DISAPPEARING ACTS

WITH ITS MOVE FROM HIERARCHICAL TO TEAM-BASED STRUCTURES AND ITS DISMANTLING OF FUNCTIONAL BARRIERS, THE ORGANIZATION OF THE FUTURE IS TOUTED AS A RADICAL DEPARTURE FROM TRADITIONAL MODELS. THE WORKER OF THE FUTURE, WE ARE TOLD, MUST BE A COLLABORATIVE TEAM PLAYER, ABLE TO GIVE AND RECEIVE HELP, EMPOWER OTHERS, AND OPERATE IN A WORLD OF INTERDEPENDENCE. THIS NEW WORKER NEEDS RELATIONAL SKILLS AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE--THE ABILITY TO WORK EFFECTIVELY WITH OTHERS AND UNDERSTAND THE EMOTIONAL CONTEXT IN WHICH WORK TAKES PLACE. PARADOXICALLY, THE VERY SKILLS THAT GIVE ORGANIZATIONS A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE MAY BE PRECISELY THOSE THAT PREVENT INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEES--ESPECIALLY WOMEN--FROM ADVANCING.IN THIS BOOK JOYCE K. FLETCHER PRESENTS A STUDY OF FEMALE DESIGN ENGINEERS THAT HAS PROFOUND IMPLICATIONS FOR ATTEMPTS TO CHANGE ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE. HER RESEARCH SHOWS THAT EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND RELATIONAL BEHAVIOR OFTEN "GET DISAPPEARED" IN PRACTICE, NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE INEFFECTIVE BUT