Our incapability only defines ‘use and useless’…HR wisdom of Lotus plant

Infertile lotus seeds float in water while the fertile ones sink to the bottom, imbibe water, swell and then sprout. Those who are engaged in the cultivation of lotus plants from the seeds to make aquatic garden, knows this science better.

The management message is that what is ‘useless’ and ‘meaningless’ for the given task, can be easily excluded and eliminated provided one learns the art of knowing the difference and how to differentiate.

Nature has its way and reasons and that is why the infertile lotus seeds float. Only when the infertile seeds float they can be eliminated from the water by the wind and the required space become available to the fertile ones to grow. Imagine, if the infertile seeds also sink to bottom of the pond or lake means, they will definitely damage the ecosystem thereby limit the healthy growth of the fertile seeds.

Eliminate what is useless immediately and allow and support the useful to grow is the strong management tenet, always nature employs.

The corporate leaders and the HR function must learn this art of knowing the people and understanding their capabilities like how one can easily differentiate the fertile lotus seeds from the infertile ones.

Certain people in the corporate always tend to exhibit their competency and expertise in anything and everything. They may be working in R&D or in other support functions. But in the corporate meetings, they make their presence ‘loud and audacious’ by airing their ‘expert views’ about marketing or sales or purchase or manufacturing or finance or logistics or legal or administration etc. Nothing under sun, they are appeared to be ignorant about. They know everything. Unfortunately, most of the corporate leaders applaud and worship the ‘sagacity’ of such people. This syndrome can be also seen in owners of small family run organizations.

In fact they are like ‘floating infertile lotus seeds’. They will generally lack in depth proficiency and work acumen. They are like ‘jacks of all trades, master of none. The message is not about such people. But the corporate should not ‘stretch’ the usefulness of these people beyond the scope, boundary, any merit and meaning.

Fertile lotus seeds are essential only for growing a new lotus plant. The infertile seeds may have some edible value. From that point of view, the lotus seeds whether they are fertile or infertile really, don’t make any difference provided one knows how and for what purpose the such seeds should be used.