Linear, Non-linear, Centralization of Power, and Hiring

Non-linear thinking has become the talk of the town these days. Several thought-provoking industry leaders have started taking it seriously and looking to adopt this method in their business ecosystem, but, is it really so easy? Are we really accepting this change in a wholesome manner or just throwing another buzzword to save ourselves from corporate bludgeoning? My thoughts:

Linearity, as described by the Cambridge Dictionary, is the fact of involving a series of events or thoughts in which one follows another one directly, anything opposite to it (favoring random acts and events) is considered as non-linear. The same reference is quoted by several leaders, for them, linearity in value chain means a method (similar to the waterfall method) in which crossing a milestone paves the path for the next milestone and further. For many salespeople, it is similar to following up a method starting from Suspecting and followed by Prospecting, Approval, Bid Submission, and finally Sales. But, are we planning to abandon this practice? Can we assume that CRM's are going to be a passe in the coming days? Probably not! and the reason is quite simple.

Non-linearity in statistics represents an equation that cannot be described by a defined set of variables, thus leaving us with higher degrees of freedom and less predictive power. Some of the examples are the Logistic regression (though it is generalized linear equation), Hofstadter Equation, and various others. Anything non-linear means something that doesn't follow a straight and predictive path, but the question remains the same, how to practice non-linearity in the business ecosystem?

Non-linearity in the business ecosystem depends more upon the methods of collecting information, dealing with acquired data, identifying suitable processing methods, and putting extracted information on work by using unconventional methods adopted by companies from sectors similar awa other than yours. It is akin to getting rid of virtual blinders and analyzing the market with an open mind; absorbing what's valuable and making it work using agile methods. Looks easy. right?

No! It looks much easier to read than executing the above. Just like laissez-faire, it does have its own list of pre-requisites which is difficult to follow due to some well-known obstructors. Out of the list, the most important pre-requisite is Diversity (both cultural and professional). It has been observed that organizations having optimal combination of cultural and professional diversity perform better than others (ref: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/09/13/the-benefits-of-cultural-diversity-in-the-workplace/#4158bb5071c0). It cultivates the habit of sharing ideas and adding value through various other perspectives. Professional Diversity among senior leadership helps the organization to accept change, probable perspectives, and value statements suggested by team members. so, where's the problem?

With the upsurge of centralization of power, we have observed that most of the organizations are being directed by one battery of people (sometimes just one person). If you are lucky enough, you may find the best of the group directing your organization, otherwise, you are just a step away from organizational hara-kiri. We can easily spot people with diversified experience at senior leadership roles but not in middle management which further aggravates the problem. What follows further is known as GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out). The middle management, as directed by senior leadership is forced to execute the job as per the directions, which they hardly believe (due to non-diversified background).

All above, when put together, feeds the system with trash, making the organization less agile and financially weak.

So what's needed? probably a change agent, a recruiter (include HRBPs also) who can make things work. A recruiter who is willing to shortlist resumes with diversified backgrounds. A recruiter who is willing to: work on data; filtering-in the details; understand business processes and suggest the same to the leadership. We need recruiters who are willing to contribute through their knowledge and are confident of standing firm when the wind is blowing the other way.

From the above discussion, we conclude that the organizations need wholesomeness in their processes. They need to cultivate a culture where people from diverse professional and cultural backgrounds can contribute their best without hesitation. In our quest to grow (in best of times) and sustain (in difficult times) we shouldn't forget that each of us (when well directed by principles of inclusiveness) is capable of bringing positive change in our organization, as they say;

Ten soldiers wisely led will beat a hundred without a head - Euripides

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency. Examples of analysis performed within this article are only examples. They should not be utilized in real-world analytic products as they are based only on very limited and dated open source information. Assumptions made within the analysis are not reflective of the position of any Indian government entity.