Great Leadership Is a Network, Not a Hierarchy | Gitte Frederiksen | TED

翻译人员: Yip Yan Yeung 校对人员: Grace Man

Before I start, I'd like to know who's in charge today?

在我开始之前，我想问问， 现场谁说了算？

Is it me?

是我吗？

Is it you?

是你吗？

Is it someone behind the curtain?

还是幕布后的某个人？

My point is, we think of leadership as a role for the few

我想说的是，我们会把“领导” 看作少数人的工作，

and the rest get to just lean back.

其他人只需要靠边站就行。

Now, that, of course, might be OK for an event like this,

虽然像这样的活动， 这么做没什么问题，

but I believe that leadership by the few,

但是我相信， 少数人占据领导地位，

it's not going to help us solve the problems ahead.

无法解决我们之后要面临的问题。

These problems are complex and coming at us faster and faster.

这些问题错综复杂， 而且正日渐迫近。

So we really need to get many minds together,

所以我们真的得集思广益，

more resources, more capabilities,

汇集更多的资源、 更多的能力，

and we need to do it effectively and sustainably.

以高效、可持续的方式解决它们。

What if leadership could be for the many?

如果可以由很多人来领导， 如何？

That's scary.

听起来有点吓人。

And for all you leaders out there thinking it won't work,

觉得这不可行的各位领导们，

maybe in some cases it won't.

也许在某些情况下， 它确实不可行。

But when it does, we have better outcomes and happier people,

但是一旦可行，就能 让结果更好，让人更快乐，

with everyone leaning in, even if just a bit more.

让每个人都参与进来， 即使只是多那么一点点。

I'm a physicist turned management consultant

我曾经是个物理学家， 转行到了管理顾问，

working with global companies on strategy,

与各国企业一起研究战略、

artificial intelligence and digital transformation.

人工智能和数字化转型。

I'm trained as an engineer, so when I started in this job,

我接受的是工程师相关的教育， 所以刚开始这份工作时，

everything was new to me.

对我来说一切都是全新的。

And I have to admit something.

我必须承认。

At work, whenever a task is my idea,

工作时， 如果这个任务是我自己的想法，

I do it a bit better than when it's someone else telling me.

我会做得比别人灌输给我的 更好一点。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Unless, of course, it's my boss.

当然，除非这人是我的老板。

Then I might feel like slowly proving it doesn't work.

那我就会逐渐证明 这活没法干。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Being curious and complacent, I often ask:

我是个好奇又自满的人， 于是我经常会问：

Why do we do things this way?

我们为什么要这么做呢？

Most times I do find good answers,

大多数时候我都能得到不错的答案，

but whenever the answers seem outdated,

但是答案太老套的时候，

I try to come up with new solutions.

我就会试着想出新方案。

Like with leadership.

就比如领导方法。

A typical view of leadership is a hierarchical organization chart.

领导结构的典型形式是 一张等级分明的组织架构图。

Either you're a leader or you're not.

你要么是个领导，要么不是。

Most people are being led, not taking lead.

大多数人都是被领导， 而不是领导别人。

Communication often flows from top to bottom along just one line,

沟通通常由上至下， 一条直线，

which means it doesn't match the complexity of problems

意味着它无法 与问题的复杂程度相匹配，

which move in several directions at once.

问题可能会在同一时间 向多个方向发展。

Decisions are left to one person, the leader,

所有决定都得 由一个人来决定，即领导，

who, being only human,

而那个人只是个人而已，

can become a bottleneck of speed and scale.

导致了他/她会成为 速度和规模的瓶颈。

They can miss new ideas,

他们可能会错过一些 组织中的新想法、

diverse capabilities and potential that exist all over the chart.

不同的能力和潜力。

So in a network instead,

如果使用一种网状结构，

everyone's in charge

每个人都有主事权，

and we replace power of the few with influence of the many.

用多数人的影响力 取代少数人的权力。

Sure it looks more messy,

看起来肯定更混乱了，

but I'd argue more beautiful,

但我觉得它更美丽、

more multi-dimensional,

更多维、

more dynamic, more like nature.

更动态、更像大自然。

I believe this model can help us do more

我相信这个结构 能让我们达成更多的成就，

and be less dependent on each individual.

