Too many chiefs and not enough Indians

Pro Tip 1/3

Hierarchy Issue

The phrase often points to a problem with organization structure, indicating too many leaders.

With too many chiefs and not enough Indians, our team's direction was unclear.

Pro Tip 2/3

Collaboration Breakdown

It suggests a teamwork imbalance, where too many people try to lead rather than cooperate.

The event was a failure—too many chiefs and not enough Indians.

Pro Tip 3/3

Colloquial Expression

This is a casual idiom and may not be appropriate for formal or sensitive cultural situations.

In our informal meeting, we joked there were too many chiefs and not enough Indians.