Modern authority: management reinvented?

Aude Bohu is an Executive Coach and Partner at Talentis. Her passion: to develop the autonomy of individuals so that they can carry out their projects by unleashing their full potential. In this logic, Aude works with directors, managers, and HR teams around the theme of “modern authority”.

Aude, what exactly are we talking about and what does “modern authority” mean?

Modern authority is the vision of a management of the “future” but which in reality starts today. It is a inspiring and liberated management, in which managers and leaders inspire with their vision and unleash the energies of their teams.

The company is now welcoming more and more young recruits who challenge the current model based on a pyramidal hierarchy and an order-execution scheme. These new generations want new forms of work and contribution. Transforming the authority model ensures the company to attract them, develop them and engage them in the company's project and thus develop an efficient and sustainable model. What younger people expect is often shared by those who are less so, even if they don't express it as clearly.

However, we should not summarize the profound changes in business to the influence of so-called digital generations. The new challenges for businesses are also the prevention of psycho-social risks, the development of well-being and pleasure at work, the reintroduction of trust...

According to a recently published study, a large part of jobs today are created in startups and digital technology. The ways we work and collaborate are changing. We must join this change now, and renewing the management model is part of it.

The modern manager takes on a role Of inspiring leader who gives the direction and the vision, accompanies and supports its teams by creating the conditions for success: helping to overcome obstacles, challenging them on their development, making them grow through feedback (regular, constructive and mobilizing). He is a listening leader who promotes the free expression of everyone.

The modern employee becomes a responsible and autonomous co-builder, a force for proposals, committed to the success of his projects, those of others and the company.

And as Isaac Getz says, to await this new form of authority, it is above all the state of mind, postures and behaviors of managers and employees that must be transformed.

What do you do to develop a modern authority?

We see 3 pillars to promote the establishment of a modern authority.

The first pillar consists in aiming at the relational parity, it lies in the ability to position yourself in the relationship by looking positively at yourself and others, by accepting others and yourself in their skills and qualities as well as in their areas of development.

Parity offers a position of mutual respect between people regardless of their hierarchical level in the organization. This posture is based on a positive attitude, confidence in oneself and in others to establish a relationship of quality and trust between individuals. We find this position in the concept Okness Transactional Analysis.

Establishing relational parity is an essential basis for cooperation, this allows everyone to contribute, give their opinion, feel useful without feeling constrained and/or judged.

The second pillar of modern authority is the concept Of empowerment. Each employee is responsible for their own development and can conduct their activity in a proactive and autonomous attitude, without waiting for authorization if the objectives and the framework have been defined and discussed beforehand.

For example, according to Ricardo Semler, “if you treat an employee like a teenager, he will behave like a teenager.” That's why at Semco, employees:

— Can set their salaries themselves

— Set their schedules and manage their schedule the way they want

— Can be absent at any time to go play golf or take a nap

— Self-control and are evaluated exclusively on the results, by the collective

— Decide on the distribution of benefits

In other words, it is a logic of self-evaluation and accountability for its successes and failures. Boldness is thus liberated, with the consequence of strengthened individual commitment and a logic of innovation that is more easily established in the company.

The third pillar, co-responsibility, builds on the first two. It is an essential foundation for modern authority because it allows the development of a climate of collaboration and co-construction, and reinforces cohesion. This involves open dialogue between individuals and regular communication.

In summary, to speak of modern authority is in fact to put the founding role of management in an organization. The word “authority” comes from Latin.” Auctoritas ”, ability to make people grow. Authority requires obedience in which men maintain their freedom. So behind modern authority, there are responsible individuals in self-awareness who develop their humility and agree to share power for strengthened organizational performance.