If your boss is unconcerned... learn this from lion

'Hierarchical disorderliness' is one of the prime reasons for the dissatisfaction and disappointment of people in most corporate. Unfortunately such hierarchal disorderliness does not exist in nature.

Assume a pride of lion had made a hunt successfully. The dominant lion is the first to have its meal and only then others in the pride can eat the rest. Once the dominant male finishes his meal, let others to eat their share is the rule. Once the members of the pride also finish their deal, generally they move away from the kill and let other scavengers and small predatory animals to eat the rest.

Depending upon the physical and biological need and depending upon the physical dominance and strength, each one will have their share. Once their deal is over, they let others to have the rest. Interestingly the structure of the predatory animals in nature is also organized in such a way where greater portion would go first to the strongest and remaining portions to the smaller ones in the jungle ecosystem. The needs of the smaller ones are naturally settled with the remaining or the left out resources.

The corporate hierarchy also functions the same way. If we look at the salary structure, highest package would go to the CEO's and the lowest to the people at the cadre of peons. But only difference is that the needs and aspirations of both the CEO and peon are almost the same as both of them live in same society. However the role and responsibility of CEO and peon in a corporate are certainly different.

Unlike the dominant lion once had its meal, how let others to have the rest, many CEO's does not show the same gesture or magnanimity to provide due justice to people at the lower levels in corporate. The CEO's always reserve the best for themselves and even the spill over portions they will not have the mind to part for the rest.

This heartlessness of the top management in some corporate is only called 'hierarchical disorderliness'. This problem is well pronounced only at the level of providing incentives, salary revision, bonus etc., to their team members. The top management always expects the people at lower rank to work like a clock. But never like to reward them duly.

One of the reasons for the above is the greed of man to accumulate everything beyond own needs purely because of fear of future. The tendency of accumulating anything and everything for own future is not seen among animals in general. That is why most animals once their need is fulfilled let others to have it. That is why great diversity exists in jungle. But in corporate, the cause for conflicts is only due to the greed, lack of compassion and lack of sensitivity of bosses towards their team members.

The suggestion is not to equalize the salary structure of CEO and peon, the same. But respect the needs and aspirations of people at the bottom level also. Provide opportunity and growth prospects to everyone. Move away from 'self centric' level of existence to 'people centric' level of existence. Let the corporate leaders learn such important management message from the hierarchy of pride of lion.

Dr. S. Ranganathan, ClinRise Derma Pvt., Ltd., Chennai

Desire, Dream and Destination – Social Entrepreneur Forum

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