If every decision still has to come back to the boss, how much ownership does the team really have?
Uber just announced a restructuring that includes cutting management layers, stating that they want to simplify the business and speed up decisions.
I understand their logic. A more linear organization can put decisions closer to the work at hand. However, to make this effective it also requires their leaders to be clear about what people can decide and when they need support.
Over the past year, I’ve spent a lot of time working on exactly this: making customer requirements clear, giving our teams visibility into their performance, and establishing who owns the next step.
For me, expectations should be straightforward. Know what you own. Understand what good and bad look like. Know how you measure it. Then take ownership and deliver.
If I expect someone to own an outcome, I need to give them room to make decisions. I also need to listen when they challenge the process. The person doing the work may see something I don’t, and I should be willing to change my approach when their reasoning makes sense.
There’s a balance, though. Teams need coaching, resources, and help resolving, in what are always competing priorities. They also need the confidence to act without waiting for permission at every turn.
For those who have worked through a reorganization, what actually helped your teams make better decisions faster? What looked good on paper but fell short in practice?