Since at least the time of Frederick Taylor, the father of “scientific management,” control has been central to corporate organization: Control of costs, of prices, of investment and—not least—of people.
Give Your Team the Freedom to Do the Work They Think Matters Most
Since at least the time of Frederick Taylor, the father of “scientific management,” control has been central to corporate organization: Control of costs, of prices, of investment and—not least—of people. Except it turns out that far from being vital, top-down control carries serious costs, many of which have been hiding in plain sight. A liberated company allows employees complete freedom and responsibility to take actions that they—not their managers—decide are best for their company’s vision. That doesn’t mean that these firms are unmanaged. Far from it. But managers in these companies do things differently. Managers share a vision, communicate respect, and ask their teams what standing in their way. Then, instead of solving problems for them, they ask their teams to devise solutions. The manager’s role becomes less about making decisions, and more about guarding the team’s freedom.