Welcome to the first of my slower newsletters. Let me know what you think of the new format.

Today I'm going to share some thoughts on non-hierarchical ways of working and why it can be hard to get right.

Amateur, Organisational Philosophy

One of the major trends in organisations is to move away from hierarchical, directive models of leadership, towards non-hierarchical, collaborative models. This is particularly evident in knowledge work, which is increasingly done by the university educated. It suits a progressive mindset which is fostered on campuses across the west.

Personally, I love the move towards more collaborative ways of organising, because, in most cases, I think it is more efficient, but also more enjoyable for the people involved. If you are valued for your opinion as well as your effort, you have an opportunity to be more actualised.

Unfortunately, there is a shadow-side to this way of thinking. There always is. No one-thing is ever the answer to everything, despite what the Instagram influencers say.

And the shadow-side of this way of working is that, done without appropriate care and understanding, when you remove formal layers of power, you don't get freedom, you get anarchy.

People are tribal animals and they need to know where they stand in order to feel safe. If they don't know who is in charge, that is frightening. And people who are frightened rarely behave at their best.

It may be an illusion (it always is) that someone has things under control on our behalf. That our glorious leader will keep us safe from harm. But, we like that illusion. We don't like to face up to the uncertainty and fragility of things.

So, does this mean we should abandon our desire for collaboration over domination?

No. But it does mean that, if we are going to learn new ways of working, we need to do that well. If we remove one form of power and control, we need to create a different form of power and control. We shouldn't pretend that power and control can be wished away.

In the case of non-hierarchical working, this means learning (and un-learning) ways to meet, to decide, to exchange ideas and much much more. It isn't rocket science, but it also isn't common-sense.

Common-sense follows the loudest voice in the room. Consensus requires every voice to be heard.

A Quote I Love

"You are not everything you could be, and you know it." Jordan Peterson

What I love about this quote, which I have on my wall alongside a few others, is that it reminds me that I can do better. I find that each time I read it, it stimulates me to look at an aspect of my life that needs attention, and then act.

But I know someone else who doesn't like this quote at all. To him it sounds belittling.

How does it sound to you?

My Cultural Life

In the last few weeks I have been devouring the Cicero Trilogy by Robert Harris. This follows the life of senator and lawyer Cicero through the collapse of the Roman Empire into a dictatorship under Julius Caesar. It is a fascinating period in history and it is told in a really engaging way. In fact, Harris manages to turn even legal speeches into genuine page turners.

But what makes it particularly fascinating now is the comparison with what's happening in the world's largest republic, the USA. Two thousand years ago, a different Senate, wrestled with ideas of power, populism and war.

As Mark Twain said, "History doesn't repeat itself, but it often rhymes."

What I'm Working On

Two of my larger corporate clients are going through similar transitions at the moment. They are both trying to improve their organisation-wide culture around meeting discipline and decision making. I'm supporting them through 1:1 coaching and team workshops.

This week I am spending two days with a group of MDs in Manchester. This is a peer-group that I chair monthly and we're meeting for our annual away days.

I'm getting ready to launch a new leadership program that distills my expertise into a series of short lessons. This is designed to help people navigating complexity.