MIT Sloan faculty on what it takes to lead the future of work

Collection of articles from MIT Sloan's Ideas Made to Matter on the workforce of the future

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Executives and managers are adapting to new norms for remote and hybrid work and engaging with workforces seeking security in the face of digital transformation.

But that's today.

In the years ahead, leaders will need to adopt new styles of management, consider a new social contract that includes multiple stakeholders, and seek workers prepared to navigate ongoing ambiguity and change. 

A collection of articles packaged and released today from MIT Sloan School of Management's Ideas Made to Matter website examines the skills and knowledge managers need now to guide organizations over the long term. From distributed leadership to the traits of the workforce of the future, MIT Sloan experts offer ideas about managing the future. Articles include:

Why distributed leadership is the future of management
Successfully leading a company into the future is no longer about 30-year strategic plans, or even 5- or 10-year roadmaps. It's about adopting a strategic mindset that focuses on small, short-term wins that allow companies to respond to evolving technology and external risks like geopolitical conflict, pandemics, and the climate crisis.

MIT Sloan experts:

• Deborah Ancona, professor of organization studies; founder, the MIT Leadership Center
• Kate Isaacs, lecturer, MIT Leadership Center

5 traits of the workforce of the future — and how to boost them now
Future-ready employees are empowered, data-literate, comfortable with AI and machine learning, and committed to social and climate concerns.

MIT Sloan experts:

• Daron Acemoglu, institute professor and economist
• Emilio Castilla, professor of work and organization studies; co-director, MIT Institute for Work and Employment Research 
• Jason Jay, senior lecturer; director, Sustainability Initiative at MIT Sloan
• Miro Kazakoff, senior lecturer
• Kate Kellogg, professor of work and organization studies
• Erin Kelly, professor of work and organization studies; co-director, MIT Institute for Work and Employment Research
• Thomas Kochan, post-tenure professor; faculty member, MIT Institute for Work and Employment Research
• Malia Lazu, lecturer; award winning, tenured strategist in diversity & inclusion
• Fiona Murray, professor of entrepreneurship; associate dean for innovation and inclusion; co-director, the MIT Innovation Initiative; faculty director, Legatum Center at MIT
• Paul Osterman, professor of human resources and management
• Bethany Patten, lecturer; senior associate director, Sustainability Initiative at MIT Sloan 
• Ray Reagans, professor of work and organization studies; associate dean for diversity, equity, and inclusion
• John Sterman, professor; director, MIT System Dynamics Group and the MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative
• Zeynep Ton, professor of the practice; cofounder, Good Jobs Institute  
• Barbara Wixom, principal research scientist, MIT Center for Information Systems Research

How to make 'work of the future' work for everyone
Guided by a new social contract, this article explains how companies can deliver for shareholders, employees, and global communities as they develop next-generation working models.

MIT Sloan experts:

• Thomas Kochan, post-tenure professor; faculty member, MIT Institute for Work and Employment Research
• Sandy Pentland, professor; director, Media Lab Entrepreneurship Program

What 'Work of the Future' means to 5 business leaders
Data and AI, leading with empathy, and retaining workers are top of mind for executives from Google, Target, and Amgen. 

Launched in 2018, MIT Sloan's Ideas Made to Matter brings the work, ideas, and insights of MIT Sloan experts to global business leaders. The platform's journalists report on topics at the intersection of management and technology, including novel and effective use of data and analytics within organizations; navigating the digital economy; and leading organizations in an era when technology is changing how we work.

Ideas Made to Matter publishes on the MIT Sloan website, at MIT Sloan social media channels, and in the Thinking Forward newsletter, delivered every Tuesday morning. To view new articles, visit Ideas Made to Matter, follow MIT Sloan on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, and subscribe to the Thinking Forward newsletter.

The MIT Sloan School of Management is where smart, independent leaders come together to solve problems, create new organizations, and improve the world. Learn more at mitsloan.mit.edu.

SOURCE MIT Sloan School of Management