Dear Prakash,
The theory of "Survival of the fittest" applies in the corporate culture as well. Needless to emphasize, corporates are created as profit earning entities, where the stake holders expect the management to show results. Naturally corporates treat welfare and comfort of the employees as secondary issue than results. So, the bosses in corporate culture are also expected by the top bosses to be the fittest persons to prove themselves as better designed for immediate local environment. But the fittest in the corporate culture is he, who is capable of showing results by getting the results from his team members.
The history of the phrase "Survival of the Fittest" goes back to the year 1864. Earlier the phrase originated from an evolutionary theory as a way of describing the mechanism of "natural selection." The said phrase was coined by Herbert Spencer, an English Philosopher. Although he coined the phrase after reading Charles Darwin's world renowned theory "The Origin of Species," but later Charles Darwin, himself preferred to introduce the phrase in the fifth edition of "The Origin of Species," as published in 1869, intending it to mean "better designed for an immediate, local environment."
So, the bosses, per force have to prove as "better designed for an immediate, local environment." Similarly, the employees working under him are also expected to prove them also to be "better designed for an immediate, local environment."
So for as the saying, "People don't leave company, they leave bosses" is concerned, any sincere, result oriented and knowledgeable person don't feel the need to leave his boss or the company unless he feels the need to satisfy his own personal issues. In fact, what I believe, the phrase, "People dont leave company, they leave bosses," is coined by some negative theoretical minded author having no practical experience. Even if you read some authors on management and apply your own mind with reference to your practical experience, you will find that some authors have just filled their books with junk material, as most of the authors, having flare for writing and craze for earning money out of the ignorance of the readers, and not having any practical experience, coin such phrases just to make their theory books voluminous. Theory and practice can prove to be the reverse sides and contradictory to ach other in the concept of management and leadership.
My own practical experience in encountering such authors had very much proved that such authors do nothing, except filling the papers with hypothetical vague ideas in several cases just with the sole aim of being known to the readers. I remember, when I challenged the one of the world's top gurus in management on some of his vague idea published through the journal of "Harward Business Review" of the world famous University of Harvard. But, by virtue his right to moderate the comments, instead of proving my concept as wrong as against his own idea, he preferred not to let my views published with the fear that he was going to be proved wrong that could lead to affect his reputation as one of the world guru in management. So, after seeing no response in the HBR for about a week when I reminded the Harvard University along with my more derrogatory comments on the ideas published in the article and questioned the university that when the University, itself, was allowing to profess wrong management ideas, what results could be expected from Universty's management students after they pass their exams. When I insisted the University to publish my latest comments, including my observation about the university, as of face saving measure, the editor of the journal came forward with the plea that my views could not be published earlier as the same appeared in their spam mail, and so they had retrieved the same and published my previous comments. The question arises, how the views expressed on a blog site of the University could appear in their spam mail?
So, some times the theoretical authors invent such vague ideas and phrases. Some member have endorsed the view that about 80% cases the people leave only due to toughness of the managers/ bosses. But the question arises, where is such survey to prove that 80% people leave the companies only due to bad managers.
Of course, in some cases people leave due to bad behaviour or toughness of their bosses, but it is wrong to suggest that 80% people leave due to the said reason.
My experience says, the biggest reason for attrition is lack of motivation for career development of the employees or their expection for comforts and ease of doing job in the organisation.
BUT MY BELIEF IS, ONCE AN EMPLOYEE IS CAPABLE OF TAKING HINTS OF THE BOSS FOR DOING THE JOB AND STARTS GIVING RESULTS AS PER THE ASPIRATIONS OF THE MANAGEMENT, HE GETS A STRONG HOLD IN THE SAME EMPLOYMENT AND ALSO CREATES AMPLE OPPORTUNITIES OF HIS CAREER DEVELOPMENT ON THE SAME EMPLOYMENT IN THE SAME ENVIRONMENTS WITHOUT SWITCHING OVER TO SOME OTHER JOB. Some of them go to the level of MD or Charman of the organisation by dint of their loyalty, sincerity and hard work in the organisation.
So, I do not at all contribute to the said theory of "People dont leave company, they leave bosses." The question arises, why not become the fittest in all respects that the boss starts respecting you and work in the interest of the employee?