Modern Management
Modern management is all about removing roadblocks from the paths of employees in order to help them succeed. This extends beyond managing people to empowering and engaging people. The traditional idea of management was based on leading by fear and the notion of command and control. Employees used to work hard to allow their managers to succeed and now it’s the managers turn to make sure their employees succeed. As I’ve said many times, employees are the most valuable asset that any organization has. In the past managers said “jump” and the employees said, “how high?” Now, the managers are jumping with employees.
It used to be good enough for managers to say they supported something. A manager would just need to approve the budget and say “go for it.” When it comes to collaboration and the future of work that is no longer enough. Managers need to commit to more than just funding collaboration. They need to be the ones on the ground level using the same tools that the rest of the employees are using. There is no way that employees can change and evolve (nor should they) unless they see their managers doing
Embrace vulnerability
This goes hand in hand with being open and transparent. Our organizations were modeled after the military and if there’s one thing that a commander wasn’t, that was vulnerable. However, times have changed and we aren’t running our organizations like the military anymore. We go our whole lives learning how to be the opposite of vulnerable and we always have this “shield” up to keep people from seeing us when we are vulnerable. However, Brene Brown, author of “Daring Greatly,” says that vulnerability is about having the courage to show up and be seen. According to Brown, “Vulnerability is the absolute heartbeat of innovation and creativity. There can be zero innovation without vulnerability.” Being vulnerable isn’t about being weak it’s about being courageous; a key quality that every manager must have going forward.
Belief in sharing
Traditionally managers sat at the top of the organization and had access to all of the information required to make decisions. Managers would dole out the orders and the employees had to execute on those orders without asking any questions. Today managers cannot believe in hoarding information but in sharing information and collective intelligence. Managers need to make sure that the employees can connect to each other and to the information they need to get their jobs done, anytime, anywhere, and on any device. Managers now rely on employees to help make decisions instead of isolating them from this process.
What other qualities do you think the modern manager should possess?