In today’s management lesson, we talk about workplace dynamics wherein individuals who may not deserve a promotion themselves are elevated to higher positions due to the exceptional work and achievements of the people working under them or reporting to them. If you’re wondering why smeone undeserving was promoted, here’s a short story which explains why. The story is followed by our perspective on the situation.
It’s a fine sunny day in the forest and a lion is sitting outside his cave, lying lazily in the sun. Along comes a fox, out on a walk.
Fox: “Do you know the time, because my watch is broken”
Lion: “Oh, I can easily fix the watch for you”
Fox: “Hmm… But it’s a very complicated mechanism, and your big claws will only destroy it even more.”
Lion: “Oh no, give it to me, and it will be fixed”
Fox: “That’s ridiculous! Any fool knows that lazy lions with great claws cannot fix complicated watches”
Lion: “Sure they do, give it to me and it will be fixed”
The lion disappears into his cave, and after a while he comes back with the watch which is running perfectly. The fox is impressed, and the lion continues to lie lazily in the sun, looking very pleased with himself.
Soon a wolf comes along and stops to watch the lazy lion in the sun.
Wolf: “Can I come and watch TV tonight with you, because mine is broken”
Lion: “Oh, I can easily fix your TV for you”
Wolf: “You don’t expect me to believe such rubbish, do you? There is no way that a lazy lion with big claws can fix a complicated TV.
Lion: “No problem. Do you want to try it?”
The lion goes into his cave, and after a while comes back with a perfectly fixed TV. The wolf goes away happily and amazed.
Scene : Inside the lion’s cave. In one corner are half a dozen small and intelligent looking rabbits who are busily doing very complicated work with very detailed instruments. In the other corner lies a huge lion looking very pleased with himself.
Moral : If you want to know why a manager is famous, look at the work of his subordinates.
OR
If you are wondering why someone undeserving was promoted, look at the work of their subordinates.
Our management lessons highlight different perspectives on workplace dynamics. It’s essential to note that this short story reflects a perspective on workplace dynamics and promotions that may not apply universally to all situations.
In some cases, a leader may genuinely contribute to their team’s success and deserve their promotion, while in other cases, factors unrelated to merit may come into play. It is possible that the team performs at a high level in spite of the leader’s shortcomings, the leader gets more visibility because of the team’s performance, or that organizational politics or favoritism are at play. Therefore, it’s crucial to consider the context and individual circumstances when evaluating promotion decisions in any given organization.