The analysis beans are back in action. So I picked myself up from a temporary bout of despair and angst and went about doing some root cause analysis - of the current state of affairs in the government.
I had already written about the negative impact of certain work-culture issues - starting with "The many management maladies". It is relevant here - as a huge first-part of the analysis.
1. Process and Protocol: established leaders in causing non-performance
1.1 Process: Process (nay, procedure... if you want to be anal-ytical), is the first and last refuge to every government-servant. Anything can be road-blocked using this. Oddly enough, "process" is only very rarely used to accelerate results - though we'll find any number of self-congratulatory PPTs to the contrary - especially if we don't want to look deep.
1.2 Protocol-and-ego cocktail: This is worse than the worst Molotov Cocktail. Most often, ego is very closely linked to and confused with "protocol".
My first experience of protocol was with a Japanese delegation; in any meeting only the senior-most person present would speak. I wasn't impressed then. I am not now. No doubt, that the senior-most person most often has the best judgement (okay, there are exceptions, but they are only exceptions) and the best broad-field perception of all issues involved. However, lack of in-depth knowledge of the matter at hand; combined with an ego that prevents openly consulting juniors / specialists in front of others - makes an excellent recipe for decision-making disasters.
This feeds quite effectively to the vicious cycle:
I had already written about the negative impact of certain work-culture issues - starting with "The many management maladies". It is relevant here - as a huge first-part of the analysis.
1. Process and Protocol: established leaders in causing non-performance
1.1 Process: Process (nay, procedure... if you want to be anal-ytical), is the first and last refuge to every government-servant. Anything can be road-blocked using this. Oddly enough, "process" is only very rarely used to accelerate results - though we'll find any number of self-congratulatory PPTs to the contrary - especially if we don't want to look deep.
1.2 Protocol-and-ego cocktail: This is worse than the worst Molotov Cocktail. Most often, ego is very closely linked to and confused with "protocol".
My first experience of protocol was with a Japanese delegation; in any meeting only the senior-most person present would speak. I wasn't impressed then. I am not now. No doubt, that the senior-most person most often has the best judgement (okay, there are exceptions, but they are only exceptions) and the best broad-field perception of all issues involved. However, lack of in-depth knowledge of the matter at hand; combined with an ego that prevents openly consulting juniors / specialists in front of others - makes an excellent recipe for decision-making disasters.
This feeds quite effectively to the vicious cycle:
- subordinates routinely push matters upwards for consideration, decision, approval, you-name-it; while actively diminishing their own contribution (often taking perverse pleasure in it)
- bosses routinely micromanage; encouraging the subordinates along the downward spiral of non-performance, even while cribbing non-stop about how they can't get good help these days
2. Micromanagement: a most compelling solution for most result-oriented Managers!
Yes, we touched upon it already - but it is such a huge factor that it deserves separate attention. It both feeds-into and feeds-off the eco-system. The effects are so well known, that no more needs saying. The irony is that it is managers who want to achieve something who adopt this most!
3. Effective weeding out of any initiative and performance
Quick and decisive punishments are a hallmark of all *good* officers. It puts the subordinates in place, elevates the self-image of the officers concerned and results in all-round approving nods.
It is an effective cure to anyone who dares put a toe out of line -- either violating a protocol (nay, ego) or making an honest mistake while performing one's duty. No wonder, one IT Manager told me not so long ago
"Sir, we don't want the responsibility of taking backups because if we fail to restore even a single backup, we will be suspended from duty". So the eco-system effectively ensured that no backups were taken. Ever!!
Joseph, a friend of mine, said recently: "In the workplace, I should have the right to be wrong; if I am going to be [punished] for [making a mistake], then ... ". I fully agree with him.
But then, even this honest-to-goodness recipe can be poisoned by the next and the most vicious factor.
4. Generations of finely-tuned culture of apathy
The value system has eroded so significantly that in the last two decades I've heard ONLY ONCE, that "Public Service is an honor and a privilege".
So this is "culture"? Nay, it is a disease.
"Get a government job. Life will be good". I've heard variations of this theme uncountable times. It is so shockingly and routinely doled out by our elders - no less. With all due respect for well-meaning elders and their concern for our well-being, we must accord this particular contribution (to the malaise) its due "credit".
No, let us not pretend that their advice is given with good intent and it is we who misinterpret it. I am old enough to know that the good intent has been wiped out over the generations of repeating this advice. Today, it is dispensed openly to promote "don't work; take pay; do side-business while being a government employee" and such ideas. Not even to glibly disguise it as "work-life balance".
This is one malaise that I will keep working against, all my life.
Fortunately, unlike some other problems (e.g., The legacy of Brahmin), there is still some hope in this particular case.
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