to the West End Hotel and booked the best room for him. Then, his conveyance! West End had a car hire service firm run by a tall Anglo-Indian. I ran to him. It never occurred to me that he would need a special car to suit his dignity. Fiat, Ambassador and Standard cars were the only Indian cars then. I told the person that any one of these would do. He said he did not have such cars. He then led me to the yard and showed me a number of cars parked over there. Pointing out a majestic glistening Chevrolet car he said in his inimitable style “SHE will suit you” and I agreed.

Then I remembered the School Inspection in my early days. We students used to receive a thorough coaching for two days and the school premises would be kept clean and tidy. The Inspector would return happy and elated after the inspection of the school awarding marks to himself to his liking over his administrative competence. I learned the right lesson and from my hotel room I telephoned to some industries and some stationers that Mr. Whaley would like to meet them. They had a great liking for me and they were happy.

Flight from Bombay was to arrive in the morning, later than 10 a. m. Around 9 “SHE” came and was parked inside the middle-class hotel I was staying and the driver came to my room. I walked majestically to “HER”; the driver opened the door and I entered in and sat comfortably. Too early to go to the airport, I concluded. I thought I would make a sales call without wasting time at the airport. Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., was adjacent to the airport. Take me to HAL, I commanded. “Yes Sir”, the driver agreed. As a salesman it was very difficult for me to convince the gate staff to go inside the HAL factory. They will ask a lot of questions and for each one I had to meticulously answer to gain entry.

As “she” approached the gate the entire gate staff stood up and saluted me. I came out and went to the gate and asked them whether I could go in. “O K Sir” they replied. I went in, attended to my job and when I came out there was a second mass salute waiting for me. All, “she” did it for me. There I learned the first lesson on ‘image’. It was time to reach the H A L Airport. I rushed up. The Avro Aircraft landed on time.

I was gazing at the array of people coming down. A group of Saffron clad men were among them. My great personal problem is that, always when something curious happens my imagination goes wild and start scanning through bushes. I started thinking irrelevantly why these people preferred to travel in a plane while retaining the old and traditional rishi styles in dress. Instead of concentrating on my target I was watching and wondering at these persons. Minutes ticked-by.

“Thomas, Come”, a mild tap on my shoulder awakened me. Turning to the side I saw the smiling face of Mr. Patrick Whaley. Changing his bag to his left hand, he held me by my hand and started walking. “Where is the car”, he asked. “It is waiting, Sir”. He released my hand and in the meantime the well-trained driver rushed forward, saluted him, took his bag in his hand and all of us proceeded to the car. Seeing the car he was very happy and the driver courteously led him in. On the way was Higginbotham’s bookstall and he bought some books. They were our customers and Mr. Whaley was happy when the Manager exchanged pleasantries with me. His second stop was a retail liquor shop. He went in and came out with a crate of beer. From there we proceeded to the Hotel. He asked me to go back and refresh myself and meet him an hour later when he would accompany me to my customers. Earlier I had told him that no time would be wasted as industries and stationers can be met by planning our calls. An hour later, I returned to the Hotel and he was ready for the visits.

As I opened the door and he entered the back seat and proceeded to the front seat, he held my hand and asked me to sit by his side. I could not believe it. First, he asked me where I was staying and enquired about how comfortable I was in that hotel. My reply was positive. Then he asked about my personal life. He knew that I married earlier that year and enquired about my wife. By the time he had changed me from a man in awe to a man in admiration of a unique personality. I explained to him that after my marriage in January my wife had to go back to Jabalpore to complete the academic year where she taught and she was expected on the same day I was in Bangalore with him. I told him I had arranged a person to receive her at the Station in my absence. He felt very sorry that his visit had taken me away from her after months of absence immediately after the marriage. He expressed his regret and asked me to accompany him in the same flight he was taking to Madras that evening. I told him, having come I would like to work in Bangalore for two more days before returning to Madras. He was more surprised than impressed at my attitude. He then told me of his interests in Ayurvedic medicines and he referred to some as magic medicines like the one indicated for Jaundice. He asked me about the availability of industrial land in Bangalore and as a visionary said, Bangalore with its climate offered good investment for multinationals. Bangalore was not developed then and the only good hotel was the West End, under Spencer management if I remember correctly. Casually he said, “Thomas, the best investment is in real estates and not in LIC and other savings. Whatever little you have you invest in land and you will be amazed about its growth value-wise. Throughout he talked to me like a friend and a guide. I had really tasted an employer’s affection for an ordinary worker of his.

