Anyone listen to the new HBR podcast - "Fire the Managers"? The author takes an interesting position on the negative aspects of management and suggests an organizational structure where management doesn't exist. A better term may be management by committee for the common good - reminiscent of some themes in Atlas Shrugged. Would love to hear what Mark and Mike think about the podcasts and suggestions of an org structure without managers.
Nuttiest thing I ever heard
Personally, I think this is one of the nuttiest, most pie-in-the-sky things I've come across. Maybe it's the high D and High C in me.
I guess I'd like to learn more about how Morningstar pulled this off, and really how effective it is. But as a manager, I can say that the aptituted, attitude and behaviors required to do 'manager' things are not in abundant supply, and as a leader of this company, I know I would never be able to sleep! I also know, from experience, that when no one is responsible for tasks getting done, they just don't get done, and managerial tasks are not something that should fall through the cracks.
Heck, none of us 'like' to do some of the things that managers are required to do. I just can't imagine there's a place that other people will step up and do these things 'just because'.
To me, this cast is as silly as when people say, "Get rid of all the lawyers!".
kpower1
6126
Stupid
I've just written it's a stupid idea in my weekly email, Things I Think I Think.
STUPID.
And it's because Mr. Hamel has begun to believe that management is what most managers practice. But that's not so. Good management isn't hard, can be done by anybody, and is a huge boost to productivity.
Sheesh.
Mark