Command and control leadership is increasingly recognized as an inappropriate primary leadership style for many modern organizations. The declining utility of this style has occurred over the last several decades and it has been accelerated in this new millennium. While command and control leadership style has its place (particularly in an immediate crisis mode or when the organization needs a clear decision to be made), this style does not foster innovation or promote employee development over the long term. As command and control leadership has declined in its value, participatory leadership has increased. Indeed, the demands of the new millennium have required some democratization of the workplace that makes employees active partners with management in operational matters.
In the following video from Harvard Business Review, Vineet Nayar, CEO of HCL Technologies Ltd., explains why businesses must put their employees first if they want to remain viable. As you listen to this interview, five insightful points that Vineet makes are the following:
- Employees create value for the customers;
- The first job of managers is to take care of their employees;
- Invert the management pyramid. (Take care of your people and they will take care of your employees.)
- Transparency is critical to effective leadership.
- It’s acceptable for leaders not to have all of the answers. (Find them in the organization from others.)
I’ll let Vineet take it from here.
Do you agree that it is time for managers to put employees first?
About the Author
Robert Tanner is the founder of the Management is a Journey Blog and Principal Consultant at Business Consulting Solutions LLC. He is a certified change management consultant, management mentor, trainer, and an Adjunct Professor of Management. Robert has a passion for helping managers and leaders fulfill their potential. Connect with Robert on Google+ and Twitter. To join the mailing list, subscribe here.
Revisiting Colin Powell’s 13 Rules of Leadership 
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Organizational Change: 8 Reasons Why People Resist Change 
