In December 2016, Arshad Ali joined Imperial Computers Ltd.(ICL) as a Senior Programmer, with a handsome pay. Prior to thisjob, he worked successfully as an assistant programmer in GemComputers (Gem). Arshad felt that ICL offered better careerprospects, as it was growing much faster than Gem, which was arelatively small company.

Although Arshad had enjoyed working there (at Gem), he realizedthat to grow further in his field, he would have to join a biggercompany, and preferable one that handled international projects. Hewas sure he would excel in his position at ICL, just as he had donein his old job at Gem.

ICL had international operations and there was more than a slimchance that he would be sent to USA or the UK on a project. Knowingthat this would give him a lot of exposure, besides looking good onhis resume, Arshad was quite excited about his new job.

Arshad joined Gunjan’s five-member team at ICL. He had metGunjan during the orientation sessions, and was looking forward toworking under her. His team members seemed warm and friendly, andcomfortable with their work. He introduced himself to the teammembers and got to know more about each of them.

Wanting to know more about his boss, he casually asked Rehman,one of the team members, about Gunjan. Rehman said, “Gunjan doesnot interfere with our work. In fact, you could even say that shetries to ignore us as much as she can.” Arshad was surprised by thecomment but decided that Gunjan was probably leaving them alone todo their work without any guidance, in order to allow them torealize their full potential.

At Gem, Arshad had worked under Sultan and had looked up to himas a guide and mentor – always guiding, but never interfering.Sultan had let Arshad make his own mistakes and learn from them. Hehad always encouraged individual ideas, and let the team discoverthe flaws, if any, through discussion and experience. He rarelyheld an individual member of his team responsible if the team as awhole failed to deliver – for him the responsibility for anyfailure was collective. Arshad remembered telling his colleagues atGem that the ideal boss would be someone who did not interfere withhis/her subordinate’s work. Arshad wanted to believe that Gunjantoo was the non-interfering type. If that was the case, surely hernon-interference would only help him to grow.

In his first week at work, Arshad found the atmosphere at theoffice a bit dull. However, he was quite excited. His team had beenassigned a new project and was facing a few glitches with the newsoftware. He had thought about the problem till late in the nightand had come up with several possible solutions. He could not waitto discuss them with his team and Gunjan. He smiled to himself whenhe thought of how Gunjan would react when he will tell her that hehad come up with several possible solutions to the problem. He wassure she would be happy with his having put in so much effort intothe project, right from day one.

He was daydreaming about all the praise that he was going to getwhen Gunjan walked into the office. Arshad waited for her to gointo her cabin, and after five minutes, called her up, asking tosee her. She asked him to come in after tem minutes. When he wentin, she looked at him blankly and asked, “Yes?” Not sure whethershe had recognized him, Arshad introduced himself. She said, “Ok,but why did you want to meet me?” Arshad started to tell her aboutthe problems they were having with the software. But before hecould even finish, she told him that she was busy with otherthings, and that she would send an email with the solution to allthe members of the team by the end of the day, and that they couldthen implement it immediately. Arshad was somewhat taken aback.However, ever the optimist, he thought that she had perhaps alreadydiscussed the matter with the team.

Arshad came out of Gunjan’s cabin and went straight to where histeam members sat. He thought it would still be nice to bounce ideasoff them and also to see what solutions others might come up with.He told them of all the solutions he had in mind. He waited for theothers to come up with their suggestions but not one of them spokeup. He was surprised, and asked them point-blank why they were sodisinterested.

Aftab, one of the team members, said, “What is the point in ourdiscussing these things? Gunjan is not going to have time to listento us on discuss anything. She will just give us the solution shethinks is best, and we will just do what she tells us to do; whywaste everyone’s time?”

Arshad felt his heart sink. Was this the way things worked overhere? However, he refused to lose heart and thought that maybe, hecould change things a little. But as the days went by, Arshadrealized that Gunjan was the complete opposite of his old boss.

While she was efficient at what she did and extremelyintelligent, she had neither the time nor the inclination to groomher subordinates. Her solutions to problem were always correct, butshe was not willing to discuss or debate the merits of any otherideas that her team might have. She did not hold the team down totheir deadlines not did she ever interfere. In fact, she rarelysaid anything at all. If work did not get finished on time, shewould just blame her team, and totally disassociate herself fromthem.

Time and again, Arshad found himself thinking of Sultan his oldboss, and of how he had been such a positive influence. Gunjan, onthe other hand, even without actively doing anything, had managedto significantly lower his motivation levels.

Arshad gradually began to lose interest in his work – it hadbecome too mechanical for his taste. He didn’t really need tothink; his boss had all the answers. He was learning nothing new,and he felt his career was going nowhere. As he became more andmore discouraged, his performance suffered. From being someone withimmense promise and potential Arshad was now in danger of becomingjust another mediocre techie.

Questions:

Q1. What, according to you, were the reasons for Arshad’sdisillusionment? Answer the question using Maslow’s Hierarchy ofNeeds.