Dave, at the risk of insulting your age or experience, I differ with your
judgement of participative management and related approaches "not doing
very well". I've been a consultant for over 20 years and, compared to
those "early days" things are going very well indeed in my assessment.
Openness to the idea has increassed by leaps and bounds - and I see the
pace accelerating as new technology makes it both necessary and possible
in new ways. As always, practice falls behind rhetoric - but that is
always the way of change as far as I can tell.
I think that part of the problem is our lack of concern for the power of
language. When you say,
> I happen to think that the word "supervisor"should be redefined to
> embrace supportive behaviors and tasks
I think you take on more - or ignore more - than is good for your
intentions. "Supervisor" has an historical definition and obvious current
roots that imply less than equal participants in a process. The term also
has a baggage of context and practices which is very authoritarian,
exclusive and dominating. Given these factors, I don't recommend
attempting to transform the word. My comment was aimed at the expanded
use of the term implied in "supervisin supervisors".
How about introducing team leaders, facilitators, coaches, coordinators or
even (ugh) managers. i don't particularly recommend managers because I
think that term also has a history and meaning that are unsuited to the
current age.
-- Michael McMaster Michael@kbddean.demon.co.uk