Interview with Charles Handy on his philosophy concerning the influence of employees and others in an organization, and the search for meaning in the workplace. The beginning of the interview discusses Handy's perception of the difference between American and European business theorizing, where he relates that Europeans tend to focus more on captains of prosperous organizations while Americans tend to focus more on commentators and outside observers for their information and guidance, and how both continents need a blend of both. Handy then offers his vision for the future of organizational management and purpose, arguing that businesses will no longer be beholden to shareholders, who will revert to their true role as investors and not owners. He proceeds to talk about the concept of "citizen companies", dependent on a twin hierarchy approach that includes the hierarchy of status and the hierarchy of task, and which consist of full citizens, probationary citizens, and mercenaries. Handy contends that all are needed in an organization as long as they are managed effectively before moving on to the topic of meaning in the workplace and how all contemporary workers are looking for reasons why they do the work they do. Handy stresses that businesses can learn from nonprofits by making clear what their unique contribution is, and the difference they make, to the world, therefore giving workers a new motivation beyond profit to remain in industry. He goes on to talk about the emergence of portfolio workers, who will build careers outside of traditional organizations as they undergo the changes Handy describes, before discussing how organizations can successfully approach inevitable changes over time. The interview concludes with Handy elaborating on the chief characteristics that successful leaders of organizations possess.
Handy, Charles B Leader to leader guide Leader to Leader Institute Handy, Elizabeth Organization theory Organizational change
Source
Interview with Charles Handy on his philosophy concerning the influence of employees and others in an organization, and the search for meaning in the workplace, 1997; Charles Handy Papers; Box 15, Folder 1; 7 pages
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