The Hidden Structures in Teams and Organizations

The flat hierarchy myth

Dr. Sasha Göbbels
https://shrtr.name/hidstruc/

Overview

  • About me
  • Hierarchies
  • Org Change
    • Symptoms
    • Background
  • The Practical Part
  • Summary
  • References

About me

  • Senior Engineering Manager
  • PhD in Theoretical Chemistry
  • ADHD, hyperfocus topics include:
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Fashion Theory& Fashion
    • Neuroscience & Empathy
  • Extroverted introvert
  • Trans femme

Hierarchies

Every seeming equality conceals a hierarchy.
Mason Cooley
Hierarchy describes a system that organizes or ranks things, often according to power or importance.
Vocabulary.com

Hierarchy vs. Network

Hierarchy

Network

Org Change

Change is inevitable - except from a vending machine.
Robert C. Gallagher

The syptoms

  • Something doesn’t work.
  • Someone™ decides to rearrange people,
    groups and/or responsibilities/tasks.
  • Everyone™ is surprised that not very much
    changes . . . how come?
  • The existing way of working seems to be partially immune to change.

Something you should know

  • Whatever you draw as colorful boxes in your org chart is only half the truth.
  • You have to understand that there are
    connections across your organization that you
    can’t find in the org chart.

Background - Sociology & Psychology (1)

  • In every seemingly flat or completely unorganized group you have elites:
    Elite refers to a small group of people who have power over a larger group of which they are part, usually without direct responsibility to that larger group, and often without their knowledge
    or consent

Background - Sociology & Psychology (2)

  • Friendship group that participate in the same activities aka orgs.
  • Network of communication outside any regular channel.
  • Connection to Robert Axelrod’s model of
    adoption with socially enabled contagion.

Background - Pro & Contra

  • May impede changes
  • Not officially controlled
  • You can’t prevent informal networks
  • You also shouldn’t, because if they work well, they are productive

The practical part

You don’t change a culture by talking, you change it through action.
Mario Moussa

How to find the networks

A word of warning: be sure whatever you do to find informal connections
complies with the GDPR, DSGVO and a decent sense of ethics!
Things people tried:
  • Scan & gather info from internal networks like
    Slack (Who talked to whom?)
  • Transponders (Detection of proximity
    and duration)
  • Employee surveys
    • Why should they tell you about their personal connections? (→ Trust)
    • Are they even aware of them?

How to facilitate productive connections (1)

  • See which parts of the formal structure work and which don’t
  • Understand how people might be connected and which types of connections would be beneficial (talk to people actually!)
  • Can you identify and support ”natural brokers”?

How to facilitate productive connections (2)

  • Opportunity: bring back/in a bit of the informal operational mode of startups
  • Understand how people might be connected and which types of connections would be beneficial (talk to people actually!)
  • For remote orgs:
    • In remote nothing happens if not deliberately
    • Make serendipitous meetings possible

Brokers & Connectors (1)

  • Connectors are inside a group. Passive role of being asked by colleagues.
  • Brokers connect units of the org by actively joining conversations & carrying information around.

Brokers & Connectors (2)

  • Some people are both.
  • Both roles only come with a
    ”natural” inclination.
  • You can facilitate their work by leaving slack for them to follow their instinct

The role of Connectors

  • Connectors are a type of knowledge base.
  • Facilitate their work by having them in meetings with other knowledge bearers.
  • Your approach might benefit from insights in knowledge management:
    • Tacid vs. explicit knowledge (↝ M. Polanyi)
    • Knowledge process theory (↝ I. Nonaka)
    • Open Innovation (↝ H. Chesbrough)
    • Systems Theory

The role of Brokers

  • Brokers are communicators and network builders.
  • They bridge gaps.
  • They benefit most from having time, permission and opportunities to connect.
  • They often have knowledge in multiple areas (”renaissance person”/”multipotentialite”).
  • Being empathetic greatly helps them to connect.

Summary

  • You can’t avoid informal networks, they are a human feature.
  • Try to understand them, but be careful when investigating.
  • Analyse the status quo: what works & what not.
  • Where do you want to go?
  • Look for connectors & brokers and facilitate their work.

Thank you!

Questions or Additions?

References