This article compares two different views as to how management might evolve. One view, hereafter called âNext management,â is described in our article. âHow To Transition To The âNext Managementââ[1]
The other viewâhereafter called âhumanistic managementâ–is presented in âRestoring Humanity to Management (and wisdom to intelligence)â by David Hurst.[2][âŠ]
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“Thatâs one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” â Neil Armstrong, Astronaut
With these iconic words in 1969, Neil Armstrong marked a moment of human achievement that transcended its immediate context. His words symbolized not only a monumental accomplishment but also the broader potential for human progress.
That same year, Peter Drucker foresaw a different leap for mankind: the rise of the knowledge worker. This prompted different thinking about resources. Unlike physical resources, knowledge is renewable and can be expanded in novel ways. Thus, managing and empowering knowledge workers presented new challenges for modern management, where innovation and continuous learning became essential in the knowledge economy.[âŠ]
Anglo-American management theory has often been portrayed as a chaotic battleground, where scientists and humanists clash, embodying âhardâ versus âsoftâ management styles. Itâs time to understand that this conflict is not a flaw but a defining featureâa critical tension that reflects the human condition. Our paradoxical nature is the essence of our humanity, and it is through the practical integration of seemingly irreconcilable opposites that we weave the very fabric of our existence.[âŠ]
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There is a demographic shift confronting leaders. The newest generation is born in the internet age, between 1997 and 2012, are now consumers in the market and entering the workforce at an astounding rate. This makes the current workforce a mix of Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials and the Gen Zers. Generation Alpha is next. [âŠ]
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With artificial intelligence (AI) poised to reshape work and the global workforce, a troubling pattern has emerged: a significant gender gap in the adoption and usage of AI. This disparity not only reflects existing inequalities but also threatens to exacerbate them, potentially impacting the future of knowledge work in ways that could set back progress on gender equality for generations. Addressing this imbalance is not just a matter of fairnessâit’s an economic imperative that will determine the competitiveness of nations, the public perception of emerging technologies and the inclusivity of our technological future.[âŠ]
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They call him âthe Boss,â and, not so long ago, rock and roll legend Bruce Springsteen contemplated his career and reminisced that:
âWe have the only job in the world where the people you went to high school [with] ⊠youâre still with those peopleâŠ..You live your life with them. You see them grow up. âŠ.. You see them get older. You see their hair go gray. And youâre in the room when they die, you know?â[1][âŠ]
As we consider the concept of knowledge work today, we are faced with several challenges. How do we motivate increasingly independent workers to be part of an organization or a team? How do we measure and evaluate knowledge worker productivity? How do knowledge workers face the ever-changing landscape of AI and associated technologies? Although he has been gone for almost 20 years, Peter Drucker identified the shift towards knowledge work, and left us some very sound advice for navigating the rough waters we now confront.[âŠ]
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1994:
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure! Great to see you! Come in, have a seat. Coffee?â
2024:
“Just a quick question…”
” Sorry, no time! Can you email me about itâŠ?â
What happened? In his Management Challenges for the 21st Century, Peter Drucker noted that a key accomplishment of the 20th century was a fiftyfold increase in the productivity of manual labor. He predicted that the critical contribution of management in the 21st century would be to similarly enhance the productivity of knowledge work. Two decades into the 21st century, however, we are far from realizing this vision.[âŠ]
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