The Electric Leader

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The Electric Leader
Managing Information Workers in an Electronic
Universe
SLA Southwest Regional Conference II Ahead of
the Curve
Johann van Reenen, University of New
Mexico April 6, 2000
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OUTLINE
In the coming world, the ability to face the new
appropriately is more important than the ability
to know and repeat the old Carl Rogers
CAUT in New ways of managing
Complexity Ambiguity Uncertainty Turbulence
Characteristics of the 21st Century
Emerging trends
New types of work and workers
Growing and keeping creatives and creativeness
Capitalizing on trends
Implications for managers
Implications for managers
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Characteristics of the 21st Century
THE NEW, NONLINEAR WORLD OF WORK
Technology. Globalization. Competition.
Change and the novelty thereof Speed Complexity
and Paradox
Entrepreneurial freedom not Centralized
planning Cooperative exchanges of information,
not closely guarded power Knowledge and spirit -
not material assets alone
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The future seeks us out
Emerging trends impacting library management
E-commerce Using the Internet to Stimulate and
Manage Innovation E-lance Economy Are big
companies becoming obsolete? E-ink Telecommuting
and Virtual Work Learning from Chaos and
Complexity Systems Thinking New ways to
measure The Transformation of Management
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Chaos often breeds life, When order breeds
havoc. Henry Brooks Adams
The Chaos Model Chance, changing conditions and
creativity can enter a complex system at any
point and alter its course (Edward Lorenz, 1960s
at MIT) Therefore, in addition to anticipating
and responding to change, businesses have
another, more powerful option They can influence
change as it is emerging.(Sanders, 1998). The
Complexity Model Complexity studies the
fundamental properties of nonlinear feedback
networks, particularly those complex networks
that are adaptive. Complex adaptive systems
consist of a number of components interacting
with each other according to sets of rules that
require them to examine and respond to each
other's behavior so as to improve their behavior
and thus the behavior of the system which they
comprise. In other words, a continuously learning
system.
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Chaos as a Self-Organizing Entity
BOIDS simulated bird-flocking Boids fly together
in a flock following only three rules fly in the
direction of other objects try to match velocity
with neighboring boids avoid bumping into
things Craig Reynolds experiments at Los
Alamos, 1987
This demonstrates the essence of chaos theory
simple agents obeying simple rules can interact
to create elaborate and unexpected behaviors.
Are there real life example of this paradox of
rules and randomness?
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Drawing inspiration from being CAUT
Complexity theory postulates that if an
organization is too tightly structured, it can't
move and if it's too chaotic, it can't move.
There is a point called the 'edge of chaos' where
companies can move. At that point, a company has
enough structure to hold people and processes
together, yet enough flexibility to allow
innovation and adaptation. (Eisenhardt Brown,
1998)
(Complexity, Ambiguity, Uncertainty Turbulence,
van Reenen, 1997)
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HOW FAR FROM CERTAINTY ARE WE WHEN WE HAVE TO ACT
?
HOW FAR FROM AGREEMENT ARE WE ? FAR FROM
AGREEMENT C R E A
T I V I T Y S P A C E
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE ARE DOING
INTUITION. TRUST.
MUDDLING THROUGH JUDGEMENT

