The Hindu Business Line : Gadflies and mavericks

THE DICTIONARY defines a gadfly as a person who stimulates or annoys especially by persistent criticism, and a maverick as an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party. Both are dreaded by people in organisations, as they are viewed as trouble-makers, apt to rock the boat and question assumptions taken for granted.

Staid organisation-men settled (or stuck) in their own grooves ask for nothing more than being left to do their job in congenial surroundings and with peace of mind. The last thing they want is needling by someone whose approach and opinions would be, at best, unconventional and, at worst, carping.

Most gadflies and mavericks do not make it to higher echelons, and get blocked halfway along the career path. Corporate boards, governing bodies, management committees and the like love to operate on the principle of compatibility so that items on the agenda can be run through in no time in a mutually back-slapping mood.

The presence of gadflies has the effect of stalling the proceedings and delaying decisions. Also, by raising inconvenient questions about justification, propriety or necessity of particular courses of action, they, perhaps without meaning to do so, provide ammunition to disgruntled elements who may tip off audit, vigilance or regulatory bodies. Thus, there is a natural tendency to keep them at arms' length.

While this is understandable, dissenters and dissidents perform the distinct service of fighting smugness and complacency, curbing wastefulness and misuse of funds and powers, and toning up performance. They also open up possibilities of alternative, and innovative, ways of achieving objectives. On balance, therefore, their conscious inclusion as participants in decision-making works to the great advantage of institutions.

It has been found that this also contributes to a measure of mellowing in their attitude and they learn to get along as team players.

Deliberately seeking them out and making them part of the set-up, however, demands a high degree of self-confidence and the ability to counter them and win them over with superior arguments and intellectual mettle. It is easy-going people of inferior calibre who will be afraid of gadflies and mavericks.

B. S. Raghavan

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