Doraemon Musings - Lessons in Organizational Behaviour

Have you watched 'Doraemon'? Ok, you do not have to confess that publicly, but when I recently asked the same question in my MBA class and except one student, all others had seen the cartoon series. Few even watch it now! That explains the popularity of the adapted Japanese cartoon series.

Kids, for sure, are hooked to 'Doraemon'. 'Doraemon', the adapted Japanese cartoon series on television, continues to fascinate kids, at times grown up adults, even after more than 50 years since it was first telecast in Japan. Translated in many languages of the world, the show is extremely popular among kids across the world.

Even if you are not such a big fan of 'Doraemon' but if you happen to have a kid at home then chances are that you have been subjected to passive watching of the cartoon series.  Something with which I can relate to very well.

Well! I have not been particularly pleased that my son watches 'Doraemon'. However I am sure that over a period of time he will have the wisdom to differentiate between good and bad. Plainly keeping him away will not serve the purpose. Arnab like many other kids find the adventures of Nobita and Doraemon  irresistible.

'Doraemon' intrigues because everything depicted in the series should not be learnt and whatever lessons the 'characters' learn because of their follies must be. Now the challenge is whether the kids learn the right thing. I have always felt that kids who watch the cartoon series with no supervision, with the kind of characters that it depicts, run the risk of subconsciously modelling the characters. It is another story that similar issues exists with most kids series on television today.

But I also think that 'Doraemon', with all its shades, if communicated properly, can hold excellent lessons on behaviour not only to kids but to adults as well, particularly when it comes to Organizational Behaviour. Teaching this course to MBA students and being subjected to a passive watching of the cartoon series everyday, it gave me enough time and opportunity to think and introspect.

I prefer calling them 'Doraemon Musings'. Hope you like them -

Theory X and Theory Y
The protagonist of the series are two characters - Doraemon a robotic cat who has come back in time from the 22nd century to help a pre - teen boy Nobita. Nobita is a boy who is lazy and hates work - be it be going to school, or doing his studies, or his homework or make a decent attempt to play a game. He is constantly under fire from his teachers, mother and often even friends. As much as Nobita hates working, he wants all advantages or benefits without making too much effort. Basically he wants an easy life. He also dreams of an adult life where he will get a job that will have minimal things to do but 'one' that can give back lots of money. Because of his laziness, he often gets into trouble sometimes for not finishing his school work or chores at home or with his friends. He obviously turns for all the help to his robotic cat Doraemon.

OB Lesson 1

Nobita personifies the Theory X, that fundamentally believes that people are lazy and they avoid work, yet want all the benefits. They must be told and directed to make them do their jobs. Theory X is a contrast of Theory Y that believes the opposite about people. While a debate goes on in Organizational Behaviour classes that which theory about people is correct, characters like Nobita prove that  as much as Theory Y people exist, Theory X people exist too. Hiring people like Nobita could be a big mistake for any organization and essentially qualifies as 'select error' i.e. selecting the wrong person. The other error in hiring being 'Go Error' or letting go the right person. Hiring mangers must be able to differentiate between X and Y. Experts even believe that CEOs must spend atleast one fourth of their time in hiring people. Jim Collins in his famous book Good to Great had rightly said 'First Who, Then What' that in short means getting the right people in the organization precedes realization of its vision.

Leadership and Power
When Nobita turns to Doraemon for help, what does he do? Well, he doles out a gadget that can turn around the things for Nobita magically. The gadget temporarily solves Nobita's problem but makes him over dependent on itself, rather then on his abilities. Once the problem is solved Nobita is happy and somehow blackmails Doraemon into getting full control over the gadget. Nobita predictably misuses the gadget and gets into trouble again. Time for Doraemon to fish out another gadget...

OB Lesson 2

Doraemon represents a benevolent, laissez-faire and weak leader who is too kind to be effective. His benevolence often becomes the weakness of his followers and he ends up becoming their crutch in a way. They in turn fail miserably. He also does not know how to delegate power and often entrusts in wrong hands. And when total power comes in the hand of a fool then he ends up not only misusing it but also creating trouble for himself and for others. That's exactly what Nobita does! Once he is in full control of the gadgets, he misuses it and messes up big time!

Effective leaders know to be situational as well as contextual leaders. They know when to help their followers and when not to; when to direct them and when to let them discover; and, most importantly whom to entrust with power and responsibilities.

