Breaking down barriers to innovation. Destroy the Hierarchical Organizational Structure.

Breaking down barriers to innovation. Destroy the Hierarchical Organizational Structure.

Some companies have taken the idea of breaking down barriers to innovation one step further. They tear up the hierarchical organization and start with something very different.

The traditional top-down structure in organizations can be a powerful inhibitor to innovation. It is a reflection of a style of leadership based on command and control where orders are issued at the top and followed by the ranks. People lower down the organization who have great ideas can feel inhibited about promoting them. They feel it is disrespectful to challenge the command chain. Most modern businesses try to overcome this with open communication and employee empowerment. But there is a more radical alternative – destroy the hierarchy altogether.