According to a recent article in Harvard Business Review, there’s a new kind of worker that every company needs: the amplified individual:
We live in a world in which amplified individuals — people empowered by technologies and the collective intelligence of their social networks — can do things that previously only a large organization could.
… People like these are engaged in “socialstructing” — that is, bypassing established institutions and processes for building new things, and instead working to create what they find missing in the world by communicating the need to their social networks, mobilizing whatever resources they have at their disposal, and pursuing solutions collaboratively.
What if we began thinking about PR agencies in a similar sense? An “amplified agency” is one empowered by technology and can tap into the collective intelligence of their social networks to help achieve better outcomes for clients. In this world, the size of the agency is less important than the agency’s nimbleness, resourcefulness and commitment to innovating best practices and creating new/better ways to get things done.
The HBR article provided some tips to help employers seeking to amplify their workers’ talents for greater innovation and impact. Using two of those constructs, here’s how the theory could apply to an amplified agency:
Change how you measure performance.
“The value you seek from employees, and should recognize and reward, can’t be measured only by focusing on their internal contributions. It also depends on their connections to and their standing in external communities that are important to your organization.”
Amplified agencies: Instead of solely relying on standard metrics — whether it’s media placements, number of downloads or sign-ups, shifts in perception or share of voice — also begin to value the connections and intangibles that an agency can bring to the table. Can the account teams offer insights from previous experiences, make introductions, or tap into their social networks (when appropriate)? This means management needs to allocate time for employees to build their networks and test new technologies. While not necessarily considered “billable time,” it’s certainly time well spent when these new skills and contacts can move a client initiative forward.
Design the organization to support individual initiative, not control employees’ actions.
“The value of self-organizing structures is that they can act quickly, responsively, and creatively from the edges.”
Amplified agencies: Hustlegy: It’s a word I first learned from Eric Koester (who may have made it up!). The idea is simple: Combine hustle + strategy. Agencies bogged down in hierarchy, process and too much attention on the billable hour are ill-equipped to hustle. Clients want agencies that are go-getters, flexible and smart enough to provide solid strategic counsel. By embracing “hustlegy,” agencies empower individuals to take initiative and stay focused on doing whatever it takes to get the job done.
Your turn. Do you see businesses seeking “amplified individuals?” How can agencies embrace this concept to better serve clients?
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