Leaders as Equippers

The times are changing, quickly, constantly, and most likely without end.

“…the times, they are a-changin’” – Bob Dylan.

In order to thrive in, or even cope with, all of this change, we need to structure our organizations to be adaptive and have a clear sense of our organization’s identity and the guiding principles it creates. We must develop methods, structures, and definitions that reflect the organization’s core identity and current needs. Then to have a continuous improvement model that fits who we are and can adjust elements of the organization to align with these changing times.

One structural change we need to develop more broadly is leaders as equippers.

Once again, the power that lies with those on the frontlines of organizations is becoming clear. The essential person in an organization is the individual who does the task on the ground. Without those on the ground, the job does not get done, there are no deliverables, and the organization ceases to be effective or even necessary.

For most places, this constitutes an external, unplanned change. One that is not going away. The solution is to adapt our definitions and expectations of leaders to take advantage of this swell of worker agency.

Suppose leaders can adjust how they summarize their responsibilities as ‘equipping their workers to be able to do their best work.’ In that case, the changes necessary now and in the future will make more sense to the leader and will be executed with a level of authenticity otherwise lacking.