Ron Carucci [Archive.org URL]

For teams to run effectively, the number of layers within a hierarchy and the number of direct reports on a leader’s team must be carefully determined based on two factors: the type of work people are doing and the amount of coordination that work requires. Highly complex or high-risk work […] often requires extensive coordination to execute effectively. Therefore, it makes sense to keep a manager’s span narrow to ensure high-quality performance. Standard, more repetitive work […] typically enables employees to be more autonomous, which allows a manager’s span to be wider. When these nuances are overlooked, however, a manager’s accessibility can become severely constrained.

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