How Management Can Become the Noblest Profession
Business management professionals are called many things, some not fit for reprint in a family blog.
But how many times have you heard them called noble?
Clay Christensen, the well known and influential creator of the theory of disruptive innovation, was recently diagnosed with a serious cancer that has spurred him to reflect on how we can measure success in life. (A future post will be dedicated to his thoughts on how to create a life strategy.)
Christensen discusses the work of psychologist Frederick Herzberg, who taught that the most compelling motivator in life isn't money, but rather the opportunity to learn, to develop, to take on new responsibilities and to be recognized. And it's here that managers and the profession itself can rise to the level of nobility.
"Management is the most noble of professions if it's practiced well," Christensen writes. "No other occupation offers as many ways to help others learn and grow, take responsibility and be recognized for achievement, and contribute to the success of a team."An increasing number of MBA students come to management schools thinking that a business career is about buying, selling, investing, and acquiring. "That's unfortunate," Christensen says. "Doing deals doesn't yield the deep rewards that come from building up people."
I believe one of the most compelling trends in the teaching and practice of business management over the last two decades is the transformation of the manager from someone expected to have all the answers to a person whose primary role is develop the people around them to their full capabilities. It's obviously still a work in progress -- performance reviews still seem focused on individual accomplishment rather than team or organizational accomplishment. But we're headed in the right direction.
Can management become the noblest profession, do you think? What will be the necessary ingredients to make this happen?