| The leader in an organization plays the role of a king, while his
deputy,or No. 2, plays the role of adviser and right-hand man. The king
lives in the constant glare of attention from people both within and without
so he has to radiate the aura of a king at all times. To do this, he needs
a producer to work in the background behind him to produce the whole play. There is an unspoken but invariable law that leaders should never get their hands dirty. Thus, the roles the No. 2 must play include that of not hesitating to do the dirty work on his own initiative and to serve the No. 1 with loyal devotion and self-sacrifice. The No. 2 also plays the role of supporting the whole organization without being noticed or thanked. While he works mainly behind the scenes and his existence is hardly noticed, he is of such great importance that without him, the organization could not survive even for a moment. So naturally, there must emerge a relationship of total and mutual trust between a leader and his No. 2. The two may become like best friends who can discuss anything together. Yet, unlike a friendship, the relationship is constructed to achieve a specific purpose. The two should not remain on a level of merely enjoying themselves like playmates. Rather, they should not forget to work to maintain their relationship at an elevated level to progress towards their shared objectives and targets every day. It is one of the missions of the No. 2 of an organization that, by avoiding overly friendly relations and by observing proprieties with the leader, he sets an example for the other members of the organization and maintains strict discipline over the whole organization. Only when the No. 2 maintains a rigorous relationship with the leader can he and the leader make austere and businesslike requests of each other. The leader should ideally be a pioneer who has deep insight and sets out to make the seemingly impossible possible by transcending conventional ideas and notions. Meanwhile, the No. 2 must act as foundation for the leader. Sometimes by serving like a cushion between the leader and other members of the organization, he must provide the leader with a secure position and a good work environment to enable him to work at his full capacity and to realize his full potential. Those are among the missions of the No. 2, I believe. |