Why most people in corporate prefers to be less seen by the bosses – a HR message from young Komodo dragon

Why the young Komodo dragons live an arboreal life for some years as soon as they hatched out from eggs? Komodo dragons are indeed terrestrial animals, prevalent in some islands in Indonesia like Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Padar etc.

The choice of young Komodo dragons that prefer to live on tree top (arboreal) during their early phase of life has an important management message/approach for the modern corporate to learn.

The habitat where the Komodo dragons live, many other animals dare to visit or enter. These animals are one of the top predators and even a well grown buffalo or deer are known to have been preyed by this giant reptile. Like biologist searching the answer to the above question, the corporate and its HR function also must know the reason for the arboreal behaviour of young Komodo dragon.

The reason for the above is very interesting. First enemy of the young Komodo dragons are none other than the adult Komodo dragons. The adult animals will kill the young animals and eat. The young animals do not have any protection from within their group. Hence they do so for their own survival. The young ones therefore climb onto to the canopy of tall trees and live over there safely for a few years. The big animals cannot climb the trees due to their massive body weight.

Many subordinates in the corporate do behave like young Komodo dragons. When they find the people within the group to be unsafe they prefer to remain hidden and unseen or away from people especially the boss. Strangely some bosses also may exhibit the ‘young Komodo dragon behaviour’.

Their belief can be either perception centric or can be real. But whatever be the reason, the corporate and its HR function must address the ‘young Komodo dragon’ behaviour of people in corporate. There is a sense of uncertainty or fear in the mind of some people only contributes to the existence of such strange behaviour. Sometime their fear may have substance i.e., the corporate may be contributing the same.

Many corporate bosses are known to push or drive their subordinates to prefer an arboreal mode of life. Only when their subordinates are pushed away from them, the mischief, stupidity and ignorance of the bosses remain safe, unexposed and unseen by the subordinates.

Interestingly some of the subordinates would start to mix well with the bosses of other functions. The most complex and intricate boss-subordinate equilibrium that exist in most corporate is what the arboreal life of the young Komodo dragons conveys. Only when the corporate leaders compare and contemplate what exists in nature with their corporate situation, true learning and correction is possible.

Dr S Ranganathan