Letting go of control

Growing our knowledge requires strong healthy relationships that help expand our thinking. We must listen to fresh ideas, meet different faces and find new connections.

We can no longer support a world where bosses rule blindly and where people ˜leave their brains at home . Each day we are expected to find new answers to new situations and this requires a better mix of thinking and collaboration.

This will often mean people talking and connecting with others who are outside their immediate work function, like establishing cross-functional teams or establishing a regular time for a wide range of people to discuss an issue of concern. For many, this means less emphasis on control and command and more on encouraging new interactions across and through the business.

If you view knowledge as a prized possession which must be controlled and monitored , you will struggle in maintaining the energy and drive for innovation and business improvement. You will most likely be faced with high staff turnover or, worse still, a team that never contributes . Conversely, if you see knowledge as something that is in constant transition, needing to be questioned, tested and discussed, the outcome will be radically different. You will build a business culture that will be full of enterprise, promise and ideas, a business environment where people are encouraged to be helpful to each other and one free of fear and retribution.

In this regard simple changes of leadership style can make a world of difference and difficult situations often can be recovered. However, if someone has lived his or her career and life hoarding knowledge and being a controlling boss, making a transition to a more inclusive approach will not be easy.

You can help a person to change by providing constructive feedback that you have serious concerns about their career, lifestyle and health if they do not take action. Such support and concern can often work wonders, particularly if you back this up with real help and tools to make the new learning and performance improvement possible.