The Hindu Business Line : Perplexing phenomenon

SO far as is known, management literature has largely bypassed a perplexing phenomenon that is part of quotidian experience. And that relates to the cases of those who fare very poorly in one organisation but become a great success when they move on to another.

The reverse can also be equally true: Those who have made a name for themselves in one set-up have ended up becoming miserable failures in another. It is not uncommon for enterprises to entice and install those who had acquired a whale of a reputation as top-notchers elsewhere, only to find that these self-same people fall flat on their faces in the new outfits.

Likewise, renowned experts or distinguished military brass with exploits to their credit have proved embarrassing misfits in administrative or civilian responsibilities. (One comes across this kind of situation among divorced couples also. The same spouses who could not make their previous marriage work are the picture of happiness with different partners to whom they tie their knot in a subsequent marriage.)

As for workplaces, there has as yet been no serious or in-depth analysis of the reasons for this phenomenon. It is not that the change for the better or for the worse is always a result of differences in assignment, position or facilities. Even where everything else is equal or the same, the person concerned is seen to make a diametrically opposite impact following the switch.

It cannot be due to the individual undergoing a transformation in personality. It is not to be expected that a person who has already grown into adulthood with a given set of basic traits or capabilities can cast them off at will, just as a snake casts off its skin. Of course, based on the pleasant or unpleasant experiences he may have had, he may temper (or buttress) the negative (or positive) ones.

To an extent, the organisational culture or structure also, with the attendant factors acting as a brake or a spur, may make a difference to his performance. The degree of compatibility of temperament of associates leading to a harmonious work environment can play an important role. It is worthwhile for management scientists to find a definitive answer, by means of cross-country surveys, to the intriguing question of the duality of the same person.

B. S. Raghavan

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