Algorithms, Robots and the Future of Management
Over at the HBR Blog network Walter Frick has an interesting article/blog post entitled:
“Algorithms Won’t Replace Managers, But Will Change Everything About What They Do”
I recommend that you go and read the whole thing because I think that the potential disruption from robotics and improved artificial intelligence is huge.
Part of my response is:
I think that the interview that Walter has done isinteresting but I do not think that it addresses a key point which is that the fundamental nature
of management is changing anyway without these advances. Existing changes and disruptions that are enabling connections between people through social media and social business tools are re-ordering the way that work and strategy are carried out. On top of that the capacities we are giving to individuals and small networks mean that many things that required a large organisation to carry out 5 years ago no longer do so.
This means that the role of management is in part being devolved to the network and so existing concepts of the middle manager are already almost obsolete and therefore
to look at the future through a frame of disrupting that role is missing the point.
The role of management is moving towards one of coach and facilitator rather than management and the more skills and capacities that individuals in the network gain, the harder that role will become and the lower the number of ” managers” required.
You can read the whole thing HERE