Learning and Development and Max Weber's 'Theory of Bureaucracy'

Maintaining bureaucracy?


"Leaders say they want transformation, engagement, innovation, creativity and agility ... but their actions and the environments they create say otherwise: what they actually value are the status quo, sameness, safety, certainty, busyness and consensus."

Sonja Blignaut

Max Weber (1864 - 1920) developed the theory of bureaucracy. He described an ideal bureaucracy as containing six central elements:

1. A clearly defined division of labour and authority

2. Hierarchical structures and offices

3. Written guidelines prescribing performance criteria

4. Recruitment to offices based on specialisation and expertise

5. Office holding as a career or vocation

6. Duties and authority attached to positions, no persons

Sound familiar?

The challenges for businesses and workers are now to complex to be addressed by the old bureaucracy model. The new leadership formula for success in the digital era means mastering context, communication and enrolment.

Which must mean a new mission for L&D to lead:

"Organisational readiness and the need to adapt"

I believe this is the perfect purpose for L&D - to align new goals, new strategy and new tactics around.

Meanwhile, most corporate L&D strategies continue to reinforce the bureaucracy model. As examples, here are two 'cultural markers' I noticed last week which I believe typify the entrenched perspectives:

Firstly, from the website of a "highly recommendable" 'learning technology solution'. The key features of their proposition:

"Modern e-learning courses all your learners can get excited about..."

"Minimise administration busy work..."

"Maximise training utilisation..."

Secondly, from an L&D job ad:

"I'm looking for someone who's worked in L&D and is strong on operating models, governance and process design..."

Leadership in the digital era is about empowering others to lead and to create. To remain relevant this means fundamentally new goals for the work of L&D.

So, a question for L&D leaders:

When you think you are "transforming" are you really just finding new ways to keep things fundamentally the same?


Paul works with L&D leaders who recognise the urgent need to create new environments.