Are Managers Becoming Obsolete?

July 10, 2012
What if, instead of working under a manager and simply carrying out their orders, you were given a chance to have an equal say in the company’s direction and how you do business? What would be the result? Are managers obsolete, Fishbowl Inventory BlogThat’s the topic of Fishbowl CEO David Williams’ Forbes article “No More Managers. Everyone Leads.” When you give employees the freedom and incentives to be creative, they can often come up with solutions that traditional leaders would never have dreamed up. Trust isn’t the easiest thing to give, which is probably why many businesses stick to the formula that’s worked well enough in the past. The trouble is that the business world is constantly changing, and it’s not enough to have employees who are good at following orders. You need people who are willing to take risks and use their minds to be more productive. That doesn’t mean there should be no order or structure to your business. It just means that you can delegate more responsibilities to the people closest to the action and let them make important decisions. This is how Fishbowl continues to perform above expectations year after year. We listen to our customers and allow employees who are most familiar with customers’ needs and concerns to come up with new solutions. Is this approach right for your business? Feel free to speak your mind and let me know whether or not you think managers are becoming obsolete.