Access to people power is no longer constrained by distance, physical workplaces or time zones. Leadership must find a way to tap in to this new way of doing business. Husband’s Wirearchy, which he described as “a dynamic two-way flow of power and authority, based on knowledge, trust, credibility and a focus on results, enabled by interconnected people and technology”, posits that leaders must be “deeply aware of and mindful about the scope and reach of interconnected markets and flows of information”, and “be prepared to listen deeply, be responsible, be accountable and be transparent.” The article is a great read because it provides reasonable guidelines not only for leaders, but also for managers, employees, and citizens. It lists important ways to respond to the broad conditions of Wirearchy, for examples: "Be aware of, and identify, the changes and prepare for more change on an ongoing basis. Learn to “go with the flow” of life; Set a direction for a desired future, and ensure that the desired future can be clearly articulated; Translate the details of that vision into goals; Learn how to fulfill the goals; Find and acquire the necessary resources, and take the necessary actions; and Be open to and operate in ongoing and constant feedback loops."
Gartner (2010) discussed swarming, a “work style characterized by a flurry of collective activity by anyone and everyone conceivably available and able to add value”, and its two main components, teaming as we generally understand teaming and the new-wave swarming. As Gartner put it, swarms “form quickly, attacking a problem or opportunity and then quickly dissipating”. I particularly like the idea (swarming) as “an agile response to an observed increase in ad hoc action requirements as ad hoc activities continue to displace structured, bureaucratic situations.”
Gartner (2010) offered several ways that web-based tools can improve communication, work flow and productivity, including:
-Find ways to utilize the new playing field to leverage non-routinized work, which is what people do best if at all
-Swarm problems or opportunities quickly and economically
-Leverage individual networks to find “strong” and weak” links needed to solve a problem or opportunity
-Use and leverage the available “collective” (people with common interests or capabilities), even if outside of your control
-Be productive even though the design may only be a sketch-up, to meet a window of opportunity
-Perform spontaneous work; be reactive
-Simulate and experiment to better understand emerging trends
-Flex your supply chain to bend and stretch to meet changing boundaries
-Find a way to manage a workforce that is beyond your physical control (i.e., provide oversight beyond your ability to count belly-buttons).Author Brock (2011) created a terrific Prezi presentation that illustrates where “we” are now in the information age. Brock points out that the new component added to the basic functional economic component is Information (Processing).
He succinctly illustrates the ongoing transformation from Industrial Economies (capitalism, communism and socialism) to the current paradigm embodied by Information Economies, which he styles as “Self-regulating markets and scalar gift economies” – and concerning which, you and me are right in the middle, as I describe as between a rock and a digital place.
His presentation, linked here, concludes with a game-changing metrics-based definition of wealth, whereby systems/wealth are categorized into properties/sufficiency, performance/vitality, relationships/identity & connectivity and evolutionary capacity/comprehensibility. Game changing because any definition of wealth other than the accumulation of same is on-its-head different than before. I have told my kids since they could reason that one's quality of life is simply the sum total of good days one enjoys. I.e. if a poor man has 29 good days a month and his rich brother 20....
Finally, any conversation about the future should contain the future "fuel" of growth. Beyond fossil fuels are solar and nuclear possibilities. MIT Technology speculates about the future potential of both:
The lowest carbon route could be making fuels from carbon dioxide and water using energy from land-based solar power or nuclear power plants. Eventually high temperature nuclear power plants now in development might be an even better option–their heat could be used to facilitate the necessary chemical reactions more efficiently than electricity could (see “A Better Way to Get Hydrogen from Water,” “Safer Nuclear, At Half the Price,” and “Developing Nations Put Nuclear on Fast-Forward”).
References
Brock, A. (2011, May 20). Prezi. Retrieved
March 30, 2013, from New Economy, New Wealth:
http://prezi.com/xmzld_-wayho/new-economy-new-wealth/
Friedman, T. L. (2005). The world is flat: A brief
history of the twenty-first century. New York: Picador.
Gartner Newsroom. (2010, August 4). Gartner Says
the World of Work Will Witness 10 Changes During the Next 10 Years.
Retrieved March 30, 2013, from Gartner:
http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/1416513
Husband, J. (n.d.). What is Wirearchy.
Retrieved March 30, 2013, from Wirearchy:
http://wirearchy.com/what-is-wirearchy/
Links
Nancy Dixon’s Eras of Knowledge
Management:http://www.nancydixonblog.com/2009/05/where-knowledge-management-has-been-and-where-it-is-going-part-one.html
http://www.nancydixonblog.com/2009/07/where-knowledge-management-has-been-and-where-it-is-going-part-three.html
MIT Technology Review:
Rope, you seem to be hyper-positive about this hyper-connected world. Any downsides to consider?
ReplyDeleteDr. W: For the upper % of producers, this undoubtedly will be the model (see parts 2 and 3). For the non-producers, the world will remain very challenging. Not only that, since I work for DOD and military enterprises, I see that these orgs will be very slow to the new paradigm (maybe 10+ years behind at every turn). I'll post more after brunch!
ReplyDeleteMore from my last. There is an old business axiom that where commodities and assets go, so will people over time. Using this as a crude calculator, the flattening of the world must mean, therefore, that for commodities and assets to flow to the new arenas (China, India, et al), they (China, India, et al) must provide actual value, i.e. so the money and commodities will flow to them and out of the producing countries. Will this mean less pie for the US?
ReplyDeleteFor the millenials to succeed, they will need to provide value the vast reaches of China and India cannot compete with, so that the balance of money flows to and/or stays in the US. The sterotype is that the US will always be more creative and industrious. Will that help the middle class work force in the US?
In my mind, the most efficient means (to create and distribute wealth) is to continue to avail a free market, allow mostly unfettered competion, and let the chips fall where they may. Any other means of wealth distribution (communism, socialism) has been shown to be a certain loser.
Bottom line, all workers must provide value to justify remuneration earned. Let us hope the industries spawned by the information age create enough wrench-turner jobs to support the vast numbers of people who will not be a part of the knowledge producers to fuel the information engine.