Parable: Adding Links

Real Working Groups

CEO asks people to connect formal relationships with other seats in four rounds:

Direct reports (solid-line); matrix reports (dotted-line); key teams; and basic workflow links

First, each manager extends solid red ribbon marked with arrows from their chair to each staff member’s seat, one tier above

Second, managers extend dotted red ribbons to matrix reports (and gives them new team patches)

Third, non-management team leaders, all those managing funded and authorized working groups, run green ribbons with membership arrows from their chairs to team members’ seats

Many managers and large number of “white coats” extend green teaming ribbons
Team leaders repeat process to cover each team they lead
Team members receive patches for each team where they play role

As more staff are identified as team leaders, more people change uniforms

Staff don line-leader or executive uniforms; line leaders add executive braid indicating they manage network of teams

Now more extensive true leadership network reveals itself from bottom-up, bringing great tangle of green lines connecting some stadium seats many times over