减少对某一特定的人的依赖。

Which means it’s resilient, and progress is sustainable.

也就是说，它是弹性的， 而且过程是可持续的。

To empower many more to lead,

要让更多人踏上领导之位，

to move leadership from the few to the many,

让领导权从少数人手中 转移到多数人手中，

we each need to let go of a bit of power.

我们每个人都得 放手一部分权力。

Now that's uncomfortable.

这可让人不太舒服。

So let's talk about how.

那我们就来谈一谈 该如何放手。

The first thing we can do is remove labels.

我们能做的第一件事 就是去除标签。

Now, imagine your co-worker, Lin, says "We need creative input."

想象一下你的同事林说： “我们得多来点创意。”

And Joe goes, "Let's ask accounting."

然后乔说：“问问会计吧。”

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Said no one, ever.

从没有人这么说过。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

But maybe we should.

但也许我们就该这么说。

Labels take many forms and shapes like functions, titles,

标签有很多形式和形态， 比如职能、头衔、

genders, nationalities, educational backgrounds.

性别、国籍、教育背景。

They are everywhere and help us recognize things.

它们无处不在， 也让我们可以识别不同的东西。

And sometimes we even work hard to get that label,

有时候我们甚至会 不懈追求这个标签，

so they are comfortable.

所以拥有这些标签 是令人舒适的。

But labels come with a high cost of boxing people in,

但是拥有标签的高昂代价 就是受到限制，

not enabling us to grow outside those boxes.

让人们无法越过这些限制发展。

We need to think about diverse skill sets and perspectives as we set teams.

我们在组建团队的时候 必须考虑不同的技能和视角。

But once we have,

但是一旦组建完毕，

what if you for a second forgot who's from marketing

有没有那么一瞬间， 你忘记了谁是营销人员，

or who's the data scientist or who's the leader?

谁是数据科学家， 谁是领导？

I have at least been amazed by surprising capabilities in our teams.

至少我自己被我们团队的 惊人能力惊艳过。

You don't know what you don't know.

你无法知晓你所不知道的事。

Well, you also don't know what others know.

当然你也无法知晓 别人知道的事。

Accounting might actually have a great marketing idea.

会计师也许有一个 很好的营销点子。

Now that we have gotten rid of those labels,

我们现在把这些标签都抛开了，

I have another uncomfortable idea for you.

我要再给你介绍一个 会让你不舒服的建议。

Share everything.

分享一切。

We've learned to share a lot of things like rides, scooters, even our homes.

我们已经学会了 分享各种东西，

比如顺风车、共享滑板， 甚至是我们的家。

But when it comes to work,

但是一到工作上，

we so often end up sitting on information and resources

我们总是会独占信息和资源。

for ourselves.

And have you ever thought to yourself:

你有没有暗自这样想过：

“I can’t ask that, it’s too stupid?”

“我问不出口啊，太傻了。”

Yeah?

对吧？

Or maybe you've tried withholding information

或者你有没有把信息藏起来，

thinking it would give you an advantage?

觉得这能让你领先于人？

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Or, you know, the feeling of,

或者是这种感觉：

"Had I just known that, I would have done so much better."

“我要是知道这点， 那我能做得好得多。”

Let's imagine a team working together on a green transition strategy,

想象有一个团队 一起制定绿色转型战略，

and the following conversation is inspired by a team I was part of.

以下对话源于我所在的团队。

And Amine says he's working on a list of emission reduction levers.

阿明说，他在研究 一系列减排措施。

He's stuck, asking for help.

但是他卡住了，向大家求助。

Isabelle goes, "Do you have this data set?"

伊莎贝拉说： “你有这个数据集吗？”

Lisa: "Oh, stated something similar. Shall we combine?"

丽萨说：“哦，我也刚开始做这个。 要不要一起做？”

Peter: "Another market worked on this - did you meet?"

彼得说：“还有一个市场部同事 做过这个。你们聊过吗？”

This is leadership.

这就是领导。

Not in the hierarchical sense,

不是阶级分明的，

but in the sense of taking lead for solving a problem

而是领导大家解决一个问题，

by listing questions and involving people.

罗列出疑问，让人们参与进来。

Leadership is not about giving answers.

领导不是给出答案。

It is asking the questions.

