The Structure Quadrant

The Introduction

The lower-right quadrant represents structure and process. It’s where we organise and design the structural, practical infrastructure of the organisation. Here, we are considering “It’s” – or the EMPLOYEE-EXTERIOR.

For organisations whose general focus is on the PERFORMANCE quadrant, this can be a good first step to evolving consciousness.

It’s where we create systems, processes and formal ownership over different parts of the business. It’s where we can first start working more ON the organisation and less IN the organisation as we evolve or scale.

The Lines

The Primary lines that we are concerned with in the Structure Quadrant are:

PRODUCTIVITY

Personal and team work systems and tools that create clarity and automation.

GOVERNANCE

An overarching style of decision-making and organisation, and how we work together collaboratively or through delegation.

POLICY

Patterns and boundaries for decision making, responsibilities. Processes and guidelines for recurring work ‘set pieces’.

The Benefits

Working on the STRUCTURE quadrant allows us to move expertise and expectations from a personal space to a shared space. Documenting this knowledge ensures value creation for the organisation and unlocks the potential for continuous improvement.

Words like governance and policy ca be real turn offs for a lot of people as they sound overly laborious or administrative. While some writing and administration is important to allow these areas to thrive, they most definitely do not need to be boring. Brand tone and language can be infused throughout, thereby improving the employee brand and employee experience.

If you haven’t developed this quadrant yet, think about how much of your day could be automated, or delegated. When considering at an organisation through the STRUCTURE lens, ‘It’s quicker if I just do it myself’ translates to ‘My systems are not intuitive enough’

While STRUCTURE is the first step out of the PERFORMANCE quadrant, it is very noticeable that CULTURE and STRUCTURE work hand in hand. STRUCTURE informs CULTURE as much as CULTURE informs STRUCTURE. When considering both together we’re playing with 2 sides of the same coin. For example, there is no point evolving a long way into wholeness at work if your policies are overbearing and dictate a ‘professional’ style of decision-making.

As STRUCTURE is developed, the overall organisation can start to evolve way beyond task-based management and into a well-oiled machine.

The Challenges

Challenge 1

When the majority of attention is in the upper right quadrant, it can feel like the stability of the entire organisation can be at risk if stepping out of there.

Leaders can have a sense of fragility to the organisation, feeling like the moment they step away from the frontline everything may fall apart. Let’s be honest, this may be the case, but unless you’re committed to never growing or evolving the company then its a risk you’re going to have to take, and sooner will allow you to get through it the quickest.

Challenge 2

As organisations evolve their STRUCTURE, the organisation and processes begin to become more defined, which in turn can seem like senior leadership decision-making is not needed as much day-to-day.

This can lead to feelings of guilt, or ‘what do I do now?’ thoughts. These feelings are transitional and will pass by maintaining your position that working on the organisation is as valuable (if not more) than working in the organisation.

The Summary

Summary

Growing into a conscious organisation can mean that you need to step away from the day-to-day. This can be as challenging as it is rewarding. One way or another it is critical for the organisation to grow and to grow up.

It can feel like a leap of faith but with the right guidance and accountability partner(s) you will be constantly reassured that it’s the right thing to do.

The skills involved in developing the organisation in written terms can difficult if you haven’t worked in this way before. But committing methods and practices to paper can be a great learning exercise, extracting your expertise and recognising just how much you know.

Developing structure, when effective, can be a process of looking upwards, extending your horizon, allowing you to plan more long term and to begin designing your future.

Resources

Article –
What’s wrong with your organizational structure?

Book –
Reinventing Organizations

Article –
Sociocracy

Tool –
Asana

Framework –
Getting Things Done