Friday 29 May 2015

'Yes Man'

It’s natural
To like the person
Who agrees with you

You may claim
To be a thorough professional
Yet you cannot deny
that you are basically human
and love to be fawned over..

Knowingly, unknowingly
'Yes' men surround you
With time, any dissent annoys you

Guys singing a different tune
Seen as an enemy
to be left behind
Sacrificed  for  the
Needs of the ego

Couldn’t care less for the needs
or interests of the mother
your  organization…

Tuesday 5 May 2015

Pygmalion Effect

The Greek fable on Pygmalion, the sculptor
‘Pygmalion’, the play of Bernard Shaw
HBR studies on the phenomenon
and book of Moid Siddiqui
All beckon  us  to pay heed
to the power of expectations

When treated as a lady
And expectations made as from a lady
The flower seller transformed
in all aspects to be hailed
“My fair Lady”
but when scorned
and treated like dirt
she slipped back
to an uncouth flower girl!

The same thought expressed
in Goethe’s famous quote -
 “ treat people as if
they were what they ought to be
and you help them to become
what they are capable of being”

When will corporates take the cue
and treat all their people with respect?
not just in speeches from decked up platforms
But in day to day little matters
that matter a lot to employees
When will corporates
harvest the benefits of becoming Pygmalion leaders?


NB: The 'Pygmalion'written by Bernard Shaw in the thirties was made into a successful Holywood movie "My Fair Lady"in the sixties. J. Sterling Livingston wrote the HBR classic in 1969. Mr Moid Siddiqui, management author wrote the book -"Pygmillion Manager" in 2008.