Flat Lands

When Al Carlson talks about the management philosophies at Sun Hydraulics, he nearly talks himself out of a job.

“If you have a very imperial organization, than the CEO will be very important,” says Carlson, the president and chief executive of Sarasota-based Sun Hydraulics. “If you have a flat system, [he isn't] that important.”

Sun Hydraulics' system is flat as Florida grasslands. That means the valve manufacturer is devoid of job titles, hierarchy and formal job descriptions. Decision-making is shared in groups and clusters.