- Ian Allen Marlon Gabbidon of JMMB takes time out to watch the birds.
Avia Ustanny, Staff Reporter
MANY businesses still stick to the traditions of bureaucracy which can easily use up valuable time. These traditions include making an appointment to see your boss, having information move through a series of persons before it reaches the intended person, also governing in a very inflexible way under the hierarchical structure.
Donna Duncan, chief executive officer at the JMMB, said the new kind of management strategy is employing the inverted pyramid. According to her, it means moving away from a hierarchical leadership to the boss being a servant-leader. This means serving the people that report to him in order to make them win. This inverted pyramid starts with the client at the top and the board at the bottom. Therefore, management supports the team members who, in turn, serve the clients.
But Mrs. Marcia Bryan, executive director of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, is not for it. "It is such a waste of time and an impediment to productivity," she declared.
"Once you understand that you need to respect authority you don't need the bureaucracy it dictates power," she continued.
Gillian Rowlands, human resources expert, said the new culture was overlapping with sections of the old British system which was more formal to create a softer, people-friendly environment.
Jacqueline Lloyd, executive director of the Jamaica Employers Federation, explained that companies were trying to create a synergy, so as to get all their employees' brain power and creativity at peak performance.
"Management is using its resources in a more meaningful and creative manner. The emphasis is more on engagement, looking at their employees' ideas and allowing them to contribute more to the business," she explained.
But Mrs. Rowlands cautioned those companies moving with the new trends to be careful that everything from the old school is not erased, because young people needed to understand the rules of the game. Among them communication, accountability and responsibility.
For the human resource expert, the move away from hierarchy lends itself to a more team-oriented situation where bosses refer to their employees as associates, peers and the business as a team effort.
"Jamaica is under more of a North American influence. At places like Infotech, the staff is younger and employ a less formal culture, yet it does not mean that they have less discipline," Mrs. Rowlands pointed out.
