Quotes from Chris Fussell

As you move up a traditional, sort of bureaucratic structure, there's a certain point at which you realize, 'Well, I'm not really on the implementation or execution side - I'm not on the battlefield. I'm an operations person who's overseeing multiple units that are out on the ground doing the job.'

As a leader, you must consistently drive effective communication. Meetings must be deliberate and intentional - your organizational rhythm should value purpose over habit and effectiveness over efficiency.

As a leader, you sit at a different level of perspective from your team, either with line of sight higher and across the organization structure or connected at more senior levels with your clients and partners.

Leaders in an interconnected organization must be comfortable sitting in the middle of a network, not at the top of an org-chart.

As I found while leading special operations forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, if the problem is interconnected, your organization must be, as well.

When the collective mentality of any organization is self and self-preservation first, it's a sure sign of pending doom.

The truth is that key influencers exist in all effective organizations, but a solid-line org chart won't tell you where they are.