Chain of Command : The modern world myth?

I love watching movies, not once but many times. Yup, I watch same movies many times, I think I watched “The Rock” the most. Military movies amaze me more than anything. In “The Rock” a group of rogue military personnel will hijack some missiles and take over the Alcatraz prison in the attempt to force the US government to acknowledge the deaths of soldiers in “special black ops missions”. Led by a General and his most trusted Major and crew, they will successfully hijack the missiles and their attempt to take over the decommissioned prison was successfully. However, in the end, they crumble and lost everything including their lives. 

The breakdown comes, when the general claims that the whole exercise is just a bluff. And he issues a command to disband the team and move out. But the team will renegade on him. The Captains (who are the middle management) will instruct the Sergeant at Arms (the Supervisor) to take the General into custody. And chaos follows, the result is mayhem where all of them die. 

I have seen this happen in management of companies. The higher management’s failure to let the middle management on the grand plan. Middle management gets frustrated and corrupts the staff’s mind with fables and horror stories. Next thing, productivity plunges and company is dragged downhill until one party wins or it brings down the whole organisation. Usually blame game will begin and depend who has a higher influence in the board or the owner, they will win.

In this modern world, if the management is hoping that their position is enough to get things done, they are doomed. The need leadership skills and the knowhow how to build trust among their peers and also subordinates. Unfortunately, those whom are promoted into the management are rarely trained with such skills. They are usually good in their respective jobs and when they hit the ceiling they are “promoted” and voila they are thrown into the toughest job ever, handling human beings. 

And the assumption that their position gives them power over the subordinates kicks in and marching orders are passed. If you expect your subordinate to ask “how high” when you ask to jump, you are living in the past. Now these days people will ask you to jump first, to proof on how high you can jump, breaking the myth that the chain of command will not be broken. 

They say that kids nowadays need a cause for them to follow. If you ask me, that always been the case. From the ancient times till now, people will follow you without question once they believe in you. And how do you build it in you and your people? For that you have to hire me as I have led many of my team into perilous battles which they have never faltered even under the heaviest fire. 

Ask them if you don’t believe me. They are everywhere. Even from my schooldays. 

#leadership #myth #cmvicks #umper #strategy