Who's Got the Power?
Welcome to this edition of The OE.
The drive towards greater personal autonomy and individual rights has grown remarkably over the last few years. Fuelled by Diversity & Inclusion initiatives it’s perhaps been accelerated by the Pandemic, but in the workplace is there a limit to the expression of individual wants and needs? And does today’s pressure to make the organisation recession-proof mean we’re approaching that limit?
This edition of our journal explores the shift in power between an individual and the organisation and the leadership challenge in achieving an optimal balance between the two. A key thread that connects our five articles is authenticity; the promise for employees to ‘be who you really are’ at work presents a number of challenges for managers who need to respect that individuality whilst also championing the needs of the team and the business.
So who has the power? What rights should the organisation retain, and to what extent can ways of working be left to the individual to decide?
As always, we welcome your feedback and look forward to hearing what you think.
Martyn Sakol
Balancing Individual and Organisational Power
by MIKE THACKRAY
How do we reap the benefits of a more individualistic approach to employee engagement whilst balancing the needs of the organisation so it can function effectively? In this article Mike sets the context for our journal by exploring the recent shift in power from organisation to individual and the implications for leaders.
Honest Recruitment
by FELICITY WOLFENDEN
If we want individuals to be truly authentic, then we need a more honest recruitment process that seeks to align core values of both organisation and candidate. Felicity argues that this may mean suppressing a natural instinct to ‘sell’ and a good long look in the mirror for both parties.
Your Right to be You
by MIKE THACKRAY
Whilst the goal of ‘authenticity at work’ is a truly worthy goal, it can lead to some major organisational challenges. Mike introduces the idea of constructive authenticity and explains there is a limit to the expression of individual wants, needs and preferences.
Excuse Me
by PAOLO MOSCUZZA
‘Fairness’ does not necessarily equate to the ‘same’ and managers need to get better at articulating what’s acceptable (and what’s not) in terms of individual need and company performance. In this article Paolo shares his experience about what counts as a legitimate explanation for a shortfall in performance and behaviour, and what is simply an excuse that needs addressing…
Build a Kind Culture (Not a Nice One)
by LUCY COX
What if a culture of being nice acts as a barrier to saying and doing the things that are genuinely best for people, performance and innovation? Lucy explores the difference between ‘nice’ and ‘kind’ and shares three ideas to build an authentically great place to work.
Giving Up to Fit In:The Tension Between Individual and Team Needs
by JODIE HUGHES
A greater focus on ‘Self’ and individual autonomy certainly has many benefits – but is there a knock-on effect that upsets the team dynamic? As we move to more hybrid ways of working, Jodie suggests that now is the time for managers to revisit how their team fits together and develop effective linking skills to harness individual strengths.