From Command-and-Control-by-Excel to Self-Responsibilty-while-not-forget-Performance-Mentality

In short, we need to revamp our workplace tools and culture to drive higher and healthier productivity. Command and control is out. Performance-driven cultures where management seeks high productivity but gives employees more freedom to determine their schedules and location is the way of the future in an increasingly complex, always-on and stress-filled world.

First order of business should be making our business tools look and work more like popular, intuitive consumer software, a trend known as the „consumerization of IT.“ That means employing strategies like „mobile-first,“ as well as self-serve, social and collaborative solutions on employee systems and devices. …

Going forward, good work experience management will become a fundamental condition of the success of any business, indeed any society. If we do this right and make it a priority, technology coupled with good management can play the role it has always aspired to: that of liberator, creator and enabler.

via When Work Isn’t a Place Anymore | Amit Chatterjee.

Yes, tools are important, but more important is the culture. And I have my concerns, that we are ready to move from command-and control-by-Excel to self-responsibilty-and-trust-while-not-forget-performance mentality. I still do not understand, why we still run time-consuming, non-business-aware approval processes instead of giving the power in the hand of responsible managers and employees.

Take the example of travel approvals. Give the employee – or their direct manager – a budget for the quarter or the year and let them decide, where to spend the money. And make them responsible, if they overspend or fail. This is another way of self-service and enablement.