The perfect organisation
There are a hundred and one ways you can structure your organisation:
- You can have a flat structure
- You can have a tall structure
- You can have an inverted structure
- It could be network driven
- It could be geographically driven
- It could be project driven
- Power can be devolved to the regions
- Power can be held in the centre
You can have cross functional processes and you can have cross process functions. If you really can’t decide you can utilise a matrix management approach.
I think I have murdered the point.
So many options
Designing the perfect organisation is a difficult task. It is confusing and there are hundreds of combinations. Perhaps you could use the services of a reputable firm of management consultants to guide you. They will help you with your structure, ensuring you think through roles, responsibilities and processes. Then they will create a target operating model (T.O.M.) for you to migrate to.
If you have cash to spare they will also help you manage the transformation.
The seductive lever
In my life time the National Health Service has undergone 49 major reorganisations. Each one of which was designed to:
- Improve patient care
- Devolve responsibility to the shop floor
- Enable clinical excellence
- Integrate patient services
- Reduce bureaucracy and management
I think it is fair to assume that the first 48 attempts didn’t hit the mark. Maybe the current structure has finally resolved all the problems. Maybe.
Rearranging the deck chairs
I’m getting on, but I’m not quite past it yet. That is almost one reorganisation per year. We have had a bit of a slow down recently, I suspect that is because our politicians are currently busy reorganising Europe.
You can change your organisation, realign reporting relationships and shuffle responsibilities to your heart’s content. Performance is always fine within the boxes. Between them it is a different matter.
Any fool can have a reorganisation. Building a cooperative workplace is much more of a challenge.
Does your T.O.M. address that?
If you enjoyed this post click here to receive the next
Image by tabacco
Read another opinion
Reminds me of the quote:
“We trained hard, but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams we would be reorganised. … I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganising; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency and demoralisation.”