Top to bottom

This post on "non-hierarchical management" caught my eye because of the company I work for, a large and familiar one you've all heard of. I had never worked for a company like this before about 14 months ago and didn't know what to expect; I thought it would be something like the movie Office Space but instead it's a real team effort, a place that cares about its employees and where the managers exist to serve those "below" them. (aaronsw/kottke)

A better way to think of a manager is as a servant, like an editor or a personal assistant. Everyone wants to be effective; a manager’s job is to do everything they can to make that happen. The ideal manager is someone everyone would want to have.

Instead of the standard “org chart” with a CEO at the top and employees growing down like roots, turn the whole thing upside down. Employees are at the top — they’re the ones who actually get stuff done — and managers are underneath them, helping them to be more effective. (The CEO, who really does nothing, is of course at the bottom.)