Why Indian Middle Management Procrastinate on Decision Making?

Expats on numerous occasions expressed their dismay with regard to Indian middle managers being incapable of making business decisions and habitually procrastinating when it comes to moving an organization forward. We have summarised how cultural diversity and the rationale behind making decisions varies.

India is renowned for being one of the most rapidly changing economies in the world. Its vast array of mergers and acquisitions make up the bulk of its remarkable development over the last century. The amalgamation of managerial techniques and practices from around the globe is largely attributed to the success this multigenerational workforce produces.

The issues below shed light on this depilating issue within organizations:

1. Indian middle managers are stuck between being given the responsibility of having to make imperative decisions that will in turn affect the organizations profitability but most times do not feel they have the authority to make these decisions without consulting with their superiors.
2. The inability to cope with having to manage their own workflow and additional requirements like appraisals and career path development for others is often a skill middle managers lack.
3. The belief of respecting your elders is still highly regarded amongst Indian culture. As a result, young managers have difficulty instructing those older than them when giving instruction in the workplace.
4. They tend to be more process-oriented than results-oriented. They spend a great deal of time analyzing and assessing the feasibility of their options rather than intuitively making decisions.
5. Promoting personnel is often done without taking emotional intelligence into consideration. An individual could be the most successful sales person in the organization but put them in a management position and their ability to succeed disappears.

As you are well aware, middle managers are an imperative aspect of the organization structure in succession planning. The promotion of personnel should enable you and those who report to you to free time in order to strategize and delegate rather than getting stuck in the operations of it.

You have the power to provide the opportunities needed for others to succeed. The decision to succeed however, can only be made by the individual. As an executive at the helm of ensuring the success of your organization is your ultimate responsibility. Having strong players in your team enables you to maintain an optimal organizational environment and succeed at what you were appointed to achieve.