When hiearchies become immovably big

Quote by way of Natalie Shell: “Conceiving a corporate change is like being on top of a mountain: The air is clear, the path is certain. But to execute that change, you have to leap into a foggy, ambiguous terrain. That’s why the truly courageous, audacious part of change isn’t the initial decision. It’s the willingness to stay on course.” Art Kleiner, Editor-in-Chief Strategy + Business magazine

Having spent a few days recently talking to employees from all levels of a huge pan-national corporation, here is one observation about hierarchies and change:

The closer the employees are to senior management, generally the more positive they are about an enlightened management team/attitude. They are more empowered. They feel belonging to a greater team with a greater purpose.

These feelings decreased the lower we moved down the ranks.

There comes a time when the mountain that is a corporate hierarchy gets so big that even though the peak is in fresh air with bright clear thinking direction strategy, the foot is going to be forever mired in muddy immovable doldrums.

Hierarchies can get so big that they become self-defeating. Another reason to flatten organisations?

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