The Hindu Business Line : Bosses can be wrong too!

A NOTED Mumbai-based HR Management Consultant quotes a couple of tongue-in-cheek `rules' for people working in formal organisations on how to manage their bosses.

While Rule One states that the boss is always right, Rule Two applies to those who doubt Rule One, instructing them to refer back to it!

Two very practical rules. Or so one would think. We live and work in organisations that are inevitably part of a global village, where knowledge flows in from all directions, where youngsters have sky-high ambitions and change jobs at the drop of a hat.

Given these realities, it is essential that bosses at all levels are HR-driven, are good communicators and able to create highly motivating environments where people excel in their jobs at all levels. This, of course, is easier said than done.

Take the complex, but highly meaningful exercise of performance management. In spite of the best efforts of HR managers to train department heads to properly evaluate the performance of their subordinates, most evaluate the person. And so the exercise boils down to whether or not the boss likes the individual being appraised. Subjectivity takes over.

Bosses do not understand the limitations of imposing their own views and "my way of doing things" on unwilling and ambitious subordinates. De-motivation and demoralisation reign supreme.

Depending on the boss' clout with the higher-ups, sensitive matters are either swept under the carpet or carelessly discussed at some level, only to be quietly and quickly forgotten. What is worse, such bosses are rewarded with often fantastic merit payments or promotions. This, in turn, sends the wrong messages — some bosses who are otherwise okay are tempted to follow these blue-eyed boys — with disastrous results.

Simply said, bosses can be wrong too. And they often are. What does it take to rectify mistakes committed by the bosses? What are the possible checks and balances? And what can HR professionals do to bring in the desired change?

Even in performance management, there is a check — appraisal by the superior of the boss.

However, this should not be subjective. The HR manager and the CEO should step in, find what can be done within existing limitations and help the individual. This will not only motivate the individual, but also reinforce positive feelings about the organisation.

Hence, what is required is to keep one's ears and eyes to the ground and observe the quantum and the nature of one's work? Any rumour or sign of uneasiness or frustration emanating from some department should be probed thoroughly, so that all facts come to light. It is here that the HR manager and the CEO have a big role to play.

Decisions by bosses regarding work-load, role clarity, workplace infrastructure, personal needs of employees, grievances regarding high-handedness of employees and the like, cannot and should not be taken at face value.

If one were to scratch the surface, glaring biases and prejudices can be seen. Getting to the root cause of such blunders will greatly help management.

Granted, bosses are also human. But being human really means having empathy, and walking the talk.

If organisations were to ignore the other side of the bosses, and only take cognisance of their so-called "performance", individuals would only faithfully follow the two rules quoted in paragraph one of this article — with disastrous results.

Retaining and motivating young professionals with fire in their bellies will become a daunting task. Of course, they might find (and mostly do!) a better boss or bosses elsewhere!

A. B. Sivakumar

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