It is worth stating, at the outset, that “The Empty Raincoat” by Charles Handy was originally published in 1994.
Therefore, to read it in 2020 is something of a joy. The book details Handy’s thoughts on the dilemma of the individual in the corporate world. Are we all to become anonymous? The titular empty raincoat? The book is very far-reaching in its scope but does not overstretch itself. Many of the predictions have come to pass. Some, like the idea of federalism, seem to have played out and be seeking out a second Sigmoidal curve.
This cyclical idea of renewal is certainly an interesting one. Handy talks of the need to begin the next upward curve, before the previous arc is complete. Naturally, the difficulty inherent comes in recognizing that the downward trajectory has started. This is one of the many modern business paradoxes that Handy explores.
As a lean thinker, I was particularly interested in Handy’s thoughts on belonging. Belonging creates engagement within the lean enterprise, and this topic features heavily in Handy’s work. Handy explores the concept of twin citizenship, both on the level of the large and the small. As humans, we engage with the goal of the department and the corporation. Handy did extrapolate this to the idea of the small community, inside the federal state. He hypothesized if this might spell the end of the nation station – with small, self-governing towns, orbiting a European centre. History has shown that the notion of the nation-state is still a strong one.
In the corporate world, Handy speaks of central hubs, granting subsidiarity to satellite entities. The success of this model, argues Handy, becomes the individual’s sense of membership to the centre and the unit where the work is done.
Handy speaks of the rise of the portfolio worker — a vendor of self, giving service to multiple companies via an invoice of skill, not time. Although the large organization has yet to degrade to this level, there are signs of Handy’s forewarning. The job for life has undoubtedly disappeared from our landscape.
“The Empty Raincoat” is a remarkable book, which certainly stands the test of time. The author, and his work, is an academic area I will re-visit in coming years.
Thoroughly recommended.