How to Bring an Organisation Down

Setting up a new business, taking an existing one to the next level, and achieving higher excellence in a successful enterprise is not easy. There are no short-cuts to success. There is no success story without sweat or blood. Those trying to build a juggernaut must understand mechanical side of the structure. Procuring parts and ingredients from different suppliers and putting them together is not what has made Apple a US$750 billion company. Those who are trying to emulate what seemingly is an Apple success story by way of assembling devices and not actually making them are in fact unaware of the success cycle of the company. Similarly, building a technology business without in-house technological know-how is at best a trading enterprise (or a white-labelled brand) and not an engineering project. 

Building an organisation is, however, not focus here. Rather, we would like to identify the factors that may cause demise of an otherwise successful enterprise. It is very easy to destroy a business or an organisation, as it takes only one deadly mistake to start regressing. Here are five most important factors that have destroyed not only organisations and commercial businesses but even countries.

Those leaders who think that an organisation's existence solely depends on their ability to decide and execute live in a fools' paradise. Whatever control they enjoyed when in power, removal of the likes of Saddam Hussain and Muammar Qaddafi incurred irreparable losses to their respective countries. The same holds for the organisations and businesses run by narcissist leaders. While there is ample empirical evidence that autocratic decision-making makes lives of intelligent and able employees difficult and that it results in high turnover of employees, not much has been written about the fate of such businesses when authoritarian leaders leave their jobs or retire. 

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) and effective monitoring and auditing functions build strong and sustainable organisations and business. Centralised decision-making and micro management by the top leader kill innovation and initiative; and that is what you need to destroy your business.

Bullying never works for the long-run survival of any organisation. It breeds antagonism and kills loyalty and sense of belongingness. Those businesses and organisations where top leaders have cronies and bullies in place strategically face high risk of demise. A study published in 2014 by the Turnaround Management Society reveals that most crises are caused by the mistakes of top management. The cronies play an important role there. Hence, you need these guys and no professionals.

Playing politics represents sheer selfishness. Leadership requires a great deal of altruism. A leader managing a team must ensure that they empower their team members, with a view to promote them and eventually succeed them. If you really want to bring an organisation down, play politics and breed a culture of political manoeuvring.

Compassion retains people in an organisation. If you want to get rid of the best people, you must show brutality and penalise them for any mistakes they may make. It will ensure that only cronies and yes-men surround you. They will remain with you until the business has collapsed. They will be the last ones to desert you. A lot of leaders think that the people around then deliver because they force them to work hard. This is simply not true. Sustainable success is based on inspirational work of leaders. By bulldozing your subordinates, you actually destroy your own business. It may take sometime for the business to collapse, but your perseverance to remain brutal and unforgiving will ensure that it actually falls apart.

It's good to behave like Mickey Mouse (especially if you take its Australian meanings). A Mickey Mouse leader is very popular, as they do the trivial things in a meaningful way. In the process, they become very popular amongst other Mickey Mice. An army of Mickey Mice in an organisation cannot survive long. Try it for guaranteed success.