Slow Management
The Rise and Fall of Fast Management
In a constantly changing world, traditional organizational structures and management methods stemming from Taylor’s « Principles of Scientific Management » (1911) are failing. Taylorism reduces humans to resources required to produce goods and services rather than human beings.
To respond to the growing demands of customers who demand better, cheaper and more innovative products, right here, right now, organizations are constantly developing ways to stay competitive. In the digital age, Taylorism is called “Fast Management” and it similarly involves producing larger quantities in a shorter timeframe, thanks to productivity gains resulting from economies of scale, information technology, and business intelligence tools.
Harder, better, faster, stronger. Sounds good, right? Not so fast. Fast Management is also burdened by strict management layers, poor face-to-face communication, and rigorous rules to ensure that all activities are executed according to plan.
As a result, office workers have less autonomy in the workplace and may find it difficult to see their added value or to deliver the input for the requested metrics. This can result in low work quality, uninspired morale, and burn-outs. Clearly, the fast management model is broken and needs to be replaced with something more sensible.
Slow Management, a direct answer to Fast Management
To counteract Fast Management, a movement called Slow Management has emerged in some companies. The term is derived from Slow Food (an alternative to mass-produced fast food). Slow management sets forth a new management model, which pays more attention to work quality, job satisfaction, and creativity. Slow management revolves around three key principles:
- Employees require, above all else, meaning and recognition for their work. This can only be conveyed through one-on-one meetings– i.e. the time that managers physically spend with their employees.
- Slow management doesn’t mean going slowly, actually the opposite is true. It is about understanding that taking the time to iron out all the kinks the first time around is key to implementing efficient processes and thus, contributing to the performance of the business as a whole.
- Slow management builds tighter bonds between managers and employees as it forces managers to step out of their offices to meet their teams. “Slow managers” can seize the opportunities offered by formal and informal meetings to teach, convey messages, answer questions, share values, share a culture, and learn from their audience.
Slow is…
- Slow is efficient: Taking some time and using collective intelligence to figure out sustainable and efficient solutions that “get it right” the first time will result in time and money savings.
- Slow is faster: thoughtful, internally crowd-sourced and sustainable solutions can fast-track a company’s growth much faster than solutions coming from outside experts.
- Slow builds trust: A team truly involved in important and operational decisions will quickly become a generator of success and progress in the organization.
- Slow retains talent: It goes without saying that when employees feel valued and challenged, their happiness at work rises, and they are more likely to stay. Passionate, empowered and engaged employees are more productive and more valuable, particularly as they rise in the ranks.
Slow management applications
As outlined above, Slow Management is a managerial movement with its own set of principles that companies can adapt to fit their culture, mission, and values. Patagonia, founded by Yvon Chouinard, a slow management disciple, is a poster child for Slow Management. The outdoor clothing company offers flexible work schedules, participative management structure, and nap rooms among other perks. A winning strategy since Patagonia has earned a good reputation for employee loyalty. Another example, quite different from the auto management model seen at Patagonia, is Toyota. The company manages to conciliate two opposite goals: granting trust to its employees while pursuing a scientific and humanist performance strategy.
Roxane COSNARD DES CLOSETS & Laura GOEGEBEUR
