11 Feb Pendulum or spider chart?

If you have been following our blogs recently, the leadership vs management discussion we have been having might suggest a “pendulum” swinging between two ideas. What if it isn’t?

What if management is not one concept, but a collective word for a bunch of factors, one of which is leadership? If we knew what the others were, we might have a more interesting conversation that feels more like a spider-chart than a pendulum. Not leadership vs management but leadership vs a range of factors.

When we ask people about this, many know of Fayol’s management functions – originally set out as (1) planning, (2) organising, (3) commanding, (3) coordinating, (5) controlling. Later practitioners consolidated “coordinating” and “commanding” into “leading.”

So, we end up with a version of Fayol that says the functions of management are (1) leading, (2) planning, (3) organising and (4) controlling. If all we did was discuss (1) leadership vs. [(2) planning, (3) organising and (4) controlling] instead of “leading vs managing”, we would already be in a more interesting conversation. When we have that conversation, we have to take care with people’s understanding of what Fayol meant by words like “controlling, commanding.” (Hint: probably not what you think.)

Fayol first set his thoughts out in 1916. How is it that our conception of “management” rests on ideas that are more than 100 years old?

It is possible that the essential factors of management have not changed much in 100 years. After all, we are millions of years old as a species, and in that period 100 years is a wink in the sweep of time. Nevertheless, the last 100 years also gave us Weber, Mayo, Follett, Simon, McGregor, Drucker, Mintzberg, Kanter, Goldratt, Sutherland & Schwarber (to mention a few). Management theory is so rich and has so much variety – always including leadership but never limited to a “management vs leadership” duality.

One theorist / consultant who stands out for us is Henry Mintzberg. In 1973, Henry Mintzberg introduced a framework of ten managerial roles, categorized into three groups. Note that “Leader” is still there – but is one of 10 roles now:

• Interpersonal Roles: (1) Figurehead, (2) Leader, (3) Liaison.
• Informational Roles: (4) Monitor, (5) Disseminator (6) Spokesperson.
• Decisional Roles: (7) Entrepreneur, (8) Disturbance Handler, (9) Resource Allocator (10) Negotiator.

Trying not to fall into the trap of believing we understand the concept because we think we understand the word (the same trap people fall into when they reject Fayol for using the word “controlling”), we might have a very rich conversation about Leading vs (figurehead, liaison, monitor, disseminator, spokesperson, entrepreneur, disturbance handler, resource allocator, negotiator). This is not just semantics – it helps to explain something about why so many management development programs don’t seem to make a difference (because they don’t deal with the lived experience of managing), and why the fixation on leadership development doesn’t seem to deliver the expected organisational benefits (because leadership is not enough!)

So – we love leadership development – there is so much rich and valuable ground to cover in this space. We also advocate for “the rest” of the work that the average manager does every day, without end.

If you have thoughts on this, we would love to hear from you as we imagine the next step in our service offering: leadership plus… to create effective and healthy organisations that might lead us to a vibrant and competitive South African economy. If you had something to add to this conversation, what would it be?

14 February is Valentines Day. Some will be showered in chocolates and some wont. However that day goes for you, why not join us at our 26th February (free, online) OD Café and we will do our best to spoil you! Our topic is Power and Love in Organisations: A Dynamic Balance. Before you think this will be all fluffy and cuddly – we will explore the interplay between power and love in shaping organisations. Drawing inspiration from @adamkahane’s work, this conversation will challenge us to reflect on how these forces influence strategy, organisation design, leadership, and team dynamics.

Together, we will grapple with questions such as:

• How do organisations balance the drive for self-realisation (power) with the need for connection and unity (love)? What happens when power overwhelms love—or love overshadows power—in leadership and decision-making?
• How can this be a conversation that tough executives can join? (Love – really?)
• Where do power and love show up in South African organisations, as we navigate our unique socio-political and cultural landscapes?

This Café invites you to reimagine how power and love can work together to build stronger, more resilient organisations. Whether you’re a senior executive, manager, or L&D professional, you are invited to bring some love into the tough conversations in February. We look forward to your insights and experiences!

Give aways: One delegate will receive a copy of Adam Kahane’s 2009 classic “Power and Love: A theory and practice of social change”- as relevant (or more so) today than ever.