Why Dotted Lines Are Bad

clarity management
dotted line on org chart

In most accountability charts, we draw solid lines to show clear reporting relationships. A solid line means “this is your boss.” It’s where clarity lives...you know who you answer to, who coaches you, and who ultimately holds you accountable.

Then there’s the dotted line.
The dotted line means you also “kind of” report to someone else. Maybe they oversee a project you’re working on or lead a department your work supports or you occasionally help them out. While dotted lines can feel collaborative, they almost always blur accountability.


Why Dotted Lines Cause Trouble

When one employee has multiple “bosses,” confusion is inevitable:

  • Conflicting priorities – Two leaders give different marching orders. Which one wins?

  • Split loyalty – The employee feels pulled in different directions, trying to please everyone.

  • No single point of accountability – Performance issues get overlooked because “someone else” is also responsible.

  • Overload – Tasks pile up from multiple directions, often without a clear view of total workload.

What’s worse, dotted-line situations often hide performance problems. If everyone is responsible, no one is responsible.


Why It’s Common in Small Businesses

In small organizations, people wear multiple hats. Your marketing person might also manage events. Your operations manager might also oversee IT. The dotted-line structure can happen simply because one role spans multiple areas of the business.

In these early stages, dotted lines might be unavoidable, but they should be temporary, not permanent.  We should seek to outgrow these as soon as we can.


How to Minimize the Risks

  1. Assign One True Boss – Every role should have one primary leader responsible for coaching, evaluation, and accountability.

  2. Clarify Decision Rights – When a dotted-line scenario exists, define exactly what each leader can decide and communicate it to everyone.

  3. Align Priorities Weekly – Leaders who share a dotted-line employee should meet regularly to coordinate expectations.

  4. Document Responsibilities – A written role description reduces the chance of “surprise” tasks from multiple directions.

  5. Plan to Outgrow It – As your business scales, work toward specialized roles with solid-line reporting only.


The Goal: Clear, Strong Lines

The best accountability charts are simple. Every seat has one owner. Every owner has one boss. That clarity allows people to focus, perform, and grow without second-guessing their priorities.

Dotted lines may be a short-term necessity in a growing business, but they should always come with an expiration date.

Ryan Giles

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