My first destination was Reliance Stationery Mart at Commercial Street owned by one Mr. Murthy. He was my well wisher, and I was confident that he would have a good stock of our products. I introduced Mr. Whaley to him and turned on to the shelf where our products were displayed and to my dismay not a single product of ours were there, instead it was full of our competitor’s product. Mr. Whaley was stunned and looked at me. “Sir, Thomas is a good and sincere salesman; but we can’t get along with your awful distributor. So we changed. Don’t blame Thomas, Sir, Change your distributor and see the change here the next time you come.” Mr. Whaley came out thanking Mr. Murthy. As we neared the car I was still not out of the shock. My future was in this person’s hands. What he will do, I feared the worst.

“What is this, Thomas, who is your Distributor”? I told him his name
.
“What are you going to do with this distributor? He seems very unpopular and does not fit in our set up.” I talked to him frankly. “The distributor was not appointed by me, he was our consumer products distributor and he was unfit to be an industrial product distributor. But in spite of my adverse reports my Sales Manager insists that he should be retained. I do not know, why? I replied.

“Look Thomas, you have to remove him. He is unfit to be our distributor. How soon are you going to remove him?

“Instantly I will report to my Sales Manager and your advice too will be conveyed to him. In a month or so you will find another one in his place”. He did not smile; he just laughed. “We are governed by certain agreements with our distributors. Besides we have to be fair to them even if they were a little unfair to us. Further we have to find another suitable one to replace him lest our business will further suffer. It is hard, these days to find one and we should not repeat the same mistake. So proceed cautiously.”

In my mind I saluted his deep wisdom and mature approach to business practices. The next visit was to Kissan Products where we had met the Sales Manager Mr. Oberoi, who was in all praise for me - a kind gesture - told him that the company was lucky to have me as a salesman. Again, an enchanting smile from Mr. Whaley! He took us to the factory floor where the jams were made and the packaging process they followed. Mr. Whaley was very happy. Coming out Mr. Whaley expressed his desire to buy some Pears, which he thought would be available in plenty in Bangalore. The Driver took us to the fruit market and Mr. Whaley walked through leftovers and rubbish strewn in the market, with me and we scanned the entire market and we could not get one. Even this day when I see a pear I remember Mr. Whaley and I feel sad that he could not get it from Bangalore. It was nearing 3.00 p.m and Mr. Whaley advised me to go on with my job and he would retain the car till he left for Madras from Bangalore. He had appointments with some pharmaceutical products manufacturers in Bangalore, which he had to keep. I told the Driver that I would be returning to the Hotel and settling the bills myself. I paid him some money and left.

For days together Mr. Whaley was in my mind with his enchanting smile, his maturity of business thoughts and his wisdom coated solution to problems. He was very nice and kind to me. During the hours I spent with him, he came down to my level to make me feel at home. He expressed his genuine concern over my welfare.

The story does not end here. Several months later there was a Sales Conference in Bombay. One night our division held a cocktail party. Mr. Whaley participated in the party. From a distance I was watching him. I always detested alcohol and was standing away. Mr. Whaley soon found me out. He rushed to his secretary Mrs. Bell and brought her to me. “Look Mrs. Bell, this was the boy - I was 33 then - I was working with, in Bangalore. His customers like him very much.” He then turned to me and enquired about my wife and specially asked me whether I was happy in life. Incidentally, Mr. Whaley was a widower. He also did not fail to enquire how angry my wife was when she came down to Madras and found out that he had taken me away from her on her return to Madras. I just smiled. He shook my hands, wished me and left along with Mrs. Bell.

I do not know when Mr. Whaley left India. It was my keen desire to send him a basket full of Pears, which never materialized much to my distress and grief. When he left he addressed a Press conference and one reporter put up a question of the “hire and fire” policy of J & J. His reply was that “a company should not operate on the whims and fancies of individuals. If a person wants to leave, let him leave. If a person is not needed and his presence is damaging to the interests of the company he should be sent out immediately. A company should always keep the next man ready to take over and fill in the vacancy. I believed in this principle and this policy had borne fruits” (The above was the basics and not a word-to-word reproduction of his press statement)

Mr. Patrick Whaley is surely not living now. But great men like him leave eternal footprints worthy of adoration and adaptation. I have a space reserved for him in my heart which only death can erase. What a great personality he was! by: - K. Mathew Thomas

A PHYSICIAN’S
PRAYER


My loving God, you have destined me to be a physician by profession.

My loving God, you have destined me to practice my profession, with dignity and devotion.

My loving God, you have destined me to accept your gift of ‘healing through LOVE’

My loving God, you have destined me to learn that love in healing can be applied through selflessness alone.

My loving God, you have destined me to empathize with my brethren to serve them with talents you graciously bestowed on me.

My loving God, I thank you for all the bliss I enjoy in my profession through your bountiful grace.

And this my Lord, is my gift to you for what you have ordained me to be - by duty, devotion, determination and dignity - A PHYSICIAN in the service of humanity. K. Mathew Thomas