If something is hierarchical it has clear levels of power and importance, such as a hierarchical corporation that has the boss at the top, or the hierarchical social order of junior high school popularity. It’s lonely at the top.

noun, plural hi·er·ar·chies. any system of persons or things ranked one above another. government by ecclesiastical rulers. the power or dominion of a hierarch. an organized body of ecclesiastical officials in successive ranks or orders: the Roman Catholic hierarchy.

Abstract words are used to describe notions, concepts, and things that can’t readily be observed by your five senses. Abstract words include terms like ‘good’ and ‘bad,’ or ‘bravery’ and ‘cowardice. Abstract words may mean two different things to two people, or have differing meaning in different contexts.

: of, relating to, or arranged in a hierarchy a hierarchical society a hierarchical order in the church.

The definition of hierarchy is a group of people or things arranged in order of rank or the people that rank at the top of such a system. An example of hierarchy is the corporate ladder. An example of hierarchy is the various levels of priests in the Catholic church.

A hierarchy is an organizational structure in which items are ranked according to levels of importance. The computer memory hierarchy ranks components in terms of response times, with processor registers at the top of the pyramid structure and tape backup at the bottom.

A hierarchy serves a great purpose in helping every employee in an organization see where they fit in the big picture of things. A hierarchical org chart is very easy to read and makes sense. Hierarchies can be useful because as much as we don’t like to admit it, most people perform better with some sense of structure.

List of the Disadvantages of a Hierarchical Organizational Structure

• It may cause a lack of collaboration.
• It can cause managers to become territorial.
• It may reduce internal innovation.
• It centralizes the power structure.
• It creates a lot of bureaucracy that must be managed.
• It may create communication barriers.

Hierarchies add structure and regularity to our lives. They give us routines, duties, and responsibilities. We may not realize that we need such things until we lose them.

A Major Problem With The Hierarchy The information must often pass each level of management on its way down until it reaches the intended receivers. Management might be unaware of the need of the individual co-worker, which means that she does not receive the information she needs at all.

A hierarchy helps to establish efficient communication paths between employees, departments and divisions of the company. The manager of each department becomes the departmental administrator, and any information that is relevant to the department is given to the manager.

Hierarchy is inevitable. As our Stanford colleagues Deb Gruenfeld and Lara Tiedens show in a detailed review of research on hierarchy, although the forms it takes vary wildly, it is impossible to find groups or organizations where all members have roughly equal status and power.

Here are a few pieces of advice to help tackle hierarchy in the workplace.

1. Initiate shared responsibility rules.
2. Redefine roles and responsibilities.
3. Give junior team members the floor.
4. If possible, trial an open-plan office space.
5. Respect at every level.

In a hierarchical organization, leaders organize subordinates into a pyramid-like structure. At the lowest level, less-experienced employees take direction from supervisors and managers at higher levels. Communication typically flows from the top to the bottom.

Delayering is a means of simplifying management structures, reducing bureaucracy, cutting communication paths, speeding up decision-making and pushing responsibility down to lower organizational levels.

Employee hierarchy refers to the organizational arrangement of the business’s individual employees, divided and grouped into departments and around functions. The hierarchical structure of a business also defines the roles of employees within the organization and the relationships employees have with each other.

The three levels of management typically found in an organization are low-level management, middle-level management, and top-level management. Top-level managers are responsible for controlling and overseeing the entire organization.

The 3 Different Levels of Management

• Administrative, Managerial, or Top Level of Management.
• Executive or Middle Level of Management.
• Supervisory, Operative, or Lower Level of Management.

Today, many organizations use “flatter” structures, with fewer levels between the company’s chief executives and the employee base. Most organizations, however, still have four basic levels of management: top, middle, first line, and team leaders.

What are B-level executives? B-level executives are mid-level managers (e.g., Sales Manager) who are three steps below C-level executives and report to D-level management.

Lower Level of Management The lower level of Management is also referred to as the supervisory or the operative level of managers. They oversee and direct the operative employees. They spend most of their time addressing the functions of the firm, as instructed by the managers above them.

The 5 Levels of Leadership

• THE 5 LEVELS OF LEADERSHIP.
• Level 1 — Position. The lowest level of leadership—the entry level, if you will—is Position.
• Level 2 — Permission. Level 2 is based on relationship.
• Level 3 — Production.
• Level 4 — People Development.
• Level 5 — Pinnacle.

These people, who business researcher Jim Collins dubs “Level 5” leaders, represent a unique combination of executive capabilities, something that allows them to ensure their organizations become the best at what they do. The concept of Level 5 leadership is unique because it is based on empirical evidence.

Level 4 is the category that most top leaders fall into. Here, you’re able to galvanize a department or organization to meet performance objectives and achieve a vision.

Here are the seven most identified qualities of great leaders and executives:

• Vision.
• Courage.
• Integrity.
• Humility.
• Strategic Planning.
• Focus.
• Cooperation.
• Great Leaders Keep A Positive Attitude.