What should be choice of leaders -- sycophancy or efficiency?
Monday, 7 December 2009
Syed Naquib Muslim
With corruption, another malady which pervades our body politic or society is sycophancy. Sycophancy is a vile verbal art of showering false admiration on others to achieve unethical private interests. The word originates from the Greek god, named 'Sycophantes' who used to teach the art of flattery to people who approached him for lessons However, throughout the world dishonest politicians and inefficient bureaucrats have inherited this art from the royal poets who once used to flatter kings and queens, and then survive by earning income using this manipulative art.
Today, sycophancy is considered one of the symptoms of maladministration. It is rampant in politics, in the civil service, and even in educational institutions. It is observed that persons who are inefficient, corrupt, dishonest, and avaricious usually practise this art to fulfil their unlawful ends. At workplaces, supervisors who are unsure and suffer from a sense of insecurity enjoy being flattered by false workers who tend to obscure their pitfalls that ultimately affects the image of the organisation they work for. It is unfortunate that in our country a few politicians and administrators have become insensitive to the foul games of flatterers and are helping them flourish. Consequently, efficient persons who are not in habit of showering undue praises on incompetent superiors find themselves marginalized.
While the US has set up a culture of efficiency at homes and workplaces, Japan has introduced culture of trust and teamwork in offices and factories, Singapore has created a culture of quality, Malaysia has installed a culture of ethical values both in the public and private sector, Bangladesh seems to have installed a culture of sycophancy where sycophants are applying the Gresham's law and are driving efficient people 'out of circulation'. It is spreading like wild fire in every sphere of our life. The services of genuine and competent people are not being used for the public welfare. It seems that sycophancy is in great demand, and therefore its supply is continuous. But genuine appreciation is in short supply. It is as a tool mostly by incompetent people who have the hunger of receiving false praises and who want to consolidate their survival. We need not forget that the process of the former president Ershad's inglorious exit was quickened by a band of sycophants who never exposed to him the real state of affairs prevailing in the country and who contributed little to the welfare of the people?
Outliers, whistle-blowers, mavericks are disapproved by almost all the governments. We learn from history that the noted poet Voltaire was sacked by Frederick William, the king of Prussia, because the poet corrected a poem written in French by the king. Therefore every government, every organisation needs a host of mavericks and whistle-blowers who expose the ground realities of life and who help leaders in making pragmatic decisions that affect the lives of common people. Heads of entities including prime ministers have to identify the sycophants who hem them and who remain engaged in praising her personality but not the performance. We should remember the words of Harry S. Truman: "Sincerity, honesty, and a direct manner are more important than special talent or personal polishing."
Both the flatterer and the flattered remain complacent and happy ; they never remain in quest of knowledge. To them, reading and writing are a painful pastime or a waste of time. They do not like to be informed ; they rather prefer darkness or ignorance because to them ignorance is blissful.
If somehow they can coerce votes from the powerless, innocent electorate, they can secure political shelter of the inefficient, incapable party who has mastered the art of continuously befooling the public.
Let us not be oblivious that sycophancy subverts transparency whereas efficiency promotes it. Persons involved either in politics or in administration need to appreciate that maladministration creeps in and efficiency subsides when practice of sycophancy is rampant. It is high time that we begin putting up a strong resistance against those who are trying to hoodwink the responsible politicians and exploit welfare-oriented administrators by cheap flattery and no work. Let the efficient persons in this society grow courage and unite to disintegrate the parasitic sycophants ; their days must be numbered. Sycophancy has to be discouraged or if possible eliminated.
The price of sycophancy is too heavy. The nation or organizations will be incurring losses-economic and intellectual--- because of the continuing culture of sycophancy. One way to disempower the inefficient, disgruntled sycophants is to educate the public and orientate them with the rules and laws of the government. Another way to discontinue this unhealthy culture is to practise self-monitoring, and develop self-concept by leaders at all levels, reinforce their strengths, and take corrective measures to overcome their weaknesses, when they detect them through a process of self-discovery. We need to keep in mind that self-spying is the best spying.
