Here is an article I wrote long back (during my teaching days) maybe 25 years ago in the 1990’s.
I am sure it is applicable even today.
Why don’t you read it and tell me...
VON MANSTEIN MATRIX and OLQ (OFFICER LIKE QUALITIES)
How to Categorize Human Resources
Four Types of Officers
By
VIKRAM KARVE
Human Resources are the most precious asset of an organisation.
Hence – before we try to “manage” Human Resources it may be prudent to classify your employees into suitable categories based on certain attributes.
The Von Manstein Matrix is an excellent paradigm to categorize your organisation’s Human Resources – especially the Executive or Officer level employees.
General Von Manstein identified Four Types of Officers in the German Officer Corps of the Army.
Though this model was postulated for the Army – I think this categorisation applies to employees most organisations even today.
THE FOUR TYPES OF OFFICERS
1. LAZY and STUPID
As per Von Manstein – the first category of officers comprises the lazy and stupid individuals.
He suggests that they be left alone as they do no harm.
Lazy and Stupid people rarely do much active harm.
The only harm they sometimes cause is more often based on missing opportunities and stifling the creativity of those who report to them.
Sometimes they are the unavoidable “baggage” or “passengers” that you have to carry along.
You see many of this type in the Army who are hanging around and achieving nothing much for the organization – but being carried along as “passengers” – which is feasible in a mammoth organization with huge inertia.
In the Army – this category comprises passed over officers who are superseded for promotion and have no future in the Army but are hanging around till they reach the age of superannuation. Since they have no scope in civvy-street too – they may even seek re-employment in the Army and continue to be “passengers” easily absorbed and carried along by the huge manpower intensive organisation.
2. HARD-WORKING and INTELLIGENT
The second category comprises the hard-working and intelligent individuals.
These are excellent staff officers who ensure every detail is accurate.
The hardworking and intelligent officers make competent administrators and efficient line managers – who can take orders from above and deliver the desired results.
However – such hardworking and intelligent are best kept at the mid-management level where they perform the best.
In the Army – such hardworking and intelligent officers are best suited as mid-level staff officers (upto the rank of Colonel).
3. HARD-WORKING and STUPID
In the third category are the hard-working and stupid individuals.
These “hardworking idiots” are a nuisance and menace – according to Von Manstein.
They must be fired and removed from the organisation at once – because all they do is to create irrelevant work for everybody.
These hardworking idiots force everyone around them to perform pointless tasks and are a pain in the neck for everyone around them.
In the Army – these hardworking and stupid officers are the ones you see slogging away sincerely in junior ranks wondering why they did not get promoted to high rank despite their hard work.
4. LAZY and INTELLIGENT
And finally – there are the lazy and intelligent individuals.
These select few are suited for the highest office.
Laziness stimulates creativity – because lazy people are always looking for easier, simpler, and less laborious ways to do things – so lazy people always try and innovate.
And – by chance – if a lazy person is also intelligent – he or she will certainly be a fantastic and ingenious innovator.
Lazy people are natural delegators – so they find it very attractive to let their subordinates get on with their work without interference from above.
That is why Lazy, Intelligent Officers make Natural Leaders as they focus on the essentials – and they ignore anything that might create unnecessary work – whether for themselves or other people.
It is the lazy intelligent individuals who indeed make great strategists and leaders.
In the Army – these are the officers who become Generals and Senior Commanders.
Yes – being Lazy and Intelligent is considered the highest level of OLQ (or “Officer Like Quality”) in the Military.
MORAL OF THE STORY
Lazy and Intelligent Officers have the highest OLQ (Officer Like Quality)
Conversely – if you want to rise to high rank in the Army – try to be “Lazy and Intelligent”...
I am sure it is applicable even today.
Why don’t you read it and tell me...
VON MANSTEIN MATRIX and OLQ (OFFICER LIKE QUALITIES)
How to Categorize Human Resources
Four Types of Officers
By
VIKRAM KARVE
Human Resources are the most precious asset of an organisation.
Hence – before we try to “manage” Human Resources it may be prudent to classify your employees into suitable categories based on certain attributes.
The Von Manstein Matrix is an excellent paradigm to categorize your organisation’s Human Resources – especially the Executive or Officer level employees.
