Animal instinct of boss-subordinate hierarchy – A HR message

Why cats and dogs, in general, cover their excretory or waste (fecal) materials when discharged? Do they follow sanitation rule or as a matter of decency and good health practice, they cover their excretory materials? Even from this act of cats and dogs, what the corporate leaders and the HR can learn?

The dominant cats generally will not cover their waste materials. In fact, they establish their territory only by urination and scent marking. Many animals do scent marking to inform the opposite sex about their readiness for mating during the breeding season.

It is not the dominant cats and dogs cover the waste materials but only the sub-dominant animals do that. The subdominant animals usually cover their waste materials mainly to avoid conflicts or fight with the dominant animal. The subdominant animals never want their presence to be noticed by the dominant ones hence they cover their waste materials. The excreta of animals usually will have the scent and when other animals smell the scent will get to know about the presence of subdominant animal.

What management message this behaviour of subdominant cats and dogs conveys to the corporate man? Whenever a mistake is committed by a subordinate, they tend to cover them up. They do not want their boss to know the same.

“When two bosses talk to each other in the corridor, it has to be assumed by the subordinates that they are discussing some corporate issue. Whereas, when two subordinates talk to each other in the same corridor, it has to be concluded and confirmed that they are gossiping”. This is the culture and philosophy of most organizations.

Whether the corporate leaders agree or not, only such culture is prevailing and is also nourished by the HR in most corporate. When bosses make mistake, it is defined and justified as ‘they are attempting to do things differently’. If the similar mistake is done by a subordinate, it is described as ‘inefficient and stupid act’.

When a visible and well demarcated boss-subordinate hierarchy is nurtured and supported, naturally the subordinates will hide their mistakes rather than being open. They never dare to reveal their identity when some mistake happens like how the subdominant cats cover up their excreta just to avoid getting noticed by the dominant animal in the territory.

The equation of boss-subordinate is not only prevalent in the corporate world but also in the animal kingdom. A boss is a boss and a subordinate is subordinate. By definition, the ‘subordinate’ has to be submissive and subservient to the boss both in nature as well as in many corporate. Insubordination may attract punishment of even losing the job.

The gene of the boss-subordinate hierarchy in the corporate world may be linked to the evolution of man himself. When man behaves like an animal in the corporate or in other words, man when not fully evolved in his behaviour, he follows such ‘hierarchy’ rule or principle. The HR in the corporate must study and understand whether such culture is prevalent even in the ‘subtle form’.

Dr S Ranganathan