SYCOPHANCY IS AN ART – A TOOL

It is the most admired, tested and the exceptionally successful art, rated on any scale, the `sycophancy’.  A very calculated communication art when clubbed with the much coveted art of body language, it results in wonders. The beauty of this art is that the person on whom it is applied knows quite well but still s/he admires and relishes it.

The roots of this art go back to ancient history. No wonder it is the most ancient art in any history and persists and survives today, with addition of skills and intelligence – Sycophancy is an Art – a Tool.

A sycophant is a very intelligent person.  His grasping power is very high and his ability to read and understand a person’s mind is just tremendous.  A sycophant actually governs and controls the mind of the target.

A sycophant is a smart manipulator who knows that he is manipulating an individual to fulfill his interests and dreams and that his/her deeds would never give him an equal status in the eyes of this individual.  A sycophant is a master of opportunists and has NO EGO problem.

What do I tell you, his qualities are endless.

I remember a student in my school days who was the most loved and most admired student of us all.  You can imagine the hurt when a teacher appreciated one single student.  I was always astonished the way our class teacher used to appreciate his activities, his honesty, worthiness, sincerity and intelligence.  As if we all were just dump in front of him.  No matter what we did, the excellent grade was as if reserved only for him.

That was the first time I experienced the irresistible impact of this beautiful skill – the sycophancy. 

It pains still to remember as how this teacher blessed him with all the smiles and just hated our faces, no matter how many flowers we carried for her on the valentine days.

Don’t get lost, this art is quite popular in offices also.  Little, well timed and beautifully worded flattering kind of appreciation from the subordinates – which boss doesn’t like it...

I remember an officer who constantly kept tract about what the boss liked and what were his dislikes.  To please the boss, he would change his like and dislikes in split of a second.

There is an old story, when one day a king asked his mantri, `which vegetable dish he hated the most’ and up came the reply, `my lord it is Baigan Ka Bharta.  The king immediately replied, `but I like it the most’. Mantri was never far, he immediately added, `oh my lord, may be my wife does not know how to cook.  If prepared nicely like in the palace this would have been my favourite dish too.’

Whatever you call these sycophants, these people are the most successful people in the present scenario.  But, it is not easy to become a sycophant.  You have to possess certain unique qualities, some in-borne and some long practiced ones.  You must be soft spoken, should know when your boss smiles, when he drinks tea or only coffee, what time he comes and leaves, should never leave before the boss departs, irrespective of whether he believes in all festivals or not, greet him on all occasions and finally, if he/she has a pet, must accept it is the most charming one.

You have to make him believe that you are the only and the most devoted one, sincere, faithful and confident admirer of his.

Regular practice of some sober and loud body gestures will make you a good sycophant.  But the proficiency would come through experience.

Now tell me, with such hard work, why crib if some individuals get paid those extraaaaa dividends.

After all they have worked so hard and vigorously to attain such status !!!!!

One thing that is precarious in this art is the immaturity.  If this art is not enacted to the perfection, the matter becomes worse.  On the face, no one would like to be put in the category of sycophant as entertainer.

The immature handling of this art would definitely degrade the person to such an extent that he would loose his entire faith and respect in people’s eyes.  The genuine appreciation by this person for anyone would only carry tonnes of denotation and most of them would be negative.

Unlike any other form of art, the art of sycophancy runs on a very thin line.  If not applied through right techniques, it can result in unwanted circumstances. 

And if applied with perfect skills and maturity, it can make you the golden boy of all times !!!!

Remember, there are many art forms, some need to be learned and some need to be only admired.. may be through a considerable distance...

(From the extracts of book `Me Within Myself’ )