Even with org charts and rules, organizations are messy. Any group is naturally unorganized, and even solopreneurs can’t fully escape it.

Isn’t it paradox?

Every organization I have encountered in my career so far has been unorganized. Even Yonder, the organization I co-founded and still lead as CEO.

How on earth can this happen? Most organizations have org charts, certified processes, and work instructions. Their sole intent is to govern how individuals interact in an organizational context.

And that’s the key point: Individuals. Every individual is different, even if they belong to the same organization.

Let’s look at some examples.

1. The Famous Folder Structure

Have you ever worked in an organization that had a folder structure where every document could be found in the place you expected it, and nothing was missing? I haven’t.

The reason is simple: Your organization’s folder structure was defined by an individual, depicting his or her view on how to best organize files. Then, this structure was declared mandatory for all the individuals in the organization, no matter if the structure depicts their view on how to best organize files.

Furthermore, not every individual is convinced that storing files in a folder structure is the best way of finding them again — how many people do you know who store their files in the email inbox?

2. Interpretation

Individuals interpret their surroundings and apply them accordingly — that’s also true for your organization’s processes and work instructions. Whenever somebody doesn’t abide by the processes or rules of your organization, always remember that most people don’t do this on purpose: They interpret the processes or rules and think they are acting in the best possible interest of the organization. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t.

The problem of interpretation is accentuated when processes and rules change over time, as is typical in a growing startup. People think they follow the processes and rules, forgetting that the organization has evolved in the meantime, and with it processes and rules have changed.

3. Misunderstandings

When individuals collaborate and interpret their surroundings, misunderstandings happen all the time. They are a major source of chaos and conflict in an organization.

There is just one single way to avoid misunderstandings: Don’t collaborate with anyone. However, not collaborating with anyone would make the organization obsolete, as an organization has multiple people by definition.

But even if you decide to work as a solopreneur, you will likely have to collaborate with your customers if you want to get paid.

So you’d better get used to the chaos of collaboration.