How to Create Positive Team and Organizational Hierarchies

2019-20 Positive Links Speaker Series: Lindy Greer

On February 18, 2020, Lindy Greer presented “How to Create Positive Team and Organizational Hierarchies."

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Hierarchy is the most ubiquitous way in which human beings organize social interactions. However, hierarchy comes with substantial downsides in terms of inequities and conflicts. As a result, organizations have explored flatter modes of organizing, such as holacracy, which unfortunately have yet to yield much success. In this presentation, Greer will explore the possibility that hierarchy may still be the most effective form of organization but needs to be used wisely. She will discuss data-driven strategies which can allow hierarchy to be a useful and positive organizational tool, including helping leaders learn how to ‘flex’ the hierarchy for bursts of flatness, to humanize the hierarchy through sharing emotions at work, and to reduce competitions around hierarchy by creating areas of individual ownership and autonomy.
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The Positive Links Speaker Series, presented by Michigan Ross’ Center for Positive Organizations, offers inspiring and practical research-based strategies for building organizations that are high performing and bring out the best in its people. Attendees learn from leading positive organizational scholars and connect with our community of academics, students, staff, and leaders.

Host: Jane Dutton, co-founder of the Center for Positive Organizations; Robert L. Kahn Distinguished University Professor Emerita of Business Administration and Psychology

More: https://positiveorgs.bus.umich.edu