The Age of De-Bossification

There is a rise in the need for leaders guides coaches mentors rolemodels creators and buildersLess of a clamoring for bosses managers controllers monitors evaluators and paper pushersThis shift has been driven by changing demographics the spread of technology the rise of unbundled and distributed work new behavior expectations and a redefinition of what amp8220workamp8221 is including the rise of fractionalized and freeagent talent who work for themselves or at multiple jobs and are expected to comprise most of the work force in the US by the end of the decadeHow to amp8220debossify amp8220ourselves or help others do so and therefore adapt from being a amp8220bossamp8221 to a amp8220leaderamp8221Step 1 Be Aware of Bossy TraitsAll of us have both worked for and in times of pressure we ourselves have displayed one or more of these amp8220bossyamp8221 traits1 THE NARCISSISTIC GOD These bosses believe that only they know the answer only they are capable of handling the major meeting and only they should get the credit for their teamsamp8217 success They often believe they transcend the company In many instances they create a godlike cult that worships their every move using public relations and social media to spread the word2 THE MICROMANAGING FIDDLER These folks are terrific operatorsamp8212they know how to get things doneamp8212but as managers they retain their obsessive detail orientation They tell their people what to do and insist they check in with them at every stage They are insecure and canamp8217t let go of anything They often manage via spreadsheets or the need for slavish following of systematic procedures3 THE OSCAR ASPIRANT These types emote loudly and dramatically Erratic and unpredictable they are a roller coaster of emotions They greet bad news with histrionics and good news with hyperbole4 THE SCHEMING SPHINX This is the person who smiles blows airkisses and oozes charisma and friendship says nor shares anything substantial while sucking up as much information and probing for vulnerabilities A blend of insecurity and bully juice wrapped in a blanket of charm while oozing calm and friendliness5 THE DOUBLECROSSING ASSASSIN While the previous four types are expressive or antiexpressive in the case of the Scheming Sphinx in their terribleness Assassins are softspoken wellbehaved and selfcontrolled Behind closed doors however they take credit for other peopleamp8217s work create animosity by speaking ill of people to others and find ways to trip up others and make them failStep 2 Understand Why the Old Model is CollapsingOnce upon a time a manager controlled the flow of information access to opportunities and was a font of expertise and craftToday the halflife of knowledge is growing shorter and shorter and the amp8220way of this is the way things were doneamp8221 is often the opposite of what needs to be done as new competitors and customer expectations do not care a fig about the way it was or isAI will turbocharge this change in ways deeper and faster than anyone of us can even comprehend as the cost of knowledge goes to zero and enables talented individuals to combine recombine scale and reinvent in new waysTalent can find information opportunity and knowledge at a click of a mouse a sharply written prompt or the pinch of a fingerThe unbundling and distribution of where and when we work has just begun and culture teams and excellence will need to be cultivated across time and space with limited inperson interaction as the age of AI Web 3 XR will make working anywhere and everywhere increasingly the default state in white collar industries making oldfashioned monitoring controlling and overseeing difficultStep 3 Understand New LeadershipModern leadership is about zone of influence versus zone of controlPeople follow people and not titlesLeadership is a role and not a job titleIt is a way of being infused with a passion for excellence and a quest for middle to long term multistakeholder growth company community employee leader versus a focus on the short term and emphasizing only investorsownersIt is the ability to communicate and motivate in person and across space To tattoo moments and make the most of every interaction To inspire guide mentor build empathize and unleashMost importantly it is about the continuous feedback and learning of a growth mindsetStep 4 Transforming from BossManager to LeaderCoachAs times change the best managers adapt and learn and flex into new shapes and learn new skills Transformation is possible for those who care to tryJust because someone has bossy traits and was forged in a different era does not mean they cannot reinvent and rewire their skills if they want toThis transformation requires three conditionsFirst it requires todayamp8217s bosses to accept that to grow and remain relevant they will have to change and while it may be difficult it is better than becoming irrelevantSecond it requires their leaders to ensure that new incentive systems that are more about zone of influence growth of craft and people versus zone of control of budgets and team size are put into placeA new way requires new payThird there is an urgent need for coaching and training and patience to help todayamp8217s managers become tomorrowamp8217s leadersA personal hunger supported by new incentives and buttressed with training including the opportunity to selflearn is the formulaTalent is short and it is a mistake to believe that seasoned employees cannot grow into new potentialNew brooms sweep clean but old brooms know the cornersPosted at MediaVillage through the Thought Leadership selfpublishing platformClick the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillageorgMyersBizNet

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The Age of De-Bossification

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Rishad Tobaccowala

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