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THE AMAZING POWER OF THE NUMBER-2 POSITION...

HE AMAZING POWER OF THE NUMBER-2 POSITION...

How many times have we had to deal with this kind of scenario at work, both in the private sector & in government.....

“Patrick is the CEO of a fledgling chain of restaurants. He is a tough, hard-working go-getter who ironically still believes in fairness & equity at all times, regardless of status. A few months ago he took the unusual step of sending immediate past Head of HR on suspension for overt bias in handling a disciplinary issue and this endeared him to staff across board. 

However Patrick takes no prisoners. His management style is simple – increase shareholder value, ensure the work environment is conducive but reduce staff interface to the barest minimum and delegate as much as is practicable.

Two weeks ago HR announced that the CEO had approved the retirement of two Senior Managers and the redeployment of some middle-level managers for breach of trust in financial dealings & the word making the rounds was that he was deeply upset at this point and any wrong step could land staff members in trouble

What followed was palpable fear; the rumor mill working nineteen to the dozen and those perceived to be the CEO’s direct deputies quickly became larger than life.  Suddenly everyone was warming up to them, trying to get a feel of the CEO’s heartbeat & at the same time ensuring they remain in his good books”

In truth, the Patrick isn’t the cold-hearted boss he’s portrayed to be, but as long as this image is sustained his immediate deputies (Number-2s) benefit…naturally.

The more the mystery, the more the fear, the more the leverage & the more the control.

Therein lies one of the major strengths of the Number-2 position…

In this context, the term “Number – 2” is used in a broad sense to mean the direct deputy or closed group of deputies to the actual person in authority

It’s an amazing position, particularly when you have a number one that actively delegates and places tremendous trust in his deputy.

Let’s take a look at the positive side…

In the real world, the acid test of power is not really about being loud or visible but about influence.

However, that level of influence comes only after some period of testing to prove faithfulness and submission to authority

Submission!!!! Yes it is; that infamous word that people often cringe at

I can hear the reactions – “who is he to tell me what to do; is she smarter than I am; we are equals in the profession; even the holy book says submit yourselves one to another” and the list goes on & on

Nevertheless, trust is earned (or better still) proven over time and nobody commits power to a person he or she cannot trust, however talented that person may be.

So the CEO may be self-effacing and may even be kind hearted in the real sense of it but has chosen not to connect too deeply with the workforce and opts to manage the enterprise using a more visible Number-2.

Needless to say, anyone who wishes to survive in that organization is better off adapting to his leadership style rather than trying to change it, right?

The Political Dimensions to this…

Unfortunately, this kind of context immediately triggers fears of “a cabal at work, hijacking power”

Actually, these fears are not unfounded because sadly we have seen negative instances of “cabals” literally abusing the privilege of access to power, either with a leader that trusts too much or one that is incapacitated. But for once let’s stop to reconsider a few things; these cabals are not spirits but usually a small group of trusted advisers who have earned the leader’s trust over a long time and at some point, he must have openly validated them in front of others.

Granted, some have abused the privilege but what’s more important now is - how did they earn that trust to start with?

Those older than the leader may have won his heart through life-changing contributions they made to at some point in his formative years while the younger ones usually earn their place through loyalty and faithfulness; that is submitting to his leadership and faithfully executing his directives without contention, particularly at critical moments.

In contemporary Nigerian politics, a number of decades ago, we had a classic case of rare synergy where a military ruler entrusted enormous power in his Number 2, yet the latter never undermined him. Nonetheless, the entire nation knew beyond any doubt the level of influence that Number 2 commanded and in fairness to him, he used it for good.

Even in the scriptures, the Lord Jesus selected twelve disciples but at certain critical moments as on the Mount of Transfiguration he took only Peter, James and John with him a step further and the others had to live with it. Yet after his resurrection, each apostle went on to excel in ministry across different parts of the world.

In other words, even the often “macho” men do submit to people outside the home in multiple scenarios, some of whom were classmates or even juniors at some point in life

Bringing it home to domestic relationships…

Both contemporary cultures and the Bible will be my grund norm for this

Despite present-day arguments about sexism and the superiority of either sex, most cultures and even nature instinctively demands a higher level of accountability and responsibility from the man, which naturally confers a higher level of authority regarding outcomes of domestic relationships.

Furthermore, the scriptures clearly call the man the Head and directs the wife to submit to him in all things.

Though the same context also notes that the woman is a joint-heir of the rewards of Christ it still states that the woman is under the man just as the man is under Christ. (1^st Corinth 11:3 & Ephesians 5:24)

Interestingly some modern-day pentecostals now suggest such things as “God took the bone from his side, not his feet so she is his partner; or that the scriptures later said submit yourselves one to another so the woman is not under the man. In fact, the most interesting slant I’ve heard to date is the school of thought that the Bible doesn’t really say the woman is the helpmeet to the man so it could be the other way.

But that same scripture-text also says servants should submit to their masters in all things and later warns masters to “do good unto them, forbearing threatening them: knowing that your Master also is in heaven”

Interestingly no one ever seems to argue that servants and masters are therefore on the same level in the home.

Back to the main thrust of this….

In every organization (private, public or domestic), the fundamental questions we need to ask ourselves are:

·         Do I just want to prove a point that I am not a pushover or weakling?

·         Or do I actually want to access and maximize benefits of power (be it from a ruler, a CEO or a husband or a parent)

The pathway may not be easy on our emotions but it is most rewarding, namely:

·    Total submission to his or her authority in all things even when you feel strongly   that it’s a wrong decision

·     Loyalty - refusing to disrespect or to pull him down with words even at such vulnerable moments

·     Earning his trust over time through dedicated service as if unto God Himself (& not via eye-service)

That’s deep!!!

Oh how many women have lost out to strange, subtle women outside who win their husband’s hearts simply by honoring and respecting them as against contention in the home with wives insisting they cannot “dominate” them and refusing to back-off from arguments;

How many potential CEOs have lost succession battles to less qualified peers just because they want to be seen to be “the guy that speaks his mind bluntly” or as they often say “I fear no man but God”

They however forget that respect for authority & the resulting influence on the ruler literally delivers a blank cheque to power whereas the supposed blunt speaking devoid of courtesy makes that person an object of oppression in the same power-game.

Most rulers and CEOs will tell us it gets lonely at the top & sometimes they struggle, deciding whom to trust.

Ironically, often times the vital recommendation on whom to promote could end up coming from his casual conversation with that faithful driver, secretary or butler that has earned his trust over the years.

In addition, that ruler often ends up talking positively about such people in private and the public favor that comes with this is immeasurable. Even if things go awry sometimes, a ruler whose heart you’ve won can go as far as accepting the blame and shielding you in public

Ladies & gentlemen, let us never forget that there’s tremendous power and safety in that “Number-2 position” so long as we pay the price to handle it right

Have a great week ahead!!!

William .O. Uko III