Most or our organizations are built on the hierarchy principle which seems on the surface to be an efficient and effective way to set things up. Why, then, do we end up frequently going around the formal organizational structures and processes to get things done?

Bill Gore, founder of the very successful Gortex Technologies organization recognized that the traditional hierarchical / authoritarian structure of organizations may not be the way to go, so he came up with the concept of “The Lattice Organization.”

Here is Bill in his own words: “The simplicity and order of an authoritarian organization make it an almost irresistible temptation. Yet it is counter to the principles of individual freedom and smothers the creative growth of man. Freedom requires orderly restraint. The restraints imposed by the need for cooperation are minimized with a lattice organization.”

A lattice organization is one that involves direct transactions, self-commitment, natural leadership, and lacks assigned or assumed authority. According to Bill, every successful organization has a lattice organization that underlies the façade of authoritarian hierarchy. It is through these lattice organizations that things get done. In a lattice organization each person interacts directly with every other person with no intermediary.

So what are the principles of the lattice organization?

• There are no fixed or assigned authority. There are no bosses, instead there are sponsors or mentors
• Leadership emerges naturally and leaders are defined by having followers
• There is a high level of person to person communication
• Objectives set by those who must make things happen
• Tasks and functions are organized through commitments

The challenges within the lattice organization are that:

• Well-defined objectives are needed
• Decisions must be made
• People must know each other
• Compensation process must be fair

Think this type of organization could never be effective in you office? Next time you are out hiking in the pouring rain and notice that the only thing keeping you dry is your Gortex jacket – think again!

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