Leaders don’t just grow from inspiration. They grow from infrastructure. In organizations where decision-making is murky, approval layers pile up, and every risk requires reassurance, leadership suffocates under the weight of uncertainty. And yet, far too often, we blame the people when it’s the system that’s failing them.
If leadership is to scale – beyond the C-suite, beyond titles, beyond static succession plans – it must be supported by systems that provide clarity without control. Because structure isn’t the enemy of leadership. Control is.
Structure Isn’t the Enemy of Leadership – Control Is
Leadership needs room to move – but also rails to run on. When structure is built well, it empowers people by making authority, goals, and responsibilities clear. It doesn’t fence people in – it sets them free to lead with confidence.
Compare this with organizations that equate structure with command-and-control. Layers of sign-offs. Decisions that crawl from the bottom to the top and back again. These aren’t systems of leadership – they’re systems of delay.
At Spotify, their “squad and tribe” model is built on structured autonomy. Squads (small, cross-functional teams) have clear missions and high decision-making power. Tribes (groups of squads) align around shared goals. There’s structure – but no central choke point. Leadership is expected to emerge where it’s needed, not where it’s designated.
“You don’t need less structure to lead – you need better structure.”
— Nina Nets It Out
This Harvard Business Review article cuts through some of these challenges asking “Who Has the D?”. The authors suggest some simple tools can go a long way to think through decisions and decision making. Here’s a few more aspects to consider.
Flattening Hierarchy Without Flattening Accountability
In the pursuit of agility, many companies flatten their hierarchies – and unintentionally flatten accountability along the way. The result? Decision gridlock, political landmines, and a vacuum where leadership should be.
Removing bureaucracy is smart. But without clear decision rights and roles, teams end up operating in ambiguity. And ambiguity is a leadership killer.
Frameworks like RAPID (Recommend, Agree, Perform, Input, Decide) or RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) are powerful tools for creating clarity without micromanagement. They answer the critical question: Who gets to lead here?
At HubSpot, a company known for its transparency and culture of autonomy, leaders use well-defined team charters and outcome-based metrics to empower distributed ownership. It’s not about flattening for flatness’ sake – it’s about clarity that enables accountability, even in lean teams.
Systems That Promote Distributed Leadership
Leadership at scale requires intentional design. You can’t say “everyone can lead” if only a few voices are heard, or only certain roles are seen. Leadership-friendly systems are those that surface contribution and support decision-making from all levels.
IDEO, a company synonymous with innovation, structures its creative process to rely on shared leadership moments. Brainstorms, prototyping sessions, and project pivots all require leadership behaviors from different people at different points. Their system is built to invite leadership – not centralize it.
The same is true for decision-making. Leaders must build feedback loops into the fabric of their operations. From regular retrospectives to open strategic docs, organizations that create space for contribution are the ones where leadership flourishes in all directions.
Build for Clarity, Not Control
The best leadership systems don’t rely on tight control. They rely on tight alignment. That’s where tools like OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) become crucial. They create shared focus without constant oversight.
When everyone understands the “why” and the “what,” the “how” becomes a space for leadership to emerge. This is the shift from managing effort to managing outcomes.
As a CEO or senior leader, ask yourself:
- Is your org chart a ladder or a network?
- Do decisions require sign-offs – or do they require context?
- Are your systems supporting leadership – or stifling it?
Nina Nets It Out
Leadership can’t breathe where systems suffocate. If you want leaders to grow at every level, don’t loosen structure – strengthen clarity. Build frameworks that enable ownership, decision-making, and aligned autonomy. The future isn’t structureless – it’s smartly structured to multiply leadership, not concentrate it.