A new competence integrates into a leader’s skill set in a three-stage sequence. It was true for Information Technology (IT) competence over the past 60 years. It is proving true again for Organization Development (OD) competence. It will be true again for DEI competence. (Excerpted from the Get Loose Chapter of “Manage to Lead: Seven Truths to Help You Change The World”)
A new competence integrates into an organization in a three-stage sequence:
Stage 1: New competence provided by a source outside the organization.
Stage 2: New competence brought inside the organization as staff-support.
Stage 3: New competence becomes a pervasive skill across the organization.
Example: Information Technology (IT)
Information Technology competence was non-existent in organizations before World War II. After the war leaders drew on outside experts and eventually staffed internal IT departments. Only in the past few decades have organization leaders been defined by their IT competence.
Continue reading How a new skill becomes core to leadership.
