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In the bustling world of business and organizational management, the quest for efficiency, empowerment, and happiness within the workplace is a journey many leaders embark upon, yet few travel successfully. It was in this context that I had the privilege of sitting down with Jack Skeels, a visionary thinker, CEO of Better Company, a celebrated author, and an advocate for transformative leadership. Our conversation, rich in insights and groundbreaking ideas, revealed a clear path toward creating more empowered and happier organizations.
The Recipe for Empowerment and Joy Jack Skeels, a two-time Inc. 500 award winner and a beacon in the agile transformation realm, shared his recent venture into the world of authorship with his latest book, “Unmanaged: Master the Magic of Creating Empowered and Happy Organizations.” This book serves not just as a read but as a manual for those daring to venture into the depths of management innovation. Jack’s journey, from a sharp, promising programmer disillusioned by the apparent disconnect between managers and their crafts, to an executive coaching guru, is more than inspiring. It’s a call to action. His book and his principles revolve around the simple yet profound notion of managing less while excelling in four key moments: the why, what, go, and grow moments of any project or organizational initiative. Derived from a Japanese technique called BA, which emphasizes unity and collective presence, Jack advocates for building a foundational understanding and inclusion at the onset of new ventures. A New Paradigm in Management Perhaps the most enlightening aspect of our conversation was Jack’s challenge to conventional management wisdom. With each anecdote and example, he peeled back the layers of management practices that hamper productivity rather than foster it. From unnecessary meetings acting as a “tax on productivity” to the modern workplace’s convoluted matrix of managing relationships, Jack calls for a radical simplification of managing. His insights into how every managerial action could potentially slow down processes and make things more inefficient were both alarming and refreshing.
Kanban: The Practical Fix In addressing the intertwined chaos of priorities and managerial actions, Jack highlighted the Kanban system as a beacon of hope. This agile concept encourages alignment among managers regarding priorities, essentially reviving unity in management. By making work sequences visible and priorities clear to all team members, the Kanban system ensures that efforts are focused and productivity is not just a goal but a reality. The Four Key Moments Delving deeper, Jack elaborated on the four key moments that managers should excel in: The Why Moment: Explains the context and purpose, fostering a comprehensive understanding of the project or task at hand. The What Moment: Clarifies what needs to be achieved, ensuring that all managers and team members are on the same page. The Go Moment: Encourages autonomy, allowing teams to proceed with the tasks without unnecessary intervention. The Grow Moment: Focuses on the growth opportunities for team members through the project, emphasizing inclusive and fair participation beyond managerial biases.
Towards a Brighter Future Our conversation with Jack Skeels was not just a discussion but a journey into the heart of organizational transformation. His unwavering belief in the potential of every individual and the power of focused, minimal managerial intervention offers a beacon of hope for leaders and managers seeking to create more empowered and happy workplaces. As we wrapped up our dialogue, it was clear that the path to unleashing potential within organizations requires courage, a shift in mindset, and the willingness to embrace new methodologies for the greater good of all involved. For those looking to embark on this transformative journey, Jack Skeels’ work with Better Company and his groundbreaking book offer a starting point. It’s time for leaders to rethink, realign, and revolutionize their approach to management for a future where empowerment and happiness are not just goals but the very essence of organizational culture. Connect with Jack Skeels on LinkedIn or explore how Better Company can aid in your organization’s journey towards efficiency and empowerment. |
Jack Skeels is a former RAND senior analyst and CEO of AgencyAgile, an Agile transformation and coaching firm that helps agencies, consultancies, and other complex service organizations go better, faster, and happier. His career includes leading Sapient’s 105-person Los Angeles office, and founding and executive roles in multiple startups. He is a coach to executives, a thought leader, and an evangelist to industry. He wakes every day driven to create a revolution in leadership and management practices, optimal organization design, and delivery excellence.
Jack is recognized as an outstanding speaker, writer, and educator. He speaks at over 15 industry and association events per year, including Ad Age, Digiday, SoDA (annual meeting and The SoDA Academy), 4A’s conferences, Advertising Week, Magnet Global, Miss Collective, TAAN, Bureau of Digital, and others. With over 35 published articles, his work frequently appears in leading publications such as Ad Age, Entrepreneur.com, Ad Week, MediaPost, and Campaign.us
Jack is a two-time Inc-500 Award winner and entrepreneur, with several successful startups to his credit. In addition to a bachelor’s in Industrial Engineering and an MBA with honors in Entrepreneurship and Finance from the Marshall School of Business, he has held several graduate-level teaching roles, including associate professor at the RAND-Pardee School of Public Policy.
