Nishith Desai
Leadership is about competency and inspiration.
Networked Leadership is not just about leadership, but about leadership
in a connected world. Traditional leaders tend to operate in turfs
or silos - networked leaders see themselves as a part of the whole.
We emphasize too much on the word 'leader', but now, really, it's
about being 'networked'.
Leadership is a subject that has fascinated
me for over two decades. My heaviest reading, experimentation and
contemplation has probably been in this area. How we lead is the
fulcrum of every enterprise. It is the pulley that moves strategy
to results; sets cogent vision and keeps it dynamic; drives culture,
standards and behavior; and is the organization’s primary fount
of inspiration and energy. It follows then, that a powerful leadership
model is among an organization’s most crucial strategic decisions
and enablers.
A DISRUPTED WORLD BECKONS A NEW ORDER
Why ‘leadership’ is particularly important
and vexing today is the totally changed world order in which it
must manifest. Renowned sociologist, Max Weber
1 had, over a century
ago, predicted the shift from charismatic leadership to the more
rational, bureaucratic formats that abound today. Now, a century
later, this vertical hierarchy too needs to give way to horizontal
‘webs’ and ‘networks’.
The digital age, social networks, velocity
of technology churn along with new-age disciplines like ‘design
thinking’ is speedily transforming how people think and do work,
how they communicate and engage, even what they aspire for.
We see
a surge of individual expansion, expression and independence. At
the same time, we see massive and growing co-creation and inter-dependence
that stretches well beyond the core organization boundaries to a
wider web of stakeholders including clients, channel partners, policy-makers,
academicians, industry networks and so on. Network thinking, behavior
and working is a reality that is here to stay.
MAKING WAY FOR A NETWORK
My skin in the game is unequivocal: our firm
is taking its biggest leap in organization redesign and leadership
transformation yet. We are reinventing to work and lead in a network.
In the last issue of The Weekender
2, I pointed to the limitations
of the dominant Partnership model, which pretty much etches the
prevalent leadership ethos of law firms. I called for the need to
think disruptively and reinvent our organization architecture and
approach to leadership.
As I emphasized, present-day hierarchies
– even the more cross-dimensional matrices - will fail to propel
agility and deal with the rampant complexities of the future. I
made a case for the ‘next wave’ organization and leadership framework
- of self-managed, flat, dynamic, inter-dependent networks of leaders
and teams - with transparent, distributed leadership and clear,
albeit evolutionary, roles, goals and processes.
To begin with,
we are setting out to unleash the untapped leadership capacity and
energy of the organization. We have already established that a major
purpose of adopting this form is to broaden and deepen the leadership
capability of the organization and pull many more heads and legs
into active leadership.
So, what then is the essence
of the ‘networked’ leadership’ we seek? While explicating in entirety
may need a separate dissertation, let me attempt to share some salient
aspects of it.
NETWORKED LEADERSHIP DECODED
In a way, the first principle is to accept
that ‘everyone is a leader, and everyone is a follower’ in some
way
3. So, without necessarily enforcing ‘flatness’, we create distinct
spaces and opportunities for more individuals to lead with ‘responsibility,
authority and accountability.’
In short, we tackle the constantly
emerging new age needs and challenges that need coherent leadership
focus. What we also open up and enable is experiential learning
on responsible leadership to a much larger, eager talent pool.
Network
design implies webs or clusters of interconnected and interdependent
roles. Networkers work collaboratively, but with authority to act
equipped within frameworks for decision-making.
The network suborns
position derived power. So, the most significant shift is from ‘power’
and 'title' centricity to ‘influence’ and ‘reputational’ leadership.
Leadership in a network is first and foremost about competence and
inspiration. We can drop the ‘ego’ and need for ‘positional power’
based authority, if we are supremely competent in what we do and
inspire trust, respect and confidence of others. So, networked leadership
rests on the forces of responsibility and capability.
Every individual
leader in a network, apart from being competent for the assigned
role, needs to be self-driven and accountable. Such
a leadership paradigm can only thrive in a climate of continuous
learning, professional growth and expertise, besides willingness
to trust others and value democratic principles.
SELF MANAGE WITH COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE
Networked leadership fosters self-management
and distributed authority but along with the dynamic of collective
intelligence. Mico-mangemnt has become extremely difficult and unproductive.
Therefore, we offer full scope for ‘self-determination’ of the individual
in the assigned space or well-detailed, guided role, but with no
need for micro-control from above.
However, while an individual
leader is liberated and in charge, we also suggest creation of
a socially inter-connected, collaborative enterprise that allows
every leader to draw on the intelligence of others and take the
best fit decision for the organization.
Thus, a networked leadership
is almost like a mesh of inter-dependent, conscience-keeping and
transparent advisors and experts. Despite that, it leaves space
for specific leaders to take well-informed calls on their assigned
areas. Thus, we may avoid the bureaucracies of ‘consensus’ building
and still have the best advised and ‘socially inclusive’ decisions
taken by meritorious and meritorious leaders.
Consequently, the
network dissolves ‘silos’ and compels powerful social and relational
leadership. Inter-dependence, communication, inclusion, collectivism,
volunteerism and collaboration are crucial features of this system.
When ego barriers are broken, positional power excesses are not
limited to few, and a ‘natural hierarchy’
4 based on Visible Expertise
5 takes shape, the institution is a high-energy inspirational platform
or a home for its people to belong, engage and find true fulfillment
and personal growth. The whole becomes significantly bigger than
the sum of its parts.
PREPARE FOR CULTURAL REENGINEERING
Ultimately, the shift to networked leadership
has an overpowering purpose: ensuring we deliver the highest quality,
experience, and trustworthy advice to our ' Clients'.' So, the networked
organization has to be well-designed and carefully constructed.
We need to be prepared for considerable behavioral and cultural
re-engineering – and aspire to be truly great professionals flourishing
purely on merit and a well-spring of inspiration.
Working the networked
way does not mean we toss out the need for structure, method and
process. What we do is use a fresh new inclusive approach to lead
and manage the firm – and ‘design think’ to create the most simple,
agile, innovative and inspirational firm of the future.
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