In praise of hierarchy
I found it interesting that this Saturday’s edition of the The Wall Street Journal included an article titled, “In Praise of Hierarchy” by Niall Ferguson (January 5, 2018). I thought I should write about the legitimate benefits of structure and order.
In his WSJ essay, Niall Ferguson raises an important question, “Do we perhaps overestimate what can be achieved by ungoverned networks and underestimate the perils of a world without any legitimate hierarchical structure?”
I suspect some of my readers are pondering a similar question, as am I.
I have not proposed that humanity is capable of maintaining a civil society without any hierarchical structure. We live in a networked world, connected through the internet, social media, and high-speed air travel. The disintegration of hierarchical structures accelerated as we became increasingly connected.
When I studied Interpersonal Communications and Business Administration in the 1970’s, there was an assumption that the people at the top of an organization could control and direct communication within a traditional (hierarchical) structure. Even before the advent of the internet and social media, this was a flawed assumption. People used to share information around the water-cooler, or in the lunch room, or locker room.
I respect and honor the value of professional and personal confidentiality, and the need to protect privacy. I also find it strange that any leader or organization today (in 2018) would assume they could control communication or information, or enforce “non-disclosure” agreements or prevent people from leaking valuable information. However, we have a Tweeting POTUS who doesn’t understand this basic fact. Valuable information has a way of motivating people to share; whether they have permission to share or not. I am actually thankful for that part of human nature.
When I was growing up, my father was the County Attorney of a rural County. He taught me that I should avoid doing anything that I would not be willing to be deposed about and admit to on the witness stand in a Court of Law. The truth will eventually come out, and lies will be exposed. The world certainly has changed, but I still detest lies and hypocrisy.
I mention lies and hypocrisy because I believe these have increased exponentially as a result of the networked world. I was once naive and thought the internet and social media would enhance equality, democracy, and freedom — making the world a better place. Instead, I am appalled at the ways our networked world has become even more polarized, hate-filled, and violent. The internet and social media are both/and; they are both beneficial and dangerous.
I am disturbed by all of the evidence that has come out that links Russians, ISIS, and powerful hidden malevolent forces (like Robert Mercer and Cambridge Analytica) to the subversion of democracies and governments. Trump is trying to control the communication and information because he has something to hide, his campaign was eager to enter into deals with Russians and Cambridge Analytica to win the 2016 election. As guilty as he probably is, the Trump Campaign was not alone. The Senate and House Republicans are afraid of prosecuting Trump because they too are probably guilty of working with these darker forces. The dirty games of politics are harder to keep secret in a networked world.
I digress… to get back to the subject of collective or distributed power. I am not proposing that we abandon all forms of hierarchical ordering of human activities. That would be anarchy!
In a culture where power is shared, we still step into and out of hierarchical roles. In a collaborative leadership culture, many people engage in activities traditionally defined as ‘leading.’
The actions or activities of leading include:
1) to direct or coordinate the operations, activity, or performance of (something)
2) to show the way, going before so that others may follow
3) to bring to some conclusion or condition
4) to guide
5) to go first or begin
When many of us think of leadership, we focus primarily on #1 above — the commanding or directing of the actions of others. “Directing” is, and always will be, a component of a collaborative leadership culture. The challenge of collaborative leadership is to direct without hoarding power. Collaborative leaders share as much information as possible. A collaborative leader distributes power as they “direct” activities; granting each person responsibility and authority for activities or actions. The larger group holds each other accountable to accomplish their shared objectives and mission.
This is the dance of collaborative leadership or CoCreative Power. We step forward, back, or aside, and align our efforts for a shared vision.
I believe that many ancient cultures honored this more egalitarian shared power culture. Riane Eisler (author of The Chalice and the Blade and several other best-selling books) refers to these as partnership cultures. The opposite end of the continuum is the Domination culture (power hoarders).
Structured organizations are still relevant as we work for long-term social change. The book, “This is an Uprising: How Nonviolent Revolt is Shaping the 21st Century,” builds a strong case for a both/and approach; structured organizations and mass movements. I believe “the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible (Eisenstein)” requires integrating these two approaches — figuring how to integrate the strengths of our structured organizations with outbreaks of mass nonviolent “uprisings.” I will write about the leadership cultures of both structured organizations and mass protests in other essays.
References:
Niall Ferguson, “In Praise of Hierarchy,” January 5, 2018, The Wall Street Journal, Saturday Essays.
For more information about Robert Mercer and Cambridge Analytica: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/03/27/the-reclusive-hedge-fund-tycoon-behind-the-trump-presidency
Charles Eisenstein, “The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know is Possible,” 2013.
Riane Eisler, “The Chalice and the Blade: Our History, Our Future,” Harper Collins, 1988.
Mark Engler & Paul Engler, “This is an Uprising: How Nonviolent Revolt is Shaping the 21st Century.” published by Bold Type Books.