Your Org Chart Is Lying: How to See the Real Network of Influence in Your Company

Introduction: “The Map Is Not the Territory”

The famous scientist Alfred Korzybski once said, “The map is not the territory.” This phrase perfectly describes the current state of most organizations. Your organizational structure is merely a simplified “map”: neat boxes and straight lines showing who reports to whom. But the real “territory” of your company is a complex, living web of informal connections, advice, knowledge sharing, and mutual support.

The problem is, most leaders are still managing by looking only at the map.

Part 1: The Cost of Managing Blind

Managing by an outdated “map” has a concrete and high price. A report from McKinsey, “The State of Organizations 2023,” reveals a shocking fact: in many companies,

20% to 30% of critical roles are not filled by the right people. ¹

This is a direct consequence of managing blind. Leadership promotes people based on their visible achievements within a formal role, failing to see their real influence (or lack thereof) on the entire organization. An effective manager on paper might be a bottleneck in the real flow of communication, while a quiet specialist with no formal authority could be the person everyone actually turns to for expertise.

Part 2: The Social Graph: The New Map of Your Organization

To see the real “territory,” you need a new map. In analytics, this map is called a “social graph.” As described in McKinsey’s “The Social Economy” report, this is a map of real interactions: who helps whom, who is sought out for expertise, and who acts as a “bridge” between departments. ²

Unlike a static org chart, a social graph is a dynamic, living diagram that shows where innovation is truly born, where problems are solved, and who the real leaders are, regardless of their job title.

Part 3: How Recognition Data Builds the New Map

So how do you build this new, accurate map? The answer lies in the data that is generated daily but which most companies fail to collect. Every action on a platform like AlbiCoins is a data point for constructing the real map of your organization.

Peer-to-peer Recognition: Every “thank you” from one employee to another is more than just a nice gesture. In analytics, it’s an “edge” in the social graph that shows a real flow of value and knowledge.
Cross-team Collaboration: Data on joint projects and mutual recognition between departments highlight the strongest (and weakest) cross-functional links.

Example: When an engineer from R&D thanks a marketer for a market insight, it creates a connection that is critical for building a successful product—a connection your org chart will never show.

Part 4: 3 Practical Problems Solved by the New Map

Analyzing this new map is not just an exercise. It’s a tool for solving three key strategic challenges:

Find Informal Leaders: Identify employees who, regardless of their title, are centers of expertise and trust. These are your most powerful change agents and your future leadership pipeline.
Diagnose Silos: See which teams and departments are operating in isolation and purposefully build “bridges” between them to foster knowledge sharing.
Make Data-Driven Talent Decisions: Promote people to leadership roles not just because they are good performers, but because they have proven social capital and real influence within the organization.

Conclusion: Stop Managing with a 15th-Century Map

In the modern economy, managing a company based on a formal org chart is like navigating the ocean with a medieval map full of “white spots.” To make the right strategic decisions about your talent, you need an accurate, dynamic map of real interactions.

Learn how AlbiCoins can help you see the real map of your organization and unlock its hidden potential: https://albimarketing.com/employee-tech/

References

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Granovetter, M. (1973). “The Strength of Weak Ties“. American Journal of Sociology, 78(6), 1360-1380.
Leonardi, P. M., & Contractor, N. S. (2018). “Better People Analytics“. Harvard Business Review, 96(6), 70-81.
Liden, R. C., Wayne, S. J., Zhao, H., & Henderson, D. (2008). “Servant leadership: Development of a multidimensional measure and multi-level assessment“. The Leadership Quarterly, 19(2), 161-177.
Crossan, M., Furlong, B., & Crossan, C. (2025). “Diagnosing and Strategically Implementing a Character-Based Culture“. Leader to Leader, 2025(117), 26-35.