The Principles of a Dual-operating System

Many people can drive important change, and from everywhere — not just the usual few appointees.

Every great leader throughout history has demonstrated that it is possible to find many change agents, and from every corner of society — but only if people are given a choice and feel they truly have permission to step forward and act.

Fostering a ‘get to do’ mindset, not a ‘have to do’ one.

The desire to work with others for an important and exciting shared purpose, and the realistic possibility of doing so, are key.

Action that is head-and-heart driven, not just head driven. Most people won’t want to help if you appeal only to logic, with numbers and business cases. You must also appeal to how people feel. The great leaders throughout history have spoken to the genuine and fundamental human desire to contribute to some bigger cause and to take an organization into a better future.

Much more leadership, not just more management.

The guts of any organization are managerial processes; but in order to capitalize on unpredictable windows of opportunity which might open and close quickly (and somehow spot and avoid unpredictable threats), the name of the game is leadership.

An inseparable partnership between the hierarchy and the network — not just an enhanced hierarchy. The two systems must work as one, with a constant flow of information and activity between them. This approach works in part because the people essentially ‘volunteering’ to work in the network already have jobs within the hierarchy.