MANAGEMENT
Perhaps, the reasons for the emergence of Marxist/Leninist thought, in the late 19th century and its pre-eminence after the Second Great War that led to socialism, continues to rule and appeal, even today. This is despite the breaking down of the Berlin wall, the dismemberment of USSR and its Satellite States, almost quarter of a century back. Why does socialist thought enjoy mass appeal? A simple answer, because, it challenges autocracy and exploitative behaviour.
Society norms go towards building the norms of a nation. A country where each man avails to his advantage, all the benefits that arise out of an iniquitous system, will hardly be a nation, to live. In such societies, the powerful, who are handful, sway with the creation of conditions, that bear and boast of setting fear in the minds of all and sundry.
Just, as in the case of countries and nations, the corporate world, has thrived largely on ‘injustice’ meted out to both markets and its workforce. For this piece, I am going to dwell on the mal-treatment of the human capital. (The coinage of human capital is in itself a great deception; not all organisation look at them (human) as capital). Let me illustrate from everyday life chores of a manager.
Scene – 1: Many years back, at an organisation I worked for, I encountered a situation, with simplest of tools to resolve. It was Ramazan, I was closeted with senior colleagues in a meeting that substantially over-short; the reduced office timings. Once finished with the meeting, I returned to my office and found in the visitors lounge, a young lady officer – I first looked enquiringly at my assisting staff, as to who she was? And why is she waiting here? Instead of getting an answer, I received the most detailed response, “she wants to meet you”. With lightening speed, I turned to her and said, “Young lady, what are you still doing so late, in the office?”
“I have something to discuss,” she said very sheepishly. I asked her to come over… and she followed me into my office. Settled, I asked what’s the issue? She said, “I have resigned…” and then broke down, with saline water flooding her eyes. I said, “Were you asked to resign?” ‘No’ she said.
“So, why are you shedding tears, if you are leaving of your own free will and choice? Have you been offered an attractive compensation package?”
She said, ‘No’. “So, what’s the issue?” I asked. I was possibly getting visibly upset in not being able to get to the cause of resignation. “I don’t like my assignment, so I decided to leave,” she blurted. “And why don’t you like the assignment?” I asked. “It is monotonous and menial for an intelligent person like me,” she said, not haughtily, but with a serene air of confidence. “I am a Management Trainee Officer, who stood ‘first’ in the batch, but was given the worst assignment,” she thought and said.
Quietly, I said to myself, I thought so too, when I had as MTO got a position in the batch, but was not given an option to choose my place of posting as against those who had failed and managed to land themselves in locations as exotic as Hong Kong and as romantic as Paris…. But my story, in some other piece. “And, what kind of assignment, you want or like?” I asked. An innocent demand, she made, “wish to be a credit analyst”.
First tell me, I said, “Do you want to leave the organisation?” She responded with an emphatic no, but said “my assignment, bothers me and that prompted me to look at the market.” I said, “I will speak to HR and within this week, you will be given a Credit Analyst job, we are a growing organisation and need good intelligent, young people, to support our fresh and new initiatives.”
“Really, it can happen,” she exclaimed, with her jaws dropping to the floor, in excitement. The young officer has stayed back and is most likely enjoying her new assignment.
Employee insensitive environment, in a division or in an organisation, is the most compelling reason, for people to look at alternatives in the market place. In a human interface, how can any manager afford to be insensitive; and yet when you speak to the concerned manager, that person will eloquently extol on the virtues of being engaged with emotional needs of staff! A five minute attention, saves an attrition is a rule to embrace.
Scene – 2: I am here, witness to the most insensitive behaviour. I am visiting the ‘manager’ in his cabin and he had meantime called for a deviant employee, and was waiting for him. I was observing him, closely, with great interest…… during the wait, whilst being in conversation with me, he was pacing up and down, in the cabin, like a hungry lion in the den, waiting to devour the colleague. And being led into his office, all colleagues, anyway knew they were ‘sheep’ to be relished and had; in walked the employee, who I was unaware of the deviation, he had indulged into! Roared, the manager (boss), “why have you been absent for two whole days?” Later I learnt, he knew the reason, yet chose to ask in this manner. Like a scared lamb, the officer in a very low decibel, said, “Sir, my mother was hospitalised and I was tendering to her, being the only son.”
“Is your father dead?” the manager shouted angrily and arrogantly. “No sir….” slipped through his mouth almost, reluctantly. Listen young man, I am not running a charity and neither this institution is an extension of Abdul Sattar Edhi’s home, so I will take no “excuses for absence”, he retorted again angrily and in an even more pronounced decibel level. The young officer was in shreds, emotionally, mentally and psychologically!
This is reflection of a dehumanised institution. But who dehumanises any organisation – the human capital! An organisation’s ethos reflects in its policies and its interface with the employees. A low credibility and integrity of value for human resources, will someday make the organisation, suffer severely. In any institution, you can visibly assess the paintings on its wall of appalling stories of employee insensitivity. The two incidents, I have mentioned in very significant terms epitomise, the yawning gap, between “noble chants of human capital and the reality of insult thrown at employees”.
The demand for equity and justice will never fade always, it can remain muted only for a while, it cannot be entombed into an RIP state. All managers, operate like owner–capitalist class, and hence behave, towards their colleagues, as them being “one” factor of production. Such consider them to be with no flesh or even blood running through their veins. Most managers of today’s corporate world are certified individuals who eloquently engage in expedient talk with intent of employee deception. Little do they realise they erode the ethical and moral fabric of the institution. A manager, that displays such gross insensitivity towards the sick mother of a colleague can never gain the confidence and commitment of his team. Leading a team of non-dedicated workforce is a journey towards decline and decay, of both the manager and the organisation.
Wishing to be declared, “best employer” must be matched by actions, not proclamations, like “we are family, nobody leaves us” or even the best like, “this is your home”.
With unmatched conditions these are loathsome declarations that are completely devoid of inspiration and passion. They are hollow, to the core.
Deceit, double – talk, back – biting, insulting behaviour, arrogant attitude are attributes of a dysfunctional mind. A person possessed of this, shouldn’t be made manager of ‘people’. They are fit to be on an assembly line of manufacturing industry.
In the everyday management of business and people, only those managers will be successful on a continued and sustainable basis, who have in their inner persona, a great quantum of ‘empathy’. Those who cannot relate to a colleague on emotional basis, will ultimately lose the right to manage.
The EQ must remain responsive, and not be dead. A socialist corporate will always remain popular and it is bound to do well.
The writer is a senior banker and freelance columnist
