31/1/2020 Navigating the Post-Hierarchical Organization

 

Navigating the Post-Hierarchical Organization

Written by Steve Heikkila

Nov 27, 2019 | Culture, Organizational Innovation, Change

Whether we realize it or not, organizational structure is experiencing radical change in

today’s world. Horizontal relationships are overtaking the hierarchical structure of
yesteryear—but it’s not always an easy shift.

The world is undergoing an epochal shift in organizational structure. A growing network of at, interlaced,
horizontal relationships is slowly eroding the hierarchical-pyramidal organizational structure that has dominated
human life since the agricultural revolution.

This epochal shift impacts human relationships at all levels, from the smallest (your friendships, your family, your
Homeowners Association) to the largest (national governments, multinational corporations, international and
intergovernmental organizations).

https://xblog.xplane.com/navigating-the-post-hierarchical-organization 1/5
31/1/2020 Navigating the Post-Hierarchical Organization

This is the thesis of Belgian professor of clinical psychology Paul Verhaeghe’s recent book, Says Who? The
Struggle for Authority in a Market-Based Society.

Cultural In uences
Verhaeghe attributes this momentous shift to two primary causes: (1) the digital revolution, which has attened,
accelerated, and democratized information ow and (2) the simple fact that never in human history have so
many people been so highly educated.

Anyone associated with traditional hierarchical-pyramidal organizations (i.e. all of us) have surely experienced the
friction points where the old organizational structure confronts the new.

Not surprisingly, and with increasing frequency, long-standing hierarchical-pyramidal organizations often reach a
tipping point.

Rather than continuing to struggle against a horizontal network organizational structure, they reorganize and
adopt a horizontal structure themselves.

This shift is, of course, easier said than done—and there are some things traditional organizations should bear in
mind when contemplating “the shift.”

Horizontal Organization Structure Offers Advantages

It’s not di cult to see how a horizontal relationship network challenges traditional hierarchical-pyramidal
organizations.

Like the metaphor of the worldwide web itself, a horizontal

network structure situates individuals as nodes in a complex
and dynamic matrix of peer-to-peer relationships. These
relationships are interactive and collaborative. Information is
shared openly, often freely, and extremely quickly. These
elements, behaviors, and ways of working are intrinsic to
XPLANE’s culture, which has traditionally been a horizontal
network structure.

This stands in stark contrast to traditional hierarchical-

pyramidal organizations, which assign individuals to a station
within a speci c strata of a top-down, command-and-control
hierarchy. And where superior/subordinate relationship dynamics control information ow in ways that clash with
the multivariate peer-to-peer information sharing of the digital era.

Additionally, paternalism, a system under which an authority supplies needs or regulates conduct of those under
its control (a hallmark of hierarchical-pyramidal organizations), regardless of how well-intentioned, keeps
otherwise highly competent individuals from participating fully as organizational adults.

“My favorite thing about working at XPLANE is being empowered as

an employee and not feeling micromanaged,” comments Art Director
of Brand, Nicole Bittner.

https://xblog.xplane.com/navigating-the-post-hierarchical-organization 2/5
31/1/2020 Navigating the Post-Hierarchical Organization

As a result, huge amounts of organizational intelligence are squandered as well-educated contributors further
down the pyramid (the majority of the organization's membership) are relegated to being passive recipients of
whatever limited information a narrow strata of decision-makers at the top send down the chain of command.

Struggle Often Precedes the Tipping Point

As people grow accustomed to frequent and easy collaboration, open information sharing, and at, peer-to-peer
relationship dynamics, they increasingly chafe at the constraints of hierarchical-pyramidal organizational
structure.

Traditional organizations often interpret this cha ng, and the challenging and questioning it breeds, as
insubordination and loss of control.

In an effort to regain control, they respond in the worst possible way. They institute increasingly coercive
regulatory and policing measures to force members back into compliance, which produces the opposite of the
intended effect: resentment and revolt.

Eventually (hopefully) the organization’s leadership recognizes that battling its own people (its own untapped
talent) while atter, more agile organizations pass them by isn’t a great idea. And rather than attempting to
control everyone, they would be wiser to empower their people.

Culture Changes Slowly

On September 3, 1967, the entire country of Sweden transitioned from driving on the left side of the road (UK-
style) to driving on the right side.

The transition took a mere 10 minutes.

At 4:50 AM drivers were instructed (via the radio) to stop their vehicles, transition carefully to the right side of the
road, and wait.

At 5:00 AM a brief countdown commenced and everyone started driving again. Mission accomplished.

It’s a shame that the organizational transformation from a hierarchical-pyramidal to a more horizontal structure
can’t happen this quickly.

Unfortunately, such a change requires signi cant organizational culture change, and culture change is measured
in months and years rather than mere minutes.

When we consider that the worldwide web became publicly available in 1991 and 28 years later we’re still
adapting organizationally to the implications, it should come as no surprise that sorting out how an organization
might best t within a world of organizations will take time.

That said, there is also a case to be made for not dwelling too long in “organizational limbo.”

Make a Plan, and Follow Through

For considerations both tragic and comic, Sweden’s tra c transition from the left to the right side of the road isn’t
the kind of change you roll out slowly and gradually.

Obviously, an incredible amount of planning was required to make the country’s 10-minute tra c transition
happen quickly and relatively seamlessly.

The same might be said about the transition from a hierarchical-pyramidal to a horizontal organizational
structure.

https://xblog.xplane.com/navigating-the-post-hierarchical-organization 3/5
31/1/2020 Navigating the Post-Hierarchical Organization

The transitional period, that in-between time before you’ve successfully moved from the left to the right side of
the road so to speak, can be awkward if not downright painful. The consequences might not be as dire as a half-
executed side-of-the-road tra c transition, but the analogy is an apt one, nevertheless.

Without a road map or a clear plan, a partially hierarchical/partially horizontal organizational structure places
members of the organization in the awkward position of driving both with and against tra c and traveling both in
the right and wrong direction.

To minimize this transition pain it’s essential that an organization not only fully commit to the transition, but also
invest plenty of time and effort in developing an actual plan (collaboratively, of course)—and follow through on
executing that plan.

See you all on the other side of the road.

If you have thoughts or questions about this post, we would love to hear from you.

Related Articles

Culture Into Thin Air: How

Good Leaders Share
Their Vision and Inspire Action

Culture The Four Horsemen

of the Apocalypse:
Discover How to Change Your Company
Culture

https://xblog.xplane.com/navigating-the-post-hierarchical-organization 4/5
31/1/2020 Navigating the Post-Hierarchical Organization

Culture New Ways to Keep

Remote Workers
Engaged

Email Us

Call Us
+1 855.548.4343

Solutions
Clients
About
Careers
Store
Visual Thinking Lab

Sign up for ideas, inspiration, and insights.

In which language would you prefer to receive our newsletter?
Please Select

Email

SUBMIT

    

©2020 XPLANE, Corp.

https://xblog.xplane.com/navigating-the-post-hierarchical-organization 5/5