The Barrier of Structure: Part 1
As a throw-back to our previous topic, systems are the vehicle to get us from Point A to Point B and can be a sweet ride. But a Ferrari on a pothole-laden gravel road will lead to a tumultuous journey. Clearly, we seek smooth paths. Structures are the roads on which we drive our processes. This component consists of facilities, schedules, organizational charts, technology, and budgeting.
The development of structures in your organization are undergirding pillars to help your organization run smoothly. Furthermore, they enable those involved to fulfil your mission without significant barriers to performance.
Growing Accustomed to our Realities
After approximately six weeks of establishing a structure, it becomes nearly invisible to us. We grow accustomed to that road. At first, it was new, but we now appreciate that smooth travel. For instance, your office space is a little small, but the team gradually becomes accustomed to it and soon accepts its size as normal. Organizational restructuring feels awkward for a season, then begins to feel comfortable. People adapt and soon don't see or feel those earlier discomforts. The same can be said for schedules, tech, and budgets.
Can you identify a structure change in your organization that initially led to uneasiness but later became the norm and perhaps even “invisible” to the team? Wise leaders evaluate each structure carefully. Here are some principles to consider when assessing your structures.
1. Structures create space for people.
We are not just in the growth business; we are in the people business, whatever the business. Structures were made to benefit people, not the other way around. Our purpose is not just to make a profit, build buildings, or own more real estate. We are here to improve the lives of individuals.
2. Our structures are often designed for the amount of people we currently serve.
By and large, our structures are built to fit the reality of our current environment. We must plan for expansion.
Examine your organization’s structures to determine how to enlarge those environments, not for the size you are today, but what you seek to become in 12 months, two years, and five years from now.
3. Get some unbiased feedback.
Employ a neutral individual or consultant as a “secret shopper” to observe and provide feedback regarding what appears broken or clunky in day-to-day operations, staff meetings, new employee trainings, communication, etc.
Another structural barrier is organizational charts. How are your teams built out for paid staff and volunteers? To whom is each person accountable as a direct report. Is this clear to all parties? In order to expand, solid structures are needed here. Good leaders also remember that the more you delegate tasks and provide accountability, the greater impact you can have, which helps the organization grow. Proactively replicate yourself. Move from doing tasks to helping people do tasks. Model what you want.
Do you expect your departments to grow? Will current facilities and technology suffice? If expansion is in your future, then a strategic plan must be developed to assess what structures are needed to pave the way for growth.