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This article is not to cast any aspersion or make value judgement about any individual by any name, but taking cue from just concluded T20 World Cup, trying to highlight and debate a syndrome – Raina-Yuvraj syndrome – that afflicts Indians, especially at work.
Indian workspace like society outside is also afflicted by sense of entitlements. These come from our feudal mind-set and feudal value-system. These feudal value systems are at work even in the forward looking and next-gen businesses. This is what I am calling Raina-Yuvraj syndrome to take advantage of cricket fervour. Raina and Yuvraj have contributed pretty well in their days, but they are in past. They are not in the best of cricketing form. This must be acknowledged and set to rest there. Abraham Lincoln once said, “you have to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was”. If you look at current Indian team, they have been the weakest links in the whole team. To top it all there are better and more deserving younger players who are on benches or worst still ignored in selection. These are ‘big names’ and therefore have entitlements to be counted before smaller pawns in the ‘game’. So what, if India does not present its best foot forward in a competitive game environment.
This is not a cricket story but I wish to highlight that a syndrome that afflicts Indian work ethos as well. There are plenty of people in different roles across our society – in government, bureaucracy and commercial businesses – who stifle growth because they undeservedly occupy positions of influence, while those who deserve wait on the sidelines for a turn that often does not come, not in time for sure. You will find enough number of people who will support such sense of entitlements as well. Those who do not feel entitled have their voices lost in the noise.
Look at the whole people processes in an organisation and you will find tremendous emphasis for example on institution you went to, marks you scored in school and college, which brand you worked for etc. These have their value but greater value is what the person brings to table ‘today’ and how he/ she uses current skills to learn and transform current realities and likely to handle future challenges. Past has a value, but limited one since the business and social dynamics are changing fast today. We need people who are better abled to transform challenges into opportunities, make mistakes and learn from them. I am sure most of you will agree with my statement above, the real question is how many of you will hire a person who made a mistake in the past and acknowledges that in his written profile as well as is upfront in sharing it. Very few in my experience practice that. While hiring we look for quick fixes, while promoting we look for safe bets, while training we play it safe – one common thread in all our people-oriented decisions are anchored in past and suffer from Raina-Yuvraj syndrome. People who come with some entitlement or carry a sense of entitlement with them are likely to be least critiqued and therefore are safe bets.
We are at a cusp of very exciting times. The whole world is priming on India as the only star of hope. We must however get into a productive mind-set to harness full benefit of this situation. We must let go of some of unproductive mind-set issues that could be a limiting chain on our ankles. Feudal mindset at work is one such shackle we must get rid of and quickly at that. We must promote a culture driven by abilities and current realities and not be soaked in over-indulgence of past raising hopes of entitlements. Capable people must be brought forward, applauded, supported and cheered. But beware do not make icons of them – that is back to the feudal mindset. Let every day reality change the champions on daily basis, if that is what it takes.
We should promote-by-practice a people culture that is led by ability to fail-and-learn-from-it (not safe players), people who appear less-than-the-best but willing to kick the dust are better bets in tough times, don’t exclude large populace of capable, ambitious and right-meaning people who may be vernacular speaking but sharper and much better bets. Some of them often may not use popular urban language and linguistics, because of lack of exposure. Some may be there because they were born earlier and nothing else.
Where do you stand on this line of assessing people – confidence-on-entitlement or confidence-on-capability? Breaking this blue-blood dominating and feudal mindset of entitlement will unleash tremendous energy in organisations of all hues and foster an environment of collaboration that could provide tremendous competitive edge. Look for everyday Champions, look for Champions of Future not rely only on those who had their days.
Future is bright – unleash the talent to grab and celebrate it!