Look familiar?
He's a manager of a bygone era.
But here's the thing…
What fundamental problem was he supposed to solve?
The answer - efficiency and replication.
The Boss was invented to keep his staff focused on following rules and doing the same thing over and over again, whether it was building a Model T Ford or a Silicon Chip, flipping a burger, serving a customer, or even approving a bank loan. The Boss' role was and still is all about minimising variation, and maximising standardisation.
But hang on, that's not the problem modern leaders or businesses are wrestling with today. Rather, it's more about; "How do we build a business or enterprise that's adaptable, innovative and sustainable? For the team within the business, how can we really provide a work environment that's engaging and a fun place that encapsulates real work and life integration? Moreover, how do we draw out those unique human gifts of initiative, creativity and passion into our workplace?
We are now at a management crossroad. Traditional hierarchies or draconian systems block or inhibit positive and meaningful change and collaborative outcomes. Despite the rhetoric, the real art of management conversation, of listening and working together (collaboratively) – is almost nonexistent. Complicated bureaucracies or silo's within the many tiers of government and functions of business are the root of the problem.
Meanwhile the knowledge, resources, and computing power of billions of people are now self-organising themselves into a massive new collective force. Interconnected through blogs wikis, chat rooms, YouTube, and Twitter, the internet is providing the first ever global platform for realtime collaboration. Some are questioning; who needs management anyway? These new online self organising tribes are rapidly changing society and spawning new meritocracies or peer to peer networks, breathtaking business models and new leadership.
So what makes them so different?
1. Aspirational leadership.
2. Believing in a dream.
3. Aligning people's emotions by creating a real sense of purpose and a culture of knowing where you fit in and belong.
In other words, this is all about fostering a Movement or a Tribe.
Ref. Seth Godin's Book -Tribes!