General Von Manstein identified Four Types of Officers in the German Officer Corps of the Army.
Though this model was postulated for the Army – I think this categorisation applies to employees most organisations even today.
THE FOUR TYPES OF OFFICERS
1. LAZY and STUPID
As per Von Manstein – the first category of officers comprises the lazy and stupid individuals.
He suggests that they be left alone as they do no harm.
Yes – by and large – the Lazy and Stupid Officers are quite Harmless.
Lazy and Stupid people rarely do much active harm.
The only harm they sometimes cause is more often based on missing opportunities and stifling the creativity of those who report to them.
Sometimes they are the unavoidable “baggage” or “passengers” that you have to carry along.
You see many of this type in the Army who are hanging around and achieving nothing much for the organization – but being carried along as “passengers” – which is feasible in a mammoth organization with huge inertia.
In the Army – this category comprises passed over officers who are superseded for promotion and have no future in the Army but are hanging around till they reach the age of superannuation. Since they have no scope in civvy-street too – they may even seek re-employment in the Army and continue to be “passengers” easily absorbed and carried along by the huge manpower intensive organisation.
2. HARD-WORKING and INTELLIGENT
The second category comprises the hard-working and intelligent individuals.
These are excellent staff officers who ensure every detail is accurate.
The hardworking and intelligent officers make competent administrators and efficient line managers – who can take orders from above and deliver the desired results.
However – such hardworking and intelligent are best kept at the mid-management level where they perform the best.
In the Army – such hardworking and intelligent officers are best suited as mid-level staff officers (upto the rank of Colonel).
3. HARD-WORKING and STUPID
In the third category are the hard-working and stupid individuals.
These “hardworking idiots” are a nuisance and menace – according to Von Manstein.
They must be fired and removed from the organisation at once – because all they do is to create irrelevant work for everybody.
These hardworking idiots force everyone around them to perform pointless tasks and are a pain in the neck for everyone around them.
In the Army – these hardworking and stupid officers are the ones you see slogging away sincerely in junior ranks wondering why they did not get promoted to high rank despite their hard work.
4. LAZY and INTELLIGENT
And finally – there are the lazy and intelligent individuals.
These select few are suited for the highest office.
Laziness stimulates creativity – because lazy people are always looking for easier, simpler, and less laborious ways to do things – so lazy people always try and innovate.
And – by chance – if a lazy person is also intelligent – he or she will certainly be a fantastic and ingenious innovator.
Lazy people are natural delegators – so they find it very attractive to let their subordinates get on with their work without interference from above.
That is why Lazy, Intelligent Officers make Natural Leaders as they focus on the essentials – and they ignore anything that might create unnecessary work – whether for themselves or other people.
It is the lazy intelligent individuals who indeed make great strategists and leaders.
In the Army – these are the officers who become Generals and Senior Commanders.
Yes – being Lazy and Intelligent is considered the highest level of OLQ (or “Officer Like Quality”) in the Military.
ESSENCE OF GENERAL VON MANSTEIN’S OFFICER MANAGEMENT STRATEGY
“There are only Four types of Officers.
First – there are the lazy stupid ones. Leave them alone, they do no
harm.
Second – there are the hard-working intelligent ones. They make
excellent staff officers, ensuring that every detail is properly considered.
Third – there are the hard-working stupid ones. These people are a
menace, and must be fired at once. They create irrelevant work for everybody.
Finally – there are the intelligent lazy ones. They are suited for the
highest office...”
MORAL OF THE STORY
Lazy and Intelligent Officers have the highest OLQ (Officer Like Quality)
Conversely – if you want to rise to high rank in the Army – try to be “Lazy and Intelligent”...
VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve
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© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
Disclaimer:
1. This story is a spoof, satire, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh.
2. All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Copyright Notice:
No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.
Copyright © Vikram Karve (All Rights Reserved)
I wrote this article 25 years ago in 1991 and have posted it online a number of times including at urls: http://creative.sulekha.com/von-manstein-matrix_441822_blog and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2011/05/von-manstein-matrix-organization.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2010/10/human-resource-management-von-manstein.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2014/03/olq-officer-like-qualities-von-manstein.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2012/01/hr-management-von-manstein-matrix.html and http://karvediat.blogspot.in/2013/06/hr-management-types-of-human-resources.html etc
