Lisa Gill
Breaking the Hierarchical Dynamic in Companies
As the world becomes more complex and the challenges facing companies grow, it has become increasingly clear that traditional hierarchical structures are no longer effective. Lisa Gill, a leadership trainer, and author, has spent her career exploring new ways of working together, and her work has focused on breaking the hierarchical dynamic in companies. In this blog post, we will explore her work and ideas, and how companies can benefit from moving away from traditional hierarchical structures (i.e., what we call FIAT hierarchies).
Lisa Gill is a member of Tuff Leadership Training, a company that turns 20 this year. She and her team specialize in leadership training that focuses on shifting mindsets and skill sets needed to break the hierarchical dynamic in companies. She is also the host of the Leadermorphosis podcast and the author of Moose Heads on the Table, a book about working without managers.
The Problem with Hierarchy
According to Gill, the problem with hierarchy is not the hierarchy itself, but rather the automatic, unconscious hierarchical dynamic that exists in many companies. This dynamic often takes the form of a parent-child relationship between managers and employees, which can stifle creativity and limit the potential of the workforce. Gill argues that we need to treat each other like adults and find new ways of dealing with conflict, feedback, and communication in order to break this dynamic.
In many cases, companies can benefit from adopting a more fluid, self-managing structure that empowers people to take on more responsibility and make decisions on their own.
Breaking Free of Conditioning
One of the biggest challenges in breaking the hierarchical dynamic is overcoming the conditioning that has shaped the way we think about work and relationships. This conditioning is drilled into us by family, school, and previous work experiences; it can be difficult to identify and change. Gill has found that even companies that adopt progressive structures and processes can still struggle with this conditioning, which can manifest as resistance to change or difficulty adapting to new ways of working.
Breaking the hierarchical dynamic requires a mindset shift and a willingness to experiment with new ways of working. Companies can start by empowering employees to take on more responsibility and giving them more autonomy in decision-making. They can also adopt self-managing structures that encourage collaboration and transparency, and they can find new ways of dealing with conflict and feedback that foster open communication and trust. This approach is still limited by the FIAT hierarchy in place, which “giveth” but can “taketh” away.
The Benefits of a Non-Hierarchical Approach
By breaking the hierarchical dynamic, companies can tap into people’s full potential, unleashing creativity, energy, and intelligence that may have been stifled in a FIAT hierarchical structure. They can also create a more flexible, adaptable organization that can respond more quickly to changing circumstances and take advantage of new opportunities. Ultimately, a non-hierarchical approach can create a more fulfilling and rewarding work environment for employees and lead to greater success for the company as a whole.
The hierarchical dynamic that exists in many companies is a barrier to success in today's complex and rapidly changing world. By breaking free of traditional structures and finding new ways of working together, companies can tap into people’s full potential and create a more adaptable, fulfilling, and successful organization.
