Don’t Empower The Incompetent – An Article

Every day, I think about the boundaries that have been imposed upon us, and the flawed systems that guide us through life. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not some sort of genius criticizing those who aren’t as clever. Far from it. I was an average student throughout school and college, nothing more.

My father, a doctor, hoped that I would follow in his footsteps. I tried. I took the medical entrance exam, despite a deep-rooted knowledge of my own limitations. When I didn’t make the cut, I wasn’t surprised. Throughout my life, I had done what many of us do – I had memorized theories without fully comprehending them, all to secure passing marks. The thought of using that limited knowledge to operate on another human being was unbearable….unimaginable – rather irresponsible too!

Later, I obtained a diploma in Software Development. Despite my best efforts, the patterns persisted. I memorized and passed, but the fundamental logic behind programming eluded me. When I was given an opportunity to teach at an IT academic institute, I declined. Instead, I chose a clerical job in the service industry. I’ve always been a people person. I thrive on communication and the simplification of complex concepts. That’s where I excel, and I take pride in my work.

This brings me to the reservation policies we have. It’s a system that allows someone barely passing Biology to become a doctor due to quotas, while an individual far more suited to the profession is denied the chance due to lack of quotas. We end up with highly responsible positions filled by individuals ill-equipped to handle them, while more talented candidates are left to take on lesser jobs.

Interacting with someone for a few minutes is often enough to gauge their intelligence. Then there’s nepotism, another faulty wheel in the system. Incompetent individuals placed in managerial positions struggle to lead employees who are, often, more intelligent and competent than they are. These managers, feeling threatened, can create a hostile work environment, driving away valuable employees.

Organizations led by mediocre managers seldom reach their potential. Of course, a workforce is a diverse mix of individuals of varying capabilities and skills, but those in higher, responsible positions need to be well-trained and accomplished. Otherwise, they start seeing their subordinates as threats, breeding insecurity and discontent.

An intelligent employee facing such unnecessary harassment, along with the rest of the team dreading to work under an incompetent manager, creates a toxic work culture. If employees are merely doing their jobs for the sake of a paycheck, companies will not achieve the growth they aim for. A workforce’s productivity will be mediocre if they are unhappy. The true potential of an organization lies in the hands of its employees, and a fair and competent system is crucial to harness this potential.

I urge you to remember this: don’t empower the incompetent. If we want to create successful, thriving organizations, we need to acknowledge this reality and act on it. The implications of doing otherwise are far too costly.