Hack:
Bosses Are Not Mini-Gods!

By Cathy Archer - OD Coach at A Different Path.info

November 22, 2010 at 8:31am

New Management Approach

New Consciousness

human resources

Organizational Culture

performance review process

Moonshots

Reinvent the means of control

Rethink the philosophical foundations of management

Redefine the work of leadership

Summary

The existing philosophical foundation of businesses/organizations communicates an inherent sense of inequality: Employees are seen as minions and bosses are seen as mini gods; as long as bosses are seen as mini gods and the inequality exists, organizations will struggle to effectively manage employees to produce bottom-line growth. Nobody likes to be thought of as 'not as important as,' 'not as smart as,' or 'not as essential as' within an organization. This inherent message communicated with the existing philosophy of business and with most organizational structures will always prevent employees from 'feeling a part of,' 'feeling empowered by,' or 'feeling completely fulfilled' within organizational structures of mini gods. It goes against their human sovereignty.

We need a whole new system of management starting with the philosophical foundation of organizational structures. There is a way to create a sense of equality that actually increases the bottom line! There are several steps to be taken. It must begin with the philosophical approach to organizations. Employees must be seen as in a partnership with owners/executives. This partnership is reflected in two documents: The Individual Work Plan signed by employees; and the Individual Development Plan signed by executives. Organizations can be structured in a way that has a partnership as the foundation. Several of the steps are existing approaches but with differences. Here are the differences: 1. There is a philosophy of partnership that drives all operations and organizational components; executives must begin with seeing employees’ goals as just as valuable as their own and have the ability to respect the sovereignty of employees as human beings. 2. It involves an inter-dependent systems approach. All of the components have to work in concert to create a true and full sense of partnership and equality. 3. It involves radical shifts in thinking and approaching the ‘performance review’ process. (In fact it does away with the traditional performance review process.) 4. It involves every single aspect of the organization, especially its communications, being aligned with a sense of respect, equality, and partnership. And 5. It ensures that this approach is mutually inclusive of bottom-line growth.

The most significant impact of this approach is employees being accountable, becoming self-leaders and internally motivated to work directly toward the achievement of strategic objectives. Can you imagine an organization where individuals feel that they are in a partnership, that they are allowed to fully participate, that their views and contributions are respected, that they have a sense of freedom to be sovereign beings, that they can make meaningful contributions and experience fulfillment at work? How about imagining an organization where your strategic objectives are tied to the operations, where employees are self-leaders and accountable for their actions, where all work is measurable, where bottom-line growth is a reality and not a dream, where the work culture is progressive and supportive of productivity and achievement? If you can imagine these things, that's the practical impact! This approach and bottom-line growth are mutually inclusive!

However, there are challenges. Can existing managers truly relinquish the need to control and micro manage? It will require self-development sessions for those individuals who see their worth and value in their title of 'manager' and would therefore find a 'sense of demeaning' in a structure of equality. Nevertheless, such an approach can have significant and transformational results through its new organizational structures and increase the potential for significant and sustained bottom-line growth.

Problem

We live in a society in which we pretend that all men are created equal, yet our society is fraught with demonstrations to the contrary. All aspects of society reflect who we really are and what we really believe. In business, the bosses are seen as mini gods whom we must not offend. They wield their power and control the minions with a threat of their signature on dreaded forms. Productivity is sought through coercion in most instances. Creativity is discouraged. Minions are to be kept in their place. And while this is not the norm in every single business, in a twenty-first century world, it represents far too many businesses.

The problem? The existing philosophical foundation of businesses/organizations communicates an inherent sense of inequality: Employees are seen as minions and bosses are seen as mini gods; as long as bosses are seen as mini gods and the inequality exists, organizations will struggle to effectively manage employees to produce bottom-line growth.

In our society, we view some people as unequal in importance and status with one's chosen profession as the barometer of adulation. There is no reason for, or value in, communicating such inequality. As human beings, there are no differences among individuals in terms of importance on planet Earth. It is widely accepted that each individual human life is equal in value to any and every other human life, in theory at least. In practice, however, there are many indications that this value is once again more ‘espoused theory’ rather than ‘theory-in-use.’ (Concept: Chris Argyris) Such is the problem.

