While I was reading and answering to a blog post of Sandy Carter about GenX and management,  I was inspired to share some stories and ideas about  how social business can change the way management works.

My First Idea – Management is about steering a ship in heavy waters
Following process guidelines and watching if the kpi’s are reached needs less leadership skills than we think. But what’s up if something unexcepted happens, if clouds arise on the sky and a storm is about to start.

Last year, during the presentation of the new iphone 4S I saw such a storm. Tim Cook had his first presentation as CEO without Steve Jobs in the background. Today we know under what pressure the new CEO of Apple has been. During the anoncment of Tim Cook as CEO, I asked myself “Was Steve Jobs a good teacher?” and after Tims Cooks first persentation, I thought it was ok, but as a CEO I would point out to the audience what powerful Siri is. In all the other points, I was suprised how strong the Jobs DNA was recognizable. Last week, we saw the announcement of the new ipad. A powerfull presentation with Tim Cook’s message, that we are in the post PC time. He has taken the next step. He is now forming the market. But how can this happen so fast? I think the base to this success is founded on a managment that is dedicated to core values.( If you want to know more about core values and why they are so important, read the Walter Isacsson’s biography or Jim Collins book “build to last”).

But how to teach a managment team or a company in core values? I think one of the important thing is to tell stories. And with the social business software you have an excellent platform to share your strories and get in closer touch with your people. Your personal way to tell them and the way you act and react shows the core values you stand for.

This will prepare you for bad weather, when established processes may fail. When you are in heavy water, its important to have a crew on your side that belives in you and helps you out of this. At this point managment changes from process oriented to people orientated business. You need the right persons with the right knowlede at your side. You need communications accross all organisation and hirarchies. You need people that undestand the core values and are acting accordingly.

In good times 80% of all our business runs smoothly and needs no intervention. But you habe to be prepared for the remaining 20% when you are faced with all kind of changes  in your processes and for your people. The question ist not “Will they change?”, the question is “When do the change?”. And every change, every process that is running out order, is heavy water and need intervention and improvisation. For these tasks let me train my team and myself to act based on the core values, to build the right team with the best experts and to share the expirence with others.

If you want to be successfull in this,  you have to get social. Doing this steps alone, isolated, without my friends is a typical GenX horroscenario, but doing this embedded in your community, with your experts, is challange and fun at the same time.

(Thanks to Peter Luder for reviewing and optimizing)