24th May 2007
Thursday


I have learnt that the higher you are, the more people you will affect. It does not really matter whether you affect them positively, negatively, directly or indirectly. The main focus is the amount of influence you have over them.

One word from someone up there can affect dozens, even hundreds of people below. The lives of hundreds of people can be affected by a simple statement by one single person. Scary thought.

But what about that person up there? Let us think in another manner. If that one person up there has fifty people under him, and he issues an instruction to everybody. There can be two outcomes from this scenario.

Case 1:

1. Everyone follows the instructions and do their best.
2. Productivity increases.
3. The higher ups see results.
4. Everyone is happy.

Case 2:

1. Everyone creates problems by refusing to follow instructions.
2. Efficiency decreases.
3. The higher ups see the problems caused.
4. They decide to screw the person in charge of the fifty people.
5. That guy realises that he's being screwed from below him and above him because the people under him is not doing their job.
6. That guy then screws the people under him.
7. Everyone is unhappy.

Simple right? Usually people look at results. If they see results, then everyone is happy. If what they see is not what they want, they will find a person to take the blames. Everyone wants a person to blame. But what about that "scapegoat"? Does anyone ever wonder how he feels?

When the people under him creates problems for him, he have to bear responsibility for the problems caused. He has to find ways to solve these problems. He has to answer to the people above him. He has to think about the steps he should take so that such problems will not arise again.

That is the reason why having a leadership position sucks.