Organizational Design is the methodology by which an organization’s leaders can identify which aspects of their organization are working, and which aspects need a second look. That second glance and fresh perspective offers executives who are equipped with organizational design skills an opportunity to refresh outdated systems and procedures, keeping the whole operation aligned with existing goals and moving successfully into the future.
Maximize your team’s effectiveness by having these 5 Organizational Design tips in your toolbox!
1-Take Your Time: Take more time than you think you need to assess your organization’s existing practices! It will pay off in dividends as you design and implement new procedures that reflect your current reality, not the reality that existed when the structure of the organization was first designed.
2-Plan Ahead: Be crystal clear on every short and long-term task on your organization’s to-do list. Use this list as a guide when you evaluate your organization’s current structure, needs, and even agenda items at your board meetings! Understanding all that you want the organization to accomplish, and by when, is imperative as you move forward with your re-design. This is also an excellent time to consider bringing in an outside consultant for strategic planning or board and/or leadership training.
3-Take a Closer Look: Examine and re-examine the existing people who make up your organization. Rather than consider the position they currently have, imagine you are creating a new position just for them. How could their strengths, prior experience, and unique capabilities be best utilized? Would their role change significantly?
4-Consider Tech: Consider technology’s impact on your organization. Has it made laborious or tedious tasks that used to take days obsolete? Has the prevalence of faster communication methods made it easier for managers to take on more direct reports? If so, how has your organization's full-time roles adapted to reflect that? Do they need to?
5-Measure Success by Results: Develop metrics to help you monitor the success of your newly re-structured organization, once changes (if any) have been implemented. Do so with simple performance indicators that measure the effectiveness of the changes you are designing. These performance indicators (often known as Key Performance Indicators or KPI) should be extremely clear and written out simultaneously with the implementation of the new structure, in order to make analyzing the results easy in the future.
We hope these tips inspire and empower you to think more about your organization’s design.
And of course, BV is here to help if you need a personalized and tailored approach…contact us today!