Flattening the Pyramid or Dismantling the Ladder - any way you look at it building a non-hierarchical culture is difficult
Sohini Bhattacharya
CEO at Breakthrough | Founding Trustee at READ Global | Leading Social Impact Initiatives | Passionate about gender equity and leadership
A quick conversation yesterday with a few colleagues on how can we make sure we keep the culture of non-hierarchy flying in the organisation even as we grow lead to these musings. Being non-hierarchical is essential for organisations working on gender - traditional power structures, rife with patriarchal dominance, are viewed as antithetical to the pursuit of gender equality and you have to practice what you preach, no? While we do not follow a holacracy or a matrix structure at Breakthrough Trust , we try to be a flatter organisation with shorter line of commands and inculcate a non-hierarchical culture.
One of the most compelling aspects of a non-hierarchical culture is its potential to foster innovation and agility. By removing bureaucratic hurdles and empowering employees at all levels, organisations can tap into a broader pool of ideas and respond more quickly to changing external conditions. So please encourage everyone in the team to share ideas. Be prepared to be humble and be prepared to be surprised! Because the best idea might not come from you in the end.
The empowerment of all voices is very important. If decisions need input from everyone involved then diverse perspectives can lead to more well-rounded solutions. When people feel their opinions are valued, they're more likely to be invested in the organisation's success. Complex problems often require expertise from various areas. By empowering all voices, you tap into the collective knowledge of the team.
Additionally, a flatter structure can lead to increased employee ownership and engagement, as individuals feel a greater sense of responsibility for the success of the organisation. Studies have shown that empowered employees are more likely to be motivated and productive [Source: Motivation and Leadership by Kreitner & Kinicki]. With fewer layers of management, employees have greater control over their work. They can make choices, solve problems, and experiment without needing constant approval. This fosters a sense of ownership over their tasks and the direction of their work. So please share organisation's vision-mission with everyone, talk about challenges and communicate achievements regularly. Ensure everyone has access to the information they need to do their jobs effectively. This fosters trust and allows employees to see the bigger picture.
Consensus decision-making, while time-consuming can foster inclusivity. One approach is to utilise rotating leadership roles and establish clear frameworks for communication and conflict resolution. Additionally, fostering a culture of shared responsibility and mutual respect can mitigate the risk of informal power dynamics taking root.
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However, a non-hierarchical structure is not without its challenges. One major concern is the potential for decision-making paralysis. Without clear lines of authority, reaching consensus on complex issues can be difficult and time-consuming. Additionally, the lack of a top-down approach can make it challenging to establish clear direction and hold individuals accountable.
A hybrid approach may be the most effective solution. Organisations can empower teams to make decisions on their day-to-day work, while still maintaining a leadership structure for overall strategy and direction. Additionally, fostering a culture of open communication and clear expectations can help ensure accountability and prevent decision-making gridlock.
Ultimately, for a feminist organisation replicating the very structures feminism seeks to dismantle – is equally undesirable. If your organisational model do not operate through collectives where leadership is fluid and decisions are reached through consensus, then you have to ensure you are creating safe spaces where women can support and learn from each other, fostering a sense of horizontal connection. By dismantling power imbalances and fostering collaboration, it creates a space for genuine equality and shared purpose
The benefits extend far beyond feminist organisations!
Freelance Advisor, Trainer and Evaluator
5 个月Interesting read Sohini! I think nurturing a non-hierarchical culture is important. But I think we should throughout stick to ‘non-hierarchical culture’ and not mix it with ‘non-hierarchical structure’, as they can give unnecessary guilt and angst to people on higher positions. They are there due to proven abilities and competence on critical strategic matters - visionary thinking, entrepreneurial spirit, better management skills. They have to make final decisions. But the onus is on people higher on the hierarchical ladder to nurture a non-hierarchical culture – they must be incorruptible, and have genuine empathy, interest of everyone at heart and should be highly democratic and participatory in their decision-making, without being patronizing. Everyone’s work should be valued, should be provided with opportunities to be expressive in work, and everyone’s voice should be heard. The organization should also strive to provide for reasonable accommodation for individual style and preferences, without harming the interest of others and of the larger system. Opportunities for situational leadership should be created, and formal leaders must become genuine followers. But let's call it non-hierarchical structure.
Consultant
5 个月Agree largely with Pramada Menon. Ultimately, organisations are individuals with different skill sets, levels of accountability, maturity and experience. Their personal motivations and drivers are different too. I feel that hierarchies are social constructs but they arise from the projections of these differences. This is why we see power dynamics even amongst a group of friends or peers. Perhaps, clear and transparent communications can create flatter structures. But, where people's concerns are guided by insecurities or a need to be in power, it becomes difficult to be honest because of fear of judgement from others and self. Flatter hierarchies, therefore, depend at least as much on the individuals' agency and responsibility as on the system/ structure. Feminist organisations probably need to begin by acknowledging that people's motivations and intentions are not always 'noble'. Create a safe, judgement-free space for discussing and navigating these negatively perceived needs. Then we set some ground rules and hope for the best.
Executive Director@SHE Changes Climate|Gender and ClimateJustice|Child Rights|Leadership|Organisational Development|IVLP|Synergos Senior Fellow
5 个月Fantastic! Absolutely love the point you make on ‘dismantling structures that feminism is fighting against’. I agree the biggest challenge is about that of decision making. In my experience, the other challenge is of preparing people who are used to conventional system of Hierarchial functioning, preparing the team to accept and streamline this new way of functioning is essential and equally challenging.
Monitoring & Evaluation | Qualitative and Quantitative Research | Behavior Change & Social Impact
5 个月I like where you wrote about utilizing rotating leadership roles and establishing clear frameworks for communication. However, transparent and empathetic leadership goes a long way in cementing non-hierarchal culture. Now, empathy as a term is often overused but not truly practised, and personal biases go unchecked constantly. There is a flip side, too; one can feel compassion fatigue, which is very real. Overall, I really enjoyed it, especially the last paragraph. This is something I have been thinking over for quite some time in terms of research on how to include the community in designing tools, analysis, and collaboratively putting out recommendations to budget these at the planning stage and, to be honest, how to decolonize fieldwork. It's very extracting, from hiring the enumerators to writing the report.
Non-Profit Organization Management Professional
5 个月I like the concept. It will boost the performance and decision making abilities. It will also enhance the learning enthusiasm.