Managers have the legitimate authority by virtue of their position in the organization’s hierarchy to make decisions that ultimately involve the allocation and deployment of the organization’s resources. The popular use in business organizations of the empowerment concept has to do with things like pushing decision-making down the hierarchy of the organization, structuring a flatter organization thus enabling management to push decision-making down the hierarchy. So in essence a portion of a manager’s decision-making responsibility is distributed to employees in an attempt to make them feel as though they are important participants in the work of the organization. Seen in this light it is understandable why many managers believe that they empower their people. Continue reading
Month: January 2011
Turn Off Auto Pilot
Seemingly many never change their mind. These are individuals who work very hard to keep the future from replacing the past. Life’s lessons are nowhere to be found in their actions. To them what was must always be, since for them determinism and not learning anew is essential to (their) life. Ironically, although these people strive to control everything it is their mind that is in control of them—and they don’t even know it. Continue reading
Measuring Up
Our attachment to—even obsession with—our measures (i.e. results) has led to a disregard for the essence of life itself. So many of us actually order life according to the things out-there and expunge from human experience what lies within. The vital essence of everyone’s life is essentially disregarded when measures are given such unbridled importance. Continue reading
Hidden Lessons in Leadership #21
An interview with Gregory B. Maffei, president and chief executive of Liberty Media , revealed an essential capability for leaders interested in enhancing their organization’s adaptability and in turn improving its viability. In a word such leaders need to be facilitators. That is to say leaders must facilitate learning by encouraging critical and creative thinking among the people in the organization. Continue reading
Envision Then Enact A Better Way
Being human creatures we are creators of the human experience. The origin of our creations rests in the mind of us, the creators. The system of beliefs and values held in our mind—the ideas and visions we enact—pre-figure our experiences, and yes our reality. Continue reading
Tail Wagging The Dog
Within each of us is the potential to become more of what we potentially are and to realize the greatness of being human. But as Joseph Campbell said so succinctly, we must first Be in order for us to Become. We are each human beings who must strive to develop our humanity. In this sense we each are a work of art in the making; and it is we who are the artist of our making. Continue reading
Gregory Gull 