Monday 25 November 2013

The Problems With Asian Style Management: Cronyism

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/carl-curtis-vincent-tan-must-6312934

If you've worked in an MNC or a local firm, you will know that the boss is almost always the KING or QUEEN. Often, the boss is a law unto himself. Read the hyperlink above regarding the Vincent Tan saga. Once a boss takes over, he almost immediately surrounds himself with like minded friends. I believe this is a self preservation mode which is evident as much in western management techniques. it is to prevent remnants of the incumbent management from sabotaging the new boss.

However, an Asian boss goes further to place people who are unsuitable into various positions. The key to a strong organisation is not just to appoint people who are loyal and have integrity, but to place them in positions that best suit their strengths. But Vincent Tan appoints his son's school friend as chief recruiter. Venky Chicken knew nothing about football and placed wrong people in charge of Blackburn Rovers. They fired Sam Allardyce because of personal conflicts and replaced him with a succession of incompetent managers. The club very quickly went down.

An Asian boss is also very much less consensual. Look at how badly managed Blackburn Rovers and Cardiff are. They managed to offend the fans, who are the customers, and tried repeatedly to intervene in football matters.

A boss is not an emperor. He is a facilitator to inspire his team to greater heights. He should not surround himself with a team of people who only say things that he wants to hear, but to have a team of technically competent people, who are also loyal. Otherwise, an organisation is doomed to fail, because the decision-making will be poor.