Organisations are shifting from a control-based to an enablement-based approach to enhance business performance. Traditional management models, focused on command and control, are being replaced by those that promote self-organisation and responsiveness. This change is driven by the recognition that people are not mere cogs in a machine, but complex, thinking beings with the capacity for creativity and innovation.
The shift involves a radical rethink of the role of leadership. Leaders are now seen as enablers rather than controllers, their role is to create an environment that encourages initiative, innovation, and engagement. This environment is fostered through trust, respect, and a shared sense of purpose.
In this new paradigm, organisations are viewed as complex, adaptive systems. They are characterised by unpredictability and emergent outcomes, rather than linear cause-and-effect relationships. This perspective acknowledges the inherent messiness and ambiguity of organisational life, and the importance of informal interactions and networks in shaping outcomes.
The shift to enablement requires a new set of skills and mindsets. It challenges deeply ingrained beliefs about control, predictability, and the role of formal structures and processes. It also demands a greater appreciation of the power of conversation and the dynamics of human interaction in shaping organisational realities.
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