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The general but incorrect perception is that Indian managers have little or no inclination or interest in mathematics. An even more uncharitable view is that many managers are somewhat scared of this formidable subject. But the fact is that as office goers, we engage with several mathematical concepts every day of our working lives. Don’t believe this? Read on to understand how the lives of managers are constantly entwined with mathematics.
Addition
One of the simplest ideas in mathematics is the addition of two or more numbers to produce a sum or total. Managers are familiar with this concept. Every day, they witness the constant addition of work to their pending tasks, and the cumulative number of unfinished tasks thus keeps expanding, like a grand total on the move. The boss adds jobs to be completed, the HR (human resource) and finance teams add to such additions by providing tasks of their own. Many emails contribute to this constant addition of jobs, as do the daily calls from the spouse.
Subtraction
Smart managers respond to this barrage of addition by applying the idea of subtraction, yet another mathematical device. They subtract the number of things they have to do by delegating some jobs to others, by immediately deleting tasks which they consider unnecessary, and by shelving matters which are not important or urgent. If you see an executive with a clean table, you know that he is a master of subtraction.
Multiplication
Chief executive officers (CEOs) and managers learn the Corporate Theory of Multiplication quickly. This theory states that the number of problems or issues that any company will face will multiply with the passing of every single day. A corollary to this theory is that managers should only focus on taking the right actions to address these multiple problems, without getting unduly anxious about them. Any other approach can lead to multiplication of health and wellness issues, not a desirable state for either managers or mathematicians.
Drawing lines
Lines are at the heart of the visual branch of mathematics known as geometry. These are also at the heart of every corporate enterprise. Here, the lines which clearly matter are the top line (the revenue you generate) and the bottom line (the profits you earn). Both these lines dominate executives’ lives, and eventually end up taking a toll on their hairlines and waistlines. Managers, in the meanwhile, obsess over all these lines, thus making them experts in this entire area.
Equations
Mathematics—in particular, algebra—is all about equations, with each equation trying to solve for unknown variables generally denoted as X, Y and Z. Managers too know that workspaces and careers are all about equations with multiple people such as colleagues, superiors, team members, agency personnel, etc. In fact, many of these same people are the unknown variables a manager tries to solve for. Also, because a good number of such people keep changing their views and motivations unpredictably, quite often corporate equations become far more challenging to resolve than the regular ones which involve X and Y. Smart managers must become adept at equations.
String theory
There is an interesting branch of mathematics called string theory, where physical particles are replaced by one-dimensional objects called strings. In our offices, though, string theory takes a different shape. It essentially consists of various people or departments who try to string you along by putting forward false promises or assurances, often for their own selfish ends. It is important that managers quickly figure out the manipulators of such strings, by learning to distinguish the true from the false. Once you master string theory, no one can take you for a ride.
Law of tangents
The law of tangents is an essential principle in mathematics, which draws a direct relationship between the tangential angles of a triangle and the length of its sides. Managers encounter an interesting version of this law, which establishes a similarly clear relationship between the tangential nature of any official discussion and its length. This states that if your boss or colleague is talking at a tangent on any subject (which we know happens quite often), then the length of the meeting is likely to be unduly extended, and no productive result will ever be achieved. Managers can solve this knotty problem by finding the simplest excuse (an important client call that cannot be postponed perhaps) to leave such meetings.
Regression analysis
We will not explain mathematical regression analysis in great detail here, except to say that it tries to establish a firm relationship or trend between diverse variables or numbers. The same concept applies to organizations and managers, as they try to understand why sales or quality or profits have regressed steadily over the past several months and years. Could the reason for such regression be the heavy rainfall in the factory, or people in south India brushing their teeth less often, or the slowing economy perhaps? Many managers are experts at such regression analysis, and the causes they identify are most often totally outside their control. Such expertise unfortunately also leads to the regression of careers, because good management theory believes that managers should firmly take charge and deliver.
Laws of probability
Probability is yet another important branch of mathematics, and one that is constantly applied in all offices. For instance, if your boss has a firm point of view which is opposed to yours, the probability that his view will eventually prevail is close to 100%. If you are launching a product or marketing campaign next week, the probability that everything is under control as of today is close to zero. If you feel like eating ‘malwani’ chicken biryani for lunch today, the probability that your office canteen will have this delicious dish on the menu is low, but you can probably head to a restaurant outside and rectify matters at a cost. Managers, like mathematicians, soon realize that some probabilities can be altered but not all. That’s life.
Harish Bhat works with the Tata group and is the author of the business book Tatalog: Eight Modern Stories From A Timeless Institution. excellent mathematical concept which has given great grief to managers is the bell curve, which determines annual performance ratings and bonuses in many companies.
Resource: Mathematics at work
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