What a fable about meerkats tells us about innovation

A fable of our times

This story is about important issues all of us face—the rate of change is going up, and that fact can be hard to see clearly or to deal with well.

This story is set like a fable, where the clan is the organisation.

Things that require clarity

We need clarity on how organisations can rise and grow once again, fulfil their mission and create jobs.

We also need to see the role of discipline, planning, reliability and efficiency in the story.

Management vs leadership

There is always the issue of management versus leadership.

Change is inevitable

Change is a part of life whether you have a drought or a rainy season.

Today is not the past, it is a new day.

Rules set the boundaries

Rules tell you what to do and what not to do, they don't tell you how to do it.

For most rules, we have learned how to perform the task in the best way.

Rules are important

Employees always want creativity and fun and mistake that for a good empowered culture.

There are more important matters than fun and creativity. Rules and procedures help you achieve the most for your clan/company.

Update your training plan

If there are attacks on the clan/organisation, you need to prepare a new training plan for the whole clan.

The pressures of command and control

In a challenging situation, companies and leaders get to a more command and control mode.

When a company gets into a more command and control mode, jobs in the company become demanding and exhausting.

Too many meetings become counterproductive

When too many meetings happen in an organisation, the rank and file wonder what the bosses are doing in so many meetings.

Every firm has selfish people

In organisations, some people care only for themselves.

The blame game

The rank and file get tired of endless talk about who is to blame.

Push-back on change weakens morale

People are sick of those wanting to change and help being pushed back by leaders.

In such companies, there is no hope. When there is no hope, life is unacceptable, and people move to a new clan/organisation.

How often are new ideas encouraged?

One must measure the speed with which new important ideas were created, supported, and made to happen.

The enthusiasm, the degree of co-operation and the energy level are important in an organisation.

Failure to try 

You cannot fail in an organisation, unless you fail to try.

Speed is of essence

Organisations need to deal with new and unknown challenges at astonishing speed.

Most organisations in trouble think they are healing, but they don't change fast enough.

Get basic work done reliably

One worry is the increasing concern with basic work not being done, or that it is not done reliably every day.

Everything that requires a co-ordinated effort is not done reliably or is debated endlessly in groups. This increases the frustration level of those who want to do good work for the company.

People do want to be the best

In a new age organisation, employees are friends first, and each one is a leader and a servant. In such an organisation, there is a desire to show up every day and be the best we can be.

The "glory" of the good old days

In an organisation undergoing change, the old employees will glorify the good old days when everyone was truly cared for.

They tend to blame the problem either on the new leader or on people who have newly joined.

Talking smart vs working smart

In organisations that fail, many people talk smart, but don't show up to do real work.

The leadership required

The circle of leaders in a company need to have a lot of energy, passion, the spirit of volunteering, the sense of vision, the willingness and ability to create change, and the sharing.

The kind of firm that thrives

If enough people believe and create a truly better, stronger and safer organisation, that organisation thrives.

We need management and leadership

Management and leadership are not the same thing. Both are needed for success in an organisation.

They are very different in terms of actions, processes and behaviour. Management is inherently clunky, bureaucratic and command-control.

How the two differ

Managing for stability

In a large organisation, in a protected world that changes little, good management is overwhelmingly important, and in a way sufficient.

Leadership for change

In an organisation where change is a constant, you need more leadership. 

It is not "either, or"

It is not a matter of one or the other, we need both management and leadership.

The size and complexity of a company requires demanding management, while the incredible technology changes and other forces create a need for demanding leadership.

Leadership and management

Creating a best-of-both-worlds organisation

The newer companies create an ecosystem. They don't try to do it on their own; they enlist effective partners.

They engage the workforce through constant communication, and they try to grow their people both on capability and leadership.

The big opportunity

• Create a sense of urgency
• Build a guiding coalition
• Form strategic initiatives and vision
• Enlist volunteers
• Enable action by removing barriers
• Generate short-term wins
• Sustain acceleration
• Institute change

Create a sense of urgency

True urgency around initiatives, felt by a large section of people, intellectually as well as emotionally, drives change.

Is your firm drifting?

The vast majority of people spend time in good management but poor leadership companies and hence tend to have many questions about where the organisation is going.