Achieving decentralization is not easy in organizations. Executives and subordinates are always at war on decentralization issues. Even in some organizations, subordinates allege that by decentralization, the management wants to get their part of job done through the subordinates. Some executives also believe decentralization will only add to their woes, since, some subordinates always need to be guided, which will reduce their effective time available for other managerial work.
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The main reasons that become obstacles in the way to decentralization are given in the following:
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1. Executives are unwilling to delegate and nurture self-sycophant attitude like ‘I can better do it myself.’
2. There are some people who are pathologically not made to direct others. Some superiors think that their subordinates lack the ability and thus, do not delegate authority to them.
3. Some superiors have a total lack of confidence and faith on their subordinates. Here, the clear remedy is training of the subordinate or bringing new subordinates. Sometimes, a superior may feel the fear of losing control over his subordinates, if once some of his authority is delegated to them.
4. Executives may be handicapped by temperamental aversion of taking a chance, notwithstanding the clarity of delegation. The greater the number of subordinates, the higher the degree of chance of decentralization and also the higher degree of troubles. To delegate is to take a calculated risk.
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The above five problems can be addressed through attitudinal change or modification. We must ascertain why the executives are reluctant to delegate. Sometimes, superiors give orders to the subordinate and subordinates show their reluctance to take responsibility. The reason behind this kind of attitude, again, can be attributed to reasons like:
1. Some employees lack of faith on themselves and always depend on others. They want to refer back the work to the superior. These types of people always have a tendency to avoid taking up of responsibility.
2. Some employees have fear of criticism. Much depends on this kind of attitude. They always feel that if something goes wrong, the superior might criticize them publicly. Sometimes, superiors might do negative criticism, which the subordinates not only resent but even react to it.
3. Some subordinates lack necessary information and resources for which they refuse to take up new responsibilities.
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4. Subordinates, at times, avoid taking up responsibility due to work overload
5. Sometimes there is a lack of adequate positive incentive and inducement, for which employees refuse to take up new responsibilities.
The most important thing that the enthusiasts of decentralization have to remember is that application of decentralization requires social and administrative adjustment of attitudes and behaviour pattern of specific individual. In a dynamic society, such adjustments are common of occurrence. We feel this adjustment can take place keeping in view that each individual behaves differently. The best plan will not come until and unless personal adjustments are made. It is a behavioural outlook.