One of my favorite parts of the Harvard Business Review is the cartoon section. Of course, the articles make the magazine distinguished, but the cartoons make me laugh. Every month the aptly named “Strategic Humor” section is what I turn to first. In these tough times I enjoy cartoons that regularly puncture the self-inflated bubble of our management culture.
Senior managers are a special target; everyone loves to see them taken down a peg. Also satirized are silly “feed the monster” practices that do nothing but waste time. But even ordinary employees are fair game especially when they play the “suck up” games with higher-ups. Here are some of my recent favorites and some lessons they teach.
Efficiency is in the eye of the beholder. That’s the theme of a cartoon depicting a staff meeting of mice at the office to which the presenting mouse points to a graphic depicting a downturn, “And here the cat was away…” Another cartoon featuring a boss asking a stone-faced subordinate “Well, then, when would be a good time to talk about your procrastination?” [November 2008 Harvard Business Review]
You can spin anything. “By golly, Jones, I like your optimism. I didn’t know we had a fifth quarter,” exclaims a puffed up looking senior executive time. So true! Haven’t we all been in meetings where subordinates will say anything to their boss just to make him happy? And worse, the boss is too clueless to recognize the lies. [October 2008]
Talent is overrated. “First off, let me allay your fears of being overqualified” says a manager to an employee. In another cartoon, a manager hands a performance evaluation to a debonairly attired employee who replies nonchalantly, “I never read my reviews.” The caption to a cartoon featuring employees performing song and dance routines says, “We’ve invested heavily – if not always wisely–in talent.” [June 2008]
Employees are disposable. This is a common theme. “Hey don’t worry. It’s a layoff. It’s not as if you did anything wrong,” chimes an oversized boss to a diminutive and sniveling employee. In another cartoon another laid off employee is seen carrying out his belongings to which he mutters, “More grist for my blog.” [October 2008]
Like it or lump it. Everyone has stories about incentive plans. For example, a boss explains to an erstwhile employee seated before him. “Certainly we have an employee incentive program. We call it payday.” One employee complains to another, “I’d quit, but the company can only afford a wooden parachute.” And finally, an employee pushing a shopping cart is shown the door to the stock room. The caption reads, “How’s this for a severance package? Five minutes to grab all you can get.” [March 2008]
What so many, if not all of the cartoons, have in common is a jaded view, and healthy irreverence, for ill-conceived management practices and too self important executives. And for that reason, I will go on reading them for the laughter they provide, and the insights they deliver. Good stuff for these hard times in which we work.