If you are too useful, may go useless soon – HR message from animal world

Only the useful people can go useless in due course of time. Naturally when one becomes useless, must accept the rejection, despite the past glory and achievements. This is the universal law.

It means, the people who had served some purpose, made a difference and have added significant meaning to the organization are the one most likely to get rejected than those who were ‘simply’ in the system without any worthwhile contribution.

When such reality pricks, people should remember the history gracefully that they had contributed in the past and the order of the day has changed and hence must play second fiddle or must retire from the scene.

Look at a pride of lion or pack of hyena or swarm of bees. All these animals are lead by their team leaders (the dominant male or female). As long as these leaders can remain dominant purely through their merit, they can retain the highest position in hierarchy. Otherwise, the second they become ineffective, they are outrageously rejected and mercilessly chased out of the team or are killed. Rest of their life they will have to live a life in solitude if they survive.

The problems people face in corporate are multifold. Every one wants to be continuously relevant, accepted as dominant and important by others. But unfortunately most of us nurture the above desire without nurturing the qualities and traits essential for one to become continuously relevant and useful. Instead of that, people often engage in blaming the system and the arrival of a new leader.

Most of the employees in the middle age and those who stuck in the middle management level in every corporate generally face such problem. Unfortunately even in their early fifties also, many would remain in the cadre of ‘Manager’, managing something or other. When a new batch of young talents join the organization, these old folks sulk and sullen at them enviously. If such young new comers are made as their bosses, the ‘over aged managers’ will fall into pity and grief.

Instead of being worried, see how you can update yourself and can remain relevant continuously. If you cannot, accept the truth gracefully and learn to live happily.

In animal world, all animals form group/team only to achieve for the team and not to earn any self identity and self importance. Never the chased out dominant lions of two prides form a new team.

But the young bachelor male lions do form team and look for a pride to conquer.

In corporate, the ‘old folk’ do gang up due to their rejection or less importance. They discuss a lot about how ungrateful the organization has become and how valuable contributions they have made to the organizations in the past etc.

Remember, ruminate and reminisce your past to make your present happy and not to make yourself unhappy and sad. When people of similar fate gangs up, they could only breed and multiply their sadness and never could make any meaning or merit out of such grouping.

All animals in nature would group together only to achieve or to make some meaning. Never the ‘lost/rejected’ animals ever form a group of their own.

Continuously update your knowledge and be relevant besides quickly finding the ladder and grow. Otherwise accept the universal law gracefully and be happy.

Dr S Ranganathan