The O’Toole Chronicles: The case of Hiroo Onoda

One of the more frustrating problems that decision-makers or bosses encounter is subordinates’ inability or unwillingness to simply follow orders. Let’s take a stroll down frustration lane.

Campaigns are famous for having a rigid structure with orders cascading down from the top, in most cases from the actual campaign manager, rather than the ceremonial, politically correct figurehead. In such circumstances, the manager is given wide latitude to steer the ship as they see fit, while the candidate is usually somewhat removed from day-to-day operations.

It is important to note that successful campaigns have a certain pace and rhythm, and experience has shown that you can’t have more than one boss giving out orders or chaos ensues. You will get a ship that has lost direction, balance, and purpose – we have all seen that disaster. These organizations need a defined hierarchy and crystal-clear reporting lines. Perhaps the same should be said about the corporate world and life in general.

I once ran a campaign where the candidate gave the title campaign manager to four separate individuals to appease four separate interest groups and all four really thought that they were in charge. The ensuing confusion and chaos were predictable, and I soon had to get everyone in a room and tell the hard truth about how the campaign was going to be run.

Once you get past the pesty control issue in the organization, you need to let the troops know that when orders are given, they must be followed. I have seen far too many close campaigns collapse when mid-level staffers start injecting their opinions or adding their twist to an otherwise well-developed strategy. I know, everyone else knows better.

Here is the point—when a manager or corporate boss gives a direct order and instructs the audience to carry out the orders directly, and without deviation,  it is expected that the order gets followed as delivered. Whether it be experience, rank, or some other reason, the boss has the right to give instructions, and it isn’t unreasonable to expect that instruction to be followed –to the T.

The reality is that in today’s world, it is rare for a subordinate to carry out the instruction as given. I don’t know how we arrived at this point, but I think participation trophies have something to do with it.

Harkening back to a campaign many decades ago, I was made aware that someone decided to have a campaign hit piece sent out with the requisite disclaimers. Clearly, the intent was to inflict a significant negative impact on the opponent through a mailer that likely contained a few half-truths, outright lies, or exaggerations. As I was told the story, the decision-maker for this nefarious hit piece gave strict instructions to the two campaign staffers to deliver the two boxes of mailers with hand-fixed stamps to the Newark post office at midnight and exit without being noticed or seen by anyone else. The staffers came back to the headquarters breathlessly and told the manager that the orders were followed and that the hit piece was delivered and the mail should arrive by the following day.

As I was told, the small group of senior campaign staffers high fived each other and the caper had been pulled off flawlessly. Drum roll please. As the clandestine meeting broke up,  the two staffers got up to leave. One of the two made an offhand remark that the post office workers were amazing and very helpful with offloading the illicit mailer and sorting it to be delivered within 24 hours. The driver said he was so appreciative that he wanted to do something for the kind federal employees. He decided to reward the post office staff with two of his personalized PBA cards.  I need to add that the driver was a full-time law enforcement officer and was lending a hand to the campaign. Despite the strict orders to drop the boxes and run, the driver chose to deviate, make friends, and provide all his identifying information on his PBA card.  So much for following orders and now the once secret operation could be traced back to an officer and a badge number.

Let me finish this column about following orders with an extreme example. Let’s examine the case of Hiroo Onoda.

Hiroo Onoda was a Japanese soldier who rose to the rank of second lieutenant in World War II. Hiroo was ordered on December 26, 1944, to lead a guerrilla warfare operation on Lubang Island in the Japanese-occupied island of the Philippines. The orders were given to search and destroy enemy ships, munitions, and disrupt the enemy operations. Within a short time, Hiroo and his 4 other soldiers went into hiding and found cover in the mountains to carry out their operations. Soon thereafter, the war ended, but no one told Hiroo and his men. After several months of hiding in the jungle and following the official end of the war, leaflets were dropped on Lubang Island to inform the remaining soldiers that the war was over, and they could now return to Japan. Hiroo examined the leaflets and determined that it was propaganda. The loyal soldier was following orders to stay on the island and complete the mission. The next few years saw the unexpected deaths of Hiroo’s squad, and soon he was the last Japanese soldier left. Other leaflets were dropped to inform the remaining soldiers that the war had now ended, some 20 years ago, and it was time to return home. Family photos and letters from Hiroo’s family, pleading for his return, were dropped to convince Hiroo that it was all a ruse.

Finally, on February 20, 1974, while still on the island, Second Lieutenant Hiroo Onoda met Norio Suzuki, a Japanese adventurer. Norio told the loyal soldier that the war was over and he should return. Hiroo insisted on hearing this from his commanding officer, who had retired nearly two decades ago. Suzuki returned to Japan and reported the news and proof of their missing soldier. The Japanese government arranged for former Major Yoshima Taniguchi to fly to Lubang and gave him a direct order to return home. Onoda was relieved of his command, surrendered to the Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, and was immediately pardoned for his crimes. In total, Hiroo Onoda held his ground and continued to follow the strict orders for 28 years, 6 months, and 8 days AFTER the war ended.

Fast forward – we can’t get a staffer or employee (or son or daughter) to follow a simple order of completing a report on time, hitting a certain goal, or following up with precise instructions, yet Hiroo can live in a jungle, eat berries and wild insects to survive as he strictly follows orders some 28 years later. I have no more words to express my inner thoughts.