"Follow the chain of command"

One of humanity's greatest powers is organizing large groups of people to work together. The technologies and practices that enable this have transformed the world in the last 150 years.

I know it's not cool to use military analogies for business situations. They're not the same.

Nonetheless, anytime you're organizing large groups of people you run into common problems that may benefit from common solutions. Like an org chart. Like clear definition of who makes decisions or controls resources. Like who leads and who follows. Bypass and disrupt these practices only by necessity and by exception.

"Follow the chain of command".

This means:

• Don't escalate things unless you need to
• Escalate one level at a time - don't skip levels

Benefit: Doing this will minimize drama, empower your first-level leader, and avoid wasting a more senior-level leader's time.

Objection: "Doesn't this make decision making slower?" Yes, if the front-line manager isn't empowered to make decisions or take action. Effective hierarchies emphasize delegation and empowerment - that is the whole point. Effective leaders push for decisions at the lowest possible level.

Apology: I've not always done this effectively. Sometimes I'm in a rush or don't care and escalate needlessly. I'm sorry.

#leadership #management #organizationaldesign