The topic of Junior leadership vs senior leadership is an interesting one and also cause of much debate in the service circles that I ferquent. I some how am a sounding board for many youngesters to express their views about the quality of senior leadership. The view most often expressed is that the cadre officers are much worse than 'Your Lordships the IPS officers". I disagree with this view, without disagreeing with the views of juniors on the quality of leadership provided by some of our own officers. Why do thy forget the famous case of an IPS officer in a CPo who made everyone buy the framed photographs made by him for the regimental institutions and also for display in personal homes? And has every one forgotten the manner in which he used to treat the officers under his command, the uncouth language used , mental harrasment etc ? Have people forgotten about another IPS officer who is on deputation to the same organisation for the 2nd time and how many ACrs he is supposed to have spoiled? The list can be endless. The IPS officers are equally bad or good as the cadre officers. The only thing is that they do not have knowledge of the profession and the ethos of the organisation so they catch hold of one or two officers who very eagerly lap up the opportunity and become their blue eyed boys. More so these IPS officers are not in direct command so they only come into picture to intervene when things go beyond control and they spread this canard that the cadre officers are bad and they are good.
Another question that troubles my mind is that these very senior officers to use the words of sierra were some times junior officers saying the same things about their seniors that the juniors tell about them. Then why do the forget their own days and do not try to rectify things. Some officers whom I found very vocal when they were ACs or DCs are now Commandants and they are doing the same things to their juniors that they supposedly sufferred. Why? I am also sure that many of the juniors of today who are vocal or are sufferring today will do the same things tomorrow when they are those senior positions. I hope we could think and act with empathy when we become seniors and do not perpuate the same tortures on our juniors that we sufferred.
Another thing that both seniors and juniors need to do is to think things through from each other's perspective.
Last but not the least. I have asked many of the juniors to take a survey and discuss the quality of leadership in the units of any one formation . To their own surprise, when they took the names and described their qualities, they rated atleast 80% of them in very good or above category. Let us not go by rumours. The facts are sometimes differrent and spread with ulterior motives. The bad stories spread faster. The good ones have to be spread with effort.
This to my mind is mainly a canard being propagated by the IPS people to continue their hegemony. Have I opened a pandoras box?
Good luck to our creamy layer as they gather to join their heads. I wish they hear themselves with clarity and feeling of accommodation. For me the issue is clear-the direction come from directors and not from managers and workers . The topic is both -a ‘gimmick’ and also a ‘serious issue‘- depends how we behave and how individuals take it. I can visualise the proceedings -‘Some of them behaving merely as 'Individuals' and a few of them behaving as 'institutions', both- to my horror, wasting time! I can bet that none would come prepared, except the steering rod-trying to make a dent.(number game)- the only endeavor we indulge in. I wish the seminar was only for the volunteers irrespective of the rank. I wish all volunteers were requested to post their presentation a week earlier for steering committee to chart out the course of discussion- to bring out a paper at the end. Since there is not sufficient time left for the stirrers to redesign the chain of detonation i request some assertions and facts could be circulated and the feedback could be compiled without discussion in form of 'Ayes', 'Nos’ and ‘Neutral'-without names and signatures of delegates. For simplifying my viewpoint i am exemplifying an assertion and a fact.
ReplyDeleteAssertion 1- The issue of evolution of leadership in BSF is neglected one and BSF officers themselves are to blame for their status.
Fact 1- I always ensured that dignity earned ‘in uniform’ would earn me respect in BSF circles in my post retirement days.
It feels hollow to realise that such issues are echoed in discussions only. On ground there is hardly any clue reflecting the sincerity of ‘Command‘. I am suggesting some lines of thoughts for the seminar. I wish they could be read over in the discussion for a crisp start and a ‘cause’ and to make this ‘Head Count exercise‘ worth it. Kindly remember that in Forces the System is ‘Seniors‘.
* Commandants and above behave more like ‘Babus’ rather than a Commander. Only a few have wisdom teeth. Majority provide mass to ‘stamps’ of clerical staff.
* Most of the Commandants and above still use inspections as a coercive tools.
* Many DIGs harbored a grudge against allotment of the sidelined rooms in all ranks during their career progression in Jammu Mess. And they carried the legacy when they had chance to improve.
* The only benchmark of progression is age and clean record. The system do not require quality. Many of us never deserved to be where we are. And we never cared to evolve a system.
* We still have a chance. We must not forget that after all these years we should have some experience that could benefit the system and the juniors.
* There is no use discussing IPS vs. BSF Officers. Why do we expect from outsiders. What have we done to be recognized and to be emulated by Juniors.
Sefu