John Z says something I heartily agree with. To overly simplify and
summarize his statements, it is not structures -- eg hierarchy or
alternatives -- that create dysfunctional organizations, it is attitudes.
The individuals that make up an organization, and attitudes as well as
skills those individuals bring are at least as important as the
organizational structure.
I have worked in some very effective hierarchic structures and in some
very dysfunctional 'flat' organizations. I have seen a moderately
effective organization step up a notch or two in performance with the
introduction of 1 additional person or the leaving of 1 person. Little
hierarchies really do get created and get eliminated when they have done
their task. These 'data points' cause me to speculate that who you invite
to join the organization is more important than -- or at least as
important as -- how you structure the organization.
Once you have the right people, it is still important to create a
structure and purpose that works well. Even the best people will not
succeed if there is insufficient goal clarity and responsibility. But it
appears that many different structures can be effective. I am unclear if
some really have more potential than others.
--Rol Fessenden LL Bean, Inc 76234,3636@compuserve.com
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>