GALT Consulting LLC

For many decades now, the term "management has taken on a distinct meaning in our culture.  I recently conducted extensive research on the subject (aka: I Googled "Strong Management") and found one website that claims to help companies build strong management teams.  They define a manager this way...

"Manager - One who directs or conducts the affairs and interests of an entity such as a business; one who controls the direction and operation of such entity; one who brings about results."

Wow...  this definition would seem to be non-controversial and serves as the basis for many management education programs... and it is extremely damaging and leads to mediocrity.

I especially despise the last line...  "one who brings about results".  This is classic management philosophy that is known as Top-Down Management.

In Top-Down Management organizations, the boss develops the strategy and tactics, puts them on the tablets and then brings them down from the mountain to their workforce for implementation.  Management's role is to give directives and employee's role is to follow the directives.  Studies (such as those outlined in Jim Collin's book, Good to Great, show that this approach can work, but rarely leads to "great" companies).

Here are 4 reasons Top-Down Management isn't effective:
1) The organization is only as good as the management team
2) All change efforts have to start with getting employee buy-in
3) People are hardwired to be less motivated when they have no autonomy
4) The newer generation of workforce is less tolerant of it

So what is the alternative?  Stay tuned!

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