As 2018 is well underway, have you wondered whether you are starting off the new year with the right organizational structure to deliver the results you need for your business? Most leaders have because their organization has experienced significant changes – many have downsized, or maybe rightsized, and are delivering results differently than they did a year ago.

One thing we know for certain – change is constant; gone are the days when leaders looked at their business plan and organizational structure once every 3 – 5 years. Organizational plans, designs and business structure need to be reviewed regularly, and it doesn’t need to be a major overhaul that takes a room full of consultants over a period of several days. It does, however, require a planned and facilitated discussion involving your leaders and usually an outside consultant or business partner to guide the process.

Discussions on organizational design and structure optimization need to happen at all levels of your organization – at the Board level, at the CEO and COO level, at the senior management level, and at the departmental management level. That means the leaders and their management team must become very competent at business planning, organizational design and re-structuring. What are Leaders doing to make sure managers are properly equipped and trained to do this important work – do they have a game plan?

Sending your management team on a planning and organizational design course may not be the answer, as they may struggle with practical application upon returning to the office. However, bringing the management team together and facilitating a planning and organizational design working session where they learn by doing can be both engaging and productive.

There is no better way to learn than by actually working on a real scenario – your business and the organizational design of your team. Teach your managers in a half-day working session to:

• Consider the organization’s competitive advantage and how their department and teams contribute to the organizations value proposition (uniqueness – what sets the organization apart from others)
• Identify critical business operations or functions that contribute to the success of the business and design the organizational structure around supporting these key functions
• Build processes and structures that integrate functions, such that silos within the organization are avoided or dismantled
• Continually assess, evaluate, measure and act on aspects of the business in which they are accountable for

Consultants are an important resource when you are considering organizational redesign and structure, as often an independent third party is needed to provide a neutral, unbiased opinion and to ask tough questions about processes that may be ingrained in a culture that needs to change. Finding the right Consultant who is a good fit for your organization and your team is critical, so be selective. There needs to be a good connection and a strong relationship with the person you select to guide the organization as you rightsize, reorganize and find your game plan to continually succeed.

Salopek & Associates is experienced in working with organizations to assess and optimize organizational design and structure to achieve business objectives. Contact us today if you are considering holding a business planning session with your people and explore whether we might be the right match to guide your team!