MB#22: 𝙈𝙮 𝙛𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙡𝙚𝙙𝙜𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙛𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙤𝙧𝙨.

[MemoirBlogthon #22]: In 2010, my father insisted I prioritize receiving the IPA Proficiency Award over a family festival, guided by his principle: "Never skip such honors." This memoir details the prestigious event, but more importantly, the crucial etiquette lesson I received afterward: the necessity of personally acknowledging the organizers. I recount my father's advice to preserve the award "not as proud but with pride" and how his final counsel on professional etiquette became a cornerstone of my ethical practice and my teachings to the next generation.

The Core Narrative: Prioritizing Professional Honor

My father called in the first week of October 2010 and warmly invited my family and me to celebrate the nine-day Dussehra festival, which starts on the 8th of October, at our home in Vijayawada.

I had to inform him that I was unable to join him immediately because the IPA Proficiency Award 2009 ceremony was finally taking place in Hyderabad that day, having been postponed from the previous year.

His response was immediate and insightful, instantly prioritizing professional recognition over a festival obligation:

"When such recognitions knock at our door, we should never skip such honors. You must go to that event and then come to Vijayawada when it's best for you."

MB#22: Suryanarayana SV honoured with IPA-Samman 2009 Proficiency Award

His guidance allowed me to fully commit to the function, where I was honored by the Institute of Practical Accountancy (IPA) as a Practicing Company Secretary.

What impressed me and my wife, Lakshmi, who accompanied me, was receiving the guests and the reception on the arrival of the awardees. The well-attended function began on time, featuring the presentation of awards while the masters of ceremony narrated each awardee's citation. Receiving the award, certificate, shawl, garland, printed citation booklet and an eco-friendly bag from the dignitaries filled me with immense honor. Almost all awardees were provided an opportunity to make acceptance speeches. In my brief acknowledgement, I have informed the audience about my impressions of being here for this award, which reminds me and reiterates occasionally my obligation to keep up and uphold professional ethics and proficiency in rendering my professional services as a practicing company secretary.

The Crucial Lesson: Beyond the Stage

A few days later, when I showed my father the award plaque and certificate in Vijayawada, he was extremely proud.

I told him: The ceremony itself was a model of professionalism, held in a festive flavor, with a well-planned schedule and high-profile dignitaries like Justice Dr. Y. Bhaskar Rao, former Chief Justice of the High Court of Karnataka. I felt highly honored to receive the plaque, certificate, and shawl.

He told me to "keep them as treasures, show them off in my office, and pass them down with pride."

But his lesson was incomplete. He asked me a pointed question: "Did you convey your acknowledgement by calling the organizers after the program was over?"

When I admitted I had not yet done so, he immediately asked me to call the director, Shri Prakash, right there. After I thanked the director, my father took the phone and spoke very highly about the organization for instituting such an award to encourage and recognize professional proficiency.

This experience became a crucial contrast—the difference between accepting recognition and acknowledging the recognizers. The lesson learned here was a vital piece of professional etiquette: After receiving an award or recognition, just don't forget to acknowledge with a letter or orally the organizers and the key persons and jury wherever we are honored. I adopted this system from that time on, and it has worked well for strengthening professional relationships.

The Legacy of Professional Excellence

This incident serves as a powerful reminder of my father's philosophy on career growth. He summarized his ethical "why" behind the continuous pursuit of success with these words:

"Career and professional excellence involves a relentless quest for high performance through continuous learning, setting clear goals, and developing key skills like communication and adaptability. It is driven by a growth mindset, consistent hard work, strong ethics, and the ability to build relationships and seek opportunities. Achieving excellence can lead to greater career growth, recognition, and personal fulfillment."

Today, I emulate this practice and teach it to the younger generation in my self-improvement books. My father’s simple, timely phone call validated my achievement and taught me the essential etiquette of professional excellence.

MB#22: Quiz

MB22 Question: What prestigious professional award did the father insist the author prioritize attending in 2010?

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• A. The National Service Award.
• B. The IPA Proficiency Award.
• C. The Best Company Secretary Award.
• D. The Vocational Excellence Award.

MB#22: Quote

"The way you do anything is the way you do everything."