The Boss Stops Here by Matthew Shaer Response
This article talks about horizontal management can be more conducive to the workplace than top down management. Top down management was an effective method for projects like the Transcontinental Railroad but not necessarily for businesses. While it is still effective and has given way to many Fortune 500 companies, it can also slow down and stifle creativity which is essential for innovation to grow. Innovation is essential for companies to continue to have a competitive edge and one called Menlo Innovations has implemented flat management in their office to try to be more innovative. The result was that employees felt more invested and had more free time to do projects that they had interests in. They found that they were able to work faster and as a community. They even left decisions like hiring and firing down to the employees. Instead of letting one person make the decision, the entire team had to vote before deciding.
This sort of reminds me of the hiring process at Ambassadors since two supervisors and a superior come together to make the decision. Although the supervisors are only there for commentary and suggestions, the students still get a say in who gets into the program. It makes us feel more involved and more dedicated to our job. I agree with the article. After working with someone who tries to stifle the horizontal movement, I can tell how much slower things have gotten with getting projects through. What was originally supposed to take a couple of weeks is now taking months. By opening the flow of decisions to the employees, you can work faster and also get a better feel of what’s better for the company and the workplace.
