Like Caesar’s wife, the Big Boss’s (BB) PA must be above suspicion.
She is the repository of all the information pertaining to the organization and
the people in it. And she is also the conduit through whom the BB routes his
communications, his memos, and his final decisions. Working this closely with
the head of the organization swells the head of many a PA who may just initiate
power games in the office. It therefore takes someone of some maturity and a
level-head to perform this task well. “If it is the BB you want to win, then it
is with the PA you begin,” becomes the motto of those who want to woo the
demi-god. Officers befriend her to try
and win her confidence. This is as good as winning the approval if the BB as
his PA is his first source of information about his subordinates. The
information she supplies to the BB likely to be in favor of those who kow-tow to
her.
Most BBs are reluctant to
survey the floor themselves and so rely on their Pas for information. Human
nature is naturally inclined to prejudice, and unless simpered by wisdom and
far-sightedness, the PA is going to pass on a lot of her own opinion for
information. Some BBs even consult their Pas about the promotion of juniors and
when writing performance appraisals.
A PA with mischievous
intentions may pretend to be friendly with the staff. To get them on to her
side, she may regale them with instances of her Boss’s oddities. Soon inhibitions
are down, anecdotes are being traded and opinions aired without the customary
caution. Thus armed, Madame PA may well hurry to the BB to give him the lowdown
on her discovery – adding her own tidbits to pep up the account.
If such behavior is indulged in, it is a clear
indication of the questionable ethics of the person occupying a crucial
position in the organization. It does
not speak very well of the BB’s maturity, basing his decision solely on what
may often be pure gossip or hearsay. It
takes two to tango and so much more so in a professional situation such as
this. BBs must make a fair assessment of their Pas. They must rely on their own
observations, avoid exchanging gossip with them and resist the temptation to
seek their counsel on official matters such as those that may affect the career of an employee. As for the PA, she must have integrity and a
non-partisan attitude to the people who work for her boss. She must not misuse
her position to create factions in the office. If a discordant note has been
struck in inter-personal relationships at work, she must, in the interest of
the BB and the organization, intervene to restore harmony. If she has been confidante of some members of
the staff, she must hot hold them to ransom when it suits her and abandon them
at will. She must not part with any
confidential information, and as far as possible, keep to herself. Familiarity, in her position, is bound to
breed unpredictable situations. If talk
she must, there are always general subjects like the weather, films or the
nuclear ban. And personnel or recruiting
managers must beware when they choose a PA. A mature, balanced person with a
good family background and a dignified deportment are essential qualifications. A soft voice is an excellent thing in woman,
as Shakespeare said, and a smile while it need not be perpetual and plastic,
can save the day when it is genuine.
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