An Office Hierarchy Guideline

Dictator, Imperial or democratic are different types of administration for many different countries in the world. All of them have one thing in common. There is always one person at the top. The difference lies in how the delegation of power is distributed & the structure of its hierarchy.

The above analogy can be applied to an office environment. There is the main boss, principal or Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O.), the upper management, lower management, & the normal workers. Different companies may have different management styles as the above example.

However, the hierarchy of position still remains as we know who everybody is because of the chain of command in an office environment. Basically we can adhere to a guideline to help us maintain a feasible working relationship with our office subordinates, peers, office superiors & bosses.

• The number one rule we should know is how to avoid offending the boss. Remember that an office hierarchy is traditionally not flat. It is shaped like a pyramid with one point at the top. Offending anybody from any of the levels above your level will ensure that you stay where you are or even demoted to a lower level.

• A good trait we should develop is leadership communication skills for succession. Practice good public speaking, leadership skills, & set an example to co-workers as they may look up to you one day in the future.

• Never forget your status in the office. Act appropriately to other people according to their position in the office. You can act superior to people at lower rank than your position but you should act humble to those above your rank.

• The hierarchy must be understood & respected. Find out what type of management structure the office practices. Is the boss very social with the workers or prefer the office to be managed by another person? Who is your direct superior? Do not bypass your direct superior over office matters unless instructed by a higher ranking boss.

• The position must be respected even though you do not respect the person. Perhaps you know of a person's lifestyle preference outside of the office. The person may not deserve your respect outside of the office but a person's position in the office hierarchy must remain respected to maintain a good & conducive working environment.

• Understand the upwards & downwards communication in the office hierarchy. Practice good interpersonal communication skills with as many people in different rank levels of the office hierarchy. It can increase your chances of being a favorable candidate for a promotion. Also, it should help you maintain good office relationships.

Apply it well to your career and you can be on a path to a higher rank up the traditional office hierarchy pyramid instead of being stagnant, demoted or shown the early exit door.