Below is a fictionalized case study that presents dilemma faced in real organization. And written by me is a recommended solution to the problem. This has been published in Business Manager HR Magazine January 2019 edition
When arrogance dilutes competence
It was not a very good start of the day for Ravinarayan DGM production engineering of this manufacturing unit. Joined only six months before, Ravi was finding some difficulty in handing his manager sushant who was there for lat 12 years i.e. since start of the unit and gradually promoted to this level.
The factory is a joint venture of India and Japan with management control of Indian professionals but at the same time Japanese management has deep interference in operational activities as they have deputed their people as operations head, quality and engineering Head. Indian Management Board also kept one manufacturing head having administrative control over all affairs. Both these Operations head and manufacturing heads were reporting to Indian MD.
Half an hour before Ravi had a hot altercation with sushant. Actually Ravi asked the new graduate trainee to submit his activity details for discussion, because in spite of repeated calling to sushant, he was not providing the details to Ravi which caused delay in planning certain activities. Knowing about asking graduate trainee to provide activity details directly by Ravi, sushant shouted on him in a derogatory manner as to why he asked the GET directly to provide details and bypassed him? Sushant’s tone was on high pitch. He cautioned Ravi, his boss that this way he can’t survive in the company and he (sushant) was not afraid of anyone as he has seen many bosses who have failed to control him and ultimately left the company.
Ravi was not prepared for this in front office openly when Ravi came out from daily morning meeting. “Sushant- what happened? Why are you so annoyed? Let us go to the office and talk”, Ravi tried to play down the incident which was noticed by other managers also coming out of the meeting room along with him but nobody stayed there and pretended as nothing happened. It was shocks for Ravi as he never imagined that asking GET directly to provide details will make sushant so furious.
Both went towards Ravi’s Office but on the way while passing through corridors of manufacturing area, Sushant was talking very loudly. He also challenged Ravi that he can do whatever he likes. He does not care for anyone. Ravi decided not to go to office with him and replied, “Sushant, I had to ask GET because you were not caring for my request since last 15 days and thing were getting delayed. I must know what you are planning and how you are going to deliver.” Ravi reminded Sushant that few days back he was instructed to take along another Astt. Manager while visiting Tooling Vendor companies, but he avoided his instructions and went alone for visit. Ravi came to know only this fact when inquired from Astt. Manager about the outcome of visit and he revealed that sushant did not take him along as he kept waiting.
Ravi felt humiliated. He went to Manufacturing head Mr. Gopalan and reported the matter. Ravi briefed him about the incident and also said that it was not his first incident. Sometime back also he misbehaved with some store people when Sushant was requested not to avoid/bypass the laid down process for dispatch of moulds and dies to tooling Vendor Company. Sushant thrashed him also for “intervening” in his way of working.
Actually sushant was blue eyed boy of Japanese Operations head Mr. Takimoka and whenever, his incidents were reported to him, he took casually and advised manufacturing head Gopalan and Ravi to adjust with him as sushant was very old, senior and high potential manager and was delivering the things as per expat’s desire. Sushant’s ability to perform at high level put by putting his heart and soul without caring for working hours in completing tasks made him ignoring of following processes. Sushant did not enjoy reporting to Ravi or any other senior including Gopalan except operations head Mr. Takimoka.
Manufacturing head Gopalan was also not happy with sushant’s behaviour and attitude and he was getting repeated reports about his arrogant behaviour. After listening to Ravi, he said, “need not to worry, don’t get upset, I will take care”.
Next day after morning meeting Gopalan met MD where Mr. Takimoka was also sitting in his cabin.
Gopalan: sir, now enough is enough . We need to take call about sushant. His incidents of misbehaviour are increasing. Yesterday, he openly insulted and shouted on Ravi in front office. He does not want to follow processes and systems. In last five years we have lost three DGMs.
MD kept listening and saw towards Takimoka for a moment. “But Mr. Takimoka, You always gave very positive report about sushant? What I am listening? Don’t you think we should do something about this issue.”
Takimoka, sensing the gravity of matter, made an attempt to control the damages. He said , no issue, I will talk to sushant and make him to apologise to Ravi and he will also improve about his behaviour. Leave it to me. I will handle. He then asked Gopalan to meet him in his cabin with Ravi to discuss and resolve the matter.
