Management Leverage Blog

In a perfect world we would each have a personal board of directors to guide us through the daily minefield of organizational life. Prominent world and organizational leaders, Nobel prize winners, and management gurus, would gently guide us to the correct solution to the big hairy problems we need to deal with, as well as the correct choice in each of the little fuzzy decisions we make each day.

Unfortunately, most of us neither find ourselves with such connections on speed-dial nor the luxury of time to gather them all together several times a day in the closest break-out room. At least not yet.

But just because we don’t have the contacts or time (yet), doesn’t mean we shouldn’t build a board of directors anyway. The world is richer than we can see it alone.

So who would sit on your board?

People who complement your preferred management style. Each of us carries with us a preferred perspective of organizations, which correspond nicely with large arenas of organizational theory (Bolman and Deal do a nice job here).

We either prefer to see organizations as either

1. Logically structured, factories (even if we don’t work in manufacturing),
2. A family of complicated interpersonal relationships,
3. A political jungle, or
4. A theater, replete with symbolism, props, and actors.

But what if you believe all four frames are true?

You would be correct. But you also probably believe one of these four frames portrays the world of organizations as they should be. And since all are true in different circumstances, your decisions will be correct roughly 25% of the time if you make them by yourself.

So don’t. go it alone. Fill your board with people who see the world differently than you see it. You don’t have to know each member, but you do need to understand them. (Biographies help. Please don’t tell him, but John D. Rockefeller Sr. is on my board.)

If Santa is on your board, with practice you will be able to quickly instant message Santa to ask, WWSD (What would Santa Do)?