Biscuit and tea strategy- a tool of management

I was busy with my B2O [back-to-office] note in the PC. I was in a hurry preparing it as a number of items of work had piled up on my table during my absence in the office. Just then, my boss entered my cabin and watching me working on the note, called, “Hey! Stop your work. Immediately, we will have to rush to the corporate office. Chairman is convening a meeting to discuss future strategy of the organisation. You are also asked to join..” He halted my thought process.

“Saab, just dho minute, I will finish this note, lest I might forget to put what I wanted to convey”, I tried to buy some time to finish my work on hand.

“I know what you are doing. You are only trying to be true to Achesion's rule of bureaucracy which says that a note is written not to inform the reader but to protect the writer. So you can always give this note. But, we have no time now. Let us go”. He virtually forced me to get up and go with him for the meeting. Though he is my boss, he is a man of ready wit and good humour.

As we were going to the corporate office, we were exchanging ideas and strategies based on the trends in which our organisation was functioning, the environment in similar industries and related issues so that our participation would be more effective. I was offering various suggestions based on field experience, reforms in the country and impact on the organisation, need for professionalism in running the organisation etc. My boss was more in a listening mood. I could surmise that he was trying to get my ideas and see if these were worth placing before the management.

Meeting was delayed as usual, by half an hour. Some of my colleagues from other departments who were summoned, had also assembled. Nobody wanted to give out his ideas fearing that he would lose his importance. So the topic turned to politics and other peripheral items which are common to all of us. We were discussing about the chances of next pay hike, whether any additional benefits would come or not and above all the climate in the city.

With the arrival of the Chairman, the meeting was called to order. He briefly indicated the need for repositioning the organisation to become more competitive. Then, he asked each department head to come out with their suggestions and strategies. Half way through, the caterer served biscuits and tea and coffee to those present in the meeting. I was playing my hand with the biscuits keenly watching the discussions. Chairman was in a firing mood. None of the strategies and suggestions made by the officials seemed to interest him. I was very sure that it would not be different when my boss would be asked to present his strategies. My eyes suddenly went blind as I feared that if my boss was to get similar treatment at the hands of the Chairman, he would turn the heat on me later. No way to get out now. Yes, the turn of my boss came. He, in his style, put forth the strategy and plans as broadly suggested by me. From time to time he was glancing at me for my reaction to his presentation. But, I was trying to stay away from the firing line, fearing for a knock out from the Chairman. I found a way out by eating the biscuits in pairs so that I would not open my mouth to make more irrelevant suggestions affecting further, the mood of the Chairman and my boss. Fortunately, my boss was spared and was advised to fine tune the strategies and come back later. Finishing the presentation, my boss glanced at me through his bifocal. He saw me sipping my tea.

Meeting was over. As we were returning to our department, my boss questioned my peculiar behaviour of stuffing my mouth with biscuits and sipping tea instead of listening to the presentation. He did not know that I was going through a traumatic time during the meeting. But, I can’t let my mind revealed to him- my real feeling and my fear. “Sir, you know that when Japanese take tea, they feel that they were offering their prayers to tea god. In fact, they also have a festival called “Tea dedication ceremony”. I was just trying to follow the Japanese way of drinking tea, nothing else”, I mumbled. “Of course, that partially answers my question. Why did you show great hurry in finishing all the biscuits in one go?”, he asked further. “Sometimes, such behaviour becomes a management tool for conflict resolution. This time the conflict was within my self”, I blurted whatever came to my mind immediately. By then, we reached the department and I excused myself and rushed to the PC to continue my B2O note. My boss looked at me clueless and moved towards his cabin.