Do You Really Know the Consequences of Pushing Employees?
Hi, friends! Today, we’re going to discuss a rather tricky issue – the culture of relationships within enterprises. You might ask, “Hey, what does that have to do with me?” Don’t jump to conclusions yet; let’s first take a look at the essence of this phenomenon.
you can find this cource here : https://luojilab.com./
The Circles of Intimacy and Distance
In Chinese organizational culture, interpersonal relationships play a crucial role. As Fei Xiaotong said, Chinese social relationships are like ripples – with the self at the center, the closer people are to the center, the more intimate they are, and the further away they are, the more distant they become. This phenomenon also exists in enterprises, forming a distinct culture of intimacy and distance.
Let me give you an example. When your boss is holding a meeting, if the attendees are all familiar faces, they may feel quite assured. However, if everyone is a stranger, even with great authority, there will still be a sense of loneliness.
This is not a unique phenomenon in Chinese culture. In Western enterprises, there are also so-called “office politics” and “cronyism.” However, the mainstream culture in Western enterprises tends to emphasize employees’ performance, while Chinese enterprises often prioritize whether subordinates are considered “one of their own.”
| Differences in Chinese and Western Enterprise Cultures | Chinese Enterprises | Western Enterprises |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Interpersonal Relationships | Work Performance |
| Hiring Criteria | Whether one is “one of their own” | Work Ability and Performance |
| Resource Allocation | Favoring Cronies | Based on Performance |
This leads to two obvious consequences:
- Inconsistent Evaluation Standards: Superiors’ evaluations of subordinates vary depending on their degree of intimacy or distance.
- Unequal Opportunities: In personnel arrangements and resource allocation, cronies tend to receive more opportunities and resources.
Actors Everywhere?
You might say, “This is really detrimental to enterprise development!” Indeed, rational people would all give a negative answer to this. However, the reality is that although everyone dislikes this phenomenon, everyone is also willing to engage in it.
Why is that? Because when you are more familiar with someone, working with them gives you a greater sense of security. Therefore, when you were still an employee, you might have resented your superior’s cronyism, but once you became the boss yourself, you are also likely to choose to work with people you trust – “your own people.”
This sets up a difficult-to-break cronyism culture dilemma for leaders. Many employees will go to great lengths to play the role of a “crony” to secure resources, while those capable but unwilling to play the “subservient” role will eventually be marginalized.
A story about an entrepreneur friend might illustrate this point:
When he was 55 years old and hospitalized due to a stroke, all his cadres came to visit him, including his most trusted “diehard cronies.” However, after that, these “diehards” never showed up again because they believed the boss had no hope of recovery and should retire, no longer being of any benefit to them.
On the contrary, those whom he often criticized and felt distanced from, some of them would visit him in the hospital every time they came to Beijing, which deeply touched him. From this, he realized the truth that “the human heart is more treacherous than mountains and rivers” – those he thought were cronies might have just been acting all along.
In short, under the culture of relationships in China, those in power tend to work with familiar faces and their own “circles,” allowing the organization to operate more efficiently. However, this simultaneously creates a cronyism culture dilemma based on trust and relationships.
A Three-Step Solution to Resolving Cronyism Culture
So, how can we break this dilemma? A Western scholar has summarized three types of “false cronies” that must be guarded against:
- Yes-Man Subordinates: They will go to great lengths to flatter their superiors, praising any thoughts and actions of their superiors.
- Isolator Subordinates: They deliberately block their superiors from interacting with other subordinates, only allowing their superiors to receive information that is beneficial to themselves.
- Usurper Subordinates: While appearing to obey their superiors on the surface, they are actually cultivating their own forces, waiting for an opportunity to seize power.
To guard against these three types of “false cronies,” my suggestion is to moderately introduce a performance culture to counterbalance the influence of the culture of relationships.
While the culture of relationships can certainly increase trust and organizational efficiency, it also brings many drawbacks. Therefore, we need a moderate performance culture to alleviate the negative impacts of the culture of relationships. Of course, this is only a temporary measure; a thorough change is not easy, and we still need further reflection and effort.
Finally, let’s conclude today’s discussion with a simple exercise:
Draw a “ripple diagram” with yourself at the center, marking the people with different degrees of intimacy and distance from you. Then draw a separate “ripple diagram” for your superiors, subordinates, and colleagues. Through these circles, you may gain some new insights and revelations.
Friends, in this world, we cannot avoid interacting with others. Since relationships are inevitable, why not strive to create a fairer and more efficient organizational culture, working together towards a better future? I wish you all a pleasant work experience and satisfying interpersonal relationships!