This dual form of alienation often produces profound (and at times isolating) individualism. We have to look inward for guidance and a sense of purpose rather than looking, as we do in a premodern world, to an external authority or community. Modern organizations emphasize individual rights and look to individuals with specialized and technical expertise to solve complex organizational problems.
Most of the modern perspectives on motivation to work similarly focus on personal rewards and individual achievements. We no longer derive meaning in the modern world from shared societal beliefs or from institutions that sustain and interpret these beliefs (such as organizations, extended families, or governments). Meaning comes instead from the individualistic pursuit of wealth and the acquisition of goods that convey our personal identities and offer a (usually unfulfilled) promise of happiness and self-esteem.
The Case of Susan Telluride
Like Kurt Seto, Susan is a hypothetical person who represents an amalgamation of modern leaders with whom I have worked. Susan Telluride has been hired as Associate Vice President of Human Relations (HR) at a quite large insurance company. While she is pleased to advance in her career by being appointed (she was actively recruited) to this job, Susan is aware that they needed a woman in their quest for diversity. Susan is also aware that she was not the favorite choice of the gentleman who will be her boss.
Once she began to work in the new company, some of her suspicions regarding what was taking place were validated. The man who heads HR formally was head of Claims Processing– but was too laid back for this demanding job. As Susan notes: “He is a very nice man, and everyone seems to like him, but I can’t find any backbone in him.” HR is adrift, and Susan believes (with some justification) that she was hired to stop the drifting. While her boss is very pleasant to be around, he is “softly” blocking everything that Susan is trying to do. Susan’s very assertive orientation is finding nowhere to engage in the stagnant environment created by her supervisor.
Susan decides to take some unilateral action. She sets up a task force to recommend a new set of actions that should be taken to improve HR in this company. Susan got away with this by finding a document written two years ago by the corporate board that called for changes in several areas, including HR. She did let her boss know that she was setting up this task force and assured him that her group was only coming up with recommendations.
No actions were going to be taken without his approval. Susan was also aware that her boss found it hard to say “no” to anyone, so she predicted that he would reluctantly accept their recommendations. It is one thing to softly block the initiative to be taken by one person (especially a woman of color). It is quite another thing to block the work done by a team that has been carefully selected and is influential. (Susan has done her homework and knows who to get on her side.
The report is prepared. Susan joins with several members of her task force to deliver a set of PowerPoint presentations that summarize their recommendations. Susan’s boss listens to their presentation and asks for the written report (which he has not yet seen). He is uncharacteristically cold during the presentation and asks some challenging questions after the presentation is concluded. While he will take the recommendations under advisement and is very warm in expressing his appreciation for the hard work being done by the task force, he never mentions Susan and never does anything with the report.
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