Sometimes described as the ‘greatest TV show ever made’ (without hyperbole, if you ask me), the American series The Wire has been hailed for its depth of characterisation and clear-eyed social commentary. Above all, perhaps, it is recognised for being a realistic exploration of human motivation and behaviour.

The central theme of the series, that of the individual’s plight in the face of entrenched power structures, has much to say about the way in which individuals interact with organisations. So what parallels does it have in the business community, and what are the messages that bear consideration by leaders?

For the benefit of those who haven’t seen it, The Wire is ostensibly the story of a Baltimore police department, beginning with the targeting of a drug gang via a ‘wire’ tap. By way of this rather prosaic setting, the series examines the complex, interrelated machinations of a modern society, emphasising the difficulty of effecting change within established systems (and the inevitable alienation that results from this difficulty).

You can see where I’m going with this.

When individuals are subjugated by an inflexible collective – one that by its very nature inhibits change – they lose faith in the system. And it is for this reason that organisations must be very careful about the way in which they interact with their people. As Henry Mintzberg has observed, employees are not ‘human capital’ but humans who provide capital: that is, the relationship between the organisation and the individual should begin with basic respect.

The simple fact is that people are more likely to do the right thing by an employer if they don’t feel completely powerless. Not exactly rocket science, you would think. And yet it does seem that this message continues to be ignored by some companies, particularly those in industries with traditionally scant focus on ‘soft’ skills.

The problem for these organisations is that their more astute competitors are taking employee engagement seriously, irrespective of how much stock they may have historically placed in such an approach. And they’re doing it because it affects productivity, retention and the bottom line. So if you’re a manager, dismiss this as touchy-feely nonsense at your peril.

To extend the analogy to The Wire a little further, the other crucial issue here is fairness. The systems examined in The Wire all thrive on uneven power distribution, which further compounds the overwhelming sense of futility experienced by the (disempowered) individuals who get tangled up in them. At the organisational level, the parallel is obvious. Quoted in a 2009 report to the UK Government, Baroness Margaret Prosser, Vice-Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, put it thus:

‘It’s hard to imagine an engaged workforce where one group felt that their voice was being ignored. Ensuring equal opportunities and fair treatment is an essential strand of an engagement strategy.’

For those in leadership positions, there are clear lessons in all of this. Are you heeding them, or alienating your people?

Ryan Wallman is Senior Writer at WellmarkPerspexa, where his penchant for highly creative metaphors can spice up even the most dry communications.

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