Using
fear
It is essential
to point out that besides the extremely negative effects that a management
based on fear causes a company, a boss has not right to act this way.
As a boss,
with the power that his role bestows him, it is essential for him
to give orders, demand fulfilment and act if the employee doesn’t
fulfil his obligation.
Being a
leader doesn’t give you the right to abuse people, to pressure
them in an unjustified way, to generate unbearable tension. In short,
not to treat them with the respect that they deserve.
Sometimes
using fear helps a company to obtain good results in the short term,
but this situation isn’t maintainable with time.
A person
that is frightened will do anything possible to reach the marked objectives
and avoid being punished. However, it will be impossible for them
to maintain this level of hard work in the long term: the tension,
stress and fear will take their toll.
After a
period of time we will find ourselves with an exhausting employee,
totally burned out. An exhausted person can not give their best.
Besides,
if it is true that the frightened employee will do anything to fulfil
their goals, it is also true that they will limit themselves to do
this and nothing more.
A “frightened”
employee will never think about being active, creative, innovative
or think up new ideas; why? So that the management use them to establish
even more complicated objectives? Maybe a tense atmosphere improves
collaboration?
Using fear
makes organizations disintegrate.
The fear
that the management uses will be used at the bottom of the hierarchy,
affecting everyone in the company.
This will
generate an atmosphere that favours intrigue, jealousy, problems,
abuse: everything has to be done in order to survive (every man to
themselves).
Using fear
produces other negative effects.
It generates
a confrontation between management and staff, forgetting the fact
that everyone is in the same boat.
In difficult
moments, when it is necessary to ask the employees an extraordinary
sacrifice, they are not going to want to help.
Fear also
hides problems. An employee might fear his boss’s reaction.
When finally these problems come to light, it may be too late.
There is
no loyalty to a company. Are companies capable of keeping their best
employees?
Of course
not. The best employees will be those that find it easy to change
jobs.
In spite
of all of these negative consequences that a management based on fear
entails, it is shocking how many companies use this style.
The explanation
is, as was previously indicated, this method is sometimes very effective
in the short term.
Besides,
a management style that is creative, convincing, motivating etc. requires
some leadership qualities that not everyone has. On the other hand,
it is very easy “to pick up the whip”.
