The human nature has almost got into the mode of democracy. It is the infamous words of Abraham Lincoln, which described the democracy as the government ‘of the people, by the people and for the people’. Similarly, the human nature can be ascribed as ‘of the mind, by the mind and for the mind’. This democratic way of influence of the mind prevents the human being from realizing his real nature, which ultimately lead to all the human sufferings.
Human sufferings are nothing but the disorderliness in human nature. One such disorderliness being faced by the human being is insomnia, a disease of sleeplessness. There are many causes for this disease, some of them are physiological and most of them being psychological. It is interesting to see how the work place also becomes a cause for insomnia.
Work pressure is different from working under pressure. There are many reasons for this pressure while working, which contributes to insomnia. Unfortunately, in many organizations, this insomnia is, knowingly or unknowingly, linked to ‘Vigilance’. This is more prevalent in public sector enterprises (PSEs), where the delegation and exercise of powers are supposed to be more conspicuous. This insomnia is more specific to PSEs and hence it can be diagnosed as ‘Vigilance Insomnia’. Here goes an illustration (actual) on how the ‘vigilance insomnia’ catches up in a public sector organization.
It was yet another busy day for the Finance department of a division of a PSE. There was a very serious looking Finance Manager, disturbed largely, talking over telephone with someone. His face was sure to indicate his suffering thanks to ‘vigilance insomnia’. The reason for his grim face was that he had to approve a payment voucher of a huge claim. As per the delegated powers he was to approve it. The worried man continued his deliberation over phone with the other person. Suddenly he became exuberant and his joy became uncontrollable. He found to his surprise during the prolonged discussion that on reworking the claims it revealed that the claim amount was going beyond his delegated powers and he need not sign or approve this payment voucher now. It will be signed by his next higher authority who has the power to do it as per the delegated powers. What a great relief on his face? He happily pushed the file to the concerned authority with a sign of relief. He thanked God for relieving him and freed him from the vigilance insomnia, at least in one case. Because, he will not be questioned in this case by vigilance. No question of recording his statements, if there is any enquiry subsequently on this issue. Above all, he will not be held responsible, if any irregularities are found in this case. What a state of affair?
Here is another illustration. This time, it was in the procurement of a high value item, wherein a senior executive had to suffer this insomnia because he favoured a particular supplier. It was a public tender for the procurement of a specialized item required in a large quantity. This contract was traditionally awarded to a same party for years. The same party was able to win this contract for years through the open tender process. On a particular year, the scenario had changed. A new competent entrant had managed to enter the fray. The tender formalities were completed and it came to the stage of awarding the tender, after the approval of the competent authority. The Tender Committee recommendations were made and to the surprise of everyone, the new entrant became the L-1. Not only that, the rate quoted by him was 40% lower than the previous year’s rate. Nevertheless, it was not an attractive proposition for the party which had been traditionally winning this contract. They stood at L-2. So, the L-2 party applied its might and managed to influence the competent authority who is supposed to approve the TC recommendation. The L-2 party simply made a complaint with some flimsy technical reasons, which he never brought out during the entire process. Once he came to know that he was not L-1, he started this game. In this process, the competent authority got in to this trap and ordered cancellation of the tender on a flimsy technical ground. After canceling the tender, to safeguard himself, he sought legal opinion. Here started his insomnia. Because he knew that he should have sought the legal opinion before canceling the tender on “whether he could proceed to award the tender despite of an untimely flimsy allegation made by an unsuccessful vendor”. Instead, he had chosen to cancel the tender on his own in order to favour the party and subsequently sought the legal opinion just to support his stand. Of course, in this case, this insomnia faced by him was the mild dosage of penal action which he had to face subsequently on a regular basis.
There are many such instances exist in a PSE, which dissipate fear psychosis among the employees, particularly in those who are at the decision making level. Of course, this definitely is a problem. Nevertheless, the mere existence of a problem does not mean that there exists a solution too. Here is a problem whose solution ought to be found for the organizational good. Else attempt should be made to remove the problem itself.
