Innovation is such a buzzword in many companies and organizations, but how often do we think about innovating our organizations and the way they run? What if your organization had no managers? What if everyone was committed to a mission, stepped up to lead, and collaborated effectively, with honesty, to get things done and move forward? It’s not a pipe dream. It’s possible and many organizations are making it happen with great results today. In my conversation today with Brent Lowe and Susan Basterfield, two of the authors of Lead Together, we answer these questions and look at new, innovative ways of running these organizations. We’ll talk about what it means to be a Lead Together organization, dispel myths about what it means to remove job titles and managers, and what are the most critical skills required by everyone involved to truly make this work.
Key Takeaways:
- Anytime you throw people into an equation, things become unpredictable. We need to be present and aware of that in a way that allows everybody to bring all of who they are to the problem. That is a way to start leading together.
- It is more about roles than about job descriptions. Job descriptions are a static document, roles are dynamic and can change as people can have multiple roles at the same time.
- To make a Lead Together organization work, everyone on the team must make the commitment – together.
“There needs to be a willingness to do the work, and to see the workplace as somewhere where we go, not just to do the task that’s in front of us, but also to develop our own skills.” — Brent Lowe
About Brent Lowe and Susan Basterfield, co-authors of Leading Together:
Brent Lowe is a performance coach helping leaders show up as their best selves within thriving, purpose-driven teams. As the Scale Coach for Founder CEOs, Brent works with entrepreneurs and leaders who are growing the size and impact of their businesses to tackle local and global challenges. Many of his clients are motivated by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and a desire to lead in ways that feel authentic, inspiring and personally fulfilling. He and his clients share a belief that leadership goes far beyond delivering financial returns, with ecosystem stewardship being a core responsibility.
Susan Basterfield is a catalyst and convener who believes that awareness and discernment can unblock drains and move mountains. From 35-plus years in business—spanning global multinationals, startups and schools—arose experiences that drive her work as a systems transformation partner. Her work includes standing shoulder to shoulder with leaders and organizations on their transformational journeys, often over many years, and convening virtual development programs, including the Practical Self-Management Intensive. She is an educator, coach, facilitator, writer, and collective entrepreneur. Obsessed with building the capacity to build capacity, Susan seeks out that which is life-giving, dances with complexity, and weeds-out constraints to potential. She practices with Greaterthan and Enspiral. Learn more about Susan’s work at greaterthan.works and enspiral.com.
Lead Together: The Bold, Brave, Intentional Path to Scaling Your Business By Brent Lowe, Susan Basterfield, and Travis Marsh
Get the book: leadtogether.co
Connect with Brent:
Website: brentlowe.com
Twitter: twitter.com/BrentLoweTweets
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brentloweconnects
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