Journey through life

learning by observation

Tyranny

Man management and how NOT to do it.

In every organisation I have worked in or been a part of a tyrant has raised his head. In every case to be banished….eventually, but often the damage has already been done.

Tyrants operate by and from fear. They get to their position by making the most noise. They guide, in their fashion, with a “big stick” to intimidate others and supress alternative views or guidance, both of which they always lack and/or refuse to acknowledge.

This generates fear in others and stems from their own fears of inadequacy – the need to prove themselves, pressure – must do this must do that, failure – not an option in the tyrant’s way of thinking, but often their downfall as they suppress idea generation.

With all this inbuilt fear a common trait is a lack of a sense of humour which is a useful indicator to look out for; not always a sign as some people are either very focussed and/or lacking in the ability to engage with others. The tyrant always engages, but on his own terms and not empathetically.

They will also fail to hold to the values of the rest of the team or fall foul of the “don’t do what I do, but do what I say” syndrome, a very counterproductive methodology.

Do not confuse a tyrant with a provocateur which we cover below.

Genuine encouragement and leadership by not doing

Man management and how to do it.

Genuine encouragement comes quietly and from the heart with no buts. A sign of an empathetic leader who “leads” by doing “nothing” and understanding delegation and allowing people to be who they are and to flourish knowing that they can make mistakes and not be in fear of being “punished”.

They will have a sense of humour, and their operating mantra is to enjoy what they are doing and to have fun doing it.

A marked difference from the tyrannical approach.

Difficult decision making - Observe, orientate, decide, act.

There will always be times when a difficult decision needs to be taken and requires doing for the greater good. The proverbial bad apple needs removing as quickly as possible. Admitting errors and realigning ones approach is equally important. Like in so many life experiences we require a framework in which to operate.

The OODA loop is a very practical process borrowed from the US Navy Top Gun training manual. Sitting in the cockpit of a carrier launched fighter plane involves making quick decisions in a complex environment. A bit like everyday life without the fun of landing on an aircraft carrier! Similar emotions, fears and pressures, potentially leading to poor choices, overwhelm and certainly in the case of a fighter pilot terminal outcomes.

First comes observation in the present moment – the Now – not while thinking about what you are going to have for dinner or scrolling through WhatsApp reels – here, now and fully present. Only then can you see what is actually happening. What is coming in from the outside, the outside of your being. What is then your best direction of travel, decide on that best orientation, and act on it. And then start all over again - from moment to moment. – it’s a loop remember as once you start thinking about dinner again the metaphorical plane hits the ground – or goes into the sea if you are a naval pilot.

Case studies

My very first boss when I started in the accountancy profession was the archetypal military tyrant. Tyranny works in the military where absolute obedience to what often seem to be irrational requests, is not only required, but is vitally necessary. It doesn’t often translate to life outside that narrow enclave. The phone in the articled clerks room would ring and if the red light on the top was flashing it was said boss. The last person left in the room had to answer the phone and would be given a menial task that if not carried out to the letter would result in a humiliating dressing down. This resulted in desks by the door going for a premium and engendering quite the wrong spirit in the firm. You either resigned (I resigned) or became a “yes man”. Tyrants breed yes men.

At my next job my boss was my father! Again in accountancy and a very different atmosphere where he also held the role of staff partner. He was also ex military, but unlike the previous boss who was Eton, Oxford and a major in the Guards, he was Brentford High School and a Colour Sergeant in Princess Louise’s Kensington regiment. I’m tempted to say he saw more of life than the major… He listened to people. He didn’t have much choice as his hearing was compromised by a bullet in the ear during the D-day landings. He had to concentrate on listening, although he could be selective; his sense of smell was excellent and could tell bullshit a long way off. A very good example of genuine encouragement and leadership by not doing.

Another trait I have observed in good leaders is provocation; not by the sound of it an obvious attribute. What I discovered was that provocation was a means to find out what made people tick, where was their spirit and importantly to elicit the best in them. The yes men would agree or keep silent, but others if provoked would “push back” often coming up with a valuable counter which was exactly what the provoker was after. I had two bosses (and a father) like that all of whom were difficult to get on with at first, but once sufficiently provoked, the push back opened up many satisfying opportunities. Beware the provocative tyrant. Their agenda is different; they want to show you who is top dog, and it’s not you.

Firing people is never particularly pleasant (unless you are a tyrant and/or D.Trump…). It is however vital if people are creating angst either by being unsuited for their role or by aspiring to be a tyrant. I worked in one firm where they had examples of both. In the first case the individual concerned had some very strange ideas about his station and how everyone else should behave towards him. I still remember the palpable sense of relief though the whole company when the MD escorted him from the office clutching his black plastic sack of personal items. The second example was a failure to sack an incompetent who then failed heroically and cost the firm a lot of money. Lesson learned the hard way. Observed, orientated, decided, but failed to act.

