Reinventing management: the practices that enable continuous innovation

Purpose – This paper aims to show how pioneering organizations can reinvent management practice by simultaneously implementing five fundamental shifts aimed at achieving continuous innovation and disciplined execution. Design/methodology/approach – The paper looks at five transformations that are required, which are: the firm's goal becomes delighting and engaging customers (a shift from an inside‐out to outside‐in perspective); the role of managers changes (from controller to enabler); the mode of managerial coordination switches (from command‐and‐control to dynamic linking); the values practiced shifts (from a single focus on shareholder value to values relevant to all stakeholders); and the communications mode of management changes (from command to conversation). Findings – This Masterclass offers leaders an overview of the practices needed to accomplish and institutionalize the five shifts. Practical implications – Meshing a client focus with autonomous teams and disciplined execution requires a set of measures called “dynamic linking.” “Dynamic linking” means that: the work is done in short cycles; the management sets priorities in terms of the goals of work in the cycle, based on what is known about what might delight the client; decisions about how the work is to be carried out to achieve those goals are largely the responsibility of those doing the work; and progress is measured (to the extent possible) by direct client feedback at the end of each cycle. Originality/value – None of the five shifts is new in itself. Success, however, requires putting all five shifts into operation together. This article provides a state‐of‐the‐art primer for leaders managing change.