\fbasis or not . American products, whether most of us realize it on a daily Dorco operates with a vertical structure that spans across the alternative can inhibit a group's success: "Some man- many borders and strives to keep the vertical chain of agers are stifling and their daily or weekly reports end up command and influence intact. As Ken discusses, while taking up more time than actually running the business." When it comes to effective oversight and reporting, Ken operating in many countries, Dorco runs the risk of siloed places a premium on in-person meetings. Working over- employees or departments that stray from a unified com- seas for many years brought him to appreciate their value pany mission. To combat this, Dorco ensures that employ- as compared to phone calls and e-mails. Corporate gov- ees across the company and the globe remain in alignment ernance, company policies designed to ensure transpar- with central leadership. ency, has been part of Ken's duties for many years. In his experience, there is one key driver of success in corpo- Ken has exhaustive experience in structuring organizations. rate governance: "Since there is a high degree of respon Through many years of managing large teams; building mar- sibility and accountability, the solution to this is to hire ket territories from the bottom up; and navigating the com- the best CFO you can possibly find." When it comes to plex sales, distribution, and marketing channels for large ensuring that corporations are not taking unhealthy risks consumer product lines, he has refined input on running a or hiding information, it is important to review all finan- business. For example, leading sales territories has come cial documents and statements to check for discrepan with many opportunities to delegate responsibilities. Ken cies. Some organizations rely on a unity-of-command says, "Looking back on my career, delegation has at times principle, where each employee only reports to and is been one of my strengths and at others a weakness. I have accountable to one manager. Ken has not found this to always believed that you should hire the best people that you be an effective framework in his international endeav can. If you do that, there is an expectation from those types ors, because some strategies can become inconsistent of people that they are good at their jobs and they will do across borders. For example, "If a marketing program is siloed in a country, it loses its global brand essence and things in the best interest of the company without someone strategy. Of course, there have to be nuances and local looking over their shoulder second guessing the whole time." considerations, but for the most part in my career there Though he believes it is possible for a manager to delegate has been a real danger in letting people decide what is too much responsibility and regret it down the road, Ken best in their market without consideration from leaders has developed a way to mitigate that risk: "I try to hire great across the company." people that I can trust to a very high degree. Once that trust Ken closed our interview with a final consideration: "My is established, I let them run with the business." By finding only wish would be that I went international sooner. It has great team members and then empowering them through changed to where it isn't as easy to do today, but it is still delegation, Ken can expand his company's reach and ceiling important. I also wish that I had learned one or multiple for success different languages along the way." Although talent exists But Ken points out an important fact: Accountability, across the world, there are still opportunities for students defined as team members having responsibility for their to find work for international companies who move them around the world. For Ken, this experience made him better activities and their outcomes, becomes more difficult to at his job and enhanced his career along the way. enforce with more delegation. Among managers, accord- ing to Ken, "There is a school of thought that you must monitor every little detail. I am not a detail guy; in fact I Critical Thinking Questions hate getting into the weeds, but sometimes when I don't 1. According to Ken, what are some of the dilemmas an get into the details, it can create a problem." If a manager international corporation might face that a domestic one doesn't keep a close eye on details, then the buck stops will not when it comes to unity of command? with them in the event that a big mistake is made: "I have been burned a couple of times from not looking deeper 2. Why does Ken find it important to hire trustworthy into the details, but overall I am proud of what most of my people? teams have accomplished and wouldn't do it any differ- 3. Are you interested in working across the world for an ently if I could." Ken is willing to take the accountability international company? Why or why not? risk of easing up on his teams, because in his experience Source: Interview with Ken Hill, October 3, 2019. Chapter 10: Structuring Organizations 1 255