Why you need to create “Leadertarians” inside your organisation

In October 2009, a stalled project made us bow our heads to a client. After the 2008 crisis, we were on the brink of ruin. We couldn’t pay salaries and the team was falling apart. And to top it off, a project that was going the wrong way blew up in our faces, leaving a bad aftertaste in our mouths at the end of the period. That day, during the evening, almost with tears in our eyes, the three founders of the company made a decision: this had to change, and for good. That grey autumn day, during the evening, almost with tears in our eyes, with more rage and pride than reason, we decided that we would never again bow our heads to any client.

EVER.

Fernando & Juan Luis Polo,

Leadertarians

So begins Leadertarians, Creating “intrapreneurs” in the digital era, the book we published two years ago. A vision – peculiar and biased – about how technology is impacting human relationships and social organisation methods in this, the impetuous 21st century. How we think management, leadership and corporate culture will be transformed in order to face this new reality.

We wanted to write a lively, optimistic, human and emotional book, which showcases ideas and actions that were implemented to help Good Rebels, our company, transform and grow from 5 people to more than 120 co-workers with 6 offices in the UK, Spain and Latam. A variety of principles, values and techniques ranging from radical transparency to autonomy and responsibility, from self-management initiatives (no more bosses!!) to critical thinking and collaborative work. Using digital tools that make it easier to collaborate and decentralise processes, fostering connections within the organisation and accelerating the speed of innovation.

The book goes beyond the whats, explaining the whys and hows for companies seeking to survive the most exciting century of humankind. And to take care of their co-workers happiness during the journey. To make it easy to start this journey, we curated 20 theses from the book into a manifesto.

The book can be downloaded in electronic format here, and can be bought (in Spanish) here.

Fernando & Juan Luis Polo