This dangerous evolution is possible in corporate....?

Darwin’s finch or vampire finch or vampire birds of Galapagos Islands are very important and unique animal for biologist, evolutionary scientists and ethologists.  The bird also conveys an important message to the entire corporate world in general and HR function in particular.  The message is not just a message, but indeed an important message for the culture of the organization and how it can affect the behaviour of the employees.

In general, many corporate are filled with people of different kinds, culture, values, aspirations, expectations and desire etc.   Since, target and time become the key evaluation parameter, people run after target by keeping time on their hands.  Any obstacles and impediments one has to bulldoze to accomplish the target in time.  Another short cut method many employees would prefer is to ‘miniaturize’ the performance of others so, on a comparative basis, they can cover up their inefficiency.    

The culture of the organization and the overall sensitivity of HR function play a significant role in creating performers and pseudo performers.   The interesting aspect is that pseudo performers are liked by the bosses mainly because of the evolutionary reason. 

When employees miniaturize the performances of their colleagues, the boss feels that he has a role to play in such ecosystem.  Fishing in muddy water is always a nice sport for most bosses.  Who has created such an opportunity to the boss?  Obviously the pseudo performers only give the boss a scene to play a wonderful role of weeding out poor and non performers.  When the pseudo performers’ score runs in the organization through such tricks, naturally the performers find difficulty in selling ‘performance’.     The options available to them are either quit the organization or become a pseudo performer and create a nice scene for the boss to play a role for the overall welfare of the organization. 

Who should we blame for the above cultural disintegration or degeneration of a corporate?  It is people.  People have caused the above only because of the culture of the organization.   If the HR is not sensitive, a best performer may start playing politics and skirmish in the organization. 

Look at the nature and learn wisely.   Finches are small grain and nut eating bird with wide distribution.  Interestingly, the finches in Galapagos Islands are unique and different from finches elsewhere.   During peak summer, when they face acute water shortage, hence the finches in the Islands have learnt to drink blood from live animals. 

The evolutionary theory suggests that perhaps the bird would have got an opportunity to taste the blood while picking up insects from the lizards.  Blood being a liquid, would have quenched the thirst of the birds especially during the summer.  This learning would have made the finches drink blood from live animals in Galapagos Islands during the summer where food and water are scarce. 

Primary opportunity and subsequent necessity linked benefit only have made the finches in the islands unique and different.  If a performer gets an opportunity to belittle the performance of others than focusing on his or her performance and if such an effort is well appreciated, naturally it fulfils all the necessary prerequisites for them to be pseudo performers.     They have an opportunity, necessity and assured benefit of the boss, then why to be a performer.  Better be a pseudo performer and be successful. 

It is not the just necessity and end benefit that would cause a ‘particular’ behaviour, but only the opportunity.  Check and ascertain whether such culture (opportunity) is available in your corporate is what vampire finches have to ask to a corporate.