A N A R C H Y

DISINTEGRATION
UTTER
CONFUSION
TRUE CHAOS
RATIONAL
PLANNING.
CONTROL

IDEOLOGY
VISIONS

MISSIONS CLOSE TO AGREEMENT
CLOSE TO CERTAINTY FAR FROM CERTAINTY
Adapted from Ralph Stacey. "How can
complexity theory help us navigate the future? -
A dynamic perspective." Lecture. Skandia
Future Centers, 27-28 January, 1997.
http//www.skandia.se/koncern_intellektuell/naviga
te_the_future.htm
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What does it mean to work in the creativity space?
At the Edge of System Disintegration The messy
Creative process Unknowable Long-Term Outcomes
The LINUX Story
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What are the implications for the workplace?
So, when you insist on your vision, when you
try to stick to your blueprint, when you cling
with so much determination to control, are you
destroying the capacity of your organization for
complex learning? Is there time left for
creativity? (Stacey 1996).
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Morphing the Library The Future is Limited by
the Needs of Survival in the Present
IT IS CLEAR THAT THE CURRENT UNIT OF ANALYSIS
THE CAMPUS LIBRARY CANNOT SURVIVE IN THE
EXISTING ENVIRONMENT. LEVERAGING IS CLEARLY
CALLED FOR AT THE LARGEST SYSTEM-LEVEL
POSSIBLE. WHILE ASSOCIATIONS OF CAMPUSES,
CONSORTIA, AND OTHER GROUPINGS WILL ALLEVIATE THE
PROBLEM, THE BEST SOLUTION IS FOUND WHEN NO
SYSTEM OR NATIONAL BOUNDARIES ARE LIMITING
FACTORS. Richard E. Lucier (University of
California), ARL Annual Meeting.
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What are the implications for knowledge
management?
All aspects of work and business -all products,
all activities, all methods - have an information
structure at their core that has long been
hidden, just like the genetic codes of plants.
We're now starting to decode that information and
manipulate its structure. What do traditional
organizations have in common with traditional
farmers?
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Understand your organizations Knowledge
Management strategy.
Economics of Reuse vs Economics of
Expertize Codification of KM Knowledge is
carefully codified and stored in databases, where
it can be accessed and used easily by anyone in
the organization. The reuse of knowledge saves
work, reduces communications costs, and allows an
organization to take on more activities Personali
zation model of KM Knowledge is closely tied to
the person (expert) who developed it and is
shared mainly through direct person-to-person
contacts. Different strategies requires
different drivers
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E-commerce / Internet as Innovator E-lance
Economy / E-ink Virtual Work Learning from
CAUT Systems Thinking New ways to
measure Transforming Mgmt
Technology.Globalization Competition. Speed
Change Novelty thereof Complexity and Paradox

CAUT in New ways of managing
Unknowable outcomes Knowledge Structure Complex
Adaptive Systems and Creativity Learning and
Losing Control
Characteristics of the 21st Century
Emerging trends
New types of work and workers
Growing and keeping creatives and creativeness
Capitalizing on trends
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The Virtual workplace

• Research indicates the following benefits
• improved quality of work life, morale, and less
  stress
• better balance of work and family, with less
  commuting pressure
• enhanced job performance and productivity
• increased ability to recruit from larger pool of
  talent as well as ability to retain workers
• environmental conservation
• some organizational cost efficiencies
• greater flexibility in the location and timing of
  work
• (Tapsell, 1999 Hill, et.al., 1998)

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The implications of virtual and disconnected work
The loss of Human moments Why do it / Who does
it? Workaholics Social interaction Self
motivation Tenure Measurable output
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E-commerce / Internet as Innovator E-lance
Economy / E-ink Virtual Work Learning from
CAUT Systems Thinking New ways to
measure Transforming Mgmt
Technology.Globalization Competition. Speed
Change Novelty thereof Complexity and Paradox

CAUT in New ways of managing
Unknowable outcomes Knowledge Structure Complex
Adaptive Systems and Creativity Learning and
Losing Control
Characteristics of the 21st Century
Emerging trends
New types of work and workers
Growing and keeping creatives and creativeness
Capitalizing on trends
Virtual work Disconnected work Better Connected
Managers
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Implications for Managers
Manage Living Systems
Create a nimble organization by Questioning
linear thinking QUESTION EVERYTHING
Letting Chaos flourish ( Giving up control and
stability to achieve innovation) Sharing
intelligence and meaning Exposing and facing
adaptive challenges Eliciting good ideas
People only support what they create (Meg
Weathley, LtF Conference 4/22/98)
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Implications for Managers
Attitude shift
These 4 roles - direction-setter, change agent,
communicator, and mentor - provide the answer to
all the turbulence, exploding uncertainty,
change, and complexity. (Nanus, 1997)
Develop resilient workers to absorb Future
Shock Managing telework Managing security
New ways to communicate and creating
relationships Efficient decision making and
risk taking New KM solutions -- Portals
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Implications for Managers
Communication Relationships
In this new world, span-of-control mentalities
must give way to span-of-communication
mentalities. (Leinberger and Tucker, 1991)
The importance of Wasting time Forging
relationships and knowledge networks
Uncertainty Reduction Theory (URT) and Information
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Implications for Managers
Decision making and Risk taking
Decision Traps The human mind can sabotage
decisions. The Anchoring Trap The Status Quo
Trap The Sunk-Cost Trap The Framing Traps
Gain vs Loss etc. Estimating Forecasting
traps The Uncertainty Traps - Confidence
Trap - Prudence Trap - Recallabilty Trap
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E-commerce Internet as Innovator E-lance
Economy / E-ink Virtual Work Learning from
CAUT Systems Thinking New ways to
measure Transforming Management
Technology.Globalization Competition. Speed
Change Novelty thereof Complexity and Paradox

