Recycling Incompetence

Incompetence is a disqualification in management but a hidden virtue in many other cases of corporate management where hidden techniques and unethical practices are honored. They do not add value to the organization except by way of personal benefit to managements.
The managements are classified as hard and soft. The hard ones are taskmasters. They care much about discipline, core competence and results. The latter, the soft variety, is too kind and tolerant. They condone incompetence to the extent of patronizing it and would not like to punish those incompetent even though their presence adds heavily to the cost of the organization. A few examples will illustrate this point and philosophy clearly.
In a small business a cashier committed fraud by embezzlement of funds. The management detected this at a late stage. Due to pressure from other directors investigation was conducted and the charge established. Finally the management diluted the report and took a lenient view to retain the person with a mild warning. It was really soft to the extent of being stupid.
In another case a senior executive was found guilty of corruption in purchases. He had amassed considerable wealth and this practice was going on for years. He built palatial houses, threw parties and entertained company executives and family friends lavishly. When the source for all these funding was investigated it was established he was terribly corrupt and that he used to cash privileges and services at the expense of the company. He was posted in charge of Materials Management with a diminished function and responsibility. But he was innovative and liberally used the tool of harassment as a source of raising personal funds.
The incompetents derive strength and support from some of their top bosses whose personal needs are very well look after by these engines of embezzlement. One such specimen always was on tour visiting the estates and mansions of the chief executive, arranging for their development, managing the harvest and marketing of crop. He enjoyed company pay and perquisites for the private work done. He was wielding considerable power because he was the trusted hand of the chief executive.Nobody could raise a finger at him without incurring the wrath of the top management and being sent out of the organization.
In government departments the number of such parasites outnumbers the efficient ones. Their political clout is high and unbreakable. One such clout holder used to arrange parties for the top bosses, arrange for bridegrooms for their daughters, lavish breakfast and dinner for their family members whose sympathy and support they snatched and maintained for long. The wives rendered protection to him against any charges others brought against him.
They will even act as imposters imitating the voice of some powerful top executive issuing commands in their favor. Fear of verification of truth made the receivers the other end of the telephone simply carry out his commands.
They continue to prosper though their knowledge and skill in the area of responsibility is zero. They survive and flourish when the management considers them to be indispensable. That is their luck. That is recycling incompetence. We have heard about recycling scrap, plastics, paper etc. But recycling incompetence, depositing it in some corner is a novel feature which we find in some organizations. It is astonishing that even with the advancement of professional knowledge and skills such people and organizations thrive. We can only pray that their tribe does not increase.