Smartness or sacrifice must for success in corporate? HR wisdom of cockroach

To be successful one need smartness or sacrifice? The question is very tricky. If we ask the same question to the corporate people, they may either find it too hard to answer may easily say only smartness that makes people successful. Some may even argue that the smartness only will take one to the pinnacle of success and not sacrifice. Some may also argue in favor of sacrifice.

Whenever the bosses communicate to his/her subordinates, they say that only the smartness ensures success and therefore most bosses try to act as smart as possible. They always assume that they are much smarter than their subordinates. Whereas most of the subordinates would prefer to speak the language of ‘sacrifice’ and argue that only sacrifice enables one to become successful. In support of the above argument, they may even cite how they have endured the atrocities of the bosses over the years and become successful.

The subordinates have the reason to speak so. Most of the subordinates in the corporate assume that they are more intelligent and smarter than their bosses. Despite them being highly intelligent and smart, they feel, they have to work under an ‘inferior’ boss. This situation states nothing but the sacrifice is essential for success. Both the boss and the subordinates are right and they operate from the domain of their personal experiences.

If we mix our personal reasons, prejudices and emotions in our observations and understanding, we may not see the truth the way it is. We will see them only as an extension or offspring of our own ‘personalized feelings or thinking’.

If the corporate world patiently asks the above question as for whether smartness or sacrifice is essential for success, nature would give the best example and that would answer the doubts of everyone in the corporate.

Look at the most common crawling insect in your kitchen, the cockroach. Most people treat it to be a nuisance and would try to destroy them immediately. But listen to them carefully, and learn the wonderful management message they share. The success of cockroach had already made the man feel too small and ashamed. How have they become so successful?

Can we ever call ‘a cockroach’ very smart? Beyond smartness, sacrifice only has enabled them to surpass the world. Look at the dwelling place of these insects. They live, reproduce and grow in the space of gutter, septic tanks and other waste material storage or treatment areas. Such areas offer extreme living conditions to any living being.

The Cockroaches have identified and chosen such areas to live. Cockroaches do come to our bed, inside the drawing room and wardrobe. After visiting and knowing about these ‘posh’ areas, why the cockroaches still have preferred to live in such extreme conditions? Perhaps they would have understood that instead of searching success in ‘posh’ places, making a sacrifice by living in most uncongenial areas would be wise.

Only such sacrifice by the cockroaches has ensured their success.

Are they foolish and unintelligent to choose the worst place to live and endure sacrifice? They preferred ‘sacrifice’ over smartness and become unsurpassable.

The message of these insects is very loud and clear. It is for everyone in the corporate to think how they want to ensure their success, by being just smart or being sacrificial or by employing the combination of both.

Dr. S Ranganathan