Around 25 years ago, the Canadian sketch comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall redefined their creative process by embracing unstructured collaboration. After a failed venture, the group spent months “playing” together—experimenting, reconnecting, and rediscovering one another’s creative instincts. This unorthodox approach, often dismissed by traditional business standards as unproductive, led to a highly successful reunion tour and several new projects.
More than a creative reset, their process reflected the core principles of a self-organizing team—a concept widely endorsed in business literature, including the Harvard Business Review. Jurgen Appelo’s Management 3.0 outlines key traits of such teams, which are just as applicable in software development or corporate environments as they are in comedy.
Autonomy stands central: these teams chart their own course, take ownership, and define how to reach their objectives. Collaboration isn’t a last resort but a daily norm—team members contribute instinctively and dynamically, much like the workflow on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
Shared responsibility and shared leadership empower individuals to take the lead on different tasks, creating a balance of accountability and trust. Decision-making is participatory, pulling from all voices to produce smarter outcomes. Importantly, adaptability remains the team’s superpower—navigating change swiftly and effectively, without waiting for top-down directives.
These traits aren’t exclusive to comedy troupes. Saturday Night Live (SNL) has exemplified this model for decades. Cast members own their sketches, and Lorne Michaels, the show’s iconic producer, plays the role of facilitator rather than dictator. His leadership is rooted in talent recognition, servant leadership, and strategic restraint—stepping in only when needed.
Michaels enables his team to experiment, even fail, understanding that early missteps are critical to long-term success. “Bad rehearsals make for great shows,” as the saying goes.
For corporate leaders, the takeaway is clear: Build teams that can lead themselves. Hire well, provide the tools they need, and avoid micromanagement. Whether you call it Scrum, servant leadership, or simply good management, this model fosters creativity, accountability, and resilience in a fast-changing world.
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Source: Ceoworld.Biz
