The Tree

The Evolution Toward an Optimal Organizational Structure

Today, new ways of organizing are necessary to remain competitive, highly efficient, and, most importantly, happy. The old pyramid-shaped organizational structure has many limitations when considering humanistic or efficient management.

The tree emerges from eliminating a hierarchy-based structure, removing the roles of boss or supervisor and subordinate.

In this section, I have beautifully illustrated a new tree-shaped organizational structure. I do not know anyone who could say they do not like trees. From a purely humanistic perspective, trees provide oxygen, shade, shelter, and home, while also consuming carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, reducing greenhouse gases, and beautifying any landscape.

Interpreting an organizational structure as a tree is the healthiest, most enriching, motivating, appropriate, and efficient way for an organization to care for its people.

Let us recall the old pyramid, which sadly persists in almost every organization. This entirely hierarchical structure provides few relevant positions within the organization, often occupied by members of the founding family, thereby creating a significant lack of growth opportunities for those in lower positions—the vast majority of the organization’s workforce.

After years of working in recruitment and interviewing thousands of executives and professionals, I have often heard both jokingly and serious statements such as, “I have to wait for my boss to die to have growth opportunities in my company.” I have also heard or inferred statements like, “I don’t have leadership qualities, so I can’t advance in my job,” or, “The boss doesn’t like me, so I’ll never be promoted, even if I’m the best candidate.” The list of reasons why people see their careers thwarted and frustrated goes on.

The lack of professional or personal development opportunities in an activity that occupies a significant part of one’s lifetime is highly demotivating and even depressing. This is one of the main reasons for turnover and lack of loyalty to employers.

This issue stems from a prefabricated organizational structure where the company’s needs must be filled by human resources. This structure is clearly outdated, as it disregards the human essence, reducing individuals to resources, capital, or even “assets” of the company, like properties, cars, patents, or supplies. For example, how often do we hear company leaders congratulate employees by publicly saying that the person is one of the company’s greatest assets? Immoral!

The need to fill roles within an organization is limited to creating job descriptions listing the responsibilities and characteristics required for the position. This also limits the activities a person can perform within their predefined responsibilities, stifling innovation for the company and the creativity of the individual. Employees are thus restricted to performing only assigned tasks, avoiding any additional contributions. They also have to undertake responsibilities they do not enjoy, leading to stress, demotivation, lack of energy, frustration, and operational inefficiency.

In the Tree, each team member grows in the direction guided by their potential, competencies, and, most importantly, their passions and desires, rather than trying to become someone else just to meet the requirements of a job description or fill a gap in a prefabricated organizational structure. People focus on activities that bring them the greatest satisfaction, tasks they are passionate about, resulting in satisfied individuals who become increasingly competitive experts, self-motivated to channel their energy into their daily tasks—people who inspire, create, innovate, and guide the team toward collective success. Happy people!

The Tree Structure: Roots, Trunk, and Branches

BranchesAll team members TrunkLeadership RootsCulture and Values

1. The Roots (Culture and Values): The roots define the organization’s culture through ethical and moral values. The mission of a humanistic organization must be built on ethical principles for its members, never externally for the economy or the enrichment of a few stakeholders.
   In this case, the tree’s roots are defined by absolute values of Respect, Honesty, and Transparency, followed by key values such as empowerment, teamwork, work-life integration, happiness, well-being, and passion for what we do.
2. The Trunk (Leadership): The trunk represents the leadership team. The organization’s model must be designed to ensure that anyone with the potential, profile, and attitude to become a leader has the opportunity.
   A leader’s role in the tree structure includes providing guidance, resources, tools, vision, coaching, training, visibility, strategies, and methodologies. Leaders must trust their team completely, delegate efficiently, and empower their team while avoiding micromanagement, which generates stress and inefficiency.
3. The Branches (All Team Members): The branches represent all team members, including leaders. Each branch grows uniquely, guided by individual passions and desires. Unlike a pyramid structure, the branches grow without predefined limits, vertically or horizontally.
   Leaders must ensure that branches are supported to grow according to their unique competencies and experiences, creating a virtuous circle of motivation, efficiency, and expertise.

Conclusion

The tree-shaped organizational structure fosters happiness, satisfaction, and competitiveness. It enables people to work on what they love and excel, avoiding frustration and inefficiency. By promoting teamwork and addressing unpreferred tasks creatively, the organization creates an environment where both individuals and the collective thrive. This evolution toward a humanistic and efficient structure is essential for modern organizations.

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