Before Gopalan could take HR head into confidence and brief him about incidence, He saw a mail from sushant with copy to Takimoka, Ravi, HR head and M.D. Following is the mail:
“Dear sir, Regarding yesterday Incident, I want to say that I was very much engaged in various jobs since last few days causing stress and during that state of mind I talked to Ravi sir. If something has hurt him, I feel sorry for that. I never intended to insult him. I have been giving all my time with full devotion at the cost of my family and personal life to the company. No one should doubt my loyalty and commitment. I will try to improve upon my behaviour also.”
Gopalan gave a call to HR head and Ravi and requested them to come to his office immediately. But, after reading sushant’s mail, Gopalan was thinking in different direction.
Questions for Discussion and Solutions
How do you interpret the personality traits of sushant? Was he a good manager?
Sushant may be good as a worker, as an individual lone contributor who by the sheer presence of his talent, skills, perseverance and hard work has worked his way up the ladder in his current manufacturing organisation. However Sushant should realize that talent and technical skills alone is not good enough. As one grows in the organisation and the number of years pass by, demands of the job and the organisation vary, they change. So one needs to adapt to it, develop themselves as per it. Repeatedly being in the same profile will not help.
Also by virtue of being in the same organisation for the past 12 years since the start of it, one tends to develop a laid back attitude and of being that in a comfort zone that nothing will happen to me as seen in the statement by Sushant to his boss Ravi that he has seen many bosses who have failed to control him and ultimately left the company. Sushant is also comforted by the fact in the back-end that he is the blue-eyed poster boy of Mr. Takimoka, Operations Head from Japan who had deep interference in operational activities of the Manufacturing Unit.
How do you underline the approach of Mr. Takimoka in this episode?
Mr. Takimoka took a conciliatory approach in this matter. Their Indian counterparts Mr. Ravi and Mr. Gopalan had decided to take the matter of Sushant hands on and had decided to confront him and also show to him as to who is the boss. However since the matter was reported to Mr. Takimoka who always had a positive report about Sushant and was impressed by his work decided to speak to Sushant alone, calm him down, maybe give him some guidance, tips on how to get along with everyone by improving his behavior including his seniors as it would be good for everyone in the organisation, it would be a win-win situation as compared to a confrontational approach.
However Mr. Takimoka knew that time was running out from him, Sushant’s matter had indeed become grave and there was not much he could do to control the damages as Mr. Gopalan the Manufacturing Head had reported that due to Sushant’s Behavior and inclination to not follow systems and processes, the organisation had lost 3 DGM’s in the last 5 years. It would be a matter of time that the organisation would have to let go of Sushant if he did not change or improve his behavior and look for a replacement. As ultimately, systems and processes are important, that define an organisation and not an individual.
How Manufacturing head Mr. Gopalan should handle this matter now?
Gopalan was going to take the HR head into confidence and was going to brief him about the incidence. However he saw an email from Sushant apologizing about the incidence that had happened and the underlying factors that led to it. Since the matter has come on record, on mail, Gopalan should still speak to the HR head about it including with Ravi and give their views also. Let the HR head then take a judicious call. Sushant’s mail should also be replied to. Since Sushant has apologized, everyone can move on but care should be taken that such instances do not repeat again
Sushant should be informed to improve his behavior and attitude. Maybe some sort of coaching and mentoring in behavioral attitude can help Sushant. Also since Sushant has said that he was engaged in various jobs for the past few days and was pursuing it passionately at the cost of his family and personal life, all his 3 seniors should have a meeting with him and see if he needs a helping hand so as to reduce his workload and thus work pressure. That will perhaps lead to Sushant being in a better frame of mind and thus in behavior also.
Should Ravi also change his functioning style keeping in view the prevailing relations dynamics?
No, I don’t think Ravi should change his functioning style keeping in view the prevailing relations dynamics. He was right in asking details directly from the Graduate Engineering Trainee (GET) when Sushant failed to provide it to him inspite of regular reminders. Ravi was also right in knowing as to what the reportees under him were going about doing their planning work and how are they going to deliver. As a boss, he has the right to know as to what his subordinates are up to. Ravi was also right in reminding Sushant how he had failed in his other duties of taking the AM along with him during visit to Tooling Vendors but did so alone. Ignoring your reporting authority’s instructions repeatedly is not a good sign of things to come and hence Ravi was right in his actions.
Sushant should learn to respect his seniors, his colleagues instead of confronting them verbally or by not following their instructions. If Sushant did not enjoy reporting to either Ravi or Gopalan, he should make it explicitly clear and try to work out a solution towards it. Either sit with them and tell to them what he sees are right or wrongs in their working relationship and also listen to their views and see if some amicable solution can be worked out. Else, Sushant can go for a change of profile or reporting authority.