By the mere choices that are made, our biases towards some individuals reveal themselves. Our societal norms often dictate these biases and enshrine them in our every behavior. For example, you don’t ever hear parents extolling the virtues of being a garbage collector, or even a filing clerk, yet these are necessary occupations for our society to survive. Demonstrations of these biases pervade our society on many levels, and it can be clearly seen within organizations. When have you ever heard of the janitor, or even the mail clerk, within an organization receiving kudos or recognition for their work efforts at the same level as the organization’s top performing salesman? And while certain perks come with the title of manager, existing hierarchical structures communicate a sense of inequality that pervades every aspect of work life. Yet, many executives pretend to believe that their organizations exhibit the value that all of their employees are considered important or equal.

Nobody likes to be thought of as 'not as important as,' 'not as smart as,' or 'not as essential as' within an organization. This inherent message communicated with the existing philosophy of business and with most organizational structures will always prevent employees from 'feeling a part of,' 'feeling empowered by,' or 'feeling completely fulfilled' within organizational structures of mini gods. It goes against their human sovereignty.

I spent a few years working with organizations (as an Organization Development Consultant) conducting organizational assessments in the face of poor organizational climates. No matter how many times I encountered it, I was always amazed at the amount of misunderstandings and negative perceptions held by employees. It was like negative impressions on steroids. They grew to such levels and became so pervasive that it impacted entire organizations. Much of it was deserved in terms of the views employees held of management (they had awful management practices), but some of it was simply perceived ills on the parts of employees that came about because their core perception was that management didn’t care about them. It was these experiences of assessing clients’ organizational climates and my own experimentations when I was a manager that led me to develop a system that ensured that employees’ human needs could be met while ensuring that bottom-line objectives are achieved.

Solution

Solution? A whole new system of management starting with the philosophical foundation of organizational structures. Businesses can be transformed and made more productive through a New Consciousness approach.

Step 1

You have to start with rethinking your philosophical perspective. Re-think business relationships and business operations. It begins with a new view of each individual involved in your business operations, which is that each individual has to be viewed as you. Whenever you look at an individual you have to see yourself. It is similar to ‘walking in another’s shoes.’ When you can see each individual as yourself, suddenly their views, their feelings, their aspirations, and their challenges become your views, your feelings, your aspirations, and your challenges. In other words, all that is important to them becomes important to you.

It is not so much about feeling their pain and solving their challenges for them. Viewing each individual as yourself allows you to respect them as individuals, and value their goals for their lives as much as you value your own. When you begin with this premise that each individual involved in your business deserves just as much respect as you do, then each act within which you become engaged will be in their best interest as well as your own. The core suggestion is that executives and managers must truly come to believe that the feelings, thoughts, desires and goals of employees are just as important as their own. Then every aspect of the organization needs to be restructured to reflect your philosophy of equality, which is not mutually exclusive to bottom-line achievements.

The tool for achieving this philosophy of equality is to create a partnership in thought and organizational structure. In a partnership, each partner is equal to the other (or should be) and they work together toward achieving mutually agree upon goals and objectives. This can be done without having to turn over company shares or profit sharing to employees.

Effects: When employees feel a sense of equality and perceive a partnership it gives them permission to take on a sense of responsibility and participate fully in ensuring that organizational goals are achieved.

Step 2

Eradicate all bosses. The concept of 'no more bosses' quite simply means removing the sense that there is a difference between executives or managers and employees. It suggests getting rid of the "I am more important than you thinking of managers and the, perceived or real, elevated status of executives. Perception is everything! You do this by eliminating certain titles with inherently negative connotations: Bosses - Controls, dominates, exercises authority. (Dictionary.com) Manager - a person who has control.

Nobody likes to be controlled or dominated. How can anyone feel a part of something when there is an inherent sense of being controlled or dominated. Whether it is intended or not this sense is communicated in organizational titles alone. All supervisory staff should be called leaders and their number one job should be to develop self-leaders.

Effects: Employees feel a sense of self-determination. They are likely to spend less time fighting 'being controlled' and more time on following the lead or determining how to reach goals for themselves.

Step 3

Share The Vision. Their are some organizations that do share the vision currently. However, it is essential to share it in a way that communicates a sense of partnership, participation and value (as outlined in the book cited). The vision must be communicated with passion and conviction. A picture must be painted and employees drawn into its beauty. When you are communicating the vision you have to answer the question in employees mind of "Why should we care?" You have to communicate the value that employees bring to the table.

Keep in mind the story of Everybody, Somebody, Nobody, and Anybody. You have to tie in and show employees their roles in creating the vision otherwise they will perceive that they have no individual responsibility in making it happen.

