Our common perception of an organisation or team is a top-down hierarchical structure. The executive and management sit at the top and actual workers are at the bottom of the hierarchy.
While it is a typical representation, it is often too wrong.
Maybe we need to visualise our organisations and teams as horizontal structures. Imagine workers who are undertaking hands-on work on a workbench. The product (physical or virtual) moves from one workbench to another. The management’s role is to ensure that people on the workbench stay engaged, active and healthy. The executive’s role is to provide clear instructions on the end goal.
The management moves around the workbenches and ensures that things don’t fall through the cracks. The executives develop a holistic view of the overall enterprise and the value it adds to its stakeholders.
Maybe there is value in visualising our organisations and teams in horizontal flat structures. It may give more explicit guidance on our actual role.
