If the themes in these podcasts resonate, and you sense your mid-level managers could benefit from deeper reflection and peer exchange, consider joining our monthly online community. Hosted by Roddy Millar, it’s a relaxed yet purposeful space where leadership challenges are unpacked with insight and camaraderie. Each session offers structure without rigidity, and conversation without jargon. To learn more or explore joining, drop us a line at: [email protected]

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In this episode of The Power Between by Ideas for Leaders, host Roddy Millar talks to Chris Monö, a Natural Followership Advisor (author and speaker) at Natural Followership, as well as an Organisational Development Manager at a large Scandinavian financial services organization. With years of experience in people-focused business development, Chris shares his thoughts on leadership, followership, and creating environments that foster collaboration. He highlights the challenges mid-level managers face and the need for organisational structures that align with natural human behaviour to drive engagement and productivity.

Chris Monö, discusses how his work in organisational development and passion for followership has shaped his approach to leadership, focusing on collaboration, engagement, and creating structures that align with human behaviour to improve productivity and team dynamics.

Key Topics:

• The Power of Followership: How people at all levels can lead and influence by collaborating and supporting others.
• Human-Centred Leadership: The need for leaders to create environments where people can thrive and collaborate freely.
• Breaking Down Hierarchy: The importance of shifting from rigid structures to ones that better align with natural human behaviours.
• Middle Management Challenges: The unique struggles faced by mid-level managers caught between leadership demands and team needs.
• Collaboration Shift: How encouraging collaboration over hierarchy drives better results and boosts engagement.

[00:00] Trailer

[02:25] Chris shares his background in organizational development and passion for followership.

[05:05] Chris talks about collaboration in organizations and how structures often hinder natural collaboration.

[08:02] Exploring the challenges of leadership in hierarchical systems and the importance of aligning work structures with human nature.

[08:52] The issue of quiet quitting and how engagement can be affected by rigid structures.

[14:38] Chris emphasizes the need for a shift in organizational mentality to encourage personal responsibility and collaboration.

[17:08] Chris discusses the importance of reducing control in leadership to empower employees and encourage collaboration.

[19:45] Successful examples of managers creating environments where collaboration thrives and employees feel engaged.

[24:03] The critical role of followership in achieving organizational goals and fostering collaboration.

[27:08] Chris shares insights on how transparency in leadership decisions can build trust and drive engagement.

[30:11] How Scandinavian cultural attitudes impact organizational structures and employee collaboration.

[36:04] Chris concludes with an optimistic outlook on the evolution of organizations toward more collaborative structures.

📚 Resources:

👉 Subscribe to DLQ just for $3 for 3 months - https://developingleadersquarterly.com/

👉 Read this article from DLQ46 for free on ‘From Compete and Compare to Collaborate and Care’ - https://developingleadersquarterly.com/from-compete-and-compare-to-collaborate-and-care/?share=ccyoGhQUZSYB

👉 Why We Follow - https://www.naturalfollowership.com/books/

Follow our guest, Chris Monö:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-monoe/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/c.c.mono/

Follow our guest’s company, Natural Followership:

Website: https://www.naturalfollowership.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/naturalfollowership/

Follow the Host, Roddy Miller:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roddymillar/

Follow Ideas For Leaders:

Website: https://ideasforleaders.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ideas-for-leaders/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ideasforleaders.dlq

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ideasforleaders/

X (Twitter): https://x.com/ideas4leaders

Listening Links:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NHgbWdUlJS8z1aSTgcIYt?si=d4f19ce12516420f

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-power-between/id1842080646

Podcast site: https://ideasforleaders.com/

Don't forget to subscribe for more insights on leadership, collaboration, and creating human-centred workplaces! Share your thoughts or questions in the comments - we’d love to hear from you!