| I've ummed and ahhed about the title for this | | | | unenlightened organisations. |
| topic, not wanting to cause offence. So if I do, I | | | | And control is such an emotive place to be and so |
| don't mean to - the term "Chiefs and Indians" is a | | | | uncomfortable if you have little or none and are |
| metaphor, not a culture statement, so bear with | | | | almost totally 'done to'. |
| me, it will become clear. | | | | But what if an enlightened boss gave up some of |
| In many, if not most, business cultures, we still | | | | the control, maybe even most of it, to those |
| have pretty much vertical structures of hierarchy. | | | | workers beneath. In fact by giving up much |
| Yet there is value in moving right along from this | | | | control, maybe they realise that control and input |
| ancient creaking model... | | | | from the 'many' was better for all and would be a |
| You start at the top with the best paid and end | | | | respected and valued (and valuable) place to go. |
| up with the humble worker at the bottom end. In | | | | Bosses would become freer from day to day |
| larger organisations this can be eight, ten or more | | | | decisions, and their now co-workers, rather than |
| deep! | | | | 'slaves' would be more involved, more able to |
| At the bottom you feel 'done to' at the top, you | | | | contribute with the richness of their own ideas |
| feel the 'doer' - a much more comfortable spot to | | | | and implementation skills. It would be radical, yet |
| be. Guess why! | | | | how valuable it would be, all round. |
| Yet it need not be this way. Of course there are | | | | It doesn't take much on the micro-organisational |
| always going to levels of authority, but wise | | | | level. In fact it takes but one step. |
| organisations can soften this with a level of | | | | Ask your people what 'they think would work'. |
| democracy which enables even those at the very | | | | Get used to involving them in discussions and |
| bottom of the chain, the 'indians' in the metaphor, | | | | letting them have a free rein on the ideas and |
| to feel like 'chiefs', in how they input into the | | | | delivery, as long as the result is at least the one |
| organisation. | | | | you need. |
| You see, the distinction is almost all emotional. It's | | | | You might be surprised at how quickly they get |
| about control of your own circumstances - and | | | | the hang of it. In fact, you might be surprised at |
| those circumstances are controlled, not | | | | the results to your business, to your people and, |
| surprisingly, by the chiefs, especially in | | | | not least, to you. |