Three bosses stand out: one supreme tyrant, one genuine leader and one agent provocateur.

The tyrant had an allegedly tough upbringing (never discount the conditioning we all go through from birth and all the way through life) and was always quick with praise and always with a “but” that cut your legs from under you. Damned by faint praise had nothing on this guy. The pressure cooker atmosphere eventually led to many resignations and his overbearing arrogance eventually got him the sack by which time the harm had been done. His bosses eventually applied the OODA loop process but too late. He did however teach me a valuable lesson; how not to succeed in man management, for which I will be forever grateful.

The genuine leader quietly watched two prior leaders of the business fail, one tyrant, one incompetent, before being offered the job, which came as a surprise to him, but not to others. I remember asking him how he was going to approach the new role and in a very humble way said that everyone in the firm knew what they were doing and that he was going to make sure they enjoyed doing it and were having fun into the bargain. Maaarvellous!

The provocateur? Hated him on first sight. He prodded and poked and irritated everyone. But he knew what he was doing and those fortunate enough to get the message benefited enormously. You had to work with him to understand his motives which were to get the best out of the extraordinary team he had put together and to support them unfailingly. Anyone with a less than complementary word about the team was in for a shock. He was the classic “Marmite” individual; you loved him or hated him. I managed to make the transition!

What has been learned?

The sub heading of this piece is “learning by observation” something that is in my make up and a skill I continue to develop. Human Design has been a great influence not just in this aspect, but life in general and is a process that I desire to bring to everyone’s table. Are you interested to learn more about this fascinating topic? If so Iinvite you to visit this site. https://bambaji.com/ Bias alert - Bambaji is my wife!😎

As well as the three key attributes covered above the art of communication is the missing link. Our methodology has changed enormously in my lifetime, from fixed phone lines where you placed calls via an operator you didn’t even get to “dial” a number. This is what a dial on a phone looked like. Some of you won’t have seen one of these!

To “smart”phone technology with voice control, instant email (we still get mail but most of the knocks on the door are now deliveries from Mr Amazon), social media and Zoom meetings to mention but a few.

The art of conversation and even more importantly listening has gone into decline. Fortunately what goes down eventually comes back up again so an effective communication process is essential.

What more can we learn?

We have all worked in organisations that follow the mushroom growing principle of keeping everyone in the dark and feeding them manure if they dare to ask WTF is going on.

Open, clear, honest and regular communication with no exceptions is another of the keys to success. Especially where team members are living and working in the far flung corners regular updates have to replace the walk around the office approach which is another sign of a good leader. Unnecessary meetings are as unwelcome as death by PowerPoint, but regular updates and feedback are vital and not to be relgated to the “I’m too busy for this category”. This reminds me of the story of a traveller coming across a man in the forest cutting down a tree. He can see that the man’s saw is blunt and suggests that he sharpen it which will make his life a whole lot easier. “No”, says the man “I havent got time to do that, I’m too busy cutting this tree down.”

And even more important is listening to the feedback.

"The best leaders are almost always the best listeners. They have an open mind. They are not interested in having their own way, but in finding the best way". Wilferd Peterson

The underlying assumption of Peterson's observation - and its use of 'the best way' - is that the sole focus ought to be on people as assets....and within that context, a goal of producing 'the greatest fulfilment of potential for the greatest number'.

I mentioned earlier encouraging individual responsibility (not just in the working environment) and the necessity to allow for “mistakes” which are essential learning opportunities for everyone. This quote from Friedrich Hayek sums it all up rather well.

“It is only where the individual has choice, and its inherent responsibility, that he has occasion to affirm existing values, to contribute to their further growth, and to earn moral merit.”

Rather than being planned from above, greater agency and flourishing comes when individuals are empowered, capable, and free to take responsibility to direct their own lives and be the protagonists of their lives. By removing barriers and increasing economic freedoms, an environment is created in which individuals have more opportunities to innovate, solve problems, and create value that benefits not just themselves, but society as a whole.

A goal for any project is that it enhances individuals’ capacities for self-determination, individual choice, and peaceful, voluntary cooperation in society.

And it follows that individuals, as moral agents, have the capacity to make choices and seek the ends they desire. When this capacity for self-determination is supplemented with education, training, investment, and tools that inspire excellence, they are then able to realize their potential. Through peaceful cooperation and voluntary exchange, individuals can improve the world around them.

Conclusion

Nothing here is new. It just highlights that there are always better ways to do things if one starts observing from, and stays in, the present moment. Simple and easy! You can do it!😎