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Like you, I’ve learned a lot about leadership over the years. Why then does it still seem counterintuitive — and maybe a little uncomfortable — to read that we can achieve better results without a top-down, command-and-control strategy? I thought about this as I read Charlene Li’s insightful blog post this week.
Many years ago, as a newly appointed manager with more than a dozen direct reports — some of them in remote bureaus — I was super-diligent about staying in touch, tracking performance and staying on top of the work.
In my defense, we didn’t have IM or tweets or smartphones to connect us, and I thought my primary job was to be hands-on and to keep the momentum going. I also worked hard and thought that if I led by example, the rest would follow.
The results were mixed. We produced great products to the highest standards, but people got burnt out, including me. We weren’t enjoying the work as much as we could have, and there was a “creative tension” most of the time. Of course, the corporate culture promoted and encouraged this approach, and I was merely carrying out orders. But in fact, they weren’t the right orders for people who were already motivated, creative and talented.
Charlene’s advocacy of open leadership may have helped somewhat, but without the technology and the urgency that’s present at most enterprises today — what Peter Hinssen in his animated video calls The Era of Now — there would probably still be a disconnect between executives and workers.
Many thought leaders — such as Don Tapscott — have promoted transparency over the years, and the archives (and business schools) are full of books, courses and white papers that espouse formulas and theories about effective team management.
What’s really different right now, however, is IT. Social media really does change everything. Because it’s disruptive, old lessons don’t apply; yet new solutions—even among younger managers-- are still evolving. What does management look like when collaboration is a mantra, crowdsourcing is acceptable and customers have their say? Where do CIOs fit in when, as Alistair Croll wrote last year, the democratization of IT and the enterprise are the direct result of consumer technologies? How do you get out of the way and still be an effective leader? Do we need new strategies or new leaders?
Smart Enterprise Exchange is continuing to offer many perspectives about social media and leadership to help you answer these questions and adapt to the rapid-fire pace of change. Nathan Clevenger, author of the recent book, iPad in the Enterprise, offers four concrete steps you can take to adopt a mobile strategy. When I spoke to Nathan recently, he suggested many practical tips based on his interviews with global CIOs for the book. As you would expect, the first step is to accept, rather than resist, the notion of shared leadership — exactly what consumer technologies support.
Executive coach Dina Lichtman also addresses this topic in a recent blog and in an upcoming one where she asked Elizabeth Osder for her perspective on social media’s organizational impact.
Apparently, there’s still a lot to learn about leadership. And while you may not find a one-size-fits-all solution, as IT executives leading teams of technologists, business partners and social media-savvy customers, you must leave your comfort zone, try out the options and see what works best (then, share your experiences on the Exchange). The stakes couldn’t be higher, and there’s no time to waste.
Paula Klein
Editor and Community Manager
Smart Enterprise Exchange
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