MANAGEMENT
Human behaviour is at the centre of research across various disciplines of study. It is both consistent and inconsistent, depending upon a given situation. Men act. Men react. There are many spurs that create an action or reaction; for example ‘fear’ evokes either of these two conditions; action is largely pre-emptive, while reaction can be visible or these could be covert. A non-visible action can be the result of either deception or duplicity.
At the workplace is a live laboratory of testing and experiencing various facets of human behaviour and condition. Since it is an assembly of men and women of all hues and shades; of different backgrounds; different educational standards and different social status we witness the most noble and the most despicable behaviour of people. The two extremes ie the opposite poles are easy to deal with, since people residing in this sphere of mental condition are known and visible to all in the organisation. The most challenging task for management of any entity is to recognise and deal with those who lie between the poles and hence act surreptitiously and usually with gloves on hands.
If there are ‘problem bosses’, there are ‘problem subordinates’ too. Problem bosses would indulge in continuously changing the goal posts. This will be done to ensure that there is never a feeling of ‘Eureka’ in any member of the team. Such managers would never be satisfied with either their direct report or the quality of his/her work. They would nit-pick upon everything to the extent of hair splitting details. All done to dress down the direct report.
We come across in corporate environments the pleasing or deceptive subordinate. Their marks of identity are several. In my experience I have come across many who are extremely gentle and polite in conversation with the boss, but the same person can be found to be the Pharaoh, who doesn’t hesitate at all to use the choicest expletives when dealing with their subordinates.
Such behaviour of duplicity is also witnessed when you see the direct report always wanting to walk a step behind the boss while at the very same moment his devilish mind could be conjuring plans on how to outpace and be ahead of the boss. Yet to the onlooker he is a decent, subservient and obedient disciple of the boss. Duplicity at its best and deception at its zenith.
There are managers who are essentially cowards. They have no guts. No courage. These would always be indulging in double speak. They would always praise in presence and be loathsomely critical behind the back of their colleagues. There are circumstances where the boss assures that up the hierarchy he is conveying everything good about you, while in reality they could be highlighting all your real or perceived weaknesses, by punctuating… ‘but’ as a suffix to all the praise that they may be showering.
Recently I learnt of a boss who kept assuring his direct report, who had through guile been made part of a controversy that the ‘management’ dare not touch you or say anything to you or even think to take action. When the crunch time came, he was nowhere to be seen on the screen.
Post action, this manager very conveniently adopted the position of a ‘sympathiser’ and indulged vociferously within the confines of his ‘sound proof’ cabin in lambasting those who he referred to as ‘management’, forgetting easily that he was a significant part of that ‘management.’ He only became a co-accuser of the injudicious system prevalent in his organisation. This attitude represents a perfect combination of both managerial duplicity and deception.
The duplicity and deception laced managers demonstrate at the work station a sense of strong likes and dislikes. They blatantly recommend rewards and bonuses for those who curry favour with them and are never shy to recommend deceptively through reprimands and punishments for those who are seen as a challenge of replacement to their authority and position. Trained for being small minded, these managers operate by the principle that what is good for goose is never good for the gander. The latter representing potential threat and the former being the blue eyed for the wrong reasons. The weak in courage is strong in cunning. (William Blake).
A mention must also be made and recognised of those managers who selectively can be both deceptive and cunningly filled with duplicity. I refer to this class as masters of expedient duplicity and deception. If the demand of the situation is to be either of them, such would not think a minute to be there.
Those following the concept of indulge, when required to the behaviour of expedient duplicity are found in the largest numbers between the two extreme poles of announced behaviour; earlier referred to. These have to be found and hunted upon. Behaviour must emerge from a set of attitudes and not from a set of circumstances. Even bad news can be turned to good news with attitude.
Worst of deception is self-deception (Plato). Double speak or duplicity is a base trait. Both should be recognised as intrinsic temptations of human behaviour and consequently must be harnessed and managed. Self-denial, self-command, self-discipline are signs of elegance. The master of fate the captain of soul. If the feeling inside the good manager is not good it is worthless what he wears outside. The outside show is a poor attribute for inner worth. What a person dislikes in his superiors let him not display this in the treatment of others (inferiors or more honourably the subordinates or even more majestically team mates/co-workers). Like parents, managers mould and shape colleagues, who as individuals ultimately determine what they become as people.
The easiest person to deceive is ‘yourself.’ A mere recognition of this weakness will yield positive thought and action. Let earnestness to be never dwarfed by the threat of consequences. Henry Alford states, ‘Elegance of language may not be in the power of all of us; but with simplicity and straight forwardness are. Write as much as you speak; speak as you think. If with your inferior, speak no coarser than usual; if with your superior, no firmer. Be what you say; and within the rules of prudence, say what you are.’
Duplicity and deception must be expunged from managerial behaviour. Instead, adopt qualities and traits where your team members would be motivated and encouraged to emulate, duplicate and replicate. Stand on feet. Stand tall. Come straight. Come clean. Demonstrate possession of spine and not being the boneless creature to be showcased in the corporate museum.
The writer is a senior banker and freelance columnist