Gary Hamel, a professor at the London Business School, talks about a world without bosses for the new Phoenix Lecture Series. His words are jarring and at first, way out there because from my American worldview working a corporate job, the hierarchy is just how things are and there is no other way to go about it. The business hierarchy is what our economy is fundamentally built upon. You break into the workforce as a bottom feeder, and after years and years of sucking up and smiling, you slowly inch your way up the corporate ladder. Such a system perpetuates only because as you reach that next level, it’s only fair that the fresh-faced recent graduate that has just started at your company yesterday goes through the same b.s. process. Helps build character, right? It sort of reminds me of that Kayak.com commercial I saw on TV about the “morons at the top”.
But Prof. Gary Hamel suggests otherwise. What if there was no hierarchy? What if you only did what you wanted to do and you couldn’t be compelled otherwise? What if the future of the company wasn’t about where the big dogs wanted to take the company, but was a crowd-sourced decision that everyone would be happy with? What if everyone is on the same level and you wouldn’t waste away the prime of your life sorting mail and getting coffee because your voice is as essential as anyone elses? I can barely fathom it myself but if there are companies out there that are as progressive as this, sign me up. As a pragmatist, I don’t see it working. I hope companies out there prove me wrong.
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