We all know how Desis roll - we roll in packs, everywhere we go.  In the clubs, at the restaurants, and even at work.   But is this making South Asians stand out in the wrong way?  Well, one of our readers thinks so:

Dear SABAsearch Bloggers,

I am a South Asian born American here in the Austin area.  I have recently moved in to the Austin area to work for a local tech firm.  The transition from the Northeast to Austin has been difficult, however, I have luckily been introduced to a group of South Asians who are working here in my compnay.

Recently, I was asked to join these guys down in the lunchroom here in our building.  I obliged.  When I got down to the cafeteria, I noticed our group huddled in the corner of the cafeteria, but also noticed that the group had gotten a lot larger.  In addition to the 6 of my new friends were around 20 other South Asian employees all sitting at one table.  There were no others joining us.  During the next month or so at the company, I noticed that everywhere I went within the company, I would always notice the South Asians only socializing amongst themselves.

I have noticed that this occurs more often with South Asian employees who have come from overseas to obtain a position here.  This is understandable as they are not able to effectively communicate with others in the same manner as we can.  However, I still feel that some are doing themselves a misfavor by isolating themselves like this in the workplace environment (and in other environments) from other types of people.    

As a director of my practice, I look for people who can effectively communicate and work well in teams.  I need people who jump boundaries and aren’t afraid to test the waters for a new idea or concept.  Therefore, it worries me that I see South Asians isolated in the manner i’ve witnessed.  I understand that socializing with people like yourself provides a solid comfort zone, but it also attracts attention in the wrong way, allowing people to perceive that you are not willing or interested in meeting or interacting with others.

South Asians are very talented, intelligent and even socially capable people.  We have many potential leaders among our population.  Therefore, I urge our younger South Asian professionals to embed themselves in different types of environments.  Introduce yourself to new people in the workplace, and make new friends.  Diversify your network and you will see many new doors open.  In addition, it helps to educate others about our rich culture.  I am sure many of you are doing this already, and I am glad to see many young South Asians gaining top leadership positions because of their natural ability to interact with others.

Regards,
Anil

After receiving this article from Anil, the SABAsearch Blog staff did some research and found many articles about “cliques” in the workplace.  Here is an article about cliques in the workplace and why it is better (professionally) to avoid them:  http://www.ravenwerks.com/leadership/tribal.htm 

We’ve all benefitted at least once in our lifetime from the “Desi connection”. This special connection to one another within our communities is something we often joke about, but for many, this connection has truly made life easier in the hardest of times.

But what is the desi connection? Hopefully, this letter from one of our readers will help you understand…

Dear SABAsearch Blog and Readers,

Today, I truly experienced how lucky I am to be South Asian.

I am currently in Rhode Island on a vacation, where my father just suffered from a severe heart attack. He was saved by the paramedics, but he is still in critical condition here at the hospital. It looks like we will be stuck here in Rhode Island for a while until we can figure out our options to bring him home…

But I’m not worried.   Although we do not know anybody here in Rhode Island, I feel as though we are already surrounded by family.  Immediately after news got out that we were in this difficult situation, my phone started rining like crazy.

Within 30 minutes of getting to the hospital, I had already experienced the value of the Desi Connection.  Raj from the local indian restaurant here in downtown Rhode Island somehow got my number and has already offered to bring us food every night to the hospital.  Dilip Patel from the Hawthorne Suites has also already called to offer his hotel for our entire family at no cost.  Even my Dad’s heart surgeon, a desi, has offered to keep my Dad in the hospital longer if there is room so that we can figure out our plan first.

I had never been so overwhelmed with support from people I didn’t even know.  But I guess that’s what it means to be a Desi.  Today is the day I realized how special it is to be South Asian.   No matter how far away from home you are, and no matter what situation you are in, you will always have the family through the Desi Connection…

Sincerely,
P. Patel