Adding Contractors to the Org Chart
Invisible "Dark Matter"

Now CEO invites in the organization's contractors

  • Doors open all around stadium, walls push back, chairs appear for legions of contractors who flow into all functions along all tiers
    • Contractor chairs and uniforms khaki-color and trimmed in color of functions
    • Contractors’ uniforms and hats also show leadership status, except khaki brim
  • Existing teams and leadership spans swell, organizations balloon in size, and tiers broaden, lengthen, deepen
    • More of organizational pattern tumbles out of sight of front tiers

Inclusion of contractors sets off a flurry of activity as leadership enlarges

  • Many staff exchange white coats for line manager or even executive coats; some line managers add executive braid, reflecting increased level of responsibility for their positions

CEO notes that each person’s view is limited by their seat’s perspective

  • Steps between tier levels steep, stadium vast, thus everyone’s field of vision restricted by position
    • Even from front, only faces of first 100 or so people in  second and third tiers clearly recognized
    • Farther out, individual faces harder to see, dots of color as upper tiers blur
  • Patterns that seem clear up close become indistinct, tumbling “over visible horizon” about three levels deep, depth of typical org chart