From Hierarchical to Relational Work

Much research is being done of the changing business paradigm. The Maslow Centre for Executive Leadership is on the cutting edge of the research. I’ll speak about all the shifts in the blog. The one I’d like to speak about today is the shift from a hierarchical to relational work.

In the past, leaders were more focused on themselves, their personal gains - authority, titles, stability. Employees were seen more as commodities - there for the gain of the leaders. Not so anymore. Employees want to be seen, heard, appreciated, trusted, challenged, developed…. Frankly - be seen and behaved towards as human. Human to human.

This has challenged leaders to change from a traditional authoritarian approach to behave in a relational manner themselves. To connect, be humble, be grateful, be authentic, to inspire, be vulnerable, have empathy, give feedback, help develop…. Not all are leaders are quite comfortable with this especially if it is antithetical to how they were raised, or if more traditional leadership was modeled for them and that’s what they learned.

Yet, I believe each leader is capable of moving to relational approach and eventually feeling comfortable, even joyful, with it. Does it take courage? Of course. Inside of each of us lies the strengths to become capable of this. They just need to be uncovered, developed, and practiced. Small steps, safe experiments with it. Relationships are a cornerstone of happiness. We spend hours each day in work activities - they might as well be conducted in an environment conducive to happiness for all.