What is Ingratiation?

Ingratiation is an act, behavior, or attempt to get into the favor of another person. The insinuations are flattery and insincerity. In everyday colloquial language, these types of persons are called "ass lickers." Don't mistaken ingratiation with complementing. In complementing someone there is no insinuations of flattery and insincerity. The person who is complementing is sincere and the recipient of the compliment is worthy of the compliment. Persons who practice ingratiation together with the recipient of ingratiation are both dehumanizing themselves. It is more so for the recipients who enjoy ingratiation.

What Type and Why Persons Practice Ingratiation?

What type of persons practice ingratiation? Ingratiation is normally practiced by persons who don't have a sense of self-worth or self-efficacy. They can be rich economically or materially but yet lack a sense of   self-worth and self-efficacy. In order to transcend their lack of self-worth and self-efficacy, they attempt to ingratiate into the favor of a specific target person(s) through whom they need to achieve their objectives or agenda. They ingratiate themselves either by subservience, flattery or buying the other person in kind, cash, or favors. Another type of person who practices ingratiation is what is known as survivalist. Survivalists are those who want to remain within a group at any cost, even by licking ass. Basically, both these types of persons suffer from a lack of self-worth, self-dignity and self-efficacy.

What Type and Why Persons Accept Ingratiation?

The moment an intelligent person accepts a culture of ingratiation, that person is confirming an equal lack of self-worth and self-efficacy. In reality, recipients who habitually accept ingratiation will be personalities who practice a downward social comparison with a bloated ego. But sadly these personalities are unable to compete with persons who are more proficient than themselves. In colloquial language, it means a king (narcissistic mental perception) who needs parrots (subservient mentality) as his subjects to remain unthreatened.

What are the effects of ingratiation Practices?

In any place where ass licking culture exists, some of the effects would be:

1. Constructive dissent is not tolerated but is considered as complaints.
2. Ass lickers are considered team players while those who give constructive  criticism  are considered rebels.
3. Work environment will be full of mistakes, cover-ups, and rationalizations.
4. Turn-over of personnel high.
5. Good personnel become demoralized.
6. Full of politicking and games.
7. No opportunity for creativeness.
8. Dogmatic and traditional work practices.
9. Non-service orientated.
10. Non-student centered.
11. Recurrence of same errors and problems.
12. Passive yes man practices with no intention to change or progress.
13. Display of a show of quality without its content.
14. Appreciation of ass licking culture.
15. Secretive and non-transparent administration.
16. Wastage of time, money and efforts of stakeholders.
17. Organizations will be losing money.
18. A tendency to have an attitude of hiring monkeys for peanuts.

In summary, ass licking always smells morally and ethically. And ass lickers and the recipients of ass licking are a liability rather than an asset to an organization. The culture of ingratiation is a backward step in progress for any individual, group or organization.