而是提出问题。

It is daring to show vulnerability.

是敢于展现自己的不足。

Information is power

信息就是力量，

and information is everything, like questions, but also data,

信息就是一切， 比如问题、数据、

context, emerging insights, work in progress,

背景、新鲜看法、 正在进行的工作，

even water cooler conversations.

甚至是茶水间的闲聊。

Sharing means less one-on-one communication,

分享意味着一对一的交流变少了，

much more crowdsourcing and co-creation in the open, transparent space,

在开放透明的空间里 集思广益、共同创造的机会变多了，

real time.

而且是实时进行的。

And with more upheaval than you might naturally think of.

可能会有比你想象中 更多的人参与进来。

Wait.

等一下。

Doesn't that get really messy, even chaotic?

真的更杂乱无章、一片混乱了吗？

Well, we are used to information overload already.

我们其实已经对 信息过载习以为常了。

I’m guessing you don’t read everything on social media,

我猜你不会阅读 社交媒体上的所有内容，

and you know quickly how to navigate your way to what's relevant to you.

你也知道如何迅速找到 对你有价值的信息。

And if you catch yourself thinking, “I can’t share that,”

如果你发现自己在想 “我可不能分享这个。”

I want you to test again and ask, why?

我想再试一次，问一问， 为什么？

Because the upside of sharing everything is huge.

因为分享的好处在于 一切都会被放大。

We can leverage the power of the crowd much better when we all have context.

如果大家都了解情况， 我们就能更好地利用大众的力量。

It's faster due to less waste and duplicate work

这样更快，因为 减少了一对一交流的浪费、

and conflicting input in one-on-ones.

重复劳动和分歧。

But also because we can parallelize work and not just work sequentially.

另一个原因是我们可以 同时多线进行工作，

而不是一个人做完， 另一个人接着做。

It drives better quality when we capture ideas day and night

这种模式在我们每天捕捉想法

and when we distribute quality assurance across the full team.

和保障全组的工作质量时 可以带来更高的质量。

But the best of it all,

但是最美妙的一点是，

we get greater ownership through early involvement

我们可以通过早期与客户、

of people like customers and stakeholders,

干系人这样的群体接触， 获得任务更多的所有权，

avoiding that classic show-and-tell, the one-way presentation.

避免了传统的你展示、你讲述 这种单向的演示方式。

You can probably tell I could go on and on,

你可能看出来了 我可以一直说下去，

but there is one more uncomfortable thing we have to do.

但是我们还得做另一件 让我们不舒服的事。

Be nice to each other.

善待他人。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Kindness.

善意。

Sure, you say.

你说没问题啊。

But in the moment, isn't it easier throwing someone else under the bus?

但是背后捅人刀子不是更简单吗？

And have you tried the opposite of kind,

你有没有遇到过善良的反面——

the unkind leader,

不善良的领导，

the one who happily shares blame but not shine?

那人开心地骂别人 而不是表扬别人？

Or the pretend kind leader.

或者装作很友好的领导。

Like, “I know it’s Friday afternoon, and I need this by Monday 8 am.

会说：“我知道已经周五下午了。 但我周一早上八点之前要这个。

But don't spend your weekend on it."

但不要周末赶工哦。”

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Kind or unkind becomes especially clear when someone makes a mistake.

善良与否在别人犯错误的时候 显露无疑。

Now take Sara, she spotted a mistake,

比如萨拉，她发现了一个错误，

a quite significant one.

一个非常大的错误。

Now Sara is brave and shares that instantly with the full team.

萨拉很勇敢， 立即与全组分享了这个错误。

Wow, the replies.

哇，看看这些回复。

Bharat goes, "Thanks for sharing. That takes courage."

巴拉特说： “谢谢分享。你很勇敢。”

Samuel, "Better now than never."

萨缪尔说：“现在发现了 总比没发现好。”

Jenny, "No mistakes would mean we weren't moving fast enough."

珍妮说：“没问题说明 我们的进展不够快。”

The formal leaders in this conversation,

在这个对话里的正式领导们

they didn't think much about it when this happened,

当时并没有意识到这一点，

but the team members have later come back

但是组员们之后回想起来，

and said that this was a truly defining moment for the team culture.

