Side-by-side Management: A Future Management Model In The Workplace?

Side-by-side leadership is a concept that breaks with the traditional idea of ​​what a leader is. In fact, it is a far more complex management method as it involves more skills than conventional leadership. However, it is believed to be the predominant way of leading in the near future.

It is important to note that parallel leadership is also a new way of understanding power. In fact, today there is a real need to find methods for collectively building groups. In fact, the old idea that individuals have to decide for others is losing more and more of its validity every day.

Social and political change is much slower than individual change. Nevertheless, there are many signs that today’s society is undergoing a major transformation. Part of this process has to do with advances in parallel management, which will certainly be consolidated in the coming years.

Side-by-side management

The main idea of ​​side-by-side management is the fact that management is not represented by a single individual. Therefore, it requires a different way of both developing and achieving goals. In fact, the role of leadership is shared.

This type of leadership also involves a more collective way of making decisions. Unlike conventional management, it assumes the presence of different ways of thinking and acting. In addition, it seeks the means by which people can gather and act together.

Parallel management is also far more transparent. Therefore, nothing is going on under the table or kept secret. In this way, power is ultimately shared. However, mechanisms need to be sought so that this actually happens and it does not remain just an intention.

Mechanisms of action

Side-by-side management is collaboration in several ways. First, there is the exercise of the ruling power itself. The basic principle here is that power to decide, act or prevent others from acting should not be given to a particular person. On the contrary, what is sought is a system of balance and counterweight.

This means that the system must include decision-making bodies, but at the same time control bodies, both of which are operated on a common basis. This idea is the very essence of democracy. But in practice it does not always succeed.

In practice, parallel leadership is only successful if the leadership is sufficiently able to guide, yet limited enough to prevent a concentration of power.

For parallel management to work, as key protagonists, there must be people who are led by others. This is because the ultimate decision-making power lies with all members of the group, not just one.

From large individuals to intelligent structures

In parallel management, the most important is the structure of power, decision-making and control. The leader is no longer a person with unique abilities or virtues. In fact, the goal is to achieve a synergy between talents.

However, some actions require more skills than others. Similarly, there are times that require a certain kind of experience. However, the overall goal is for the different leaderships to be combined depending on the activity or action in question. It is the dynamics of reality that determine who should take the lead.

Clearly, any system requires coordination to function consistently. In this model, these cases are also collective and not individual. Therefore, collaboration is the prevailing paradigm.

So far, side-by-side management remains a theoretical concept. However, it is clear that organizations and societies are gradually taking steps towards more horizontal and participatory forms of power. Although the model for parallel management has not yet been fully developed, everything actually shows that we are moving towards it.