Ashok Malhotra is an organisation development consultant in Bengaluru who works in a group setting to resolve the human interface problems in corporations.
The book develops the thesis of the Child Man (CM), inherent in each of us, a basic duality that is at the bottom of human difficulties in acting appropriately in trying situations. It is a summary of Mr Malhotra's reflections, based on experiences gained from guiding organisations. In essence, he says, we are all a bundle of contradictions, not easy to fathom, passionate, yet surrendering to impulses. The CM is highly self-centred, but glad to help others too, endearing yet exasperating. S/he gets entrenched in self-defeating positions, said Mr Malhotra.
The audience at David Hall for the Kochi book launch of the 'Child Man'
In today’s society the CM gets pushed from all sides. There's a pressure to be non-emotional at work. Therefore, finding space for the CM is difficult today, although it is the most delightful part of who we are. In modern times we are seeing only the ugly part of the CM, Mr Malhotra regretted.
One has to remember that people in the corporate world are not purely rational, not purely calculating; plenty of non-rational processes are also going on.
Jose Dominic and Mathew Antony at the Kochi book launch of the 'Child Man'
In an aside he addressed what might be the subject of his next work. It arises from a flaw in the theories of management currently held, namely that the desirable part in a manager (whether she be female or male) is only Man, dominant, forceful and rational, not Woman. This is in spite of the fact there is a Man and a Woman in each of us. And just as men have oppressed women historically, we are now oppressing the woman inside us in the corporate world and foregoing many of the benefits of the woman's qualities in us.
Mr Malhotra paid tribute to works of literature like Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, George Orwell's 1984 by, and Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler.
For further details of the book and the Question/Answer session please click below and continue reading.
