This is the third in a series of posts on engaging management based on The ASTD Management Development Handbook. Margaret Wheatley has been offering managers and leaders new insights into work for the past 30 years. She packs a lot of insightful wisdom and invitations to action in her chapter on complexity and perseverance. We get a refreshing sample of the complex and unpredictable nature of management. Margaret encourages managers and leaders to walk out to the edge of managing while simultaneously acting as hosts within our organizations and companies.
The daunting challenge that Margaret lays out is to move from being a hero manager to being a hosting leader. Being a host requires a different perspective and approach for managers:
Leaders-as-hosts know that people willingly support those things they’ve played a part in creating – that you can’t expect people to buy in to plans and projects developed elsewhere. Leaders-as-hosts invest in meaningful conversations among people from many parts of the system, and see that as the most productive way to engender new insight and possibilities for action. (Management Handbook, page 6)
Wheatley’s chapter on complexity and perseverance is divided into three sections: taking our turn; leadership as host not hero, and edge walking. We are always in for an innovative and impactful view of managing when we read Wheatley’s work.
We are encouraged to stop acting like hero managers and to take our place as organizational hosts. In addition we must offer our attentive awareness while playing with the edges of management. For example, how much do we ``get`` people to work and how much do we ``let`` people work?
Margaret offers us nuggets of managerial wisdom that can nudge us into a deeper and more powerful approach to managing both ourselves and others. Wheatley believes we must engage in at least nine actions to make the transformation from hero to host. These range from playing defense with other leaders who want to take back control to valuing the spirit that arises in any group that accomplishes difficult work together. Here are three actions you can begin with today to function as a more engaging manager:
- Muster both the courage and gumption to step forward and serve as opposed to running ahead and leading.
- Let go of the illusion of control and mimic the actions of a good host.
- Embrace newness, creativity, and imagination in management by moving to the edge of your practice. Take a risk and see what occurs.
What do you think about a movement from hero to hosting? Are you comfortable thinking of yourself as a host with the employees you manage? Here are three questions for you to consider or to ask other people in your workplace:
- Have you experienced a “hosting” manager? What was that like?
- Who or what will help you to get from where you are to the edge of management?
- How practical are Wheatley`s suggestions for busy managers?
It is enriching to read Margaret Wheatley and empowering to see and hear her speak. Here is a wonderful video of Margaret presenting on Perseverance: Leadership in Turbulent Times http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nRj_ovvUGE . The video is 1 hour and 30 minutes but I trust it will be time well spent in your management/leadership development.
I encourage you to use this snapshot of the chapter for active study to become a more engaging manager.
Next Post: Energy at Work
