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Endo and Exoskeleton plus natural metaphors for organizational capacity

Mike Cardus

Business metaphors often return to McGregor’s theory x and theory y of manager’s perceptions of workers. When the organization feels under or over its capacity (weak IT systems, management problems, short-staffed, fallen behind in the market, disruption), I say it is like a weight lifter on steroids.

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Mary Barra Brings Teaming to General Motors

Harvard Business Review

She had “an ability with people” and a track record of bringing new models to market faster and at lower cost. Then-president of UAW Local 22 at the plant, George McGregor said Barra was “a people person, great to work with.” In today’s successful organizations, the best leaders are those who know how to get others working together.

Team 8
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Steve Jobs and The Bobby Knight School of Leadership

Harvard Business Review

I believe that Steve Jobs was among the best CEOs of this generation because he created entirely new categories six times in a decade, and built the largest company market cap ever. It is the very opposite of the supportive and nurturing Theory Y management pioneered by MIT's Douglas McGregor over a half century ago.

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The Internet Is Finally Forcing Management to Care About People

Harvard Business Review

It includes Mary Parker Follett (1920s), Elton Mayo and Chester Barnard (1930s), Abraham Maslow (1940s), Douglas McGregor (1960s), Peter Drucker (1970s), Peters and Waterman (1980s), Katzenbach and Smith (1990s), and Gary Hamel (2000s). They require rethinking the fundamentals of management.