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Over the past few
months, I have spent an inordinate amount of time counselling people
who believe that their colleagues are attempting to sabotage their
efforts at work. Perplexed by these experiences, I consulted a range of
experts in the human resources field, who explained this growing
phenomenon in corporate Nigeria called the PHD — Pull Him/Her Down.

People who work in
PHD environments live with constant suspicion, distrust and fear. They
often believe that most of their co-workers, superiors and subordinates
are out to undermine them — that everyone is out for their own best
interest and the only way to move ahead in the company is to look out
for themselves at all costs.

This growing
epidemic troubles me deeply. You may choose to blame it on our
country’s history of ‘kleptocracy’ in all sectors of the economy, or
the growing fundamentalist Pentecostal movement, where even a cockroach
might be the enemy and deserves to die. However, regardless of the
source of this growing culture, I am convinced that our economy cannot
possibly thrive if most employees are infected by the PHD spirit.

While trying to
understand and unpack this phenomenon, I have come to appreciate that
it is hinged on the belief that someone can only move up by pulling
others down — the survival of the fittest. It is akin to the jungle
existence, where there are extremely limited resources, and people are
eventually compelled to kill others to ensure that there is enough for
them.

The fundamental
problem with this belief system is that it comes from a position of
lack, and a myopic vision of what the future could possibly hold. The
vantage point that there is a finite pyramid, and that we only have one
option which is to claw our way up and push others down in the process,
is a sad one. An alternative viewpoint would be to imagine that by
working with others, we could enlarge the pyramid, thereby creating
more space at the top, or even join others to create new and better
pyramids. I believe in growing the pie instead of fighting with others
to get a piece of a very small, and sometimes shrinking, pie.

Clearly, creating a
culture with a shared vision and values that do not allow or encourage
the PHD syndrome is tough, especially in our current context; however,
leaders in corporate Nigeria must discourage the PHD syndrome from
taking root in their organisations. Indeed, we have the responsibility
to attempt to change the mindsets of every new employee that walks in
the door, about the possibility of growing a pie so that everyone can
get a bigger piece, instead of fighting for a shrinking pie by pulling
others down.

We should strive to establish an open and transparent culture where
there is no time and no place for backbiting, infighting and office
gossip. We should celebrate team work, accountability and integrity.
This seems like utopia, but it is a culture that is possible to build.
My favourite African proverb states: “If you want to go fast, go alone.
If you want to go far, go with others.” I think it is time we started
going far in Nigeria. It is time to kill the PHD syndrome and decide to
go with others.