The writer, a secretary to the government, is now on leave preparatory to retirement (LPR)
With corruption, another malady which pervades our body politic or society is sycophancy. Sycophancy is a vile verbal art of showering false admiration on others to achieve unethical private interests. The word originates from the Greek god, named 'Sycophantes' who used to teach the art of flattery to people who approached him for lessons However, throughout the world dishonest politicians and inefficient bureaucrats have inherited this art from the royal poets who once used to flatter kings and queens, and then survive by earning income using this manipulative art.
Today, sycophancy is considered one of the symptoms of maladministration. It is rampant in politics, in the civil service, and even in educational institutions. It is observed that persons who are inefficient, corrupt, dishonest, and avaricious usually practise this art to fulfil their unlawful ends. At workplaces, supervisors who are unsure and suffer from a sense of insecurity enjoy being flattered by false workers who tend to obscure their pitfalls that ultimately affects the image of the organisation they work for. It is unfortunate that in our country a few politicians and administrators have become insensitive to the foul games of flatterers and are helping them flourish. Consequently, efficient persons who are not in habit of showering undue praises on incompetent superiors find themselves marginalized.
While the US has set up a culture of efficiency at homes and workplaces, Japan has introduced culture of trust and teamwork in offices and factories, Singapore has created a culture of quality, Malaysia has installed a culture of ethical values both in the public and private sector, Bangladesh seems to have installed a culture of sycophancy where sycophants are applying the Gresham's law and are driving efficient people 'out of circulation'. It is spreading like wild fire in every sphere of our life. The services of genuine and competent people are not being used for the public welfare. It seems that sycophancy is in great demand, and therefore its supply is continuous. But genuine appreciation is in short supply. It is as a tool mostly by incompetent people who have the hunger of receiving false praises and who want to consolidate their survival. We need not forget that the process of the former president Ershad's inglorious exit was quickened by a band of sycophants who never exposed to him the real state of affairs prevailing in the country and who contributed little to the welfare of the people?
Outliers, whistle-blowers, mavericks are disapproved by almost all the governments. We learn from history that the noted poet Voltaire was sacked by Frederick William, the king of Prussia, because the poet corrected a poem written in French by the king. Therefore every government, every organisation needs a host of mavericks and whistle-blowers who expose the ground realities of life and who help leaders in making pragmatic decisions that affect the lives of common people. Heads of entities including prime ministers have to identify the sycophants who hem them and who remain engaged in praising her personality but not the performance. We should remember the words of Harry S. Truman: "Sincerity, honesty, and a direct manner are more important than special talent or personal polishing."
Both the flatterer and the flattered remain complacent and happy ; they never remain in quest of knowledge. To them, reading and writing are a painful pastime or a waste of time. They do not like to be informed ; they rather prefer darkness or ignorance because to them ignorance is blissful.
If somehow they can coerce votes from the powerless, innocent electorate, they can secure political shelter of the inefficient, incapable party who has mastered the art of continuously befooling the public.
Let us not be oblivious that sycophancy subverts transparency whereas efficiency promotes it. Persons involved either in politics or in administration need to appreciate that maladministration creeps in and efficiency subsides when practice of sycophancy is rampant. It is high time that we begin putting up a strong resistance against those who are trying to hoodwink the responsible politicians and exploit welfare-oriented administrators by cheap flattery and no work. Let the efficient persons in this society grow courage and unite to disintegrate the parasitic sycophants ; their days must be numbered. Sycophancy has to be discouraged or if possible eliminated.
The price of sycophancy is too heavy. The nation or organizations will be incurring losses-economic and intellectual--- because of the continuing culture of sycophancy. One way to disempower the inefficient, disgruntled sycophants is to educate the public and orientate them with the rules and laws of the government. Another way to discontinue this unhealthy culture is to practise self-monitoring, and develop self-concept by leaders at all levels, reinforce their strengths, and take corrective measures to overcome their weaknesses, when they detect them through a process of self-discovery. We need to keep in mind that self-spying is the best spying.
The writer, a secretary to the government, is now on leave preparatory to retirement (LPR)