Gabriel Mbah
Nov 2 · 3 min read

The Shoe is Always a Good Fit

But is it always?

In working with big companies, I have seen some bureaucratic bottlenecks stifle progress at least in the eyes of the employee but from an employer’s perspective it is called Priority. The employees are the life blood of any organization and they donate (trade) their innovative spirit for job security and some coins. Much like a voodoo priest, the employee provides what they believe is the wants of the client while getting paid for their services.

A voodoo priest sometimes doubts his/her abilities, but in the face of the client would give nothing away to suggest that; while the universe (employer) has something more tailored to an overall objective, possibly different from that of the Voodoo priest and the client.

This analogy is specifically for employees not working in the Headquarters/Head Office but rather in the branches/annex/subsidiary/division/subdivisions of their organizations. The feelings of those in these sections are sometimes of distance. They feel unconnected to the overall objective, distant from the final output and sometimes insignificant in the grand scheme of things. No matter how much inclusion is intended by the various sessions and gatherings, the gap will continue to exist. Some employees feel powerless in the face of a change begging for implementation; some end up believing that tasks assigned are just to check the box (sometimes it really is) while other just become comfortable coasting through the process unnoticed and getting paid just like the voodoo priest.

The problem seen in these large organizations with branches or subsidiaries (especially if in different countries) are that these small factions account for a small percentage of the overall bottom-line of the entire business. Overlooking these smaller segments of the business could be a major mistake. BP had over 11 Deepwater rigs but only one led to over $40 billion payment in law suits not including the cost of the products/ assets lost, and reputation as well. It is easy for BP to recover because they trade in commodities. Imagine it is a company playing in the financial services industry. We don’t need to go very far for an example. WellsFargo.

Having an annex of a large organization in foreign lands has its privileges however, ensuring that the employees continue to be connected to the overall goal through the decision-making process remains key. I will not try to sugarcoat it, it is as difficult as it sounds… so is an attempt at hiding a bald head. They both get done anyway!

Priorities change almost as often as the sun sets but communication does not seem to be able to keep up. I am no expert in providing solutions, only in stating the obvious. However, few tips on how to keep employee honest and engaged.

One: Be open and honest in your communication

Two: State the objective of tasks and how it ties into the overall goal of the company

Three: pay attention to the smaller folks, you might learn a thing or two

Four: There is a chance I am making sense and a chance I’m not but I am learning to be adaptable, so should you.

To the employees, keep doing what you are doing and ask a lot of questions. Where it seems there is no rational explanation to the tasks and it seems as a check-the-box kind of assignment, do it anyway. When a client pays the voodoo priest to perform rituals, sometimes it’s a cleansing and other times they are there just as a sounding board. When neither the client nor Voodoo priest knows, the Universe will always align because priorities could change in 3….2….1…..

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