Monday, November 08, 2010

Could robots replace managers?

Yes, exactly: do you think this can help? If yes, by when should we expect to become obsolete?

All of us, or... just the Project Managers, or just the People Managers, or only the CxOs?

Let's take a step-by-step approach to analyse this idea.

- what does a CxO do all day long? Looks at numbers, weighs ideas, run a lot of meetings, join in quite a few, and then decide. This is one job that even a robot could do, right?
- what does a Project Manager do? Looks at graphics, numbers, tasks, activities, costs, weighs in the variables and probabilities of various risks, and then decide. A robot could do that as well, right?
- what does a People Manager do? Looks at graphics, numbers, operational aspects, hire/fire people, give some random advices, and then decide. It seems simple, and straightforward, right?

So... why are we still here? why isn't our place already taken by robots? Maybe in my logic I made some mistake... yeah, there might be a chance that - beyond numbers, and graphs, and decisions - some flair, intuition, and experience play the most important part when taking decisions.

What's your point of view on this? Is it all logical thinking, in a series of "if... then... else" and some alternative paths (some more complex than others)? Where does the human factor come into play?

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