Difference between ‘follow’ and ‘chase’ – HR message from wildlife

Whenever the corporate bosses assigns some tasks to people (subordinates), should the bosses follow the subordinates for updates or push the subordinates a bit, and get the work done? For an ignorant and senseless boss, the meaning of push or follow doesn’t make any difference as they are unaware of such distinction or difference.

Unfortunately, most corporate are filled with people who seldom know the subtle difference between ‘follow and push’. If the corporate people spend sometime in wild and study the behavioural aspects of predatory and prey animals, they would get a clear distinction between the management essences of push and follow.

The predatory animals always follow the prey animals. The prey animals always watch out for whether any predatory animals are following them. The alertness come only when one follow the other and not when they push them. When one push, example, the boss when push the subordinates, it can only cause undue fear and restlessness in subordinates and not necessarily bring alertness and sense of responsibility.

If the predatory animals start pushing the prey from the beginning, because of fear, the prey animals would run to a safe place and predators will certainly miss the prey. It would prove to the predator disaster and loss. On the contrary, if the predatory animal follow the prey carefully and push them when they are close, the predator can easily win the hunt.

The attempt is not intended to reduce the relationship of boss and subordinates to prey and predator but certain distinctions are essential to balance the boss-subordinate equation.

Most bosses believe that people must be chased and pushed to do the job. Performance can happen only when sufficient freedom of space of given to the subordinate to think, plan and execute and not when they are frequently interfered with. Corporate with poor HR culture and quality leaders would always resorts to such situation. Leaders with no clarity and leadership skills also would behave in a way that would affect the performance of people adversely. Understand the difference between ‘follow’ and ‘push’ and accordingly guide the people to achieve results.

S Ranganathan