Should donkeys be tolerated at the top?

I was inspired to write on this topic for various reasons. Before I proceed further, let me warn you that these are the thoughts of a person who is viewing the whole scenario through a simple eye – no complicated management techniques or analysis have been used to deduce whatever has been deduced.

First, the definition of a donkey – an animal that has resigned to the fate that it is meant to slog and carry burden. Have you ever looked at a donkey? There lies no hope or excitement in those eyes, except for the tired resolution to work harder and harder, as the master puts more and more burden on it. Absolutely no desire to quit or change the drudgery, either. You feel bad at its fate and wonder why it can’t just run away. The only time you see excitement is when the master canes it. Oh! then there is an instant jump..the eyes open up..you can hear some braying and strange noises. You might think this is it!. The donkey is about to break itself free ..but that is where you are mistaken. The fraction-of-a-minute excitement suddenly dies down as soon as the canning stops, and the donkey is back to the normal, ‘very hard working’ life.

Now, what happens when a donkey like this happens to be your boss? A dangerous situation because he is in the process of creating many more donkeys. He knows very well a human mind cannot resist pressure and will soon succumb to it..the same way his mind had succumbed.

In our day-today-life, we come across many such people. We hear them brag of working unenviable hours, neglecting families, ignoring health and most of all stressing on the fact that they have mind space only for their job. What is worse, they expect everyone to be like them. How good is this and how successful are such people?  Do they, at any given point in time, know what they want? Are they simply intelligent, or are intelligent and street smart, or are they none of these? Are they actually fit enough to hold whatever position they are holding? Are they sadists? Who are they and should they be tolerated?

Who are they?

They may be –

a)      Those who are not clear about their goals and how to achieve them.

b)      Those who may believe in planning but not in a structured manner

c)       Very abrupt in nature – believing something at one point and another at the next instant

d)      Slaves to situations and circumstances

e)     They may be sadists

f)        Highly ambitious – wants to achieve something even if it is not humanely possible. This, I consider is the strongest point that makes a donkey out of a human, where you start believing in working harder and harder to achieve it.

Should they be tolerated?

Of course, if they are at the top they might as well be tolerated. Because this is India and this is how Indians work. Indians are very open to accepting their fate – whatever form they may be. If the boss has all the above-mentioned qualities, is there anything much that you can do? No. Go ahead and change the company and become wiser of the fact that you left one dhobi ghat for another and the previous master at least had a smaller cane.

After changing many ghats and happy at the thought that you have rebelled and not succumbed to fate, you realize you have actually reached the top. Your promotion has just happened. You walk into your cabin and you sit on the chair. Elated is how you can describe yourself then. Easing back, you smile and slowly pick up your tail and place it carefully on the arm of the chair. Hey, when did this grow? Yet you are happy. You look at your reflection, your long ears, those hopeless, lifeless eyes, and the very huge burden on your back..hey, when did this happen? Oh! I can analyze it later, let me enjoy the moment now, my  moment, you think. You smile. You are extremely happy.

So, this is it guys. You might as well tolerate them. Even if you don’t, you end up tolerating them anyway.