Karen Sands Wisdom Futurist’s Post

In Memoriam: Charles Handy (1932-2024) Charles Handy, who passed away at the age of 92, leaves behind a legacy as one of the most influential and humane thinkers in the realm of business and management. He certainly has influenced my own thinking of management profoundly. At the heart of his vision was the belief that both businesses and individuals must learn to navigate paradoxes—balancing economic success with human dignity, adaptability with continuity, and individual purpose with the collective good. The title of one of Charles’s most celebrated books, The Empty Raincoat, perfectly captures this concern: how can we preserve our sense of purpose amid the relentless pressures of economic and technological change? He urged both individuals and organizations to strive for the fulfillment of their highest potential, rather than merely chasing material success. Charles foresaw the rise of the “knowledge worker” and the decline of traditional employment structures. In response, he advocated for organizations to become more flexible, decentralized, and attentive to the development of their people. He envisioned workplaces where human potential could flourish rather than be constrained by hierarchies. * Charles believed that culture is the soul of an organization, shaping how it operates and what it achieves. His typology of cultures—power, role, task, and person—remains a vital tool for understanding the dynamics within organizations. * He believed that human dignity and relationships must remain central to organizational life. * For Charles, organizations were more than economic entities; they were communities. His doughnut principle illustrated the balance between core responsibilities and the freedom for personal expression and creativity. * His concept of the shamrock organization—a model dividing workforces into core employees, contractors, and outsourced specialists—offered a framework for managing this evolving reality. At its heart was a recognition of the need for trust, collaboration, and adaptability in a world where work is increasingly fragmented. * He urged leaders to be learners, fostering environments of trust and empowerment where individuals feel valued and motivated. * He also introduced the Sigmoid Curve, a metaphor for organizational lifecycles. It taught that success requires reinvention before decline sets in—an insight that resonates strongly in today’s rapidly changing businesses. Charles Handy’s legacy is one of profound humanity and enduring relevance. He championed lives enriched by purpose and creativity, where work becomes a source of personal satisfaction and contribution. And he challenged us to rethink success—not as the accumulation of wealth or status but as a life well-lived, rich in purpose and connection. We must fill our empty raincoats with meaning, to embrace change with courage, and to build a world where work serves life, not the other way around. Podcast: https://lnkd.in/em7xGGk3 #transformation