Why people in corporate become ‘living rock cactus’….a HR message

The people working in corporate that are ruled by the ‘supreme ego’ and ‘self importance’ of the bosses/owners will always appear lifeless and inefficient.

People in such organization will never come out either to discuss or to answer any question that may be posed to them. They prefer to be dull and less wise, especially when the boss is around so that the boss will always look and appears to be very intelligent and capable person than everyone. By mistake, if someone excel, the bosses will never like such people as the ‘ego dominant’ bosses will always look for subordinates who should be their sycophants, very submissive and always adore the bosses.

Nature has a finest example to explain about the above leadership style of such corporate bosses. In the dessert regions of Mexico and adjacent areas, a species of cactus that grows called ‘living rock cacti. The cactus resembles like a rock in every sense, but is indeed very succulent (rich in water). In dessert region, if this cactus were so lively and visible to others, easily will fall prey to predation and over exploitation. In such environment, the wise form of adaptation will be ‘never get noticed’ by others. Hence they have evolved to appear like a rock and that is why these cactus plants earned the name ‘living rocks’.

Interestingly, the living rock cactus holds lot of water (succulent). This is how even the talented people in corporate who are under the dominance of the supreme ego of their bosses like to go un-noticed and choose to hide their talents and remain like ‘living rocks’.

Never the talent and capabilities of such people are seen or understood by the organization nor are ever respected or used. The egoistic bosses cannot co-exist with capable people. Such bosses have a compulsive inner need/disorder that is, to be seen as they are the most capable, intelligent, creative person in the entire corporate.

Because of the hunger of their ego for self praise and narcissism, they always want people around them to be dull and dead. To survive in such environment, the subordinates simply prefer to be dull so that the bosses are happy. Who is the big looser here? Unfortunately, such scenes are very common in corporate that are run directly by the single entrepreneur. Because of such culture, even the most talented people look so dull and lifeless like how the succulent cactus in extreme dessert regions of Mexico, looks like ‘living rock’.

The living rock cactus has adopted in such a way only for its survival. But the same situation should not be allowed to exist in corporate. But no one can change such situation if the ego dominant leadership style is displayed by the owners of the corporate. The HR function must be smart and vigilant in noticing such deadly anomaly. They should help the talented people not to get permanently frozen. If such culture is not changed, the organization will never prosper so are the talented people who are working in such organization.

The employees must realize that if they are working in such corporate and if they find it hard to change the culture of their bosses, better look for another job otherwise you will become another ‘living rock’ cactus of Mexico.

Dr S Ranganathan