๐ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฆ๐: ๐๐ช๐ฆ๐ณ๐ข๐ณ๐ค๐ฉ๐ช๐ค๐ข๐ญ ๐ค๐ถ๐ญ๐ต๐ถ๐ณ๐ข๐ญ ๐ท๐ข๐ญ๐ถ๐ฆ๐ด ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ช๐ค๐ต ๐ด๐ถ๐ค๐ค๐ฆ๐ด๐ด ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ต๐ข๐ญ๐ช๐ต๐บ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ฉ๐ช๐จ๐ฉ-๐ด๐ต๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ด ๐ต๐ฆ๐ข๐ฎ๐ด by Anicich, Swaab & Galinsky (2015, PNAS) โ ๐ link in comments.
The researchers analysed over 5,000 Himalayan expeditions โ and found that hierarchy can ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฏ๐๐ญ๐ teams (more summits), but also ๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ (more fatalities). The key? Whether teams have the space to share concerns and adapt when things get complex.
That confirms what Iโve often seen over >25 years of working in and with organisations, especially when supporting cross-functional teams in transformation:
โ
In stable, expert-driven environments, clear hierarchy works โ if the right experts are in charge.
โ ๏ธ But when complexity grows, we need distributed roles, aligned decision rights, and a culture where people feel safe to voice whatโs not working.
๐ ๐ฌ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ฅ โ ๐๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐โ๐ฏ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ง ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฒ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ฒ ๐ญ๐๐๐ฆ๐ฌ. Does that resonate with your experience?
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