The Enemy Within

The Warriors of Amesopotia

The warriors of Amesopotia were the most feared in the medieval world, they were known far and wide for their valor and the can do attitude. They had won several wars for their king and were willing to lay down their lives for the empire. The conquests made the king avaricious and he ensured more and more of the young lads in the kingdom were recruited to become warriors. Since the plunder ensured there was enough gold in the treasury, to train and pay salaries for these fine warriors.

One winter, he led the army to an improbable mission to defeat the kingdom of Nardua which was considered a tough nation to beat in ordinary circumstances itself, the winter could have posed a greater risk which was ignored by the advisors and generals. There were optimistic scenarios plotted, songs of glory were sung and a wild frenzy which ensured blinded all people of any rational reasoning.

So the army marched in, the biggest enemies was the environment itself, with food reserves running out , the king doubted if the army could make it to the end of the winter. Some bumbling accountants calculated mere 40% of the standing army could defeat the Narduan forces. The king ordered the execution of the remaining Amespotian warriors for the greater good of the kingdom. The rest waited for the winter to end. The king was expecting the war to end soon. It did but not in his favour. He was routed, his warriors scattered, defeated and most of them retreated.

War is not an arithmetic, people have memories, they carry scars for life. In time of optitism, generals end up raising large armies without looking at the costs involved. In a time of glory, the advisors ignore obvious signs of decay and ruin, and make outrageous plans. Unfortunately when things go wrong, the heads roll not at the top but of the foot soldiers. The decisions which the few make impact a vast majority and when the time comes for the army to perform, it is morale of the soldier on the ground which matters !

Does the above story ring a bell in today's world. Whatever be the odds and the adversity at hand, it is enemy within who undermines the organization.

In this recession hit era, most companies are under the impression that cost cutting and layoffs are the only choices to solve problems, although I agree that it is difficult to come to a quicker solution but there are better strategies in the areas of recruitment, utilization of employees and targeting new markets/segments to overcome economic difficulties. But blind cost cutting is not the answer although it is a very tempting tool which shows immediate results. The test of a organization is not how it treats its employees in the good times but it handles the work force in tougher times.  The recession will end one day, and so will the credit crunch, but the hit on the employee pysche cannot be restored magically over night. 

When the only tool you have is a hammer, then you tend to see every problem as a nail – Abraham Maslow