Changing how decisions are made
Like customers and investors, managers retain the right to decide whether and how much to invest or whether to use different resources. But they can no longer “dictate” if they hope to engage knowledge workers and reap the benefits of their full potential. Now, they have to ask “What do you think?” more than give orders. Instead of making all the decisions, they need to involve employees by asking questions to draw solutions out of them. This change in decision-making style, however, is not just a tactic to engage employees more deeply. It is recognizing the reality that employees know as much or more than the manager. Being more engaging and given to less directing are essential for making the best decisions.