You do not have a flat hierarchy, and never will. Aug 20 2024
Over the course of 5 days at the Siggraph conference in Denver last month, I heard the phrase "flat-hierarchy" mentioned on 3 different occasions, by different people, in different contexts. This tells me it is still widely considered an ideal to aspire to, but one that I believe is deeply flawed and even dangerous.
I understand the appeal of the flat hierarchy concept, it appeals to a sense of democracy and respect for everyone's opinion. In a company of 5 or fewer people, where everyone brings a unique value to the team, it may be possible for a flat hierarchy to exist. In all other cases I have never seen it work effectively. I believe there are lessons we can learn from the desire for equal status, while fully embracing the effectiveness of hierarchy.
When I do hear an organization claiming to have a flat hierarchy, it is almost always a claim made by the CEO, a founder, or an established member of the senior management team. Occasionally I hear it repeated by compliant HR representatives. I have never heard an intern or junior employee claiming to have the same status and authority as their CEO. That's the interesting thing about power differentials, we instinctively know when others have greater power and authority than we do. Any signals we detect that we have greater power and authority than someone else are much more subtle and nuanced, and easy to underappreciate. The inequity in how power dynamics feel depending on which end of the differential we are at, is at the heart of so much human conflict, unhappiness, and crucially for this conversation, in how drama and inefficiencies can fester within team and company dynamics.
Let's address the elephant in the room. Power. It is an emotive term and often triggering to many, especially if associated with individual or intergenerational trauma. Yet power dynamics exist in all relationships, romantic, personal, and professional. As uncomfortable as it may be to address, it is self-defeating to pretend this unseen force does not exist.
When I hear a leader speak of having a flat hierarchy it tells me one of two things.
Either: They are unaware of the full extent of the power differential that their colleagues are operating under, creating the perfect scenario for overreactions and misinterpretations.
Or: They are well aware of their power but uncomfortable about claiming it, and seek to mitigate their discomfort by hiding behind the facade of a flat hierarchy. When told by their boss that there is a flat hierarchy, everyone will go along with it even though they know it to be false, because ironically they know better than to question the authority figure.
Power is inherent in leadership. Just like electricity, it can be used with great positive effect, and when misused has the potential to cause significant harm. If your office was filled with exposed live electricity wires, pretending they're not there would be a recipe for disaster. The same is true for power differentials. The first step to reducing harm and harnessing the power for everyone's benefit, is to acknowledge it exists.
Want to talk with a non-judgemental strategic partner about creating the best team culture for all to flourish? Reach out and let's set up a call.
fred@fredchapman.ca
I understand the appeal of the flat hierarchy concept, it appeals to a sense of democracy and respect for everyone's opinion. In a company of 5 or fewer people, where everyone brings a unique value to the team, it may be possible for a flat hierarchy to exist. In all other cases I have never seen it work effectively. I believe there are lessons we can learn from the desire for equal status, while fully embracing the effectiveness of hierarchy.
When I do hear an organization claiming to have a flat hierarchy, it is almost always a claim made by the CEO, a founder, or an established member of the senior management team. Occasionally I hear it repeated by compliant HR representatives. I have never heard an intern or junior employee claiming to have the same status and authority as their CEO. That's the interesting thing about power differentials, we instinctively know when others have greater power and authority than we do. Any signals we detect that we have greater power and authority than someone else are much more subtle and nuanced, and easy to underappreciate. The inequity in how power dynamics feel depending on which end of the differential we are at, is at the heart of so much human conflict, unhappiness, and crucially for this conversation, in how drama and inefficiencies can fester within team and company dynamics.
Let's address the elephant in the room. Power. It is an emotive term and often triggering to many, especially if associated with individual or intergenerational trauma. Yet power dynamics exist in all relationships, romantic, personal, and professional. As uncomfortable as it may be to address, it is self-defeating to pretend this unseen force does not exist.
When I hear a leader speak of having a flat hierarchy it tells me one of two things.
Either: They are unaware of the full extent of the power differential that their colleagues are operating under, creating the perfect scenario for overreactions and misinterpretations.
Or: They are well aware of their power but uncomfortable about claiming it, and seek to mitigate their discomfort by hiding behind the facade of a flat hierarchy. When told by their boss that there is a flat hierarchy, everyone will go along with it even though they know it to be false, because ironically they know better than to question the authority figure.
Power is inherent in leadership. Just like electricity, it can be used with great positive effect, and when misused has the potential to cause significant harm. If your office was filled with exposed live electricity wires, pretending they're not there would be a recipe for disaster. The same is true for power differentials. The first step to reducing harm and harnessing the power for everyone's benefit, is to acknowledge it exists.
Want to talk with a non-judgemental strategic partner about creating the best team culture for all to flourish? Reach out and let's set up a call.
fred@fredchapman.ca