Week 32, 2019
Nimble Leadership: Typology, Constraints, and Emergence
Each week I share three ideas on how to make work better. And this week, those ideas are all lifted from a recent HBR article titled Nimble Leadership
Why am I writing about this? I find leadership to be a fascinating topic. I’ve written about it before (e.g., w482018 on roles and w222019 on personas). This HBR article covers the same ground albeit with a different lens. And I found it insightful.
1. Typology
Leaders take either of three roles: Entrepreneurs have the vision and fortitude needed to pursue growth opportunities. And crucially, they’re able to persuade and rally others to their cause. Enablers focus on professional development; they are the mentors and coaches that help others fulfill their potential. And Architects are concerned with the big picture; they orchestrate and align the organization’s collective activities.
For more on this, read the HBR article in its entirety.
2. Constraints
Nimble organizations emphasize enabling over governing constraints. That is, they define only that which is explicitly prohibited; not what’s explicitly allowed. A subtle difference perhaps, but hugely important. Because the result is a dramatic reduction in rules and procedures. In nimble organizations, leaders are encouraged to do whatever is deemed necessary. And as long as they work within a certain scaffolding, they don’t need to justify their actions.
For more on this, watch this presentation by Alicia Juarrero.
3. Emergence
Nimble organizations exhibit emergent properties. That is, projects aren’t initiated solely by senior management; they emerge as a result of a complex set of interactions that permeate the organization. Employees vote with their feet; projects are funded based on their ability to garner support; and in stark contrast to more traditional organizations where authority is a product of title, nimble leaders are expected to earn their authority over time.
For more on this, check out Valve’s Employee Handbook.
In speaking about the future of work, there’s an awful lot of focus on tech. And no doubt that’s important. But so is leadership. And we needn’t look far into the future either: organizations such as those profiled in Nimble Leadership (i.e., PARC and WL Gore) have and will continue to challenge our perceptions of leadership. And so in a way, it’s like William Gibson said: “the future (or work) is already here, it’s just not evenly distributed.”
That’s all for this week.
Now get back to work.
