Follow the Follower - Improv Your Business - episode 6

Command and Control was possibly a good model at the beginning of The Industrial Revolution. It asks, "What can you do for me?"

Enlighted Command and Control was a fair enough model for the 20th Century. It asks, "What can I do for you?"

But it's the time for New Wine and thus New Wineskins.

Command and Control is Old Wine and only works with Old Wineskins. There aren't many Old Wineskin Companies left. Ask Glassdoor.

The New Wine is Trust, Inspiration, Purpose, Sustainability (T.I.P.S.) It askes, "What can we do together?"

One of my closest friends works on the frontline for a major Supermarket. (You know the one you can type with your left hand on the home key row.)

After every workday, I have to endure an agonising diatribe against an uncaring company with out-dated and out-of-touch running practices and many undesirable customers!

Whilst I usually glaze over, some of the latest stupidity grabbed my attention. They we having a tiny refurb for a new section. Because the stuff stored behind this area hadn't been cleared, the shopfitters boxed it in - a sealed room! Staff (I say 'staff' and not 'team') members had to break a hole into the blocked zone to get the perishing goods out. They then sealed the hole with cardboard and tape - sealing in a damp area with perishable goods remaining. Stupidity on this scale is almost funny... except it isn't.

The Second City is a famous Improv Theatre Group - originating in Chicago. They have seven principles of Improvisation. The sixth principle is, "Follow the Follower." This means, like Geese in V Formation, rotating the lead. The one with the 'smarts' takes the lead.

Trust me, the workers on the shop floor have far more practical wisdom than those in the office and who are rarely on the shop floor. Does this mean the shop floor frontline staff should lead all the time? No, no, and no.

Improv in business is about letting the best person to lead lead at the right time in the right circumstances. We need office managers and even leaders... but not all the time, and certainly not when they know less than those who are daily dealing with real customer issues.

Following the Follower lets all of us let go of the need to be right all the time. It gives us the opportunity to collaborate and to say, "You know what? In this area, I defer to your superior experience." The result is less stressors and more productivity. You'll also release the collective creative force that leads to market-leading innovation.

Let's invest in the currency of Trust.

Let's invest in activities, words, communications that Inspire.

Let's use the Contribution Compass to help team-members of our Ensembles find their purpose and align this with the Brand's Purpose (or leave!)

Let's build teams using TetraMap and PsychoGeometrics and Motivational Mapping to understand one another and frame our behaviours and language in ways that engage our colleagues and our customers to our mutual advantage.