It’s Time To Fire All Managers
Many have predicted that the word manager will soon become extinct and replaced with leader in the business world. Let’s take a look at the character in our case study.
When Dennis took over the department, he knew his job was to take it right to the next level. So he was frustrated with Fola, his mentor and boss, for not giving him the support he needed. They had just finished discussing the new direction for the department for the fourth time. Dennis was starting to feel that Fola was holding out on him. “Where do you see the department going?” he would ask, and Fola would turn the question right back around. “where do you see the department going?” she’d reply. Sometimes, she’d make a vague suggestion or offer an encouraging remark, but that wasn’t what Dennis was looking for. Why wouldn’t Fola tell him what he was supposed to be doing? After all, Fola was the boss! She was supposed to be the one with the grand vision, wasn’t she?
There’s a difference between ‘boss ship’ and ‘leadership’. The boss is the one who holds the organisation’s objectives. The leader, on the other hand, is the one who influences others to accomplish a common goal. Often in organisations today, the boss will not be able to be clear about goals, after all, the world is changing too fast.
Dennis probably knows more about his job than his boss does. He should set the vision himself, check it out with his boss, and get on with it. It’s certain that he will make mistakes, but he will learn as he goes and make necessary adjustments. The greatest mistake Dennis can make is waiting for the boss to tell him what his objectives should be. He needs to figure out where his department is going, get buy-in from his boss and keep him informed of the progress he is making. By doing this, Dennis becomes the leader.
It’s tough to imagine a company where no one has a boss, employees negotiate responsibilities with their peers, there’s no title or promotion and each individual is responsible for acquiring the tools needed to do his or her work.
Today, we are coming to the realization that hierarchy is poisonous and that the pyramid shape of today’s organization deeply limits people’s ability to contribute their passion, creativity, skills and energy towards a collective purpose. We are moving towards ‘holacracy”.
Holacracy is now very hot. Whether it’s a fascination, a spectacle, or in some cases, a dirty word, the idea that organisations can be self-managed, purpose driven, and function better has the attention of many. It is not about getting rid of managers, but it is in doing things differently.
There are some concepts of self-management that can help the organisation evolve. The goal is to integrate these in a way that feels natural and works with the organisation’s culture.
We’re all leaders: The role of leaders evolve to that of a servant-leader in self-management. They empower, enable, and inspire. Leaders coach individuals to realize their unique purpose and how it aligns with the organisation’s purpose. They do not hand down solutions, employees find their own approach. Trust and autonomy tap into powerful personal motivation.
Purpose driven: In self-managed organisations, the mission goes beyond making money or winning, to making valuable contributions to a cause that elevates humanity. Leadership’s role is to exemplify this purpose and use it to inspire decisions.
Transparency: In a transparent organisation, information is no longer a commodity; it flows freely. Teams need information about finance, organisational direction, and cross-functional initiatives to make the best decisions.
It’s time to kiss goodbye to the bosses
The word, “boss,” has negative connotations for many people, bringing to mind images of a person in a corner office who gives orders without asking for input and delegates rather than participates. It has the connotation of an authoritative person who barks orders and directions to his or her employees while receiving no input or feedback—a ‘my way or the highway’ type of philosophy. The traditional manager who is a planner, visionary, and master of delegation, rather than a co-collaborator, may be becoming less common.
So many companies have gotten away from the traditional concept of “boss” and also are careful about the language it uses to describe those who supervise others. They don’t use words such as ‘manager’ ‘director’ or ‘employee’. The employees are referred to as team members and leaders, and refer to their HR department as Team Member Services. Employees see each other as partners on a team working together to meet an important goal.”
More important, is management ready for this? After all, it flies in the face of traditional command and control management practices. In many cases, it will require the development and use of new management information systems in which many organisations may be unwilling or unable to invest. What do you think?