Power and Politics
Power is a function of dependency. More the dependency, more the other person wields power against the 'dependent'. Nobita  has two unworthy friends in the form of Jian and Suniyo. Jian rules the roost with his sheer muscle power and he bullies everyone including Nobita. The latter's only rescue is Doraemon, who else!

• Doraemon wields power over Nobita because the latter depends on him for protection and for special powers. 
• Jian wields power over Nobita because of his ability to infuse fear and Nobita cannot match his muscle power.
• Nobita also has some power over Doraemon as the latter is under obligation to protect the former (Doraemon has been sent by Nobita's  grandson back in time to earn some money and in return protect Nobita).
• Oh! I almost forgot Suniyo, the sidekick of Jian. He sticks to Jian by being his 'Yes Man' so that he can get all his favours. Jian again wields power over Sunioyo.

Since most of the power is illegitimate power, presence or absence of such power leads to negative political behaviour. Not to forget that almost all of them and Nobita in particular are out to impress Shuzuka the only girl among the characters who is the classmate of the boys. The display of negative political behaviour is either to use or neutralize the illegitimate power, depending upon whether one has or does not have the same, to meet their ends or to impress Shuzuka.

OB lesson 3

The prevalence of illegitimate power in organizations encourages negative political behaviour. People try to meet their 'ends' and 'means' lose their meaning. Hence it is either by 'hook or by crook'. People try and secure their advantages and engage in 'impression management' while making sure that they push all the disadvantages to their colleagues.

Conflict and Negotiations
The fact that illegitimate power and negative politics prevails in Doraemon, the conflicts among the characters are also mostly dysfunctional in nature. The conflict-handling intentions basically decide the kind of negotiation that they will have to resolve the conflicts.

• Doraemon is highly cooperative but not at all assertive - He is mostly 'Accommodating'.
• Nobita is neither highly cooperative nor very assertive - He has to mostly 'Compromise'.
• Jian and Suniyo are not at all cooperative but very assertive, infact aggressive - they are always 'Competing'.
• Shuzuka is cooperative but seldom assertive - She is also 'Accommodating'.

OB Lesson 4

If a culture of cut-throat competition with no cooperation or collaboration at all becomes prevalent in the organization then it is always a 'win-lose' scenario and never 'win-win'. Few win, others lose and organization,  Other stakeholders never really gain from such equations.Organization always gain when it can foster more 'Collaboration' in the organization. 'Collaboration' is win-win where both parties end up getting advantage and resolve conflict in a manner that is int he interest of the organization and the stakeholders. For that to happen there must be high degree of cooperativeness and assertiveness to say and do the right thing, always.

Emotions, Attitude & Readiness to Change
Most of the characters in 'Doraemon' are emotionally driven and cannot keep control over their emotions. Nobita's laziness and incompetence makes him emotionally fragile. He is basically the 'cry boy' who cries at the drop of the hat. He emotionally blackmails Doraemon who never learns from his past experiences and once again helps Nobita. Doraemon  also has weakness for 'Dora Cakes', something that makes him do anything. Jian  and Sunioyo cannot keep control over their anger and greed. And then all of them have some soft corner for Shuzuka who many times becomes the reason for competition.

OB lesson 5

The lack of emotional intelligence fosters negative attitude as it impairs both cognitive (mental processing) and affective (emotional processing) components of attitude formation. Thus the chances that they will change is very low. They never learn and never change their nature and keep repeating their mistakes.

Inability to foster emotional intelligence among members in organization, fosters negative attitudes and creates mindsets that block any sort of change. Such organizations face the threat of extinction more than any one else. Sustainability comes from positive attitudes and readiness to change.

Final Reflections
Looking back, Doraemon has an excellent opportunity to reform Nobita. But he is too submissive to assert the point to Nobita  and he never mends his ways. His realization upon messing up is too temporary and never end up in real learning.

OB lesson 6

Leaders have the best opportunity to create a right culture in the organization and thereby cultivate right behaviours that promote productivity, creativity and engagement. If leaders fail, organization pretty much fails. Pampering and threat, both are ineffective. Accountability with responsibility is what leaders must promote.

You have not watched 'Doraemon'!!!

And, just in case you are among the minority who have not yet seen 'Doraemon', then here is one episodes of the famours cartoon series...Enjoy :-)