Paradoxes at the Workplace

image courtesy www.evernote.com/pub/notna2000/Dilbert

Management’s paradox

• Shareholder’s expectations vs. Team’s expectations – shareholders always expect certain level of profitability and this at times is in direct conflict with management’s desire to invest in the organization and employees
• Invest first or Acquire first – the chicken and egg syndrome when the organization wants to add a new competency or capability. Does one build the team first and then acquire customers or acquire customers and then build the team

Manager’s paradox

• Organisation vs. team – Managers are faced with this paradox of having to balance the need of the organization and the individual aspirations of the team members
• Team member vs. self – When a manager has a high performer within the ranks, does he/she allow the individual to grow quickly at a faster rate than self. The other paradox is at what point does the manager resist taking credit for the work that the team does

Employee’s paradox

• Self vs. organization – an individual’s aspirations being sacrificed for the larger interest of the organization. How long would the individual stymie his/her ambition
• Self vs. team – when the individual’s performance begins to outweigh that of the rest of the team