Friday Notes, November 17, 2023
Dear Friends —
Can we talk about “hierarchy” for just a moment?
Every once in a while I hear a complaint about organizational hierarchy, and tiny little fireworks go off in my head: “Would you rather not know who makes what decisions?!?” I think, but am smart enough not to say. “Would you rather have no differentiation of roles or accountability?!? Have you ever worked in a truly flat, consensus-based group of more than five people — and how did that feel, day-in and day-out?!?”
Then I take a breath and consider what is behind the discomfort and frustration with hierarchy. I do not believe it reflects a desire to be chronically confused about responsibilities or engage in endless negotiation. I do think sometimes people experience organizational hierarchy as being a vehicle for misuse of power, a representation of the worth of one’s work, and an echo of the unfair social stratification that persists in this unjust world. Those bads could be — should be — separated from the benefits of hierarchy.
Let’s pull them apart:
It is true that bosses sometimes wield power irresponsibly — but they don’t have to. People higher in the organizational hierarchy can impose their will arbitrarily and without explanation. They can encroach on your time by demanding fast-turnaround responses for no particular reason. They can make you jump through hoops. But that’s because they are behaving badly, not because they are bosses. They could support and protect rather than dictate.
It also is true that the contributions all team members make to impact may be attributed to the person highest in the chain of command. In virtually any enterprise, the products, services, or other results of the work are generated by the whole team — and it’s often the people closest to the bottom of the standard organizational chart who, day-to-day, are doing the jobs that keep the business going. For example, in a philanthropic foundation where the most fundamental job is getting the checks out the door within the constraints of nonprofit law, the core work could go on unimpeded — potentially for years — without anyone except the unsung hero checking IRS Letters of Determination and wiring the money to the right bank account. (Witness donor-advised funds!) But the existence of an organizational hierarchy doesn’t prohibit recognizing the value of each person’s role. We could do that in lots of ways that have nothing to do with position on an org chart.
And it is true that there is an unfortunate correlation between the race/class stratification that plagues the “outside world” and the structure of responsibility, credit, and salary within many organizations. But that problem isn’t solved by breaking down organizational hierarchy; it’s solved by organization-wide commitments to conceptualizing talent and qualifications in new ways.
Personally, I’m a big fan of the kind of healthy organizational hierarchy that manifests in three ways:
Clarity about which decisions are in whose hands.
Accountability for managing efficiently and effectively the people and work within one’s scope of responsibility.
Use of positional authority — one’s place in the hierarchy — to represent the interests of a team or an organization.
I am also a big fan of org charts that depict relationships in fresh — even “non-hierarchical” ways. You can see one in the chart above, and a total of 10 of them here.
I promised you a gift guide, and here it is. Most are suggestions for you to consider as you think through end-of-year charitable contributions; and one is something yummy to get or give.
A zillion organizations are worthy of support, so the most important thing is to find some and write checks. If you want to join me, here are six that I put my energies toward, along with and personal (tax-deductible) donations (plus employer’s match):
The International Initiative for Impact Evaluation - A global organization that is creating products and offering services that make it easier for policymakers to make the smartest choices to achieve social, economic, and environmental progress.
IDinsight - A dynamic, talented team of people deeply committed to advancing the use of data and evidence to make a here-and-now difference, working in close partnership with some of the most innovative NGOs and public programs in Asia and Africa.
The Mawazo Institute - A small but mighty organization that is raising the profile of African women in the sciences, and expanding the opportunities for those experts to influence public policy.
The International Budget Partnership - A field-leading group helping to strengthen the relationship between citizens and their governments by ensuring that ordinary people know how public funds are raised, budgeted, and used.
Namati - A brilliant and passionate team pursuing justice in the U.S. and around the world by helping people use and shape law to protect human rights and deepen democracy.
Jion Academy - An Oakland-based organization that provides caring support and academic enrichment to help girls and young women set and meet high expectations for their own futures.
For whomever in your life cooks or eats, I highly recommend trying products from Loisa, a New York-based start-up co-founded by my son-in-law, and animated with community spirit, that produces Latin staples with healthy ingredients. (My go-to quick dinner is a quesadilla with Loisa’s delicious sofrito rojo.) In case you think I’m biased, you can find validation in the New York Times Gift Guide under Cooking: “the most flavorful organic sazón, adobo and sofrito on the market.” Yum!
Finally, the best advice of the week!
Have a good weekend, and I’ll be back after the Thanksgiving break,
-Ruth
P.S. Last week I crowed about good retreat planning and a bunch of folks took me up on the offer of a “retreat kit.” Now it’s a free-without-asking Google doc: Retreat Planning Guide.