The greatest progress and achievement in science and technology or in any field for that matter was possible only by reaching up to the minutest part of the matter and understanding it. Similarly in the case of ‘vigilance insomnia’ also, by looking deep at the very root, it would be realized that there are two factors, which lead to the state of ‘Vigilance insomnia’. They are (i) lack of confidence and (ii) lack of confidence once again. The first one is on oneself and the second one is on others. Here, it would be quite handy to remember that it is knowledge on the subject and motive behind the act, which determine the level of confidence, particularly in a commercial organization. The knowledge in such case should include the knowledge on the subject; the knowledge on the function and above all the ‘role clarity’ while performing one’s duty. The motive should be intended at achieving the organization’s objective, in preference to the individual. Here the Bhagwat Gita enjoins upon us to discharge our duties even at the cost of life:
Swadharmay nidhanam shrayaha
Pardharmo bhayawaha
(Chap-3, s.35)
(Better death in the discharge of one’s own duty. The duty of another is full of danger)
Therefore, performing one’s clearly defined duty and allowing others to perform their duty becomes all the more important in this transmission of efforts to achieve the organizational goal. The Executives and Manages need to keep in mind that they are not only accountable for what they do but are also accountable for what they did not do which they are suppose to do. Taking shelter under 'Vigilance Insomnia' amounts to inaction and should be treated under imcompetency and shredding one's responsibility.
Now comes the litmus test to know whether the confidence level as discussed above is adequate enough to overcome the vigilance insomnia. There is a three-point test, which is being advocated by the stalwarts who had seen great success amidst adversities. They advocate a three-point test prescribed by Norman Vincent Peale and Kenneth Blanchard in their book, ‘The power of ethical management’. In an organization, any decision taken or any act performed has to be subjected to this test. The first test is, is it legal? The second test is, is it fair? Whether the decision or act is fair enough to all the parties involved in the process. Then the third test is, if the decision taken or the act performed is made public, will it bring shame or embarrassment to the individual or organization. If the answer to any one of these tests is negative then there is every chance that the person(s) involved in the decision or act will undergo ‘vigilance insomnia’. For those who pass this litmus test, the ‘vigilance insomnia’ is only a myth.
Here are some widely recognized and accepted standard good practices which will keep one away from the vigilance insomnia:
• Keep the organisation’s interest in the first place, in preference to individual interest;
• Act with honesty and integrity, avoiding actual or apparent conflict of interest in personal and professional relationships;
• Comply with applicable laws, rules and regulations;
• Follow the laid down systems and procedures and be part of the continuous updation;
• Even if deviations become inevitable, be transparent and fair by recording reasons and making the entire process transparent;
• Be always transparent and fair in all dealings;
• Act in good faith, with responsibility, with due care, competence and diligence
• Respect the confidentiality of information and desist from using it for personal advantage;
• Share knowledge and maintain skills important and relevant for performing duty;
• Proactively promote and be example of ethical behavior; and
• Above all, carry good reputation by demonstrating honesty and practicing ethical values with moral behaviour.
While these standard good practices may help in a bigger way, avoidance of the following undesirable practices will ensure that one does not get infected by the vigilance insomnia:
• Do not subvert the laid down rules, regulations and procedures for personal advantage, may it be for money or matter or kind;
• Do not try to favour any party or person for the sake of personal gains, may it be for money or matter or kind;
• Do not do any thing which you are not confident enough. i.e. with lack of knowledge on subject, function and role clarity;
• Do not assume the role of others;
• Do not do anything which your conscience does not permit to do against the interest of the organization;
• Do not hide or misguide or misrepresent material facts for personal advantage;
• Do not allow one’s independent judgment to be subordinated;
• Do not assume yourself bigger than the organization;
• Do not under estimate others capability and ability to unearth your misdeeds; and
• Above all, do not follow the so called hidden 11th Commandment (as referred by some critics): “You can violate all the 10 commandants but thou shall not be found out!”
Executives and Managers should keep in mind that organisations pay them for performing their role effectively and at the same time not getting into certain activities (as illustrated above) which are not desirable and to be kept at bay.
Nevertheless, there is an easy way of adopting these practices. The story of lamb and tiger is the best example to understand it. Moving amidst the lambs, the lone tiger behaved like a lamb, until one day another tiger made it realize the fact that it was a tiger and not a lamb. The same way, everyone in the organization should realize that they are vigilance officers at the first place while performing their duty. As Swami Vivekananda said, ‘wake up the God in you’, the best way is to ‘wake up the vigilance officer in oneself’ to nullify the ‘vigilance insomnia’.
