Is there anyone among us that like org charts? Do I see any hands? Bueller?
Maybe they are a necessarily evil. Maybe they are these artifacts that are instantly obsolete; once drawn they clarify how wrong-headed an organization’s structure is and are therefore can have some curative powers. Maybe they are good for those among us that like hierarchies and definitive reporting relationships, and who start to shiver at the words “dotted line reporting.” Or maybe it is just fun to see whom reports to whom and how other companies are so messed up.
In that spirit, a new site called WikiOrgCharts.com attempts to air them in public. Anyone can edit anyone else’s chart in the true Wiki free-for-all democracy. The few charts that I searched for were pretty spare and sparse, but that is to be expected, given the youth of the effort. Here is the one for Facebook, as an example: you get the Zuck’s direct reports and not much more:
Of course, the humble org chart has been the butt of many corporate jokes. Here is one of my old-time favorites, claiming to give you insight into something:
(Credit: Bonker’s World)
As organizational expert Bueller once famously said: The question isn’t “what are we going to do,” the question is “what aren’t we going to do?” Have a great weekend examining your favorite org charts.
