Getting to grips with organisation design

How do you DO organisation design? It’s a question that I’ve been asking a lot recently with a number of people whose role includes organisation design. Some have organisation design in their role title, some ‘own’ it as part of their wider HR portfolio, and some find themselves bumping into it whilst going about their business in other OD or change and transformation roles.

People define organisation design in different ways, some are very fixed and certain; others are more ambiguous and transient. This mirrors the myriad of ways in which many of them ply their trade. To keep it simple, I offer a brief definition which is that it is “a dynamic process of aligning structure, systems and processes with purpose so that people can give their best performance”.

One of the things I was most struck by throughout my conversations was the vast array of models, methodologies, tools and techniques that are out there in organisations. Most people said they have an agreed approach or model for organisation design in their organisation and it usually resembles something akin to a Galbraith Star Model or perhaps a McKinsey 7s. Rarely do organisations stick rigidly to the creators’ original and prefer to bespoke the model to fit their organisational context such as adding an eighth ‘s’ or a wheel instead of star.

Designing an approach on paper is not a skill set which needs much more development, people and organisations are pretty good at this already. But when those models on paper meet reality, things get tricky. Many people spend less time on the important stuff such as how to live and embody the approach moment by moment, in each conversation and interaction. This warrants much more focus and energy.

For many OD people that I speak to, the greatest challenge they face is simply getting a seat at the table. This relies on being able to demonstrate sufficient personal and professional credibility which will convince managers of the benefits of the more holistic and systemic approach which OD can truly offer.

I am not saying it isn’t important to be informed about design models and methodologies – it most certainly is. What I am saying is that these are only the starting point and a relatively small part of the larger jigsaw. The key is to spend less time concerning yourself with the right model – they all say pretty much the same thing – and spend more time asking yourself: how can I build stronger, healthier relationships with stakeholders?

By doing so, you will get to the real work of organisation design which means collaborating with people to create effective, healthy and successful organisations, which focus on their purpose, are responsive to their surroundings and are great places to work. Now that will be a job well done!