&gt;  Chain of command is important on the battlefield, but in corporate environments the best ideas come from anywhere.<p>Many good ideas in the military and on the battlefield come from the ranks, too.  The chain of command is about decision-making, as jacobr1 notes.<p>&gt;  And in the best companies, people focus more on being &quot;The best&quot; than being &quot;The leader&quot;.<p>This is also true in the military, since there are dedicated tracks for enlisted and officers.  But senior enlisted are still expected to lead (without being the senior officer), just as a senior employee should be expected to lead (without being the CEO).