Effects: Sharing the vision in this way does several things: 1. It creates buy-in for the vision. They will believe in what you are trying to accomplish. 2. Because they believe, they will want to join in. Why? Because everybody likes to feel a part of something special and exciting. When they feel that excitement it helps to motivate them to action. 3. It suggests inclusiveness. Communicating their value to the achievement of the vision will help them to feel a part of the vision and perceive their value in realizing the vision. This gives employees permission to own it and work toward it as partners in making it happen. Remember though, it is a systems approach. All aspects of the organization must continue to communicate partnership and participation or the effects of the vision sharing will fizzle.

Step 4

Operationalize the strategic objectives. Create what I call, 'Individual Work Plans.' These work plans need to have several essential components.

List all work functions as measurable work objectives requiring 95% to 98% accuracy. (Never require 100% accuracy) Nobody is perfect and employees will perceive 100% as impossible to reach and not try. If you set it to 95%, they will attempt to surpass it. (See materials for chapter 13 on how to release consistent non-performers.)
Ensure that leaders and employees create these plans together. It creates participation, communicates a partnership, and engenders accountability.
Ensure that work function objectives tie in directly to achieving the strategic objectives. Employees must see how their efforts tie into the bigger picture. It solidifies the sense of value communicated in the vision session.
Ensure that targets are not overwhelming. It is important that targets are achievable. When people feel that targets are too difficult or impossible, they will not attempt to achieve them. When individuals reach targets that are reasonable, they themselves would choose to try for higher targets, which is a result of their pride and excitement about achieving earlier targets.

Each work plan would represent the employee's agreement of contribution in the partnership. It would require them to sign the document as their commitment to the partnership which is also why it is important for them to be a part of the process of creating the work plan. (The employer has one--a document of commitment to the partnership--too.)

Effects: A Individual Work Plan clearly outlines the employees responsibility with work expectations. It leaves no room for doubt in what is expected of them. It gives them specific targets that clearly demonstrates their role and contribution to the overall departmental or organizational objectives. It defines their end of the partnership agreement in a way that communicates responsibility, accountability, trust, and belief in their abilities.

Step 5

Set employees up for success! Ensure that employees have the right systems, appropriate structures, conducive processes, and appropriate training to be able to accomplish their work objectives successfully. For example, if they have a work objective of entering 10 data sheets of info into a system per hour, ensure that they don't have a computer system that moves too slowly to achieve the objective. Ensure that training is done properly. (This is 'a whole nother' ballgame of a discussion. See book cited.)

Effects: Setting up employees for success communicates that you are a fair, caring, and a supportive leader. (You are no longer a boss or manager.) If you did not make sure that the processes needed for achieving work objectives make sense, it would communicate that you do not care about their ability to succeed. It would also communicate that you do not care about them as an individual and their level of frustration with inefficient processes. If employees perceive a lack of caring on the part of their leaders, no other positive action will have merit.

Step 6

Celebrate milestones! Need I say more? Yes, the how is important. Note: ensure that while you celebrate achievements, non achievers are to be supported and communicated to in a certain way. (See book cited.)

Individuals can be recognized for outstanding achievements, but all effort should be made not to put any one employee 'on the spot.' In fact, all employees should be made to feel as if their efforts are appreciated regardless of their performance thus far. This will serve to encourage better performance as opposed to causing discouragement and the desire to give up.

Effects: Celebrating milestones is like celebrating employees: Now that employees feel a part of the vision and understand their role in getting there (through the work plans) when you celebrate they perceive it to be a celebration of themselves and their contributions. To create full effects from celebrations, I cannot stress enough that it must be done in a way that is still supportive of non-achievers (which is outlined specifically in the book cited).

Step 6

WIIFM - What's In it for me? This is a major step in this process and involves a radical component. Get rid of performance reviews in their traditional sense. Call it the "Partnership Review Session." This is the session where both partners get to review their individual goals and progress. It involves self-reviews and the leader as a facilitator with the role of 'how can I make your job easier.' It involves a particular communication style and session structure. It includes a review of the "Individual Development Plan" which is a document completed by the employee at the beginning of the partnership and is the employer's commitment in the partnership. (See materials and full discussion in Chapter 8--attached.)

The Individual Development Plan outlines the employees goals for their work lives. It lists what their development objectives are and milestones they would like to reach within the organization. Employers (representative) sign the ID plan indicating their commitment to help the employee in their development efforts and represents their end of the partnership.

This is such an essential component in this New Consciousness approach that the complete chapter outlining this step is included in the materials below.

If employers would try this approach to the ex-performance review process, they would be amazed at the results because this new process respects employees' sovereign nature and motivates them to become self-leaders and allows them to be accountable and live up to their end of the partnership.