When arrogance dilutes competence
It was not a very good start of the day for Ravinarayan DGM production engineering of this manufacturing unit. Joined only six months before, Ravi was finding some difficulty in handing his manager sushant who was there for lat 12 years i.e. since start of the unit and gradually promoted to this level.
The factory is a joint venture of India and Japan with management control of Indian professionals but at the same time Japanese management has deep interference in operational activities as they have deputed their people as operations head, quality and engineering Head. Indian Management Board also kept one manufacturing head having administrative control over all affairs. Both these Operations head and manufacturing heads were reporting to Indian MD.
Half an hour before Ravi had a hot altercation with sushant. Actually Ravi asked the new graduate trainee to submit his activity details for discussion, because in spite of repeated calling to sushant, he was not providing the details to Ravi which caused delay in planning certain activities. Knowing about asking graduate trainee to provide activity details directly by Ravi, sushant shouted on him in a derogatory manner as to why he asked the GET directly to provide details and bypassed him? Sushant’s tone was on high pitch. He cautioned Ravi, his boss that this way he can’t survive in the company and he (sushant) was not afraid of anyone as he has seen many bosses who have failed to control him and ultimately left the company.
Ravi was not prepared for this in front office openly when Ravi came out from daily morning meeting. “Sushant- what happened? Why are you so annoyed? Let us go to the office and talk”, Ravi tried to play down the incident which was noticed by other managers also coming out of the meeting room along with him but nobody stayed there and pretended as nothing happened. It was shocks for Ravi as he never imagined that asking GET directly to provide details will make sushant so furious.
Both went towards Ravi’s Office but on the way while passing through corridors of manufacturing area, Sushant was talking very loudly. He also challenged Ravi that he can do whatever he likes. He does not care for anyone. Ravi decided not to go to office with him and replied, “Sushant, I had to ask GET because you were not caring for my request since last 15 days and thing were getting delayed. I must know what you are planning and how you are going to deliver.” Ravi reminded Sushant that few days back he was instructed to take along another Astt. Manager while visiting Tooling Vendor companies, but he avoided his instructions and went alone for visit. Ravi came to know only this fact when inquired from Astt. Manager about the outcome of visit and he revealed that sushant did not take him along as he kept waiting.
Ravi felt humiliated. He went to Manufacturing head Mr. Gopalan and reported the matter. Ravi briefed him about the incident and also said that it was not his first incident. Sometime back also he misbehaved with some store people when Sushant was requested not to avoid/bypass the laid down process for dispatch of moulds and dies to tooling Vendor Company. Sushant thrashed him also for “intervening” in his way of working.
Actually sushant was blue eyed boy of Japanese Operations head Mr. Takimoka and whenever, his incidents were reported to him, he took casually and advised manufacturing head Gopalan and Ravi to adjust with him as sushant was very old, senior and high potential manager and was delivering the things as per expat’s desire. Sushant’s ability to perform at high level put by putting his heart and soul without caring for working hours in completing tasks made him ignoring of following processes. Sushant did not enjoy reporting to Ravi or any other senior including Gopalan except operations head Mr. Takimoka.
Manufacturing head Gopalan was also not happy with sushant’s behaviour and attitude and he was getting repeated reports about his arrogant behaviour. After listening to Ravi, he said, “need not to worry, don’t get upset, I will take care”.
Next day after morning meeting Gopalan met MD where Mr. Takimoka was also sitting in his cabin.
Gopalan: sir, now enough is enough . We need to take call about sushant. His incidents of misbehaviour are increasing. Yesterday, he openly insulted and shouted on Ravi in front office. He does not want to follow processes and systems. In last five years we have lost three DGMs.
MD kept listening and saw towards Takimoka for a moment. “But Mr. Takimoka, You always gave very positive report about sushant? What I am listening? Don’t you think we should do something about this issue.”
Takimoka, sensing the gravity of matter, made an attempt to control the damages. He said , no issue, I will talk to sushant and make him to apologise to Ravi and he will also improve about his behaviour. Leave it to me. I will handle. He then asked Gopalan to meet him in his cabin with Ravi to discuss and resolve the matter.
Before Gopalan could take HR head into confidence and brief him about incidence, He saw a mail from sushant with copy to Takimoka, Ravi, HR head and M.D. Following is the mail:
“Dear sir, Regarding yesterday Incident, I want to say that I was very much engaged in various jobs since last few days causing stress and during that state of mind I talked to Ravi sir. If something has hurt him, I feel sorry for that. I never intended to insult him. I have been giving all my time with full devotion at the cost of my family and personal life to the company. No one should doubt my loyalty and commitment. I will try to improve upon my behaviour also.”
