Leadership models traditionally set up a hierarchical structure within an organisation, whereby the leader is an all-powerful figure who acts with authority and – often – impunity. I believe that this is ineffective and problematic for an organisation, limiting the potential to succeed and ignoring the vast benefits of equality based systems. Do you wish to create, or be part of, a team of faithful followers, who create their identity based on the demands of their leader? This is not a prerequisite for a business, and simply considering the alternative, which could be a team of empowered adults with meaningful ideas, may inspire you to develop the way in which you lead or question the way you are led.
What Is Power?
The old adage tells us that knowledge is power, and we can see this reflected in business models that embrace the expertise of the management and the compliance and acceptance of the workers. However, from an equality-based perspective, it is easy to see that every single member of an organisation has a level of knowledge and expertise that is valuable and worthwhile. Working in a way that respects the specialised knowledge that every member of the team brings to his or her role can revolutionise the potential for change within a business, and can lift the limits put in place by restrictive top-down systems. Re-casting the entire workforce as learners and teachers of their own experience can introduce an empowering dynamic that revolutionises commitment, loyalty and input to the organisation, enabling dramatic increases in output, profits and satisfaction.
A New Definition Of Leadership:
Re-framing your experience of leadership could:
- Make the most of experiential knowledge from team members at all levels.
- Move away from reliance on the assumed knowledge of the leader, which may be based on narrow, learned frameworks.
- Equalise and empower team members at every level, creating a collective enterprise that inspires commitment and engagement.
- Enable your organisation to move forward in line with an unrestricted vision that is understood and maintained by all.
- Increase productivity and team cohesion, enabling a dynamic and exciting future.
Take The Challenge: Grow Yourself And Your Business
Kieth Deats is a specialist in Equality-Based Practice and has committed his lifetime’s work and doctoral practice study to addressing equality at every level of society as a practitioner. He is driven to enable this with individuals, teams and leaders. Kieth partners with peer practitioners and entrepreneurs, working to develop frameworks that introduce and integrate Equality-Based practices and management actions to update and evolve their enterprises. The goal is to sustain and increase rates of growth, with a determination to see each other’s success and the well-being of leaders and their organisations as a priority for Modern Enterprise. Kieth is available to give talks, and enable the design and implementation of Equality-Based Practices in your own settings, and is contactable via www.recree8.com.