At the outset, let me wish you a very Happy New Year and I believe most entrepreneurs are reasonably optimistic for the new year than the one that has gone by. I do hope these expectations comes true...and if the business environment does indeed improve, it would probably once again trigger recruitment of talent, managers and leaders in many companies to support these plans.
My discussion with several entrepreneurs in the recent past revolved around one aspect; How do you blend the new talent with the old dependable war horses and most companies struggle to get this right. This is one challenge that Bluesky has heard extensively and is generally the standard kitchen order when contracted!! Handling such situations are extremely tricky, complex and if not properly supported can lead to situations that are quite irreversible..
In fact in quite a few experiences, the entire investment has gone futile pushing back the company even further behind from where it started.
For the benefit of some of our clients let me provide some understanding to these dynamics and animate the dilemmas and forces at play.
The old veterans(Ghar ki Murgi) are those individuals that have been loyal, trusted and dependable over the years and who personally have a direct connect and attachment with the entrepreneur(older gen). These are the ones who may not have the capabilities or perfection expected but have nevertheless weathered all storms to bring the company to the level where it presently stands. In fact the new talent that companies wish to hire could be afforded only because of these committed and zealous individuals that work more for the success of the owner than the company. They are in many cases like the extended family of the entrepreneurs and also treated in that manner.
The entrepreneur may often scream at these individual, admonish him, treat him roughly but would also show his/her affection by relying on his advise, views, suggestions. In fact these "holy cows" in most cases have a direct access to the owners and are rarely restricted by structures etc.
However most entrepreneurs know that these individuals do not have the potential to navigate the company to the next level. They indeed have reached a saturation or better put, hit a glass ceiling. In other words they have been the heroes of the past and possibly present but distinctly not the champions of the future(But they are never told about this). So the company rightly realizes that we need individuals and talent who have operated in the higher turf and look to hiring such professionals.
The new Gladiators who are hired are sometimes made to feel like as if they are "Demi Gods" brought to change the world. To attract these individuals, most entrepreneurs do all the gimmicks and marketing thinking that they will seek redemption and by joining will take their respective companies to a higher level. Of course compensation is the potent bait with most of them being offered remuneration that are even thrice then what the "old veterans" are getting. These gladiators are generally high profile professionals coming in from top notch companies and often MNC's.
Every entrepreneur that has gone through this phase feel excited with expressions like Mr XYZ from L&T, GE etc has joined us and so on so forth. They feel like they have the Jacks and Queens in the card deck and strong to take on the world.
Anyone would feel proud to encounter these experiences only until the fairy tale ends with the high profile gladiator putting in his resignation and the best of it is where all handing over the reigns to the "old veteran". The outcome of all this is that the investment on the gladiator has gone done the tube, the old veteran generally becomes richer because of him extracting higher compensation (leverages on the disparity in what he gets and what is paid to the Gladiator) and worst of all the old veteran has become mightier to have successfully warded off an attack on his turf....Individuals within now bow down to him more lower than earlier, fear him more than before and the entrepreneur is licking his wounds or rather more vividly wiping the egg on his face clueless on what to do next..
Sad ending in many companies trying to escape to the next level. Stay tuned for the next post to know the nuances around this...
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