Time Out

The Wizard of Oz

We have a tete-a-tete with Grant Muddle, Senior VP-Operations, Apollo Hospitals Enterprises Limited, on his love for cricket and how he was held at knife point

When you talk to an Aussie, the best way to make him open up is to broach the topic of cricket. After all, in Australia, they say that the most powerful man is not the prime minister—it is the skipper of the Australian cricket team.

The recent murky allegation of racism against the Indian cricket team and its backlash turn the conversation far more significant than just a trivial chat. About the flak that the Aussies have received for allegedly playing mind games, Grant who remembers playing cricket since the day he could stand on his tender legs as a toddler, says, "There is no question that the overwhelming majority of incorrect umpiring decisions went against the Indian team. All teams have lost matches due to poor umpiring at some stage. The Australian players were not cheating. May be they played hard, but they played fair."

At Apollo Hospitals, Bangalore, Grant plays in their cricket team in a corporate league, with games held every two to three week. His most memorable game was in 1999 when he scored 174 not out in Australia.

In his leisure time, he also loves to tuck his nose into books. His favourite genre is spy fiction and his favourite authors are the legendary Ian Fleming, Tom Clancy, Len Deighton, Robert Ludlum and Clive Cussler. He enjoys the mere "suspension of disbelief" when he is engrossed in them. He is also an avid reader of management books. His favorites are 'The CEO: Chief Engagement Officer' by John Smythe, 'Baptist Healthcare Journey to Excellence' by Al Stubblefield, 'Hardwire Excellence' by Quint Studer, 'Starbucks Experience: 5 Principles for Turning Ordinary Into Extraordinary' by Dr Joseph Michelli, and anything by Jack Welch. His choice of music is eclectic, ranging from rock, pop to country music.

Muddle rejoicing his team’s victory

Though he enjoys holidaying in isolated places, these days the choice of destination is decided by his two-and-a-half-year-old bundle of joy—his daughter Jordanna. "She prefers to go to places which has water, so that she can play in the water and see fish. So, these days, we go to island resorts," explains Grant. Grant began his career in Australia as an F&B Supervisor in 1994. It was only in 2000, that he moved out of his country for Star Cruises as an Executive Assistant Manager, based in Singapore. After an eventful 14 months in Dhaka, where he worked as Director Operations in Apollo Hospitals, Dhaka, he moved to Apollo Hospitals, Bangalore as the Senior VP-Operations.

His stay in India for the last one year has been quite an interesting one, peppered with varied memories. Not understanding the local language has sometimes landed him in "frustrating situations”. "When I order food in a particular way in a restaurant, often the waiter nods and then gets me something totally different from what I asked for," he recounts. In his professional life too, he has faced similar situations. "I would give instructions to a person and he would assure me that he has understood. And when it is not done, he would say—I did not understand you!"

So which are the Hindi words that he has learned? "Not many, but I know 'pan' which means 'water'," he replies. When we correct him that it is 'pani', he volunteers for another one. "I know 'bai' which means brother," he says confidently. When we point out that it is 'bhai', he laughs heartily and said both are phonetically close. He then talks of his favorites in the Indian cuisine—'Hyderabadi chicken biriyani' and 'galab jullam' by which he means 'gulab jamun'. "Though I like Indian food, sometimes it is just too hot!" he exclaims.

While this Aussie may not have mastered our national language, undoubtedly he has won many hearts. His Indian colleagues admire him for his ever-smiling persona. When we compliment him on his forever beaming face, he philosophises, "One attracts more bees with honey, than he does with vinegar.”

The Mixed Bag

Your best prize in life so far
My wife Anna and daughter Jordanna.

Your first day in school
It was a school at South Healthland in Western Australia. It was traumatic. I felt abandoned for being separated from my family for the first time. I remember crying.

Your first ambition
To be an actuarist. I am good with numbers and hence the decision.

Your first day in work
My first job was a cashier at a supermarket in Australia. I was nervous of making mistakes.

Your first promotion
It was at the same super market when I was promoted to be a front-end supervisor.

The first time you fired somebody
That was at 'All Seasons Frontier Oasis' resort in Australia. In 1997, as a Deputy General Manager, I fired a chef for abusing a customer. The chef retaliated by holding me at knife point for 40-long minutes. The police was called in, who then convinced the chef to let me go. The lesson that I learned from this incident was never to fire a chef in his territory—the kitchen (he laughs).

The toughest decision you have taken
To change my career path from hospitality to healthcare. It was a tough call as I was getting out of a comfort zone and venturing into an unknown territory.

The best memory of your childhood
Going to Disney Land in the US with my family. I remember having loads of fun.

Your happiest moment
When I got married to my wife Anna and when my daughter was born.

Three things that you cannot do without
Family, relaxation and need for information. I quench my thirst for information by reading and interacting with others.

One trait that you would like to change about yourself
I sometimes put my work before my family. I end up doing that as I am dedicated to getting the job done.

Your first vehicle
It was a 15-year-old Ford Cortina—a canary yellow-coloured station wagon. I drove it for about a year.

One parental advice that you remember
Be good to your mother.

Rita Dutta