Note: This is an opinion piece on the state of design innovation in India. It draws on my experiences, conversations within the design community and research across available resources. I’ve backed observations with data where possible, but it remains a reflection on what I see in our ecosystem. (Find related articles here 1, 2, 3)
India stands at an incredible moment in its growth story. We’re building global products, attracting world-class talent, scaling digital services and bringing millions into the formal economy. But there’s one powerful cultural force shaping how we work and lead: often invisible, rarely questioned, and deeply ingrained. It influences how we make decisions, how ideas travel, and how much innovation actually happens.
That force is hierarchy.
More precisely, it’s what behavioural scientists call the Power Distance Index (PDI), a measure of how much a society accepts unequal power and how comfortable people feel challenging authority.
In high-PDI cultures, leaders decide and others follow. In low-PDI cultures, leadership is more shared, and ideas flow more freely.
India scores around 77 out of 100, well above the global average and higher than many developed nations. That in itself isn’t a problem. But when you look closely at how it shapes innovation, collaboration, and communication, the cost of hierarchy becomes clear. Our comfort with authority may actually be limiting how far our organisations can go.
What High PDI Looks Like at Work
Anyone who’s worked in India has seen these patterns:
- The most senior person speaks first, setting the tone for everyone else
- Junior employees hesitate to raise concerns, even when they’re right
- Leadership roles often go to those with tenure or status, not necessarily the best enablers
- Teams wait for instructions instead of taking initiative
- Feedback flows down, rarely up
These aren’t personality flaws, they’re learned responses to what our culture rewards. Research shows that high-PDI environments reduce open communication and psychological safety, which in turn stifles creativity and problem-solving. Teams with approachable, supportive leaders feel more confident taking risks. Teams led by distant authority figures often self-censor to avoid conflict.
When leaders even unintentionally intimidate their teams, progress slows.
When Hierarchy Hurts
Power distance doesn’t just affect everyday office life; it can have serious consequences. A striking example is Korean Air in the 1990s, which had an unusually high rate of crashes. Investigations revealed that junior officers were reluctant to question captains, even in critical situations. Only when communication norms were redesigned to flatten hierarchy did safety improve.
That’s an extreme case, but the pattern applies everywhere: when authority dominates, the people closest to the truth are often the last to be heard.
In India’s innovation economy, this shows up clearly. When designers, engineers and product managers don’t feel empowered to disagree, products suffer. When customer feedback gets filtered through layers before reaching decision-makers, valuable insights disappear.
And when decisions are made by the highest-paid voice instead of the most informed one, both speed and quality take a hit.
Hierarchy can bring clarity and order, but it can just as easily trap organisations in old habits.
The Paradox: India Is Changing Faster Than Indian Leadership
Zoom out, and you’ll see a contradiction. Indian society is evolving fast. Younger generations are global, curious, and unafraid to question. Startups thrive on agility and experimentation. Cross-functional teams are now the norm.
But leadership culture hasn’t caught up. Many organisations still default to:
- Top-down instructions instead of shared goals
- Performance is measured by obedience instead of outcomes
- Leadership is viewed as a status symbol instead of a service role
- Fear-based authority rather than trust-based influence
This mismatch creates friction. You can’t drive innovation with a mindset built for control.
For India to keep pace, leaders must evolve from commanders to enablers.
The Case for Lower Power Distance
Let’s be clear: this isn’t about making workplaces more democratic, it’s about improving performance. Leaders who build open, trust-based environments see:
- Faster decisions
- Greater engagement and ownership
- Better customer outcomes
- More creative, bolder solutions
- Fewer communication breakdowns
- Stronger leadership pipelines
In high-performing organisations worldwide, leadership isn’t defined by how many people report to you, but by how effectively you elevate those around you.
Power isn’t something you hold, it’s something that flows through you.
The companies that grasp this will always outpace those still stuck in hierarchy.
How to Redesign Leadership in India
India doesn’t need to abandon its roots. Respect and structure can absolutely coexist with empowerment. The goal isn’t to remove hierarchy, it’s to reimagine how hierarchy behaves.
Here are five practical shifts:
- Listen first, speak later
When the most senior voice speaks first, others shrink. Leaders should hear input before setting direction. The goal isn’t consensus, it’s clarity built on real insight. - Push decisions closer to the work
Empower teams to make decisions where they have the context and expertise. A simple rule: whoever feels the impact most should have a say in the decision. - Treat dissent as engagement
Thoughtful disagreement isn’t defiance, it’s accountability. Reward it. - Teach leadership as a skill, not a title
The best leaders create space for others to perform. Leadership programs should select people who enable teams, not just those with seniority. - Model vulnerability and psychological safety
Admitting uncertainty or mistakes shows that experimentation matters more than perfection.
Culture changes when leaders show that inclusion isn’t charity, it’s an expectation.
What About Tradition?
Some may say high PDI is just “the Indian way.” We respect elders. We value certainty.
And yes, there’s beauty in structure and collective cohesion.
But tradition becomes a barrier when it limits imagination and initiative.
Respect doesn’t mean silence. Authority doesn’t mean control. Leadership doesn’t mean distance.
Hierarchies that cling to status but ignore learning won’t survive the next decade.
The Leadership India Deserves
India has no shortage of talent, only a shortage of permission.
Permission for young leaders to shape the future.
Permission for teams to try before they’re sure.
Permission to question decisions without fear.
Permission to fix what isn’t working.
Unlock that permission, and we unlock our velocity.
Our next wave of progress won’t come from a few visionaries at the top, but from millions of empowered contributors across the system. Leaders who embrace this will build organisations that move faster, adapt quicker, and create products the world wants.
The real question isn’t whether India can lower its power distance, it’s whether our leaders are ready to rethink how power works. The future will belong to those who understand that true strength in leadership comes not from authority, but from the courage to let others lead.
References
- Clearly Cultural. “Power Distance Index.”
- Cyborlink, Hofstede Cultural Dimensions data on India
- Mindtools. “Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions.”
- Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. “How Power Distance Influences Leadership.”
- PMC Article: The Role of Communication Style in Mediating the Relationship Between Power Distance Belief and Communication With Superiors
- arXiv preprint: The Roots of Hierarchy in Rural India
Credits: Article edited with the help of ChatGPT.