Effects: Allowing employees to perceive that their sovereign nature is respected is essential in this approach. You cannot communicate a sense of equality or partnership without respecting their sovereign nature. Traditional performance reviews totally goes against an individual's sovereign nature. Using the approach of a facilitator in the way outlined in the material sited would accomplish the objective of having a review of work objectives while maintaining respect for the individual. Additionally, having employees complete individual development plans demonstrates executives' sense of caring about them as well as ensures that employees are on purpose, are responsible for and are focused on their own development, which benefits both themselves and the organization.

Step 7

Create a culture of partnership. This is an important aspect of the approach that will help to solidify a sense of equality. Besides all of the steps above determining whether or not this is achieved, the communication style and practices used by leaders will go a long way in helping to create a continuous perception of equality and thus a culture of equality. While it is listed lastly, it is essential to employ a conducive communication style and habit throughout the process of implementation.

Essential considerations:

Every act by 'management' (now leaders) has meaning and communicates a message. Employees are in a continuous mode of interpretation. Their perception of a message is always colored by their beliefs about executives and management.
All communications within an organization are perceived by employees to either be in their best interest or not in their best interest. If employees generally believe that executives respect them and have their best interest at heart, they will tend to perceive management's communications positively. On the other hand, if they believe that executives do not respect them or have their best interest at heart, they will tend to perceive communications negatively and can even view positive communications or positive behavior negatively. (See book cited to read more about how you can communicate with respect and create a culture of partnership.)
Example: The subject of a memo should never be a surprise to employees. In a partnership, both partners should be aware of changes and should actually be a part of creating new policies and procedures. While a formal memo needs to be disseminated it should never take employees by surprise.
It is essential to the partnership to cultivate self-leadership. This will allow for accountability and communicates a respect for an individual's sovereign nature. Individuals not wanting to be self-leaders should be encouraged to 'move on.' 'The how' is extremely important to the culture of respect and partnership. (see book cited for details on how this can be done in a way that maintains the perception of "I have your best interest at heart.')

Effects: Having a culture imbued with a sense of equality and partnership engenders a sense of organizational calm, organizational focus, and positive organizational climate. In such a culture, there are less distractions with cultural challenges and office politics with everyone jockeying for position. Even if there isn't room for everyone at the top, employees would be okay with this because they would perceive a sense of equality ( In my opinion, the perceived sense of importance is the main reason a sane individual fights to climb the corporate ladder to take on such overwhelming responsibilities and intense levels of stress in the first place--increased benefits notwithstanding.) Such a positive organizational culture would support and help ensure the achievement of strategic objectives.

Note:

"Because culture is not based on written down rules, employees’ perceptions become very important in shaping culture. If the message being continuously communicated is that ‘we value employees and see them as equal, we respect employees in their ability to be self-leaders,’ this is what will shape your culture. When you share your company’s vision with employees and show them how they can help you achieve it, this communicates a partnership. When you develop individual work plans to show employees their role in achieving company objectives, this communicates responsibility. When you ask employees for their opinions on strategies and direction, this communicates trust. When you ask employees what their personal work goals are, this communicates concern for their lives and their future. When you celebrate employee achievements, this communicates appreciation and gratefulness. When these messages are continuously being communicated in your every organizational action, a conducive and positive work culture will result. It will evolve into a positive work culture because of what employees will perceive to be the truth about executives, management, and the company as a whole." A Different Path, A Different Result: By Cathy Archer

See chapter 10 in the materials for discussion on changing corporate cultures.

See chapter 13 on 'releasing incongruent individuals.'

Practical Impact

Practical Impact?

Can you imagine an organization where individuals feel that they are in a partnership, that they are allowed to fully participate, that their views and contributions are respected, that they have a sense of freedom to be sovereign beings, that they can make meaningful contributions and experience fulfillment at work? How about imagining an organization where your strategic objectives are tied to the operations, where employees are self-leaders and accountable for their actions, where all work is measurable, where bottom-line growth is a reality and not a dream, where the work culture is progressive and supportive of productivity and achievement? If you can imagine these things, that's the practical impact! This approach and bottom-line growth are mutually inclusive!

First Steps

Experimenting with any of the steps will see some positive changes. However, changes cannot be maintained without all of the components working together.

