Protean firms balance core values while floating ideas in

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Protean (adjective) — 1. Able to changr form; variable or continually changingin nature, appearance or 2. Versatile; showing great variety and diversity. The days of likeningg large firmsto supertankers, which take time to change are over. The days of corporate “Cores” and have arrived. As the center of the protean the Core defines thecompany — its mission, standards, identity and public image. It fosterxs strategic relationships with partnersand investors. Core membera aren’t the entrepreneurs; they are the committed workhorses.
Organizationally small and the Core draws on the expertise of staff from all levels of the traditiona organization to engageits Cloud. The Cloud’s “quickly and successfully adapt to achangingf world.” It focuses on reaching enterpris goals consistent with Core objectives. Membership of the Clouf changes as situations requiredifferenyt expertise. While there are full-timr employees in it, the Cloud relieas on part-timers, contractors and consultants who “continuously migratse between greater or lesser attachment to the Some move onafter contributing; others shiftg roles. The barrier to adopting the protean recognizing the needfor change.
The supertanker mentality includes a uniqueblind spot; it lackxs the institutional courage to venture into the unknown even when the know n says “change or die.” The fallacyg of Point A — “we’llk do what we’ve always done” thinkingt — is its disregard for the realitt of what must be done to reach Poinrt B. The challenge: getting the Core workhorse and Cloud changelint to appreciate what each brings to the The Core has tofess up; it’s not the smartest grouop in the room. It must be smar enough to recognize that the speed of changs makes it impossible for a smalpl group to knowthe “what and of adapting to new.
The Cloud must fess up, too; ther e is no such thiny as job security. The opportunity to work for a stablew Core provides Cloud members with the resources to use and build theirskills (i.e. stay marketable). Author Michael Malone uses the history of the rise of the corporatioj to show how it has evolved and develop the proteannnext step.