We find hierarchies everywhere.

At work, in families, in social settings, on sports teams, in clubs, in churches—it’s this invisible ladder we seem to find ourselves navigating in each of these scenarios every day. And we sometimes become overly obsessed with them.  Someone’s always “above” someone else, which means that someone is inevitably at the “bottom.” This is just the way we’ve been conditioned to think and to see the world. 

But here’s the thing: we don’t need to see it this way.  We can actually shift this belief from one that implies that people should be valued differently to one that implies that all people are equally valuable.

Hierarchies Can Be Helpful

The organizational structure of hierarchies can actually be quite useful. 

In most ways, structure is a good thing. Structure keeps things moving with its clearly defined roles.  Someone still needs to take the responsibility as the leader. We need a point person (or several) to define goals and help the group stay on track.  We certainly still need the captain of the ship, but the captain absolutely relies on the rest of the crew to keep things running smoothly, to keep the boat from sinking. 

Hierarchies simplify things with their chains of command. You know who to go to for different things. Roles are typically clearly defined, communication flows (albeit typically it’s quite lopsided in one direction – from top to bottom), and stuff gets done.

But commonly we see those toward the top of the hierarchy as being “more important” or “more valuable.”  This is where things fall apart.

When Hierarchies Go Wrong

Have you ever worked somewhere where leadership takes all of the credit, calls all the shots, and doesn’t listen? Or maybe you’ve lived in a family where parents micromanage every detail, leaving no room for kids to have a say? These organizations (companies, families, clubs, you name it) are typically plagued with an overall sense of dissatisfaction and discontent – more commonly simply called dysfunction.

Rigid hierarchies discourage creativity, which is (or should be) at the heart of every organization.  Because only a select few are tagged as the idea generators, the potential for collaboration and synergistic ideas is greatly diminished.  And because rigid hierarchies discourage collaboration, resentment has the potential to grow.

When leaders are encouraged to see themselves as more valuable than those lower than them in the hierarchy, those not included in the inner circle are at risk of feeling unheard or undervalued.  This can lower morale, leading to disengagement, which hurts the overall mission of the company.

Flipping the Script: The Flattened Hierarchy

Imagine a world where we keep the good parts of hierarchies (think defined responsibilities) but toss the “top-down” mindset?

Imagine taking the hierarchy and flattening it out so that each person maintains the same responsibilities but the visualization encourages mutual respect.

Imagine organizations where:

• Everyone, no matter their title, is equally valued.
• Leaders guide, they don’t dominate.
• Great ideas can come from anyone—and they’re welcomed with open arms.

This isn’t chaos; it’s connection.

Leaders still lead, but they lead with as much listening as directing.  They lead with as many compliments as criticisms.  They lead from a position of knowing that all are equally valuable.  They lead knowing that they are there to help others achieve greatness.  They lead while also being an equal part of the whole.

It’s like a mosaic: a mosaic is typically made up of many smaller, but equally-sized pieces.  And every piece matters as much as any other.  If you take out any one of the pieces of the mosaic there will be a hole that destroys the whole. 

True Leadership Is About Empowerment

Being a leader, especially in an organization with a flattened hierarchy, doesn’t mean hoarding power. Rather, it means empowering others by clearing obstacles, nurturing strengths, and helping people shine.

Think about it like a potluck dinner. The best potlucks happen when everyone brings their best dish to the table. As the leader, your job isn’t to cook for everyone or micromanage the menu—it’s to coordinate, encourage, and step in if someone forgets the dessert.

Leadership isn’t about being in the spotlight. It’s about making sure everyone else gets their moment to shine. In fact, as a leader, you act as a mirror for those in your organization, be it a company or a family or a club.  You end up reflecting the shine (or lack thereof) of the others in your organization.  So encouraging the other people in your organization to shine will help both them and you.

Being a leader means remaining curious and open-minded both to those around you and other opportunities for your business.

Being a leader means maintaining the “Tell Me More” mindset when you encounter people or ideas that you don’t initially understand. 

Being a leader means being willing to hear the hard truths about yourself and take them under consideration. 

Being a true leader means having the confidence to not need to prove anything to anybody.

Ways to Start Flattening Your Hierarchy

Flattening a hierarchy doesn’t mean eliminating structure—it means fostering respect, collaboration, and open communication. Here’s how you can start:

1. Invite ideas from everyone. Create spaces where team members can share their thoughts without fear of judgment.
2. Show respect across the board. Treat everyone, from interns to executives, with the same level of courtesy.
3. Break down barriers. Hold meetings where titles don’t matter, and ensure every voice is heard.
4. Seek feedback. Leaders, ask your team for input on your performance—and act on it.
5. Celebrate contributions. Share credit openly and let your team take the spotlight.
6. Recreate the organizational chart. In the new chart, use a depiction that doesn’t show some as being higher or lower than others.  Create clusters of people in certain groups.
7. Discourage competition.  Even though we often see competition as a motivational tool, it actually serves to divide more than motivate, decreasing our chances of effectively reaching the company goals. Competition discourages seeing each other as the equals that we are.
8. Revisit your mission statement as an organization. Whether you are a school, a family or a corporation, you can and should have a mission statement.  These mission statements can reflect the view of neutrality and equality.

My Journey with Leadership

I used to think leadership required permission—a title, a badge, a seat at the big table. For years, I played small, waiting to be “allowed” to lead. And when I tried to step up without a title, I flailed, desperate for validation.

At home, I overcompensated—trying to create equality by giving my kids too much responsibility too soon. I didn’t realize that leading them meant giving them the tools they would require to eventually lead themselves, not throwing them into the deep end before they were ready.

Now I’ve landed in a sweet spot. I see myself as both a leader and a learner. I’ve learned that leadership is about building others up, not controlling them. It’s about serving, not dominating.

True leadership isn’t about being “above” anyone. It’s about helping everyone—your team, your family, your community—be their absolute best.

Let’s Flatten the Hierarchy

It’s time to rethink how we approach leadership. By flattening the hierarchy, we create space for innovation, collaboration, and genuine connection. Together, we can build organizations and communities where every person feels valued and empowered to contribute.

Let’s lead with humility, curiosity, and respect.

Let’s flatten the hierarchy.  Together.