Counteract this via occasional skip-level one-on-ones, where the head of the group meets directly with ICs, bypassing any managers in between. You can also use roundtable discussions (where a selected group of ICs meets with senior leaders), attendance at planning off-sites, or participation in executive staff meetings. Try to intentionally “flatten” the org so that communication between senior leaders and the rank-and-file doesn’t disappear, but is, in fact, strengthened.
