Change management 9, anti-therapy

This seminar was given by Rene ten Bos. He is a professor of philosophy and organizational studies at Radboud University in Nijmegen. He wrote several books on strategy, business ethics and information e.g. “Modes in Management” and most recently “The Genius Animal”.

He is, in my opinion, the personification of anti-management thinking. So nice to hear someone like him in the series.
I read his book “Rational Angels’ which pleads against the atmosphere of ‘managers among each other’ . He expressed in scientific (and sometimes very difficult and for me inaccessible concepts) the self-imposed straitjackets in which managers maneuvering themselves. They loose their humanity (hence angels) by rationalizing very human and difficult issues. In the beginning managers are unhappy with this approach but in the long run they think that’s the way to act because of peer group bias and pressure. And thus, the next wave of dismissals of workforce is a cinch. Maybe today, businesses need these managers help more because of the crisis that’s ahead (or is your company already experiencing impediments?)

I believe this man is always ‘anti’. He didn’t give hand-outs or whatever artifact to us about his ideas or opinions, unlike the other professors. One of his statements is: “We are too far from being the animal we are and ask management gurus and consultant to help us. He calls for “anti-therapy”, we have to listen to ourselves. I can appreciate he is a philosopher. Even so he gave this lecture to us. Am curious what the 104 line managers and 42 directors in the audience thought about his statements. I didn’t dear to ask them.