RElATIONShIPS ANd SERvE STRATEGIESgroup dynamics. They almost never get to share their strengths and are
not assured that their unique talents have been hand-picked for the role
or purpose.
Imagine if we reconfigured the company’s backend, and rewired a man-
ager’s head so that there was no hierarchy and chain of command. Man-
agers had to say YES first to any request and only say NO after they
agreed to try to resolve any problem or issue presented to them. How
different do you think the workplace around you would be?
Organizational Structure is no longer about the pyramid, where hierar-
chies of senior managers sit on the top. It is increasingly more efficient
to live in a matrix, where the context of the situation dictates how to
move forward.
For example - you have twenty people that are tasked with doing four
things. The challenge is to decide which people go into which group.
The dilemma is a classic one: Do you ask them what they want? That
may waste too much time. Do you buddy them up with those they’re
sitting next to? That’s fast and clean, but is it the best choice? Or do you
choose based on past performance. That’s a good idea if the tasks are the
same as they have been for years. But that’s rarely the case.
You have to let them tell you what they can do. You have to let them
tell each other. You have to let them form their groups in real time, in a
comfortable setting that mimics a water cooler, not a stiff boardroom.
Why do that?
In teAMs, PeoPle WAnt to oRgAnIZe
theMselves – let theM!Your team will tell you. People want to make their own groups, and
they want to work on those things at which they excel. You cannot read
minds and know an employee is a great painter unless they tell you.
If you are leading or managing teams, you should take the time to ex-
plore your leadership style and attitude towards relationships. Figure
out how you let people form habits and expectations, and document
when you offer others the opportunity to explore what works best for
the team.