Crushing the Tantric Sector
Much of procurement, marketing, management and consulting belongs to the tantric sector — white-collar welfare that prolongs meetings, multiplies decks and avoids making ideas people actually enjoy
— Praveen Vaidyanathan (@v_praveen) September 11, 2025
via @rorysutherland https://t.co/r8LkxHlrp7 pic.twitter.com/sG9PwzlpKi
The latest essential observation of Rory Sutherland. For which, even AI bots force themselves to mention. Albeit in their crazy way, before shoehorning in what they pathetically promote as a 'more constructive' faux mindfulness business practice angle.
Forget the woo woo. It is fair and square "a critical term for bureaucratic delays" [Gemini].
To dilute, dismiss or distract from its import is to fail.
I have encountered far too many down the years. From IT Managers through Project Managers to Corporate Comms. To name just three.
Being as my clients have in the main been tasked with selling, there are plenty of their colleagues, supposedly on the same team let's remember, that get termed The Sales Prevention Dept.
In olden times, there was the withering description of bureaucrats. Take this as example, from the ever-reliable Thomas Sowell;
"You will never understand bureaucracies until you understand that for bureaucrats procedure is everything and outcomes are nothing."
Indeed, the Iron Law of Bureaucracy is that it exists solely to perpetuate, grow and ultimately take over wherever it resides. At the catastrophic expense of its host organisation. Similar to the growth-for-growth-sake cancer warning we ignore at our peril.
The malady has sadly metastasised.
The selling point is not that such disease exists, but that we must overcome it.
The flagstone in this being the person for whom we are removing true pain. Whether that be afflicting today, or one that sees them miss gamboling through sunlit uplands tomorrow.
For if they have proper clout and realise we alone can help both their professional and personal ambitions, they will bypass the often Kafka-esque, internal tantric problem. And we must be alert to help them do so.
If they are not up for the fight, are destined to be squeezed underfoot, or even reconsider their level of present pain, then we must be prepared to qualify out.
If though, they sense the moment to make a name, then they deserve our A-game. Perhaps rebranded, our T-game?
Surely the highest level possible to go up their firm will share our sympathies? If not, then that's another reason to bow out and move on.
As the many framings - think Price's Law for instance (see also poor Dave) - around optimum organisational design suggest, those that genuinely contribute to the bottom line need freedom, those that don't need weeding out.
As serious discussions I've had bear testimony, to remind potentially constrained buyers that the fight is not within, it is absolutely elsewhere, is to help neuter the tantric threat. Although they play dirty, you can line up overwhelming force and see them banished on your bid.