Flat hierarchy? Myth.Power always shows up — even when nobody talks about it.Backstage Breakdown Podcast — Ep. 3Every team claims to be “flat,” “collaborative,” or “non-hierarchical”… until reality hits.In this episode, Christ Burstein (aka @LosCabraMusic) sits down with Dr. Simon Springman — philosopher, organizational expert, and Managing Partner at LaunchLabs — to expose the micropolitics shaping every workplace: corporate, creative, or chaotic.Why do “no hierarchy” collectives create more hidden power?Why do good teams collapse when nobody owns decisions?Why does ignoring power make collaboration worse, not better?Simon has spent years researching power, organizational behavior, micropolitics, innovation, team psychology and cultural dynamics, advising companies across Europe, the Middle East, and India.This is the episode every founder, leader, facilitator, or creative should watch before their next team meltdown.#WorkCulture #LeadershipPodcast #Innovation #OrganizationalBehavior #TeamDynamics #LeadershipInsights #OrganizationalPsychology #TeamManagement⸻In this episode, you’ll learn:• Why “no hierarchy” doesn’t remove power — it hides it• How micropolitics shape every decision (and why ignoring them destroys teams)• Why innovation environments amplify power tensions• Healthy influence vs toxic power games• How transparency and trust reduce dysfunction• Why creative industries mirror the future of work• How AI is reshaping user research and team dynamics• What organizations can learn from artists, festivals & neurodivergent creatives#Micropolitics #PowerDynamics #FlatHierarchyMyth #CreativeLeadership #FutureOfWork⸻This episode is for:Founders, leaders, facilitators, innovators, cultural organizers, HR teams, and anyone navigating complex group dynamics in high-pressure environments.⸻TIMESTAMPS00:00 Intro — What LaunchLabs really does01:12 What micropolitics actually are03:07 Why innovation environments amplify power tensions06:10 Power as a “give and take” system07:55 Healthy vs toxic power dynamics10:40 How big companies weaponize rules & strategy12:02 How culture shapes power behavior14:25 Why micropolitics have such a bad reputation17:35 The myth of “no hierarchy”19:15 Creative industries = high emotion, high identification, high tension22:10 What business can learn from artists & festivals25:25 Why employees need purpose (and the risks)27:48 “Company as family” — why it’s dangerous30:18 The cost of unclear roles33:05 Why flatter orgs still have power games35:40 Human-centric work & its limits38:22 AI, user research & digital twins42:45 Will AI develop its own micropolitics?45:18 The 3 principles for healthy micropolitics48:10 Closing thoughts49:05 Outro — what’s next⸻Guest link:◼️ Dr. Simon Springman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-dr-springmann-8387ba85/⸻Is your team hitting its limits?We help cultural founders, crews and collectives realign under pressure—fast.◼️ Take the Friction Test → https://thefrictiondept.com/frictiontest◼️ You can order Christian’s book, Backstage Breakdown?Why your team keeps burning out - and what to do about it: https://amzn.eu/d/bSPsMNR⸻◼️ About the show:Backstage Breakdown reveals the human side of creative leadership. Hosted by Christ Burstein of The Friction Dept., this podcast explores what it really takes to scale cultural projects without losing your crew—or yourself.⸻◼️ Recorded at @launchlabsberlin9852 , Berlin.◼️ Book your podcast studio or event space here: https://launchlabs-spaces.de⸻THE FRICTION DEPT LINKS: ◼️ Book a call: https://calendly.com/chburstein/30min◼️ Web: https://www.thefrictiondept.com◼️ Mail: mentor@thefrictiondept.com◼️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefrictiondept◼️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thefrictiondept ◼️ Follow Los Cabra: http://solo.to/loscabra