News Center



Home News Center News

Managing People in Turbulent Times

Jun 16-2020   



 

In our recent MBA Forum, Prof. Dirk Buyens spoke on new ways of working and management in a New Normal shaped by the pandemic. He is professor of Human Resources and Partner of Vlerick Business School and has been dedicated to making the PKU-Vlerick joint MBA program a success.

 

Prof. Buyens set off from micro-perspectives and focused on the needs of employees and managers amidst the pandemic. He started with an exposition on the psychological contract and then analyzed the essence of leadership, before moving to present the Unlearning methodology and the New Normal of people management.

 

The psychological contract reflects the expectations and promises between employees and business owners. The Tip of the Iceberg can figuratively reveal the gaps and cracks therein. Prof. Buyens advised young professionals to accept changes, become tech masters, focus on making work results visible, maintain social relationships, among others.

 

Facing the pandemic, one should think like a leader and keep tabs on the evolution of industries and the business world in general, as well as the role of the government. Collaborative leadership – based on shared values, goals and vision - is in high demand and is tasked with identifying a development path for business diversification. Moreover, it’s time to construct a post-pandemic vision, from which a path can be logically delineated and missing competences can be mapped.

 

Prof. Buyens also pointed to the disruptions brought by the RAPLEX environment and the relevance of the Unlearning methodology for acquiring new knowledge and skills. The application of Unlearning can be undertaken from three aspects, namely behaviors, knowledge and beliefs. It’s worth noting that more time will be required to weed out old beliefs than that spent on absorbing new ones.

 

In the New Normal, work is redefined in terms of both time and space. How successful the new way of working will turn out remains to be seen, but managers should be prepared to handle the relationships between freedom, autonomy and responsibility. More importantly, the notion of ‘job crafting’ has come into shape and emphasizes the proactiveness of employees to take on responsibilities, break down working boundaries, and adjust the meanings of work. To adjust to the New Normal, Prof. Buyens laid out advice in six areas, including efficient remote working, web-based collaboration, long-term perspective, and non-contact economy, among others. 

Managing People in Turbulent Times

Jun 16-2020   



 

In our recent MBA Forum, Prof. Dirk Buyens spoke on new ways of working and management in a New Normal shaped by the pandemic. He is professor of Human Resources and Partner of Vlerick Business School and has been dedicated to making the PKU-Vlerick joint MBA program a success.

 

Prof. Buyens set off from micro-perspectives and focused on the needs of employees and managers amidst the pandemic. He started with an exposition on the psychological contract and then analyzed the essence of leadership, before moving to present the Unlearning methodology and the New Normal of people management.

 

The psychological contract reflects the expectations and promises between employees and business owners. The Tip of the Iceberg can figuratively reveal the gaps and cracks therein. Prof. Buyens advised young professionals to accept changes, become tech masters, focus on making work results visible, maintain social relationships, among others.

 

Facing the pandemic, one should think like a leader and keep tabs on the evolution of industries and the business world in general, as well as the role of the government. Collaborative leadership – based on shared values, goals and vision - is in high demand and is tasked with identifying a development path for business diversification. Moreover, it’s time to construct a post-pandemic vision, from which a path can be logically delineated and missing competences can be mapped.

 

Prof. Buyens also pointed to the disruptions brought by the RAPLEX environment and the relevance of the Unlearning methodology for acquiring new knowledge and skills. The application of Unlearning can be undertaken from three aspects, namely behaviors, knowledge and beliefs. It’s worth noting that more time will be required to weed out old beliefs than that spent on absorbing new ones.

 

In the New Normal, work is redefined in terms of both time and space. How successful the new way of working will turn out remains to be seen, but managers should be prepared to handle the relationships between freedom, autonomy and responsibility. More importantly, the notion of ‘job crafting’ has come into shape and emphasizes the proactiveness of employees to take on responsibilities, break down working boundaries, and adjust the meanings of work. To adjust to the New Normal, Prof. Buyens laid out advice in six areas, including efficient remote working, web-based collaboration, long-term perspective, and non-contact economy, among others.