We started APCO – EasyCare with the concept that our customers and employees would always come first. Somewhere, back 36 years ago, I read something about an “inverted org chart”… a way to look at an organization differently where executives and managers looked UP AT THEIR TEAMS, not down on them.
Well, the internet has finally allowed me to find where this came from and a great explanation of why it has worked so powerfully at APCO. Whereas others were focused on shareholders, our team focused on supporting the people above us all the way to the most important people, the people who touch our customers every day. The concept apparently originated by Nordstrom and was followed by UPS and others.
HERE is an excellent post as to why it works. Now, I still have to find an editable org chart that allows us to operate more effortlessly, but not having one hasn’t stopped us from building these models by hand for 36 years and living by them. Enjoy!