Gopalan gave a call to HR head and Ravi and requested them to come to his office immediately. But, after reading sushant’s mail, Gopalan was thinking in different direction.
Questions for Discussion and Solutions
How do you interpret the personality traits of sushant? Was he a good manager?
Sushant may be good as a worker, as an individual lone contributor who by the sheer presence of his talent, skills, perseverance and hard work has worked his way up the ladder in his current manufacturing organisation. However Sushant should realize that talent and technical skills alone is not good enough. As one grows in the organisation and the number of years pass by, demands of the job and the organisation vary, they change. So one needs to adapt to it, develop themselves as per it. Repeatedly being in the same profile will not help.
Also by virtue of being in the same organisation for the past 12 years since the start of it, one tends to develop a laid back attitude and of being that in a comfort zone that nothing will happen to me as seen in the statement by Sushant to his boss Ravi that he has seen many bosses who have failed to control him and ultimately left the company. Sushant is also comforted by the fact in the back-end that he is the blue-eyed poster boy of Mr. Takimoka, Operations Head from Japan who had deep interference in operational activities of the Manufacturing Unit.
How do you underline the approach of Mr. Takimoka in this episode?
Mr. Takimoka took a conciliatory approach in this matter. Their Indian counterparts Mr. Ravi and Mr. Gopalan had decided to take the matter of Sushant hands on and had decided to confront him and also show to him as to who is the boss. However since the matter was reported to Mr. Takimoka who always had a positive report about Sushant and was impressed by his work decided to speak to Sushant alone, calm him down, maybe give him some guidance, tips on how to get along with everyone by improving his behavior including his seniors as it would be good for everyone in the organisation, it would be a win-win situation as compared to a confrontational approach.
However Mr. Takimoka knew that time was running out from him, Sushant’s matter had indeed become grave and there was not much he could do to control the damages as Mr. Gopalan the Manufacturing Head had reported that due to Sushant’s Behavior and inclination to not follow systems and processes, the organisation had lost 3 DGM’s in the last 5 years. It would be a matter of time that the organisation would have to let go of Sushant if he did not change or improve his behavior and look for a replacement. As ultimately, systems and processes are important, that define an organisation and not an individual.
How Manufacturing head Mr. Gopalan should handle this matter now?
Gopalan was going to take the HR head into confidence and was going to brief him about the incidence. However he saw an email from Sushant apologizing about the incidence that had happened and the underlying factors that led to it. Since the matter has come on record, on mail, Gopalan should still speak to the HR head about it including with Ravi and give their views also. Let the HR head then take a judicious call. Sushant’s mail should also be replied to. Since Sushant has apologized, everyone can move on but care should be taken that such instances do not repeat again
Sushant should be informed to improve his behavior and attitude. Maybe some sort of coaching and mentoring in behavioral attitude can help Sushant. Also since Sushant has said that he was engaged in various jobs for the past few days and was pursuing it passionately at the cost of his family and personal life, all his 3 seniors should have a meeting with him and see if he needs a helping hand so as to reduce his workload and thus work pressure. That will perhaps lead to Sushant being in a better frame of mind and thus in behavior also.
Should Ravi also change his functioning style keeping in view the prevailing relations dynamics?
No, I don’t think Ravi should change his functioning style keeping in view the prevailing relations dynamics. He was right in asking details directly from the Graduate Engineering Trainee (GET) when Sushant failed to provide it to him inspite of regular reminders. Ravi was also right in knowing as to what the reportees under him were going about doing their planning work and how are they going to deliver. As a boss, he has the right to know as to what his subordinates are up to. Ravi was also right in reminding Sushant how he had failed in his other duties of taking the AM along with him during visit to Tooling Vendors but did so alone. Ignoring your reporting authority’s instructions repeatedly is not a good sign of things to come and hence Ravi was right in his actions.
Sushant should learn to respect his seniors, his colleagues instead of confronting them verbally or by not following their instructions. If Sushant did not enjoy reporting to either Ravi or Gopalan, he should make it explicitly clear and try to work out a solution towards it. Either sit with them and tell to them what he sees are right or wrongs in their working relationship and also listen to their views and see if some amicable solution can be worked out. Else, Sushant can go for a change of profile or reporting authority.
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