The Barrier of Structure: Part 2

Continuing on the topic of structures, there are other potential barriers that leaders must evaluate, strategically sharpen, or fully renovate. One is schedules.

Consider all the meetings that you and your team hold in a given week. Perhaps you’ve found that some are not as consequential or productive. Think deeply about the purpose(s) of each— are there any that could be restructured to balance efficiency with meaning? Any that could be held less frequently? Any that could even be canceled?

Continuing this train of thought, which meetings should you personally attend? Which could you stop attending? Is there another person you could empower to represent you? How can you adjust your schedule to focus your time and energy to forge a path to the next level in the life of the organization?

Evaluate your own schedule. Are you taking adequate time off? If you're not because you believe that you can't, you have a structure problem. If you are regularly working on tasks well past normal working hours, you could have a structure problem. Give careful thought to your work-life balance. What would the ideal work-life balance look like for you in a week? Strive to build an organization that can function well without you.

Another structural barrier is technology.

Technology can help you care for, celebrate, communicate with, and coach your people. When good technology structure is in place, it can positively affect your organization’s time, energy, and resources. When it's not in place, it will negatively impact those elements. Evaluate the following:

·      How efficient is your people management software?

·      How effective are your communication platforms?

·      Could communication with your staff and volunteers improve?

·      Are you able to integrate video and social media into your communication?

·      Are your meetings stunted at all by technology?

Hitting a lid in any one of these areas can easily put a lid on everything. Therefore, critically approach these structures and be prepared to discuss, refine, and renovate these roads in your organization. Any and all of these structures can make your organizational ride smooth or bumpy, so it is imperative to make changes to assure the highest level of performance.