1. Many bosses in the corporate do compare the capability of one employee with the
other and commonly belittle their subordinates. They even goes to an extent of
comparing how the office boy is so meticulous, focused and intelligent in keeping
the office clean and doing the assigned job etc., Whereas, the qualified managers are
not completing the assigned projects with the same discipline of an office boy.
The question is whether such comparison is wise. Let use not discuss or validate
whether such comparison is right as such question may search its answer from the
premises of ‘morality’, ‘values & beliefs’ and ‘ethics’. We need to define the answer
to the above question more from science that exists in nature.
Look at the paradox/contrast that exists in nature. The gestation period of short-
nosed bandicoot is just 12 days. In every 13 th day, the short-nosed bandicoot
delivers its pups, post mating. On the contrary, the gestation period of the African
elephant is 22 months, i.e., 660 days. Only ones in every 661 st day, the African
elephant delivers her calf.
The number of pups delivered by the short-nosed bandicoot is much larger (5-6)
than the single calf of the African elephant. One can compare and states that the
short-nosed bandicoot to be very efficient in its reproduction than the African
elephant. In fact such statement appears to be true also.
Truth or fact should not be seen as the just end point/product of comparison but
one has to see fundamentally whether the comparison is made between the
‘comparable’ ones. Nature has several examples for the corporate not to compare
but to learn and understand the intricacies of the corporate management.
The bosses should restrain from making wrong references, comparison and
citations. The job of an office boy may be ‘repetitive’ in nature where the perfection
can be achieved easily. Further, the corporate bosses also may not evaluate the
performances of the office boy so closely. Whereas the job completion of the
manager or the people in other ranks, requires knowledge, experience, intelligence
and hence it may lack speed and apparent perfection like that of the office boys’ job.
There are instances, the owners of the corporate used to compare their CEO’s with
managers and release statement that the managers are far better than the CEO’s. In
corporate, comparison and making wrong judgment/conclusion through wrong
examples are very common. Never a short-nosed bandicoot becomes a match to an
African elephant.
The comparison of gestation period may appear right, but the animals under
comparison are indeed incomparable. Comparison should always motivate people
and not whip or humiliate. The corporate bosses must essentially learn the above
management message from the short-nosed bandicoot and African elephant.
Dr S Ranganathan, ClinRise Derma Pvt., Ltd., Chennai

2. Learn more from the following management books
1. Jungle wisdom for corporate management – lessons from the university
of nature by Swami Sukhabodhananda and Dr S Ranganathan
2. Nature – The Entrepreneur by Dr S Ranganathan