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In 1999, at just 22 years old, I was fortunate to secure my first management role as a retail manager for a well-known high street brand. I had my own office, the keys to the building, and a team to lead—some old enough to be my parents. It was a proud milestone, but it came with clear, formal expectations rooted in the workplace culture of the time.
Rule #1: Always wear a suit. Preferably a skirt suit.
Rule #2: High heels. No flats—ever.
Rule #3: Hair neatly styled, makeup understated.
Rule #4: Maintain professionalism at all times.
Picture me, teetering across the stockroom in heels, trying not to stumble while juggling stock deliveries. A fashion statement? Hardly. It was a daily endurance test.
On my first morning, my team greeted me: “Good morning, Mrs Mickiewicz.”
It stopped me in my tracks. At 22, I wasn’t married, and it felt strange—formal to the point of absurd. To make matters worse, my Polish surname was a challenge. As a child, I’d stumbled over it myself, taking years to pronounce it confidently. Now here I was, in a management role, listening to others struggle as they tried to show the required deference.
This was hierarchy, late 90s style.
A Snapshot of Hierarchy Then
Back then, workplaces were shaped by a clear top-down structure. Leaders were respected by virtue of position and title. Authority was visible: in how people dressed, how they were addressed, and even the physical layout of offices.
This brought advantages: clarity of roles, certainty in decision-making, and stability many valued. But there were downsides too. It created distance between leaders and teams. Titles and formality often stifled openness and innovation. And for a 22-year-old manager, it was a daunting act to maintain—especially in high heels on a stockroom floor.
How Things Have Changed
Fast forward to today, and the landscape looks very different. Younger generations entering the workforce have grown up with flat structures, open-plan offices, and first-name terms. The idea that a manager’s authority must be signalled through appearance or a formal title feels almost alien now.
Today’s workplaces are more likely to value collaboration over command-and-control, authenticity over hierarchy, and inclusion over deference. This shift has its strengths: it fosters creativity, trust, and psychological safety. Teams can challenge ideas without fear of overstepping invisible lines. Leaders are expected to earn respect by listening and engaging, not simply because of a job title.
But there are challenges too. Blurred boundaries can lead to confusion about decision-making. Some people miss the certainty of clear roles and structures. And not everyone finds flat hierarchies comfortable—especially those who thrived in more formal settings.
What Can We Learn From Both Eras?
Looking back, I can see value in both approaches:
1. The structure and respect of hierarchy offered stability.
2. The openness of today creates dynamic, engaged workplaces.
Perhaps the real opportunity is to balance the two: to lead with authenticity and openness, while also providing enough structure for people to feel secure and clear about expectations.
For Today’s Leaders
As leaders, it’s worth asking:
Am I relying on my title to earn respect, or actions?
Do I create enough clarity and structure for my team?
Am I sensitive to how people from different generations experience hierarchy?
The world of work has changed dramatically since my days of skirt suits and “Mrs Mickiewicz” greetings. But one thing hasn’t: people want to feel seen and valued for who they are—not just the role they hold.
So today, I tell my teams: Just call me Kerry. That’s who I am—as an individual, a team member, and a leader.
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