We need a new paradigm of management, one where managers turn into leaders and change agents, managers who influence other people in a positive way. We live in a very interactive and fast paced world and we do not have the leadership and management models that work in an environment which is always changing. Our models work better for machines than for living beings. Nature is a good teacher for this, just observe how ants or termites organise themselves.
Table: Nature vs. Man made organizations
| NATURE | vs. | MAN MADE |
| order | GOAL | control |
| creativity | DESIRED BEHAVIOUR | obedience |
| intrinsic | MOTIVATION | outside |
| emerge | FUTURE | design |
| learning | BIGGEST CHALLENGE | execution |
Source: Handout from “Overview of Management“, a module during my business studies which was led by Margaret Wheatley
As problems grow increasingly more complex we as a human race do not seem to understand that we are all in this together. It leads me to wonder about cooperation vs. competition. Do there exist other ways of creating a positive future for ourselves and the generations that will come after us? Management´s role today seems so much broader than most of us are used to, it has a responsibility towards society, to be the engine of positive change.
Managers can only turn into leaders if they develop themselves in regards to the following three areas:
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Learning: we need to learn both individually and collectively, we need to learn more about ourselves and we need to improve our understanding of how we are all interconnected, in communities of learning the development is much deeper.
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Letting go: today’s manager’s biggest fear is the fear of not having success, of not being able to handle it anymore; managers have a huge responsibility, instead of getting stuck in their everyday work they should learn how to let go and use more of other people’s potential.
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Balance & Harmony: so much depends on this aspect, personal and professional life go hand in hand.