While a number of these steps are not new, there are major components that represent a new approach which are essential to making this approach work. The key is the underlying philosophy and approach of equality. The steps outlined show how the goal of equality can be achieved within the organizational and work operations context. They all work together to support and make happen the underlying goal—that is to communicate equality and allow individuals to work as sovereign beings in a true partnership. Perception is everything. If you can succeed in creating the perception that employees are equal to executives in importance and put a supporting operational structure in place, you will succeed in creating self-leaders who are internally motivated to achieve organizational objectives and are accountable for their actions.

Credits

A Different Path, A Different Result: A New Consciousness Model for Businesses

By Cathy A. Archer

The above listed book came about as a result of my working with a number of organizations with poor organizational climates and challenges. I have cited several stories in the book to illustrate how so many of the traditional thinking and practices are no longer effective in motivating employees or achieving organizational objectives. It was my experience in conducting organizational assessments and discovering where so many executives went wrong that led to my developing an approach that would avoid organizations falling into the holes that many of them tend to when not considering their organizational dynamics.

Documents

Chapter 8 What's In It For Me.pdf

Chapter 10 The Invisible Elephant.pdf

Chapter 13 But But But.pdf

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January 20, 2011 at 8:14am

bob farey

People interested in this hack might like to look at the systems thinking approach to improvement where command and control is seen as the enemy. Lots of free information on the Vanguard consulting website, and they do a good monthly newsletter.

January 20, 2011 at 8:11am

bob farey

"However, there are challenges. Can existing managers truly relinquish the need to control and micro manage? " No they can't ! I once suggested, in a HR department, that we should take turns to be team leaders. To allow other staff the chance to develop and gain experience. They thought I was stark raving bonkers. The only "boss" I ever came across as genuine and sensible was happy to sit on a business process improvement team led by a shop floor worker, ie take instructions from a junior member of staff. He was the only one....

January 21, 2011 at 4:23pm

Cathy Archer

Thank you for sharing Bob! It is so unfortunate that so many managers are so busy defending their positions that they do so at the expense of exceeding organizational objectives because full employee involvement in leadership roles, as you suggested, is not only a key motivator for employees to achieve organizational objectives but the means to which employees accept accountability and responsibility for achieving work objectives. When they choose to accept responsibility and accountability it drives them to deliver. But until more managers 'get over themselves,' I don't know the extent to which a philosophy of equality and partnership would be accepted. All the best!

January 20, 2011 at 4:33am

Kenneth L. Pierce

Management is always about managing relationships. Cathy has caught the essence of effective "lead management". It is the only way to create successful products or services. She shows you the principles and the practices and then a clear and simple process. Mirrors well the culture of successful companies of all sizes and shapes. Reflects perfectly the principles inherent in the cutting edge work of Deming and Glasser and explained in "Using Lead Management on Purpose". Excellent work! Congratulations on your insight and wisdom. Ken Pierce

January 21, 2011 at 4:09pm

Cathy Archer

Thank you Kenneth! I consider my approach to be a skin of sorts--like the 'new wine skin for new wine.' So many of the progressive techniques proposed today and used in some organizations would fit into this 'wine skin' perfectly. The challenge with a lot of new approaches today is that they are 'new wine in old wine skins.' If businesses really want to increase their success percentages with progressive techniques they have to start with a new perception of employees. Given your background I know you get this. I look forward to reading your book!

January 20, 2011 at 4:33am

Kenneth L. Pierce

January 18, 2011 at 12:19pm

Richard Verkley

First rate analysis of the new world standard for management change and corporate growth.
After many years of being a CEO and driving change I wholeheartedly endorse Cathy's vision of leadership and transformational management.

January 21, 2011 at 3:52pm

Cathy Archer

Thank you Richard! This means so much coming from you!

January 11, 2011 at 3:46pm

Reinis Ikass

Great insights and very practical and applicable suggestions.

If you want "outside proof" that your system works - just pick up a copy of Ricardo Semler's book "The Seven-Day Weekend" - it's about how he transformed a manufacturing company "Semco" and made it unstoppable. In Brazil!

If I remember correctly, they had an average growth in revenue of 25% for 14 years in a row. While Brazil was going through hyperinflation, deflation and government was changing every year or so.

I completely agree with you that empowering employees to be their own leaders is good for the bottom-line of company as well. While treating employees as mindless drones is an utter waste of the tremendous human creative potential that lies in every one of us.

But sure, it takes a lot of courage form the owners of a company to change it's philosophy and structure so dramatically. And not every owner, manager, company or employee is ready for such a change and responsibility.

To take this to an extreme - do we want to be managers of mindless drones (or be treated as ones), or do we dare to unleash the full human potential?