Invitational Management seems to be our term at Teal Unicorn – nobody (?) else is using it. Let’s define it.
We learned the concept from Dan Mezick’s book Inviting Leadership which talks about Invitation-Based Change™, but I don’t think it ever calls it “Invitational Management”.
Invitational Management is our collective term for all aspects of inclusiveness by managers and executives. Engagement of all stakeholders, which includes employees, customers, suppliers, and community members, is crucial. Each stakeholder group brings unique perspectives and skills, which enrich decision-making, problem-solving, and creativity; and enhance the organisation’s adaptability and resilience. The more diverse the group, the more powerful the effect. Rob likes to see if people are startled by who is there when they walk into the room, it is a good sign.
Change the management culture from power to invitation; from dominion to inclusion; from force to respect; from suspicion to trust; from anger to affection; from commanders to servants.
You can’t make knowledge workers do anything well, you can only invite them to work. Whether they are your teammates, colleagues, employees, staff, suppliers, or partners, you can only invite people to work with you. Open Space teaches us that the people who come are the right ones.
If somebody chooses not to work with you, there is little point in trying to coerce them, as you will not get good results. Instead, you need to look at the work, to understand how you can do it without them, or how you need to modify it to make it attractive.
Also, if they really needed to be there for their sake, then next time they are more likely to come. If we are working iteratively and incrementally, then there will be a next time, right?
Our work is invitational: if people don’t want the new ways, we don’t push the issue. We go somewhere where they do. The people who come are the right people. Change must be pulled not pushed.