Are you under coral reef boss?

The people, mostly the top management and the senior leaders in most corporate often appears to ‘shift their position and change their total character’ according to the situation. The people in the corporate generally worry a lot about such leaders and hold least respect to such bosses. The people those who are working with such leaders often describe such leaders as characterless people who have no values and ethics.

The point of discussion is not about whether such people follow any values or ethics. If we look at such ‘behaviour’ however bizarre it may appear to people, from nature’s point of view or from the point of view of biology, is quite normal and is well accepted. This is one of the evolutionary advantages the nature has given to some animals to be successful.

If the corporate people venture to study a bit about ‘hermaphrodite’ animals (both male and female gonads are present in the same animal), can understand the distinction clearly.

Among the ‘hermaphrodite’ animals, some animals exhibit the identity of ‘bidirectional sex changers’. Some species of coral reef fishes, according to the situation, would change their social and sex status. If they encounter a very dominant coral reef fish where they have to be submissive and subservient to them, become ‘female’ and avoid conflict. They simply accept the social status of ‘female’ under such circumstances. On the other hand, if they encounter a subordinate/submissive coral reef fish, they immediately turn to ‘male’ and establish their higher social order.

Exactly the same way, many corporate leaders also change their ‘character’ and ‘position’ in the corporate ecosystem’ to avoid any threat or conflict to their job. Why they behave exactly like some species of coral reef fishes is because of their ‘own’ survival reason. That is how the nature has created different species of animals and that is how the ‘biology’ functions.

Such strange behaviour, from the point of view of bosses is completely normal. Then why the people in their team feel upset about it? The people in the team look at their boss largely as ‘protector’ of the team. When such bosses shifts from protecting the team to protecting the self naturally such bosses cause uncertainty and insecurity to the team.

The corporate cannot blame either such bosses or the people in the team who call such bosses characterless. The corporate must conceded to the fact that those who exhibit ‘bidirectional sex changer’ behaviour are not right fit for leading a team. The leadership components of people must be thoroughly understood by the HR function before making as team head or functional head.

The management message of nature is very clear. Any strange and bizarre behaviour is possible with corporate people. Every strange manifestation of behaviour of people in corporate has a reference in nature and hence accepts the same as gift of nature. Do not blame them or the behaviour; understand what role such people can play in corporate is only important.

Dr S Ranganathan