leadership in a distributed organization
TRANSCRIPT
LEADERSHIP IN A DISTRIBUTED ORGANIZATION
12.15.14
© ORBIT, 2014
Mark S. Bonchek, PhD
Mark S. Bonchek, Ph.D.Founder and CEO, SHIFT AcademyFounder and Chief Catalyst, thinkORBIT
SVP, Communities and Networks, Sears HoldingsCEO, Truman CompanyCOO, TomorrowLab@McKinseyDirector of Research, StrategosResearch Associate, MIT AI Lab
Columnist, Harvard Business Review
PhD, Harvard UniversityAB, Princeton University
OngoingRelationships Beyond IndividualTransactionswww.thinkORBIT.com
Social Learning Journeys Updating Leaders’ Thinking
in a Digital Agewww.shiftacademy.com
We live in a time of profound
disruption
Change is accelerating…
HOW DO WE NAVIGATE A CHANGING LANDSCAPE?
WE NEED NEW MENTAL MAPS
20TH CENTURY: MASS PRODUCTION
EFFICIENCY AND STANDARDIZATION
SEPARATION AND SPECIALIZATION
“DISTRIBUTED OPERATIONSCENTRALIZED CONTROL”
21ST CENTURY: MASS COLLABORATION
CREATIVITY AND CONNECTION
AGILITY AND ADAPTIVENESS
DISTRIBUTED EMPOWERMENT DECENTRALIZED CONTROL
21st CENTURY ORGANIZATION
MATRIX
STEPPING ON TOES
FLATTENING THE ORGANIZATION
HERDING CATS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_MaJDK3VNE
ALIGNMENT
AUTONOMY
ALIGNMENT AND AUTONOMY
“EVERY TUB ON ITS OWN BOTTOM”
ONE HARVARD
NEW PERSPECTIVE
MECHANICAL MODELS
LEARNING FROM NATURE
FLOCKS
VIDEO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XH-groCeKbE
SCHOOLS
WHERE’S THE LEADER?
01
Stick Together
02
Follow Neighbors
03
Don’t Collide
PRINCIPLES
HUMAN ORGANIZATION
MILITARY
THE FOG OF WAR
DOCTRINE
“Fundamental principles by which forces guide their actions in support of objectives. It is authoritative but requires judgment in application.“
NATO
MISSION, GOALS, STRATEGY
RULES, POLICIES, PROCEDURES
DOCTRINE
MISSION, GOALS,
STRATEGY
RULES, POLICIES,
PROCEDURES
DOCTRINE
WHERE TO GO
WHAT TO DO
HOW TO DECIDE
IT TAKES A NETWORK
NETWORK DOCTRINE
Tenet 1: A robustly networked force improves information sharing.
Tenet 2: Information sharing and collaboration enhance the quality of information and shared situational awareness.
Tenet 3: Shared situational awareness enables self-synchronization.
DISRIBUTING HELICOPTERS
01
Listen First
02
Be Transparent
03
Obligation to Dissent
TRANSFORMATION
OTHER EXAMPLES
U.S. CONSTITUTION
Innovation comes from anywhereShip and iterateMorph projects don’t kill themShare as much information as you can Creativity loves constraints
INNOVATION
SOFTWARE
EVENTS
NESTING DOCTRINE
Remain neutral.
Be considerate
Ignore all rules.
GENERAL PRINCIPLES
AUTHORSHIP PRINCIPLES
Write high-quality articles
Get along with other editors
Work efficiently together
Remain neutral.
Be considerate
Ignore all rules.
ACTION PLAN
Where do you need it?
What do you have already?
Who to involve?
When is it right?
What if it doesn’t work?
Front line wants autonomy but management is afraid of giving up control
Principles that guide decision-making (formal or informal)
Convene a “Constitutional Convention”
Specific enough to guide behavior; broad enough to allow freedom of action
Correct the doctrine, not the person
HARVARD’S PROGRESS
“Christian saw three men fast asleep, with fetters upon their heels. The name of one was Simple, of another Sloth, and of the third Presumption.
Seeing them lie in this case, he went to them, if perhaps he might awake them, and cried, "I will help you off with your irons."
With that they looked upon him, and began to reply: • Simple said, "I see no danger." • Sloth said, "Yet a little more sleep." • And Presumption said, "Every tub must stand upon his
own bottom."
And so they lay down to sleep again, and Christian went on his way.”
