Unity of Command

Biological Parallel

Most wolf packs have a single breeding pair (alpha male and female) to prevent conflicting reproductive signals that fracture group cohesion. Dual alphas from different lineages create competing loyalty structures—pups don't know which adults to follow, hunting coordination breaks down, and packs split. Fayol's "one employee, one boss" principle prevents the same coordination failure. However, bonobo matriarchs demonstrate that unity of command isn't universal: female coalitions share leadership effectively because their interests align (collective offspring protection) rather than compete.