“Buck Private” is military slang for a person of the lowest rank, always “bucking” for promotion to rise in authority without real accountability. Similarly, in business, Buck Private Management is an owner subordinating leadership to a lesser-experienced, therefore less-qualified employee, due to their constant “bucking the system” and continually complaining.
These types of employees are part of most businesses and often influence management’s decisions by persistently making their annoying presence and opinions known. Unfortunately, they tend to offer management NO creditable solutions. In fact, they are such a nuisance, owners often avoid confronting them, therefore letting them have their way.
Sad to say, that type of owner is a wimpy boss!
Buck Private Management has gone viral these days, due to a culture of quick-fixes and fear of holding employees accountable, due to blow back.
Buck Private Management Accountability Problem
With Buck Private Management, the unqualified employee seldom considers the core mission of the business, or the owner’s vision for the company.
In other words, the Buck Private’s motivation is self-serving and NOT customer-oriented. More importantly, the “buck private” does NOT want accountability that occurs in a systematically organized business.
How do I know?
I’ve encountered many “buck privates” in my own business, over the years, as well as in other businesses. They become most noticeable during demonstrations of our business process management software. Many times, a business owner wants to include some of their employees in the demo. The problem is, they often include employees who have been with the company for only a short period of time, with little experience and/or training.
You tell me…
Do you think a buck private-type employee would give an owner the thumbs-up on management solutions that would hold them accountable to their job? Moreover, would they welcome process management software that would measure their job conformance?
Folks, as a business owner myself I understand the pressures of making payroll, keeping up with taxes, sales, operations, and human resources, etc. But, let’s face it—a business owner must never fall victim to the bullying or resistence of those “Buck Privates.”
Business organization starts and ends at the top, that’s the owner! That’s YOU!?
Did I mention? Great systems work!
Philip Beyer, founder/president of Ebiz Products LLC and founder of Beyer Printing Inc. in Nashville Tenn., is a chronic entrepreneur, business systems analyst and consultant. Author of "System Busters: How to Stop Them in Your Business" and recipient of an InterTech Technology Award for the design and development of System100 business process management software. Beyer speaks to business owners across the country on how to bring lean, sustainable order to their businesses. Contact him at (615) 425-2652.