Parkinson's Law

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Recommended: Analyse how theories of motivation may be applied in the practice of leadership

According to Parkinson’s Law the growth in the number of managers and hierarchical levels is controlled by two principles: (1) “An official wants to multiply subordinates, not rivals,” and (2) “Officials make work for one another (Parkinson 14).” Hence, managers are building an empire for themselves, a tall hierarchy. The higher the empire increases, the higher the managers position become in the organization.

One of the main reasons why managers create subordinates is to decrease the load of their work. Even if their heavy load of work is real or imaginary, sometimes it is due to their own decreasing energy or getting older. There are three possible solutions to this dilemma, the manager (1) can resign, (2) request a partner, or (3) request subordinates. If managers resign, then they will lose their pensions. If managers request a partner that is on their same level in the organization, then they will be bringing in competition for promotion to the next level. The only logical and beneficial solution for them is to request the assistance of subordinates, which will divide the work among their subordinates. Then, the manager will be the only one to understand the subordinate’s work as a whole. To create a visual:

“Suppose a manager called A, request two subordinates called C and D. When C complains in turn of being overworked (as he certainly will) A will, with the concurrence of C, advise the appointment of two assistants to help C. But he can then avert internal friction only by advising the appointment of two more assistants to help D, whose position is much the same. With this recruitment of E, F, G and H the promotion of A is now practically certain (Parkinson 14).”

The draw back to this solution is that manager A wi...

... middle of paper ...

...e the mental stress is always present then it spills over into your personal life. This type of stress can ruin marriages as well as destroy relationships with your kids if you allow it to consume your life. If there is not a balance and your quality of life suffers everything will fall around you including your performance at work.

Also, it can be a tough and often thankless job. You may have to deal with a variety of personalities and often have to make do with limited resources. It can be a challenge to motivate workers in the face of uncertainty and chaos. And managers may find it difficult to effectively blend the knowledge, skills, ambitions, and experiences of a diverse group of employees. Finally, as a manager, success typically depends on others’ work performance.

Works Cited

Parkinson's Law

Organizations and the Business Environement

Management

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