CAUT in New ways of managing
Unknowable outcomes Knowledge Structure Complex
Adaptive Systems and Creativity Learning and
Losing Control
Characteristics of the 21st Century
Emerging trends
New types of work and workers
Capitalizing on trends
Creativeness
Nimble Organization Communication Relationships
Knowledge Networks Deciding Risking
Virtual work Disconnected work Better Connected
Managers
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Implications for Managers
Organizational Learning is the sum of
Communication, Relationship Building, Risk
Taking, Decision Making, Creating Knowledge
Networks and Developing Portals and result
in CREATIVITY
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The Fruits of Creativity
Virtual cross functional teams and Skunk
works Organizations can sustain their
competitive advantage by operating in multiple
modes simultaneously - managing for short-term
efficiency by emphasizing stability and control,
and for long-term innovation by taking risks and
learning by doing. Organizations that operate
this way may be thought of as ambidextrous -
hosting multiple, internally inconsistent
architectures, competencies and cultures, with
built-in capabilities for efficiency, consistency
and reliability on the one hand, and
experimentation, improvisation and luck on the
other. In dramatic contrast, during periods of
ferment - times that can generate architectural
or discontinuous innovation - organizations
require entrepreneurial "skunkworks (Tushman
OReilly, 1999)
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The Fruits of Creativity
New types of Catalogues New types of Services
Optimal use of the Web
Interactive User Experiences Experience Builds
Brands Self-Service Tools Direct
Touch Web-Driven Customer Transactions Obsolete
existing business practices Focus on
Convenience (saving time) - Ease of Use -
Utility (adding value) Brilliance is rarely
planned up front - involve users a.s.a.p.
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Fostering Creativity and Innovation

• Group support systems
• Collaborative technologies
• Scenario planning
• Electronic brainstorming
• Thinking exercises, e.g. Six Hats
• Creative space

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Acquiring, growing, and keeping Creatives
Structure without control Forget the 9-to-5
jive Right brain and left brain staff.
Feedback gets amplified Using peer reviews
The creative career track Managing smarter
people Job sculpting
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E-commerce Internet as Innovator E-lance
Economy / E-ink Virtual Work Learning from
CAUT Systems Thinking New ways to
measure Transforming Management
Technology.Globalization Competition. Speed
Change Novelty thereof Complexity
and Paradox
CAUT in New ways of managing
Unknowable outcomes Knowledge Structure Complex
Adaptive Systems and Creativity Learning and
Losing Control
Characteristics of the 21st Century
Emerging trends
New types of work and workers
Capitalizing on trends
Creativeness
Nimble Organization Communication Relationships
Knowledge Networks Deciding Risking
Skunk Works Fruits of Creativity Fostering
Innovation Acquiring-Growing-Keeping Creatives
Virtual work Disconnected work Better Connected
Managers
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The electric manager
As a direction-setter Explain the the vision
and theory underlying the practice to all stake
holders ( role of information services in the
new non-linear world of work) As a change agent
Create new drivers and reward new behaviors As a
communicator Communicate obsessively and
experiment with communication within natural
systems A a mentor Develop electric workers from
the traditional workplace When CAUT in chaos the
electric manager models behaviors expected of
others
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Creating a SHARED LANGUAGE "THE LIMITS OF MY
LANGUAGE MEAN THE LIMITS OF MY WORLD."
Wittgenstein, 1921, Proposition 5.6.
NO EASY ANSWERS Many of our problems are
systemic and has no ready answers ADAPTIVE
CHALLENGE As well as everyday problems and
annual goal setting, we should expose and face
adaptive challenges CONFLICT IS A SOURCE
OF CREATIVITY There is rarely improvement
without conflict
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WORK AVOIDANCE Even hardworking people
exhibit work avoidance by Blaming external
forces, higher management, heavy
workload Focussing only on daily issues
Following routines blindly Attacking
individuals rather than the perspectives
they represent
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ADAPTIVE BEHAVIORS
Behave as if you are in business for yourself
(Pritchett,1996) and/or act as if you own
the organization. Do not depend on your past
contributions - only the value that you are
currently adding, really counts. Manage your
own morale (Pritchett, 1996). Whatever you
might have heard, others cant motivate you.
Continually pick up new skills. Be a problem
solver where others point fingers.
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ADAPTIVE BEHAVIORS
Learn to make decisions without having all the
information. Make decisions about customer
service on the spot - even if you do not have
the authority. Be a risk taker. Learn to fail
fast, fix it, and race on. Be curious.
Surrender control and welcome the unexpected.