As the season of B-school admissions draws to a close, I see numerous “first posts” on LinkedIn mentioning their laurels of joining premier B-schools of the world. IIMs are the Mecca of every aspirant, who aim to assume leadership roles in the future. A swarm of these talented young bees, having proven their mettle in the game of aptitude-based talent hunt, zoom into the B(ee)-Schools with a diversity of thoughts, ideas, and assumptions.
B(ee) School or a B School
It may be a somewhat unpopular opinion that will resonate with some but will also attract much animosity from fellow B School Community, but why would someone compare a B school to a B(ee) school. My analogy draws its motivation from the bee mating pattern, where I define all the aspirants as ‘male bees’ wanting to mate with the female bee (B School culture). I have two logics to further my point – Firstly, like a typical B school, female bees select faster, more agile, and persistent flier male bees. Secondly, the act of mating with the female bee requires the male bee to be first made “fit” for the female, his wings clipped before the mating, and ultimately getting subsumed.
Defining the B-School culture
While I may not be an expert on the bee mating pattern and hence, please excuse me for some of the process errors or terminology errors I may have committed in the above description. However, having experienced different facets of B School culture and having made attempts to bring about a change, I have some practise-based comments to be brought to the forefront. In the initial phase of joining the institute, the bee is made to undergo rather rigorous training to prepare for the “B-school culture,” however, over time, the practice has taken a toll on the bees' self-confidence. The trainers (seniors) who are themselves novice in the subject matter often go over the board to replicate the experience that they might have received last year. In my opinion, this is a classic case of mimetic behaviour to fit the age-old solutions to address the secular issues.
In contrast, the new issues and concerns remain wrapped under the sheets. The incoming bees already facing imposter syndrome are made wary of such draconian requirements to fit in the culture that may not even be required. With no empathy for the remarkable achievements, humble origins, and unique personalities, all the bees are boxed in pre-existing buckets under the name of the norm.
But why does it happen? Who is responsible for it? The answer is ‘us’. During the entire duration of the curriculum, we hone this culture to become one with it. Rather than appreciating our peers, we pull each other down, rather than being empathetic, we mock their humbleness. While we end up blaming and complaining around multiple issues in closed corners, we replicate the same experience for all the other stakeholders that we meet over time. This very fact, for me, defines the culture – which we nurture and perpetrate. The next year, history repeats itself, and the entire process gets repeated for a new set of bees. While a set of bees get subsumed in this culture and continue to establish the basis of toxic corporate culture, a new younger set of bees come motivated to experience this culture. What comes back to the nest time and again, is the female bee – the culture that remains nested undeterred.
Way Forward
As humans, we end up looking for people and situations to blame for the errors that we commit. But, I believe the cause and effect relationship is what defines our present and the future. Nothing will happen if we do not complement our ideas by action. Success may not always be guaranteed in the short run, but efforts need to be made. Afterall, this toxic culture is a result of years of practise and will take some time to fade, but if we believe in it, we can win it. A vision of this kind, where the B-school culture creates ripples of positive corporate culture, is what I look forward to. We need to respect each and every individual and realize that no one’s individuality is a game at the disposal of others. I request all the young bees entering the B-school to be more empathetic towards fellow beings – be it batchmates, professors or any other human, so that the bonds of human trust and respect can be fostered, a culture of dialogue can be manifested and a pipeline of young talented individuals can be raised to lead the world.
IIM Shillong