Future Here Now: Hierarchy → loose network
Macrotrends
Continuing our series on the Macrotrends driving the disconnect between what we learned and what we need now - and in the future. You can find the previous posts in this series at wiseeconomy.substack.com.
Once upon a time, we expected that someone was in charge and a lot of someone’s weren’t. We had a book called The Organization Man. We had pyramid-shaped organizational charts with lots of vice presidents.
You didn’t fit neatly into a slot in the upper part of that pyramid -- not only by personality or skills, but because of your gender, your appearance, your background, your movement? Sorry. Maybe you can marry well.
Now people work in places that have quality circles. That ask them to problem solve on the work site. That sometimes ask them to throw away conventional titles completely. Or work in networks with people from across the world. Or work outside of conventional Organization Man businesses entirely.
No wonder those people get mad when we say, “We who are your Leaders know how to solve the problems. Of course we do. Give us your feedback/money/labor/tacit blessing.”
We in leadership got used to treating Them like passive recipients, like people we Do For, not Do With.
We went through a period recently where Customer Service was a big watchword for local governments and organizations. The customer is always right.
Except when they’re not.
Which is a lot, because we’ve kept them away from the real information and decision-making.
That was a mistake. Residents, customers, workers, don’t want to be just pawns. They want to be part of the solution. And most of the time when they get mad, really mad at us, it’s when we’ve told them that they don’t have a place in our hierarchy.
“Just behave and be served,” we tell them. And what they want to say back to us probably shouldn’t be printed here.