If you do not caution a fool, he could shoot at a lion with a catapult. If we do not caution some of our custodians of resources, they could easily end up a managerial disaster! At least I can say this about some of our organizations’ Managing Directors who just go about town with the acronym M.D., without the sense of consciousness that a lot of management responsibilities actually rest on their shoulders. While some of this so called MD’s are really catastrophic with their management decisions, others have simply reduced themselves to what can only be likened to the ceremonial Heads of State of the colonial era. The scenario is simply a dilemma.
As much as I am not out to witch-hunt anybody, I would like to make it prominent that it is in this great economy of ours that a so called MD secured a bank loan only to be squandered on an extravagant lifestyle outside the shores of the country, leaving his Chief Accountant at the mercy of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), since he would not return from his overseas trip to answer to the law. How can I ever blame the EFCC for nabbing the chief Accountant over the financial misappropriation, after all, he should have known better as the chief custodian of the company’s state of finances. All the same, poor him, how could he have forced his boss to repatriate funds from the United States of America after doing business on behalf of the company, since his MD was an entrepreneur who would rather do as he pleases. Of course he chose a life of affluence abroad, and left his employee languishing in the EFCC net for a long period. He resolved to come home after a while hoping that his train of lawyers, who were able to secure bail for his employee, would easily shield him from the menacing fingers of the EFCC.Trust the EFCC for its dare-devil approach to arresting suspects, he was nabbed in no time. I tell you, it all ended dramatically, and you do not want to know how.
If a farmer can master how to appropriate his harvest for sale and replanting to get a greater yield next time, I still wonder why some of these MD’s cannot manage resources efficiently and effectively by putting one plus another resource together to achieve a synergy of three. They seem illusioned on what exactly are their responsibilities and some seem not to understand the word Management. They think it has to do with their suits and their brief cases, the glamour and the ego they amass, while in the real sense of it, even a lay man understands the simple fact that Management is the ability to spend less and gain more today, in order to have plenty tomorrow.
Management decisions transcends funds issues to that of staff welfare, trust, time, property, wastage, amongst many, and even emotions as the management of all these have resultant effect on the overall performance of any organization. I mean, I cannot understand why a so called Manager would want the very best job execution from a worker who is not emotionally at peace with this superior of his.
If as entrepreneurs, MD’s go about their businesses with a selfish, lack-luster attitude as mentioned above, then I can only regard this as a wild shot at a Lion with a catapult on an open field. There would be no hiding place for such people when the consequences of their misdeeds come crashing in on them. Do not say you were not warned. The Yorubas would say even a mad man knows how to till the soil to his side such that it favours him. Always remember that entrepreneurs are solely responsible for their business decisions, good or bad, they bear the brunt. Be careful how you manage your own business. A word is enough for the wise.
