These days, many companies emphasize a horizontal organizational culture. Have you had experience working in such companies? If so, I'm curious if you truly felt that the organization was horizontal.

An organization has something called an organizational chart. Starting from the head, it branches out into various teams, and from each team head (team lead, manager, or department head), the branches continue downward.

An organizational chart cannot be horizontal (or flat), because it shows a hierarchical structure that goes from top to bottom. So, if a company were truly horizontal, should it not even have an organizational chart? This raises the question: would we need to eliminate titles and truly be horizontal with one another?

Horizontal Culture in Small Organizations

Could small organizations be truly horizontal? Each person might take on roles like CEO, CMO, or product owner, for example. For instance, as a developer, could I not also post promotional tweets on the company’s Twitter account?

In situations where generalists are needed, a horizontal culture could indeed be a good fit.

Horizontal Culture in Mid-Sized Organizations (Experienced Invasion)

When a company receives investment or starts to make a profit, it will likely begin hiring more employees, especially experienced ones (targeting professionals in various fields). As these individuals, who have various experiences, join the company, they will gradually be integrated into the right roles.

At this point, boundaries for each person's responsibilities will become clearer. The concept of teams will become more prominent. Companies that emphasize a horizontal culture at this stage may start to experience some internal HR issues. There may be egos within the teams.

Vertical Culture in Large Organizations

By now, the company may have become quite successful. Should we be applauding its success? However, the atmosphere might start to feel more suffocating. Clear hierarchies (or layers) will emerge. Whether positive or negative, there will likely be a distinction between “the company” and “everyone else.” This is the point where the egos of staff and team leaders may clash.

Personally, I believe there is no truly horizontal company. However, there are companies where sincerity is genuinely conveyed. Even if a company is not completely horizontal, it can still be one where people work with sincerity and care. For sincerity to be conveyed, individuals must avoid political actions driven by personal gain. This is, of course, difficult. Humans are born with desires, and only those who can manage those desires effectively can make such a culture possible.

How can we address the discomfort that arises as an organization scales? I believe that those in positions of authority will have a significant influence on how these issues are resolved. Once a company begins scaling up, the core of its organizational culture lies in the competence of the individuals who hold these authoritative roles. If they cannot manage the growing number of employees, the team could collapse in no time.