Self-organizing companies don't need managers but coaches

If you are a manager or consider managing teams and organizations a significant part of your profession, the title will likely cause a feeling of rejection or a strong disagreement. I invite you to read on anyway.

If you are an agile coach, your impulse might be to use this article to justify your position or highlight the importance of agile coaching. And while agile coaching can have value, I am not talking about classic agile coaching as we often see it in traditional hierarchical organizations. This is a part of it, but self-organizing companies need coaching beyond that.

Nonetheless, both groups, managers and agile coaches, might possess the intrinsic motivation and many of the skills needed to move into a coaching role in a self-organizing organization. Self-organization opens huge opportunities for people who have had one of these roles. The opportunity to have more impact, enjoy work more, and work through genuine human connection.

But why should you care?

Before we dive into this topic, I want to clarify: My stance is not against the person who does management in traditional organizations. It is about the manager role/title. People who go into management often do so because they want to have an impact and change things for the better that they couldn’t influence without that position. I admire that drive and dedication. In traditional organizations, people often have no other way than to become managers to improve the organization.

Read the full article here. Of course it is completely free and no sign-up is required if you don't want to. ??

What to expect in the article in great detail:

1. Why Self-Organization is Desirable
2. Why Traditional Organizations Have Managers
3. Why Self-Organizing Companies Need Coaches
4. Why managers are bad coaches
5. Huge opportunity for managers
6. "No Managers," not "No Hierarchies"
7. Conclusion

I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Bring me all your objections and disagreements. Areas where you see management as crucial and stories from self-organization where it worked well without traditional managers.