Hi Reader,

One of the most common questions I hear in self-managing organizations is:

"How do you grow your career when there’s no hierarchy?"

For many, career progression means climbing the corporate ladder—getting a promotion, earning a new title, managing a bigger team.

But what happens when there’s no boss to promote you?

This month in our Corporate Rebels Community, we’re exploring career growth in self-managing organizations.

It’s a hot topic in our Masterclass on Running and Scaling Self-Managing Organizations, where cohorts of practitioners interview people working in progressive companies to ask their biggest questions.

And this career question comes up in every cohort.

With a new Masterclass starting this week, I wanted to share what I’ve learned from past Q&A sessions about career growth in companies that have ditched traditional management.

Buurtzorg: Mastery Over Management

At Buurtzorg, a Dutch home healthcare organization, nurses don’t chase promotions—they focus on mastery.

“The nurses aren’t here for a ‘career’ in the traditional sense. They are here because they love nursing. Growth means becoming a better nurse, learning new specialties, or mentoring others—not chasing a promotion.”

Unlike traditional healthcare providers, Buurtzorg trusts its teams to manage their own work.

There’s no HR department pushing career tracks. Instead, nurses decide their own development path—whether that’s deepening expertise, specializing, or taking on coaching roles.

“We don’t have an HR department pushing career tracks. Instead, we trust nurses to organize their own development—whether that’s learning a new specialization or taking on new responsibilities.”

For those accustomed to climbing corporate ladders, this might sound limiting. But for Buurtzorg employees, it’s liberating. Career growth isn’t about moving “up”—it’s about becoming better at what you love to do.

NER Group: Career Growth as Collective Ownership

At NER Group, a network of self-managing companies in Spain, employees don’t just grow within the company—most eventually own the company they work for.

“In our model, there’s no ‘boss’ deciding who moves up. Instead, employees decide how to develop their skills and take on more responsibility. If you’re capable, the organization will support your growth.”

Here, career progression isn’t about promotions—it’s about ownership. Employees start as contributors and, over time, gain influence by investing more in the company’s success.

“Employees are not just ‘workers’—most become owners. The more you contribute, the more influence you have in decision-making. Your career doesn’t grow by climbing ranks, but by deepening your stake in the company’s success.”

It’s a radically different way of thinking about careers. At NER, your growth isn’t tied to a job title—it’s tied to your stake in the company’s future.

Viisi: Fluid Roles and Salary Transparency

At Viisi, a Dutch mortgage company, there are no managers and no fixed career tracks.

Employees shape their own careers by moving between roles based on skills, interests, and company needs.

“Feedback is instant, not once a year. If a role isn’t working out, you give it back to the team, and someone else steps in. Instead of waiting for a promotion, you continuously shape your job to match your strengths.”

Instead of negotiating salaries or waiting for performance reviews, Viisi employees follow a structured salary growth model based on experience and long-term contribution.

“We found that everyone’s performance fluctuates over time. Instead of rewarding only short-term high performers, we built a long-term model that rewards consistency and commitment.”

At Viisi, growth is not about climbing ranks—it’s about continuously aligning your work with your strengths.

Haier: Growth Through Entrepreneurship, Not Promotion

At Haier, the world’s largest appliance manufacturer, employees don’t climb a corporate ladder. They build their own business within the company.

“We always put people first. We believe that everyone has the potential to be an entrepreneur and create value—not just for the company, but for themselves. If you want to grow, you set a higher leading goal and propose a project. Your ability to execute on that goal determines your success, not a title.”

If an employee sees an opportunity, they pitch their own project and, if successful, become the CEO of their own micro-enterprise.

Fail to deliver? Your project dissolves, and the opportunity opens up to someone else.

"If you underperform, you don’t get ‘demoted’—your business dissolves, and the user need opens up to others. It’s a dynamic system where success is entirely tied to your ability to deliver results."

Career growth at Haier isn’t about waiting for a boss to promote you. It’s about proving your value through action.

The Future of Career Growth: No Ladders, Just Opportunity

Buurtzorg. NER. Viisi. Haier.

Four different companies, four different approaches to career growth—none of them relying on traditional promotions.

• Buurtzorg → Mastery and self-directed learning
• NER → Ownership and responsibility
• Viisi → Fluid roles and long-term salary growth
• Haier → Entrepreneurial ambition

If you’ve spent your career chasing titles and promotions, this might sound radical. But for many, it’s a more meaningful way to grow.

And it works.

At Corporate Rebels, we’ve spent 10+ years researching self-managing organizations—and we don’t just study them, we put the principles into practice by buying companies and transforming them into self-managing organizations.

We’ve studied the pioneers, distilled the best practices, and designed a 6-week Masterclass to help other organizations implement these ideas.

A new cohort starts this week.

If you’re ready to understand and design career growth in a self-managing company, this is your chance.

Updates from Corporate Rebels HQ

Here's a quick overview of everything happening at Corporate Rebels:

• Polish Rebel Cell: On the morning of March 14, Grzegorz Kuczyński, coordinator of the Polish Rebel Cell, will host a free hybrid breakfast event for Polish organizations interested in progressive ways of working and connecting with their local Rebel Cell. Find more details here.
• Swiss Rebel Cell: On the afternoon of March 19, we’ll be in Zurich for the Beyond Hierarchy with Corporate Rebels event, organized by the Swiss Rebel Cell. Join us in person – get your tickets here.
• Danish Rebel Cell: On the morning of March 24, the Danish Rebel Cell will host a free webinar for Danish organizations, exploring both local and international examples of self-managing companies – featuring Pim. Find more details here.

New article

A new article has been published on our blog earlier this week:

• You Can’t Change an Organization Without Changing Yourself ​
  In my latest piece, I explore another powerful lesson from past Masterclass Q&A sessions: the hard truth about transformation—it starts from within. At Panelfisa, a NER Group company, the biggest shift wasn’t in processes or structures, but in its leaders. By embracing self-reflection and personal growth, they reshaped not just their leadership approach but the entire organization, proving that lasting change begins with those at the top. Check out the full article here.

What inspired us

Here's something noteworthy we discovered this past week that you’re going to love:

• What Leaders Get Wrong About Employee Motivation
  ​An insightful article from MIT Sloan Management Review, co-authored by Bex Hewett—one of my favorite scholars on self-managing organizations—challenges common leadership misconceptions about employee motivation. The piece argues that traditional incentive structures often backfire, while emphasizing the power of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in fostering truly engaged and high-performing teams. Check it out here.
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Cheers,

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