Managing Shambhoo and Bamboo

A farmer in the countryside had two sons namely Shambhoo and Bamboo. Everything was going fine in his life till he meets with an accident and injures his legs beyond the point of reinstatement. Finally he calls both of his sons to formally transfer the legacy. Shambhoo was very keen while his dad was doing the knowledge transfer and starts putting the whole hearted effort from day one. Father was bed ridden but he was supervising the things from the window next to his bed. The only thing he could see from his window was all green farm and was quite happy thinking at least one of them has taken the responsibility. One fine morning he decides to see his lush green farm, how it looks as a whole. He pulls his crutches and with great difficulty walks out. For his astonishment, the entire farm was unploughed and messy except for the part which was visible from window.

Management lesson 1: ” Dashboard can be green…Probably that’s the only thing which is green.”

With full disappointment   he walks back to his room and works on action plan. He calls his son bamboo and threatens him to sever him from his share in the farmland. Bamboo walks out of the room. Days pass by father is not a happy man. He stopped having a view from window and closed it forever.  He can presume what the site would be outside. Lightening never flashed, thunder never scared him, and there were no rains for long. He knew the farm will be full of withered crops but he couldn’t stop himself after sometime. He walks down the aisle and opens the door. He is flabbergasted with the view; the farm is completely lush green. Crops are ready for the harvest and as expected there was only one son working on the farm. He decides to walk close to him and thank him for the green farm. As he goes close to the son working in farm, he is again surprised; the person who was working in farm was Bamboo.

Management lesson 2:  When nothing works ‘Bamboo’ works.

After few days while looking at his complete farm father realized the fact that though the things are working fine, the way farm is plowed and seeded it’s only used 75% and the yield is only 60%. Though the farm was fully green the return was only average. Father this time decides to give the Adam’s Speech to Shambhoo. Father invited him and asked him the relevance of his role in farm if only Bamboo has to work.  Shambhoo sees a threat to his position and he also starts contributing in farm. Now the subject matter expertise of Shambhoo and occasional intervention of Bamboo worked well. Next season yield was better than the previous year.

Management lesson 3:  Bamboo can be a very good navigator and Shambhoo can be a good driver, and the vehicle’s run is optimized when they are in respective seats only.

This time father decided to get into the business and lead it from front. He used his years of experience in guiding them. He mixed and matched the seeds to sow and the amount of land to be engaged for a particular seed. Also, he engaged both of his sons effectively. He was very well aware that the over usage of either of them will have adverse effect on their effectiveness. This year yield was best, they made a fortune of crops.

Management lesson 4:  The best leadership is one which know when to Use Shambhoo and when Apply Bamboo.