Human Resource is the key to
revival, yet very rarely the same is understood or appreciated. And we search
for solutions in strategies, high sounding words and solutions and often in
power point presentations.
Slick power point presentations
have caused the nation and its organizations much harm. Presentations
conceptualized and made by young MBA’s while remaining fairly distant from
ground realities, yet presented powerfully under a false shroud of conviction have
the ability to take many for a ride. The boss, partaking of the presentation
remains under an illusion of a time well spent, even though it is totally
wasted.
The problem of an illusory ground
connect especially at apex levels is for real. Unfortunately our society,
already highly compartmentalized, differentiates between the lower and the
upper echelons on an almost 24/7 basis, thereby preventing the much needed
interaction that makes one aware of what is really happening.
The solutions touted therefore remain
theoretical and fail to work. What remains constant are post mortems of why and
where we went wrong. Jet is one such
example. With a debt that is apparently manageable if the organization is well
run, one fails to understand why the organization went down under, if the
management was capable and committed enough.
And so have been many other
organizations, the national carrier being one of them. How can an organization
be allowed to remain in reds continuously for over a decade since merger, a
scenario that has resulted in the current debt trap, without real remedial
measures being initiated the moment the dip became apparent.
I have witnessed the same
everywhere, be it Madhya Pradesh tourism, ITDC, Railways or the National Carrier,
all faced the ignominy that emerges out of inadequate top management. In all
organizations, invariably the blame for shortcomings was laid at the altar of
the field soldiers. On the other hand I have also witnessed though rarely,
organizations rising from the ashes whenever a humane leadership played on the
front foot.
We all know how we would like to
be handled by those above us in the organizational hierarchy, yet we fail to
apply the same when we handle those below us in the hierarchy. We are rough
with those down below and extra polite with those above us, regardless of the
merit of the argument being made and the subject being discussed.
The ability to stand up for what is
right and to be able to correct what is wrong is amiss, almost always,
everywhere. This quality is what defines an individual and all other traits are
borne out of this singular attribute only. Everything else is secondary.
Let us all focus on the human
resource, alleviate their grievances and suffering and get the best out of them.
It is indeed almost impossible to comprehend me as to how much more we can get
out of a charged motivated individual.
We need to believe in the
tremendous potential of the human resource.
Dear Sir. There are three levels of knowledge or wisdom. First is what one get from reading, hearing, watching. It is known in Pali Language as Suthamaya Panna. The second is chinthamaya panna, the knowledge derived from contemplation. But in both these cases it is based on what another has said or written. The important one is Experiential wisdom or Bhavanamaya panna.
ReplyDeleteHR can only go right with people at helm who have experienced. So is for all other disciplines. In the old days on 1980 - 1990, airlines focused on regional offices. Airlines like SQ, MH, BA or QF and American carriers had regional offices that did marketing, HR, Finance and others. Buyt technological evolution changed all that and by late 1990 regional offices were gone.
Instead it was a case of regional head for each region with may be two or three staff but all in the airline head office. Technology also changed the old protocol of mails from lower ranks up the ladder in 7 8 steps to decision maker which created inertia. Now it is from user to the concerned authority particularly from country managers with copy to region head. If regional head does not respond say in 24 to 48 hours then the user department will decide and inform country manager. This is what happens today mainly in airline pricing because competition is so severe that no time can be wasted in decision making.
It also reduces the administrative costs which are unproductive.