Carrot and stick

Carrot and stick

In one of my management articles I had mentioned my experience of watching tiger, lion and seal games in a circus in Russia where the trainer did not carry any electrically charged whip like the ring masters used to do in Indian circuses when animal games were allowed.

We used to watch the trainer would wield the whip in the air and it will make a crackling sound of static electricity and hearing that sound tiger or lion which ever animal then present in the arena will cower and start obeying the master.

In Russia the ringmaster does not carry any whip but instead after a performance he pats the animal and gives a piece of meat as reward.

The practice followed by managers in the industry is either one of the above.

Having said all of the above in recent few times while dealing with a third party I discovered that the policy of stick with Indian establishment workers is more effective.

Recently I attended a picnic where a mike holding roly poly lady was anchoring the games. We were clustered around a table and was having our own fun of gabbing. Then I heard her announcing to bring forward all the tables so that lunch could be served. We brought our table forward. After sometimes she announced that the caterer for their convenience wanted us to align our tables. This was too much, I came to my original BHEL form and called the caterer and said, “ How do they serve in restaurants? The tables are placed separately so do that without wasting time.”

My that intervention worked like a magic and they started serving in the same order as we were seated and no more shifting.

Last week with my IIT mates we went to this renowned restaurant in Salt Lake for lunch. We were 12 and they put 2 tables where 4 usually share and squeezed 4 chairs to make it a 12 sitting arrangement. I noticed that with this arrangement there was hardly any room for moving elbows for holding cutleries. I told the host that this would not do. I called the bearer and asked him to make proper arrangement, he expressed his inability. I asked him to call his manager and the manager came,in my usual style I chewed him for the arrangement and asked him better he did a proper arrangement or I would give bad review in Google and TripAdvisor. It worked like a magic and he got the sitting arrangement redone by organizing a 3^rd table.

I generally don’t want to use this third degree but is compelled to do due to the circumstances, with known people I use the motivation method but if required I go back to the old proven method of screwing.

The third alternative could be to accept whatever way you are dealt as the only way, bear it with a smile.