Hierarchical Adaptability: How High Performing Teams Dynamically Adapt the Shape of Their Influence Hierarchy to Meet Situational Demands

About the seminar topic

In this talk, we introduce the phenomenon of ‘hierarchical adaptability’, or the degree to which teams can adapt their interactions to work in a relatively more hierarchical or more egalitarian manner, based on task demands (such as operating hierarchically to execute orders or operating in a flat manner to brainstorm).

I first discuss a qualitative study of startup teams, in which we develop theory about how teams intentionally manage competing demands for hierarchy and equality. Based on a grounded theory analysis of 60 interviews and over 100 hours of observations, we find that some startup teams are able to adapt their internal hierarchy, fluctuating between moments of high versus low perceived hierarchical distance to match situational demands. I then present the results of a set of multi-method studies with both laboratory and field data in which we show that teams which regularly adapt the shape of the influence hierarchy in their team have higher quality team interactions and better team performance outcomes.

Finally, I return to the data from our first qualitative study, where we develop a process model of how teams are able to adapt the shape of their hierarchy. We develop theory around the micro-processes by which teams adapt the shape of their team influence hierarchy (between more hierarchical and flatter) to meet team needs, altering our theoretical understanding of how hierarchies function in teams. This process of hierarchical adapting gives rise to three novel paradoxes:

• teams are often characterised by both hierarchy and equality
• members’ perceived hierarchical distance within the team does not always align with the distance implied by the team’s formal hierarchy
• periodically flattening the team’s perception of its internal hierarchy can reify a functional formal hierarchy

Speaker bio

Lindy Greer is a Professor for Management & Organizations at Michigan Ross and the Faculty Director of the Sanger Leadership Center. Her research focuses on how to design and lead high-performing teams. 

Register

No registration required. If you have any questions about this seminar, please email Luke Slater.