Avoiding complacency in an organization

By Patrick Tan

Just like the stock market, in any organization, bubbles can form as well. Bubbles are inflated by the euphoria of the moment, caused perhaps by a certain morale-boosting event. But if that euphoria is not substantiated by an authentic grounding in the importance of continuous personal and professional growth, the bubble quickly bursts and leaves everyone worse off than they were before.

One of the greatest threats to the growth of an organization is complacency. Contrary to conventional expectation, it is not the junior level executives who display the most pernicious kind of complacency, but upper management. This is because many of them think that because they have "made it", there is no more need to strive for self-betterment. When they remain stagnant, doing just the bare minimum to retain their positions, their subordinates cannot improve themselves as well. Where it is the boss's responsibility to mentor and groom a team to greater heights, they cannot do so unless they have the desire to improve themselves first. This growth retardation then evolves into an endemic problem in the organization.

The root of complacency is self-centredness. Our education system, unfortunately, tends to instill a sense of self-preeminence in the pursuit of success. The virtues of service and regard for the benefit of others has become lost in the drift of paper qualification. This sense of ambition is not bad in itself. But when it detracts from the sense of consideration for others' prospects, it sets the stage for complacency upon achieving relative success.

The warning signs of complacency setting into an organizational culture begin from the individual. As a branch head, it is easy for me to observe when a manager or leader participates in meetings in a perfunctory manner. Suggestions and ideas flow, but they lack enthusiasm, vigour and conviction. Those ideas are shared with the intention to fulfill a role, not an ideal. The problem must be nipped in the bud. Leaders who have fallen prey to complacency must change themselves or be removed from their position for the sake of the team. It may seem merciless to the individual in question, but I really see it as an act of mercy to his or her subordinates; they deserve better role models.

Ultimately, everyone seeks fulfillment on a professional and personal level. To what extent that fulfillment is defined is relative. But the fundamental truth is this: true fulfillment comes from the desire to serve others. As it is the subordinate’s role to serve out their superior’s direction, it is likewise the superior’s role to serve their juniors by being a role model. A deeper truth lies in the authentic act of self-service: when we do serve ourselves, it is only because we desire to become stronger role models for those we ultimately serve. To help others grow, the leader must first seek to grow him- or herself.