| "If each of us hires people who are smaller than | | | | "countervailing power" mechanism as discussed by |
| we are, we shall become a company of dwarfs, | | | | J K Galbraith in his book 'American Capitalism'. No |
| but if each of us hires people who are bigger than | | | | doubt organizations need performing leaders, but |
| we are, we shall become a company of giants." | | | | not at the cost subduing the rights of other team |
| - David Ogilvy in 'Ogilvy On Advertising' | | | | members. More on the subject of impartiality and |
| David Ogilvy used to do something interesting. | | | | fairness can be read in 'The Idea Of Justice' by |
| When someone was made the head of an office | | | | Amartya Sen. |
| in the O&M chain, he sent him a set of Matrioshka | | | | Leader's insecurities |
| dolls from Gorky. When the recipient opened the | | | | A leader is after all human, and is bound to have |
| doll, and kept opening it until he reached the inside | | | | his/ her share of insecurities. In today's |
| of the smallest doll, he found the above message. | | | | competitive environment, a talented subordinate |
| There was a powerful message in this small act. | | | | can be an easy replacement for the boss. A |
| Recently, I realized the significance of Ogilvy's | | | | budding subordinate most times is not in the |
| action and intention. Interacting with the CEO of | | | | interest of the leader. At a leadership workshop, I |
| one of India's finest hospitals I asked him the | | | | heard a participant ask the facilitator, "What will I |
| biggest challenge that he foresees for his | | | | do if I groom the subordinate to take my place?" |
| institution. Without a hitch, he replied 'medical | | | | The facilitator replied: "you should tell the |
| talent'. I was surprised: what kind of medical talent | | | | management to give you a new responsibility. If |
| challenge does a reputed medical institution like his | | | | they don't have a bigger responsibility, you should |
| faces? The answer was quite astonishing, and also | | | | quit the job as the organization is not growing." |
| an issue to ponder for organizational leaders. | | | | Good thought, but how many people will actually |
| "Our biggest strength is becoming our weakest | | | | do it is a question mark. |
| spot", he said. The story reads like this: | | | | Stephen R Covey in his book 'The 8th Habit' |
| A few years back, the Hospital management | | | | writes: "Building strong relationships not only |
| took a strategic decision to align key specialties as | | | | requires a character foundation of inner security, |
| 'practice areas' under the leadership of a | | | | abundance and personal moral authority.... but it |
| renowned doctor. The leader doctor was assisted | | | | also involves stretching ourselves in developing |
| by a team of specialist doctors from the field. | | | | vital new interpersonal skills that will make us |
| Today, most of the practice leaders are on the | | | | equal to the challenges we will face with others." |
| verge of retiring or getting good monetary offers | | | | The only viable option seems to be continuous |
| from newer hospitals. The worry for the CEO is | | | | self-development by the leader; constantly raising |
| that there is no number 2 or 3 in the 'practice | | | | the bar which maintains the gap between their |
| areas', but perhaps a number 4 and below. How | | | | talents and the subordinates capabilities. |
| did this happen? In pursuit of achieving its business | | | | Fight for credit |
| objectives, the hospital overlooked the fact that | | | | Although not an openly and frequently discussed |
| the practice leaders were not grooming leaders | | | | issue, yet one of the major reasons for friction |
| from the team working with them. Realizing that | | | | between the leader and the team members is |
| they were not getting opportunities to grow, | | | | the fight for credit. A quote attributed to |
| many talented doctors left the organizations and | | | | Napoleon, reads thus: |
| the ones left behind were unable to develop | | | | "The ideal army would be the one in which every |
| capabilities to lead a team! | | | | officer would know what he ought to do in every |
| This is a story one repeatedly hears across | | | | contingency; the best possible army is the one |
| sectors. As one enters the management cadre in | | | | that comes closest to this. I give myself only half |
| an organization, one of the first lessons taught is | | | | the credit for the battles I have won, and a |
| that people do not leave organizations, they leave | | | | general gets enough credit when he is named at |
| their leaders. Curious to know 'why', I spoke to | | | | all, for the fact is that a battle is won by the |
| people across sectors to know the reasons and | | | | army." |
| realised that there may be softer issues at play. | | | | Most of the times, this truth is lost on the leaders, |
| A few identified reasons were as follows: | | | | who wish to hog the limelight. The subordinates in |
| Lack of the idea of justice | | | | frustration either switch off and start performing |
| It may be the most unstated value in an | | | | below expectations or leave the organization. |
| organization, but it is the most important trust | | | | What can the CEO do about the whole affair? |
| building factor between people, organizations and | | | | Can organizations succeed without trust? |
| their leaders. When organizations in their pursuit of | | | | According to Stephan Covey, "Almost all the |
| achieving business objectives turn a blind eye | | | | work of the world is done through relationships |
| over the mishaps and misbehavior of leaders | | | | with people and in organizations. But what is |
| towards their subordinates (as in the case of the | | | | communication like when there is no trust? It's |
| hospital), the idea of justice is forsaken. This leads | | | | impossible." CEO's need to realize the significance |
| to a loss of trust towards the leader and | | | | of trust building in their organizations. A lot of |
| eventually the organization, which leads to people | | | | literature is already available on the subject, there |
| leaving the organization with a negative impression | | | | needs to be a conscious effort on the part of the |
| about the organization. In this whole sequence of | | | | CEO to identify 'touch points' for trust building in |
| events, the organization is the biggest loser- it | | | | the organization. CEO's need to look not only at |
| loses talent, reputation and people's falling trust on | | | | the competencies of the their internal leaders but |
| businesses as the harbinger of social change. | | | | also at their characters. Alongwith financial |
| As Lord Acton's famous quote predicts, "Power | | | | performance, growth, results, etc. CEO's need to |
| tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts | | | | keep trust building as their KRA. |
| absolutely", organisations need to build internal | | | | |