While it has long been known theoretically that outdated management concepts in modern companies no longer work, their practical implementation often lags behind. Rapidly changing working conditions and digitalised fields of work demand new forms of team architecture that enable teams to work in a self-organized manner. The crisis has clearly shown how quickly working conditions can change and how digital tools become indispensable for successful teamwork. But managing teams into self-organization cannot be done in the blink of an eye. It requires courage and trust in the employees as well as a large portion of flexibility and rethinking.
Above all the fear of losing control plays a major role when managers abandon strong hierarchical ideas and give employees more responsibility. In contrast to this, there is a great chance of relief. Once released from time-consuming administrative tasks, managers can increasingly develop into strategic partners and focus on what really counts: Help employees to develop their potential and contribute decisively to the success of the company through their work.
How self-organized teams are most successful
Leaders often feel obliged to participate fully in the day-to-day operational business themselves. But to get a clear overall picture of the situation, a change of perspective is important. A transparent view of the overall situation as well as innovative solutions often only become clear by stepping back and looking at the situation from an outer perspective.
In self-organized teams, modern leaders are challenged especially by the task of empowering and enabling their teams to work on their own responsibility. Today, completely different factors determine whether people feel happy at work, reach their full potential or do what they are doing with enthusiasm. Instead of a high salary purpose, appreciation and working self-dependently are on the wish list. The point is that everyone should be encouraged to do what drives him or her most and thus achieve top performance.
Contrary to what is often assumed, self-organized teams do not work without any structures. Most important for the success of the team is a clear positioning of the individual members in the overall framework and a resulting clear assignment of tasks. The characters should be quite different. In order to set up a successful self-organized teams, implementers are needed, as well as lateral thinkers and networkers. If everyone is positioned in the team according to their passions, differences can be successfully used. In this way the team as a whole becomes even better than the sum of its parts. If we then manage to combine the goals and wishes of the team members with the goals of the company, everyone involved will benefit.
The result: independent employees who can live their passion in the team and experience a rocking Monday!
