Lehmanized

“Why Lehman?” was the first question asked as I walked through the glass doors of my interlocutor’s New York office.

I had prepped an answer earlier the night before, scrolling through the Vault Guide to finance interviews as I had for other banking prospects. These included different rankings, performance numbers, Lehman’s historical reputation as a bond house (I was looking for a position in Fixed Income at the time…) and other bullet points Vault had revealed of utmost importance for the industry.

However, this time something was different: the ingenuity of the environment would have me stray from the standardized route I had generically prepared. Lehman was not your ordinary bank. It was much more than the regular workplace and had a sense of purpose that transcended any conglomeration of mere financial figures; Lehman in its distinctive way was a sensorial experience.

Perhaps it was the sense of affability conveyed by the green wallpapered hallways and velvety carpets that greeted you at the main entrance, the towering bold letters unraveling proudly over Times Square, the colossal one block wide Lehman edifice that stood magnificently at the heart of the city or simply the green tie my interviewer wore matching the green stripes on his shirt… I was mesmerized.

I finally grasped the message behind the reviews, articles, and testimonies that praised Lehman’s culture. It inspired the answer I delivered to the green-striped man sitting across from me: “Lehman’s unique approach as a people-based culture seems to empower and nurture both professionally and personally all those who are given the opportunity to work here. For someone looking to invest in a career where people are valued as the beacon of success of an enterprise and treated as such, this is the best place to be”.

My eccentric answer amused my interviewer who replied that they trained us well in government school. He emphasized that my diplomatic skills would serve me well in the sales role I was pursuing.

I was made an offer to join the London office later that week. The news genuinely overjoyed me as I was eager, on possibly slightly juvenile imaginings, to belong to the grand image I had constructed of this company. Nonetheless, the burgeoning perceptions I was forging for myself would only consolidate in worth with each day that passed and each Lehman person that I was bound to meet.

I have been here for only a bare couple of months. This might rightfully appear as an irrelevant interlude compared to those who have dedicated their time, sweat, and devotion for years, sometimes decades, at the expense of their families, their health, and many foregone opportunities. Yet, by any mere standing I could ever pretend to hold I am branded to this firm. Or as I like to say, I am Lehmatised.

Lehman has defied many prejudices of a cynical and unrefined industry that I previously detained and has become as close to a home as an office could ever be.
Its remarkable people has precipitated my quick attachment to this place. Whether it was the exceptionally talented and generous colleagues of my analyst and associate class, the security guard who opened the door for me each morning with a smile as I scrambled with my dozen FSA folders in an attempt to make it to class on time, the Benugo staff member who by the second week knew how I took my extra shot extra hot soy latte, the senior management panelists in Prime Services, Equities and FID who thoughtfully and candidly addressed all our questions and concerns (nobody expected them to be foresighted at the time…), the Generalist Program Team who crafted an astonishing orientation and networking week to assist us in our decision making process, the Lehman analysts, associates, VPs and directors who endured hours of a tedious speed dating interview procedures amongst many other events with humor, finesse and then adaptability as we harassed them relentlessly at their desks for more info, the managing directors and group heads who against all odds accepted our meeting requests to discuss career trajectories… the “Lehman persona” in its many unique ways has inescapably captured my heart and admiration.

Even in the midst of the recent turmoil this past week where many are confronting new boundaries of strong uncertainty, betrayal, and complete dismay, the Lehman spirit has prevailed. Employees are providing strong moral support to each other and some managers have held desk relocation to different firms contingent upon having their team members on board. People continue coming to work hardly because of the administrator’s instructions, but more so because at least one person is considered as a family member by another in these difficult times. As idealistic as this may sound, the acts of dignity and respect I have witnessed here this past week has reestablished my faith in human nature.

It saddens me to see this grand symphony come to a halt when hardly a few notes of the prelude have resonated. However, in my humble opinion of a short-lived experience in its premises, even if Lehman as an institution will soon cease to exist, it will take much more than a credit crunch and a bankruptcy filing to fracture the gut, lifestyle and pride Lehman has generated through its people.