The Chain of Command is a Two-Way Street

It’s important for managers to remember that the chain of command goes both ways.

One of the most frustrating experiences you can have in a career is to be on (or lead) a team of high performers that just doesn’t produce.

A team that is so motivated they will jump at any task, command, deadline thrown their way. One that wants to lift their co-workers up, no matter the hours involved., but simply can’t get traction.

It’s disheartening for everyone.

The reason, so often, stems from a lack of direction. Directives are coming in from all angles and all those high-performers burn themselves out trying to do everything at 110%.

And here’s where the need for a chain of command comes in. You and your team need a middle layer to guide them.

Need for a Chain of Command

Bottom-up

No matter how self-sufficient, your team needs a direct point of contact. More importantly, they need to know (and trust!) that they’re talking to the proper person.

It could be for a project.

It could be for an HR question.

Or maybe it’s for broader career development.

Whatever the reason, they need that immediate point of contact who can serve as their champion.

Having this chain tethers employees to your team and your organization. It puts guardrails on your workplace, enabling employees to focus on the tasks directly associated with their job.

Ultimately, a clear line of communication up the chain will lend itself to better productivity, increased confidence, and a more focused team.

Top-down

As the title of this article states, there’s a two-way street at play here.

Upper management should spend its time working with direct reports (directors, managers, et al.), who will then disseminate information to their teams.

This enables leadership to stay laser-focused on the big picture, rather than getting caught up in the minutiae of everyday tasks.

If you’re at the top of the food chain and spend time doing entry-level work, then there either has been a severe breakdown in operations, or you’re in a (hopefully rare) all-hands-on-deck situation.

Subverting the Chain

Bottom-Up

Bad things are bound to occur whenever an employee goes around their boss to the top of the food chain — regardless of whether the subversion is intentional.

Even if the intended results occur, you’re likely to get blowback — either from your immediate supervisor or colleagues.

This is where a good HR rep comes into play. If stonewalled by your direct supervisor, talk with your rep to learn how to navigate the waters. More often than not, a simple and direct conversation can solve the issue.

Top-Down

Can upper management direct anyone on their team? Absolutely.

Should they? Probably not.

And yet, it happens quite regularly — especially with smaller teams, or expanding departments.

Carrying a big title means everyone will listen to you. And if what you’re saying is in conflict (or has zero connection) with your managerial team, then it creates confusion among the team.

Employees don’t know what to prioritize or they become overburdened, not wanting to turn down their boss’s boss.

Follow the chain, pass directives to your direct reports, and trust that they will motivate their team to prioritize items that you feel are most important. This will preserve efficiency (and sanity!) within your department.

Jonathan Bass is a jack-of-all-trades and master of some. His passions include building workplace culture, connecting teams through effective (and interpersonal) operations, and finding the most efficient paths to success. When he’s off the clock, you can find him introducing his children to the natural world, plowing through a Larry McMurtry novel, or practicing bluegrass standards on the banjo. Jonathan is currently the Director of Marketing at Urban SDK, a cloud based traffic management software based in Jacksonville, Florida.