ABCD of Management - NOT taught at Harvard

Chanakya also known as kutilya or vishnugupta in his book Arthashastra describes the ways of dealing with an enemy or an opponent: sama (appease), dana (rewarding), bheda (sowing differences in enemy camp) and danda (use of force). This is the natural or recommended order of dealing with the opponent.

In order to manage and get the work done from your team, these old techniques with slight modification of definition (as team is not your enemy or opponent) can be applied to get the desired results.

Sama – Ask the team member to complete the assigned task or remind him about his responsibilities.

Dana – Show him the carrot – Use your rewarding power. Address his top perceived needs that motivates him to work.

Bheda – Highlight the difference – Generate competitive spirit by highlighting what the peers have achieved.

Danda – Use of Corrosive power or Legitimate power you have – You better do it, else I am going to screw up your appraisal.

I am sure, if not in a sequence these management techniques many of us experienced or applied in dealing with the team to get the work done.

There is also another technique and I call it as, “ABCD of Management” and we find some of the so called 'leaders' effectively using it when team members approach them with problems.

‘A’void  - Avoid the team member  – If a person comes to you with a problem, say that you are too busy and ask them to schedule a meeting and block the calendar. Once scheduled, counter and re-schedule after 2 weeks. If required, re-schedule couple of more times. By that time either the problem is solved or the person may not come to you again with a problem.

‘B’lame – Blame the team member – If a person comes to you with a problem or got into a problem resulting in schedule slippage, blame them that they are useless and fit for nothing. Choose a subject in which you are the master and the person may not know anything about it (even though it is not required or relevant to their job) and then intimidate them with questions on that subject. Tell them the past stories of your problem solving capability.

 

‘C’onfuse – Confuse the team member – Talk about everything in the world except the problem. Try to relate un-related things and confuse them so that they do not come again.

‘D’elegate – Delegate the problem – Behave as if the person has insulted you by getting too silly and stupid problem and you are too busy and do not want to waste your time. “What! Is this a problem, go to that person, he will help you to solve this”.

If you are using these 'ABCD' techniques, its time for you to move.

"The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership" - General Colin Powell