Since the beginning of time companies have been control freaks. For most of the 20th century companies held on to information and doled it out on a “as needed basis”. According to some; corporations leadership styles have started to change. As this chart suggests corporations are beginning to loosen the reigns on information.

I’m not sure I agree. I believe we’ve made great progress. The old “Retain” model is a dying breed. Information is too important for companies to hoard and deliver on an as needed basis.

Have corporations embraced the “Encourage” model? I don’t think we’re there yet. A small number of companies have embraced the “Encourage” model, but they are early adopters. Companies are control freaks! They still hoard information and make hierarchical decisions on who get’s what. I don’t think we are close either. Companies have just begun to “Share the information.

This Tweet by an Unknown Twitterer says it all:

“Why is it companies trust us with a phone, but don’t trust us with Twitter or Facebook.”

Companies are control freaks, and like all control freaks, if they can’t control it, they don’t like. Things are changing, but not that fast.

Is your company a control freak?