That most dangerous of employees

"Captain (later Major) Gerald Cadman V.C. cut a dashing figure in the First World War. Only Corporal Tom Smith knew that Cadman was a rogue and a coward."

This is the plot for a series of stories from the Victor, a boy's comic I read avidly as a youngster.

Anyone who has worked in an organisation of any size will almost certainly be able to identify someone from personal experience who acts like a "Cadman".

In the first scene, on the right, we see Cadman abusing his position of authority to ensure that the truth does not come out.

How can Cadman get away with this? Think about it.

Next comes a story in which Cadman, through his cowardice, has lost his regiment's colours to German troops.

Smith's quick thinking and bravery enable him to recover the colours lost by Cadman.

Now, returning to the Allied trenches with the colours, Cadman is quick to realise that it is he who must be seen carrying the prize.

Smith's comment is perfect.

Following on from the previous scene, Cadman is now praised by his senior officer.

Clearly the senior officer is clueless about the true character of Cadman and has been duped on previous occasions to recommend that Cadman be decorated for gallantry.

In the scene below we learn one of Cadman's techniques for fooling his senior officers. He always puts on a good show when he is safely behind the lines. His seniors are absent during battles and so can't discover his true nature.

How could they allow this to happen?

cadman4

Cadman got away with being a coward, acclaimed wrongly as a hero, because of the rigid heirarchy operating in British society and in the British Army in the early twentieth century.

His senior officers, as gentlemen, would never dream of being friendly with the working class soldiers "in the ranks".

The lack of informal, friendly relations between the top and bottom of the organisation enabled unsavoury middle managers like Cadman to get away with murder.

Surely modern organisations have free and open communications between all levels? Surely any "Cadmans" will soon be identified and dealt with?

Unfortunately, Cadmans still proliferate in businesses. Disagree? If so, ask yourself some questions.

1. Are there people in your organisation who try to take credit for work they have made only a minor contribution to?

2. Or are there people who will put on a good show to impress their bosses but otherwise behave poorly?

3. How about people who abuse their positions of authority to bully their staff?

If there are people operating in this way within your organisation, you've got a problem. Cadmans prevent other staff from feeling in control of their own destinies. They destroy other staff members' confidence. Performance in areas where Cadmans have influence suffers accordingly.

The worrying fact is that the people who know about the problem and are suffering directly under a Cadman often have their confidence sapped so much that they feel unable to communicate the facts to the people who can act to put a stop to it. I say "suffering directly" because, of course, the performance of the whole organisation is lower than it should be when Cadmans prosper.

Do not despair - organisations in which there is relaxed, honest communication between staff at all levels are poor environments for nature's Cadmans. If you liberate your staff, your "Cadman" is likely to adapt either by behaving more constructively or by taking his/her bag of nasty tricks elsewhere. Either way, your organisation wins.

Cadman's have negative effects on organisations in addition to the ones I have mentioned above. I shall leave you, dear reader, to think about them.