Peer-Based/Leaderless Management Vehicles

Peer Councils  (See pages 127ff of Myth of Leadership)

When an organization charters peer councils, composed of individuals from all ranks and areas of the organization, employees get out of their hierarchic roles and are able to see things differently. People from all over the organization get to know one another and learn how to communicate genuinely. People productively work together and cooperate when they share common goals, receive proper information, have the skill sets and are able to recognize, utilize and balance each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Many of these necessary elements are missing in the traditional rank-based organization with its centralized authority and top-down command structure. With peer councils, a greater sense of community is developed that fosters increased competency in all members of the organization. Councils provide the vehicle for this development by creating a space of genuine dialogue. The goals of peer-based councils are as follows:

·      To foster a sense of equal standing and genuine communication among all persons

·      To allow everyone in the organization to contribute to decision-making in the five functions of management

·      To ensure that everyone in the organization begins to think and act like a valued and important contributor

·      To provide everyone in the organization the opportunity to discover, develop, and increase their own unique set of skills and abilities

Striving for and achieving these goals, the peer councils tap into the whole intelligence and talent latent within the organization, giving it strength over any rank-based rival. In my consulting practice helping develop peer councils, I discovered five key peer councils that can be chartered to leverage the competitive advantage of our organizations. Council size can vary from between 10 to 150 council members. These councils are directly related to key areas of organizational decision-making. So we have the Strategy Council; Operations Council; Tactical Council; Resource Council; and People Council. These councils, through peer-based deliberation, possess responsibility and authority for the critical decisions in their respective management function.

Membership should be rotated in periods of three months, six months, nine months, and twelve months. Those who demonstrate great potential to contribute in any particular council can be made mentors or given rotational stewardship positions within the council. Selection to councils can be voluntary, random, or elected.

Rotational Stewardship Positions  (See pages 142ff of Myth of Leadership)

Obviously, not every decision can or should be brought before the entire council. Day-to-day and routine decision-making can be delegated to administrative positions within each council. The essence of rotational stewardship positions is those in administrative positions within the councils have definite term limits to fill their management assignment. These administrative positions are responsible to the council out of which they were selected. These stewardship positions are for individuals-, teams, or task forces. After their time is up, other individuals will be chosen and the rotation continues. This will keep the energy flow through the organization generative. Rotating who has important positions on a regular basis is a very effective way to begin fostering peer-based organizations. Rotating stewardship positions on a regular basis will give people a greater chance at participation and contribution. Also, the fact that people share in the ownership of leading means that they also share in the burden of communicating knowledge and information to others. This improves teamwork and knowledge sharing in a manner that makes organizations self-correcting.

Mentoring  (See pages 107ff of Myth of Leadership)

Mentors play the crucial role of linking the various peer councils with one another. They create the network. In many ways, mentoring replaces leading, and mentors replace leaders in peer-based, leaderless organizations. A leader leads followers, and the implication, given the myth of leadership, is that this leadership is “over” others. It is the command and control of others using rank-based authority. A mentor advises and counsels others. A mentor possesses greater expertise, knowledge, and experience and shares this with members of the organization who are lacking in these areas. It is a relationship, not of rank, but alongside of the one being mentored. The difference in symbolism is very important. A mentor is a person committed to the improvement of self and others. The commitment is an essential part of the mentor’s body, heart, and mind. With the body, the mentor models; with the heart, the mentor counsels; and with the mind, the mentor teaches. To the true mentor, the physical and emotional needs of others become his or her spiritual need.

The mentor teaches with the mind, not by lecturing, but by asking the right questions. Examples of mentoring questions are:

What do you care most about?

How are you being affected personally?

What do you believe is the main problem or issue?

What do you believe should be done?

What do you think others would say?

What do you hope for?

The mentor counsels with the heart through sincere, empathic listening. The mentor models with the body by being an example of the peer attitudes and values in interactions with others. Mentors counsel councils and rotational stewardship positions, but they do not vote or take an active part in the decision-making process. In council meetings, mentors are to play the role of sage.