他们说这是团队文化的 高光时刻。

They felt safe, a sense of growth mindset

他们感受到了安全感、 成长型思维

and trust that we have each other's back.

和我们互相支持的信任。

The team members also encourage each other,

组员们互相鼓励，

whether it's "love it," "spot on" or cute emojis.

回复“赞”、“正解”或者 可爱表情包。

This matters.

这很重要。

People so often roll their eyes when we talk about kindness,

在谈论到“善意”的时候， 人们常常会不屑一顾，

but even small words go a long way.

但是只言片语都能绵延万里。

This doesn't mean lowering the bar or avoiding difficult conversation.

这不代表我们得降低标准， 或者避免谈不下去的对话。

In fact, kindness allows us to take up even trickier topics.

善意其实可以让我们 谈论更棘手的话题。

And the results?

结果如何？

Well, good projects deliver on time as expected.

理想的项目会如期交付。

Honestly, I think we all know projects that really don't.

老实说，我想我们都知道 项目不会如期交付。

But by removing labels, sharing everything and being kind,

但是如果我们可以去除标签、 分享一切、友善待人，

you started seeing a spike.

你就会看见飙升的趋势。

Though more bumpy, we now get exponential growth.

虽然磕磕绊绊， 但是我们得到了指数式增长。

Results are much better and unexpected.

结果出人意料地好多了。

Like the team I introduced you to.

就像我之前介绍的这个团队。

People couldn't believe the impact and ownership we created.

人们无法相信我们创造的 影响和主人翁意识。

In just eight weeks.

在仅仅八周之内。

And we've seen this across many different problems

我们在各式各样的问题和

and very different desired outcomes.

各式各样令人满意的结果上 都看到了这样的效果。

Changing how we work,

改变我们的工作方式，

we found amazing results.

会产生神奇的结果。

Even early on in pilots,

即使是在试运行的时候，

80 percent of our people said they experienced more value delivered.

80% 的组员反映 他们感觉创造了更多的价值。

Sixty percent found better individual sustainability, work-life balance.

60% 的组员得到了更佳的 个人可持续发展和工作生活平衡。

And this is in a company known for high-performing teams.

这还是一个 以高效团队著称的公司。

When everyone is a leader,

如果每个人都是领导，

it allows us to do more and do it better.

我们能做得更多，做得更好。

Now imagine we took the formal leader out of the team.

想象一下去除团队里的正式领导。

That's in fact, what happened as I went on maternity leave a few months back.

这也确实是我去 休了几个月产假时的情况。

Nothing happened.

什么也没发生。

The team just went on.

团队该干什么还干什么。

Even this talk, I didn't come up with the ideas on my own.

甚至连这个演讲都不止是 我一个人的想法。

Many people did.

很多人都参与了。

It was crowdsourced and co-created from day one.

从一开始，这就是个 集思广益、共同创造的作品。

Distributed leadership is a movement that goes beyond the traditional leader.

分布式领导是 一种超越传统领导的变革。

People are much more likely to do things if they feel a sense of ownership

人们更倾向于做那些 让他们感受到所有权的事情，

and "it was my idea" versus being told what to do.

“这是我的想法” 相较于被人安排做一件事。

We need to create leaders, not followers.

我们得创造领导， 而不是追随者。

Now, none of this is magic,

虽然这些都不是空中楼阁，

but it won't happen if traditional leaders block it.

但是如果传统的领导加以阻挠， 我们就做不到这些。

We can't afford having anyone sitting back these days

如今，我们已经无法容忍 有个人就这么作壁上观，

with complex problems coming at us quickly and constantly.

目睹着复杂问题势不可挡、 源源不断地涌向我们。

We need to tap into everyone's knowledge and creativity.

我们得用上每个人的知识和创造力。

Labels and hierarchies,

标签和阶级，

hiding information, consolidating power,

隐匿信息，巩固权力，

being unkind or pretend kind.

做个坏人或者假装是个好人。

That's not going to help us do what we need to

这些都对我们努力创造美好未来

to create a better future.

毫无助益。

So when I now ask you,

我现在再问一遍，

who's in charge,

谁说了算，

who’s the leader today?

谁是现场的领导？

I want you all to raise your hands.

我希望你们都能举起手来。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Yes, you.

没错，就是你。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（掌声）