The recent events that have unfolded in Egypt and resulted in the overthrow of an authoritarian regime by the Egyptian people contains an important lesson for organizations: Authority does not exist unless it is accepted by those in lower positions.

Most organizations have a hierarchical design in which it is held that the higher one’s position in the hierarchy, the more authority one wields. Yet, as we saw with the events in Egypt, even if authority is wielded by those at the very top of the hierarchy, it is impotent unless it is accepted by those below.

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