Manik Kher's research-based book Culture of emotional ownership – A rainbow towards organisational transformation has come at the right time. It provides a comprehensive roadmap for transforming organisations to better secure their survival and growth in the current turbulent times.

The book begins with an elaborate and illustrative description of the concept of emotional ownership of work and of the organisation. It then identifies key factors that create these emotional ownerships. Next, the book deals with the dilemmas faced by the middle management and the role of trade unions. On this complex-made-simple background, Kher hits the main topic of the book, namely, organisational culture and emotional ownership. The book ends with a detailed deliberation on how to create emotional ownership in an organisation.

Rainbow for organisational transformation

The focus is on the leader of the enterprise. A rainbow for organisational transformation emerges with seven factors, namely, feeling of accomplishment of work, feeling of being wanted, dignity of labour, empowerment, trust, transparency and ‘walk the talk'. A large number of case studies establish the authenticity of this research finding. A very useful appendix titled “From Labour Cost to Human Resources'' is added in the book. It provides a valuable exposition of the history of management thought from Taylorism to the latest concept of differential motivation and lands seamlessly on emotional ownership.

Before reading this book, one is naturally bitten by an apprehension of whether the concept of emotional ownership of an organisation is at all practical in today's person-centric circumstances. Is it too naive to expect such a phenomenon when the world around us is focussing on short-term goals? However, when one reads through Kher's captivating treatise, all reservations turn into a strong conviction. This is the success of Kher's elaborate field research and articulate elucidation. Another significant feature of this book is its pleasant conviction that the organisational scenario around us, howsoever dirty, can be made beautiful. This is a positive thought and that is why this concept of emotional ownership needs to be welcomed enthusiastically. Too many leaders believe in using Machiavellian tactics to keep a tight control over the functioning of their organisations.

Backed by real events

Stakeholders of such organisations, especially the employees at several levels, reciprocate the tricks in whichever way they can. The middle management, which the book aptly calls ‘sandwiched cadre', toothlessly watches these games. Kher's approach to organisational success is the opposite. The book forcefully establishes that the concept of emotional ownership is anything but Utopian; in fact, it is real, hard and almost mandatory.

Every concept and conclusion in this book, without an exception, is backed by real events researched by Kher painstakingly. The matter, therefore, becomes lively and eliminates the boredom normally associated with books on organisational theories. It is heartening that all what she has to say has been told in just 136 pages. This book should be a compulsory reading for top managements of public and private sector organisations and for the students of business administration.

(The author is a Mumbai-based business strategy consultant.)

Related Topics