Editor’s Introduction
Today’s lesson is entitled “Charlotte’s Dupes.”
The word dupe is generally defined as a person who is easily deceived or manipulated.
It is not, at first glance, a particularly flattering description.
Nevertheless, Charlotte has assured us that every successful leader accumulates them over the course of his or her career and that, properly cultivated, they become among the leader’s most valuable organisational assets.
Her view, as always, is refreshingly unconventional.
Many leadership courses concern themselves with communication, motivation or persuasion. Charlotte, however, believes these topics receive far more attention than they deserve. Why expend precious time and energy attempting to persuade everyone, she asks, when persuading a carefully selected few will often achieve precisely the same result?
It is an interesting proposition. Whether it is also an ethical one is, regrettably, beyond the scope of today’s lesson.
Students, please welcome Charlotte. Kok.
Charlotte enters to warm applause
Charlotte:
“Students, please.”
“There is a common misconception that successful leaders achieve great things by persuading everyone.”
A sympathetic smile.
“How exhausting. The truly successful leader understands there is no need to persuade everyone. You need only persuade the right people.
“Once the right people believe you…
“…they will persuade everyone else.”
A knowing smile.
“And who are these remarkable people? The political sciences have long known them by the rather cumbersome title Useful Idiots.”
Charlotte wrinkles her nose slightly.
“I have always preferred something shorter. I simply call them my Dupes.”
She pauses to let the word settle.
“Now then. Like every successful leader, I have accumulated many dupes throughout my career.
“They all belong to the same species.
“But, as with all species, there exist numerous varieties. Correct identification is essential: Different varieties require different methods of cultivation, different forms of encouragement and, on occasion, different rewards.
“I have therefore prepared a simple Identification Manual.”
She lifts a slim leather-bound volume.
“It has served me admirably.”
Editor
Charlotte’s contribution to organisational taxonomy is difficult to overstate. Carl Linnaeus devised his system to classify living organisms. It seems only fitting that it should eventually find application in corporate management.
Charlotte begins the taxonomy…
Charlotte opens the leather-bound volume.
“Classification, students, always begins with the species.”
(She consults the first page.)
SPECIES
Utilis Idioticus
Common Name: Useful Idiot
Charlotte’s Preferred Name: Dupe
General Characteristics
Easily cultivated, highly suggestible, displays unwavering confidence in conclusions reached by others.
Frequently mistakes consensus for truth. Particularly responsive to praise, recognition, job titles and invitations to meetings. May sincerely believe he is exercising independent judgement despite all available evidence to the contrary.
Charlotte closes the manual for a moment.
“The important point, students, is that every variety we shall examine today belongs to this single species. Do not be distracted by superficial differences: A Twit may appear quite unlike an Opportunist. The Believer may bear little resemblance to the Eager Helper.
“They are, nevertheless…
“…all dupes.”
She smiles warmly.
“And therefore…
“…all useful.”
(Charlotte turns the page.)
Variety I
Varietas stulta
Common Name: The Twit
Role Model: Bec Payne, People & Culture professional
Distinguishing Characteristics
Mistakes confidence for competence. Accepts assertions from authority without independent verification. Possesses strong opinions unsupported by inconvenient knowledge. Liberated by the delegation of judgement. Often mistakes enthusiasm for expertise.
Cultivation
Reward frequently.
Correct sparingly.
Never burden with evidence.
(Charlotte turns another page.)
Variety II
Varietas credula
Common Name: The Believer
Role Model: Anybody and everybody you have managed to dupe
Distinguishing Characteristics
Believes first. Rationalises afterwards. Responds enthusiastically to simple explanations of complicated events. Interprets criticism as proof of righteousness.
Cultivation
Provide certainty.
Repeat narratives.
Discourage curiosity.
(Another page.)
Variety III
Varietas officiosa
Common Name: The Eager Helper
Role Model: Anyone whose instinct to be helpful consistently outruns his instinct to question your outrageous perfectly reasonable requests.
Distinguishing Characteristics
Derives satisfaction from serving authority. Volunteers instinctively. Mistakes compliance for leadership. Requires remarkably little supervision once convinced he is “helping.”
Cultivation
Praise publicly.
Delegate generously.
Reward sparingly.
Reflection should be discouraged.
(Charlotte closes the Identification Manual.)
“Students, we have today examined only the three most commonly encountered varieties. There remain three others which every accomplished leader must learn to recognise.”
She begins gathering her notes.
“We shall continue next Thursday.”
A hand rises immediately.
“Learned professor Kok… which varieties shall we study next?”
Charlotte smiles.
“The Obsequious.”
Pens fly across notebooks.
“The Opportunist.”
Still more frantic writing.
“And the sixth, Madam?”
Charlotte glances at the clock.
She smiles.
“The sixth variety deserves a lecture of its own. And I should hate to rush it.”
Editor
The consequences of Charlotte’s announcement were immediate: Several Board meetings have been rescheduled. Two strategic planning sessions have been postponed. One Lady Executive cancelled a long-booked three-week Mediterranean cruise.
When asked whether the cancellation penalties concerned her, she replied,
“One can holiday at any time. One cannot learn about the sixth common variety of Utilis Idioticus.”
The Editor is unable to fault the reasoning.
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