57.2 Against Acting with Cruelty

 57.2 Against Acting with Cruelty

Question:

              What happens to a leader who is mean and ruthless?

Answer:

              If a king is harsh in speech and devoid of compassion,

 he will lose his vast wealth.                                                             (Couplet – 566)

Harsh speech and excessive punishments are the files

that wear out the conquering power of the king.                     (Couplet – 567)

கடுஞ்சொல்லன் கண்ணிலன் ஆயின் நெடுஞ்செல்வம்

நீடின்றி ஆங்கே கெடும்.                                              (குறள் – 566)

கடுமொழியும் கையிகந்த தண்டமும் வேந்தன்

அடுமுரண் தேய்க்கும் அரம்.                                         (குறள் – 567)

Explanation:

          In Couplets 566 and 567, Valluvar says that if a king uses harsh words, has no compassion, and excessively punishes wrongdoers, he will lose his wealth and his ability to conquer his enemies. When a king or a leader abuses his power, and if he is arrogant, he will not have the support of those who work for him. In situations like that, it is easy for his enemies to conquer him. What Valluvar says in Couplets 566 and 567 is equally applicable to modern-day corporate leaders as well.

I used to work for a multi-billion-dollar company. The CEO of the company was a short-tempered man with a tendency to use harsh words and was not very compassionate. It was customary in that company that those who directly report to the CEO would brief the CEO each quarter about the revenue, income, and future business opportunities. If anyone reports that his division did not meet the revenue and or income targets, the CEO would immediately lose his temper and yell at the person who reported the bad news. If the same person happens to report that his division failed to meet the financial targets in the subsequent quarter, the CEO would immediately fire him. Because of this type of erratic behavior of the CEO, the employees were scared. To avoid getting the CEO’s wrath, people started falsifying the accounts and always reported what the CEO wanted to hear. It did not take long for the auditors to find out the true financial situation, and the information leaked to the press. When the CEO started his job, the company’s shares were selling at $70 per share of stock. Within two years, the company’s stock fell to $17 per share, and it was continuing its downward trend. The board of directors caught wind of the news and immediately fired the CEO. Within two years, under the management of a new CEO, the company’s stock bounced back and was moving upward.  

 

People at the top should have patience and come to the right conclusion after considering all the facts. Harsh words, bad temper, and handing out severe punishments to the subordinates will result in a lack of support and cooperation from the subordinates, adversely affecting the leader and his organization.