Imagine working in a company where you are accepted for who you are – your strengths, quirks, interests and feelings. You are valued by your contributions – helping customers, company, colleagues and communities. You make decisions on how to structure your day and what to work on. You choose projects based on your interests, expertise and needs of the company. You and your colleagues decide where to invest company’s money and what strategies to take. You have mentors and coaches to support you but no boss to report to.
Sounds good? This is not a science fiction. It is a picture of 21st century organizations. It is the reality of thousands companies around the world today, and they are far more profitable than traditional companies. It is called TEAL organization, coined by Frédéric Laloux in his ground-breaking book: Reinventing Organizations.
Hierarchal organization is a product of the last century, where success of manufacturing economy is depended on well-oiled machines. Shareholders control the machines. Management teams make decisions. Employees are dehumanized like cogs to be fitted in machines and managed as “human” resource along with other resources. This model is out of date.
In knowledge economy, a new organizational model is required. Creativities need to be expressed. Individuals need opportunities to learn, to grow and to unleash full potential as contributors and human beings. Instead of soulless objects, we are part of a living system, like trees and flowers in a botanic garden, growing to be who we are meant to be based on our unique DNAs.
Laloux’s book beautifully articulates the framework of such organizations and conditions required to implement it. Human centric workplace isn’t a pipe dream. It is an irreversible movement that is building momentum around the world now. Get on board!
