Stop Empire Building
Lessons
Empire building must be addressed from the top down
Clearly define and communicate responsibilities and roles
Engage proactively and directly in difficult conversations
If you've worked within or led organizations for any significant time, you've likely encountered "empire building"—when leaders or teams prioritize expanding their influence, headcount, and resources, often at the expense of the broader organization's health and efficiency. Empire building might initially appear as ambition or growth, but it's often driven by individual interests rather than organizational needs, leading to waste, redundancy, confusion, and demotivation among your most talented employees.
The good news? Empire building is preventable—and manageable—if you're willing to address it intentionally and persistently. Here’s how to stop it before it spirals out of control:
START AT THE TOP
To effectively combat empire building, action must begin at the top—with the CEO and the executive leadership team (ELT). The CEO must set explicit expectations about responsibilities, scope, and boundaries for each member of the ELT. Clear, precise titles and defined roles should be established, communicated, and reinforced at this highest level.
This clarity should then cascade down through the organization. Each executive must in turn set well-defined boundaries and responsibilities for their direct reports, and so on and so forth all the way down to individual contributors. Empire building flourishes when ambiguity exists, so proactive clarity is essential. Without executive tone-setting, even well-intentioned lower-level managers will struggle to combat the inevitable land-grabbing of their more opportunistic piers. The CEO, and by extension the ELT, determine the rules of the “game”. If they do not actively quash empire building, then they inadvertently signal to the entire company that that is how the game is played. Those who try to play a more altruistic game of staying-in-their-lane, are at a severe disadvantage and will either abandon this noble quest by grabbing land themselves and making the problem worse, or leaving the company altogether, which is a costly consequence in itself.
CREATE AN INTENTIONAL STRUCTURE—AND MAINTAIN IT
Organizational structures should never be static; rather, they must be intentional, flexible, and continually assessed. Structure should clearly delineate responsibilities to minimize duplication, inefficiency, and competition over resources. Regularly reviewing and updating structures ensures they remain aligned with strategic goals and market demands, preventing individuals from filling power vacuums or expanding their influence unchecked. If the bushes of corporate culture and structure aren’t constantly pruned, they will grow like weeds with a life of their own, and choke out the beautiful green grass you need to feed your stakeholders and shareholders. Not designing an organizational structure in itself is a choice, so you might as well choose one that contributes to your desired outcomes.
Additionally, communicate the purpose behind organizational adjustments transparently. Team members will embrace changes more readily if they understand how restructuring improves clarity and supports the company’s mission and objectives. Go beyond the high-level corporateze, and explain specifically how those affected will benefit from the changes. If the changes require releasing people back into the workforce, have a program or structure setup to assist with that transition - more on this in a separate article.
ENGAGE QUICKLY IN DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS
Even with clear roles, empire building tendencies can emerge. When this happens, it's essential to engage proactively, directly, and swiftly. Avoid ambiguous generalizations like “everyone needs to get along,” which lack the specificity needed to resolve these types of conflicts effectively. Instead, leaders should have candid, targeted discussions when they observe boundary-crossing behaviors or power grabs. Remind the transgressor of the boundaries of their current role, while encouraging them to express their ideas about how their role could grow and change. It need not be confrontational or personal, but it’s likely to be difficult by its nature. This should also be a continuous part of the career conversations you should be having with them, so none of their ideas should come as a surprise, however this turns their growth collaborative, and helps inform the design you choose for your organization. If what they envision is not aligned with where your organization is going, be honest with them and clarify where you’re headed. They may self-select out, but that is better than the alternative of corroding your team from within as they build their empire.
Delaying these tough conversations allows negative behavior to fester, spreading dysfunction and undermining morale. Early intervention preserves trust and reinforces a healthy, collaborative culture by signaling to the rest of the team what is acceptable and not, and that you’re a strong enough leader to handle transgressions when they happen.
[CONTINUE EDITING HERE] UNDERSTAND THE REAL COSTS
Empire building exacts a heavy toll: organizational bloat, duplicated efforts, rework, unnecessary toil, ongoing misalignment, and confusion. Perhaps most damagingly, it discourages your highest-performing talent, creating frustration and disengagement when they see politicking rewarded over meritocracy and genuine collaboration.
Unchecked, empire building leads to inflated teams and unnecessary overhead. As markets fluctuate or downturns occur—as was clearly seen in the tech industry from 2023-2025—this unsustainable structure inevitably leads to mass layoffs. High-performing companies rely on collaboration, trust, and transparency—all of which empire building actively undermines.
KNOW THE EXCEPTIONS
Not every rapid expansion of influence is empire building. Exceptions include innovation or incubation teams explicitly chartered to explore, innovate, and move quickly without traditional structural limits. Similarly, small companies (under 250 employees) often require employees to wear multiple hats out of necessity, leading to naturally broader responsibilities that shouldn't automatically trigger concerns about empire building.
However, outside these exceptions, vigilance is key. Leaders must continually monitor and reinforce clear delineation to ensure rapid growth and expansion is strategic, purposeful, and aligned with organizational priorities.
EMBRACE CLARITY AND CONSISTENCY
Preventing empire building is achievable by creating and maintaining a culture of clarity, accountability, and direct communication. It demands vigilance and persistence, beginning from the CEO and spreading outward through every layer of the organization. Companies that consistently prioritize these practices will experience greater efficiency, stronger morale, and a culture capable of sustained high performance and growth.