This question was submitted via our website from Steve M. -- a Senior VPHR in a large pharmaceutical company in the mid-Atlantic region. Steve attended a “Systems Thinking and Leadership” workshop a couple of years ago, lead by Dr. Stimson, a Managing Partner at WSA, when he was working for a smaller pharmaceutical company in an operations role.
My Matrix is Broken?
Q: Starting in 2004 we did four acquisitions in three years which wreaked havoc on our organizational structure. Many people were reporting to more than one boss and frequently they were not in the same location.
Our response to this problem was to restructure into a matrix organization. However, after two years I do not think we are achieving the optimal results we envisioned.
We have an annual planning session coming up soon. I am considering suggesting we abandon the matrix structure and go back to single line reporting, or some other arrangement that will work across our geographies and product lines.
From looking at your website I think that you have lots of experience in organizational change in general, and matrix structures specifically. I’m looking for suggestions on what kind of organizational structure we might consider to mitigate the problems we’ve created with the matrix structure, and position us for better alignment and productivity. Any ideas, articles, experiences,you could share would be appreciated.
(We followed up with Steve in a telephone discussion to get more specifics. As it turned out, the perceived problem with the matrix structure is more one of management. A few people are manipulating the dual reporting nature of the matrix structure by playing one manager off against another. A fairly common problem with a solution (outlined below) that not only puts an end to the manipulation but increases effectiveness as well.)
A: As it turns out, the problem is less about a matrix structure and more about a few people working hard to get out of working hard! That is, you have a small cadre of individuals who have become quite adept at avoiding work by:
- Telling one of the managers they report to (Manager #1) that their other boss (Manager #2) has asked them to do something that will take considerable time, making it impossible for them to complete the work assigned by Manager #1.
These few are clearly “working the stem” (manipulating the situation) to avoid work by telling the same story to both managers. However, a majority of the people you discussed are using this ploy to pick and choose tasks that are:
- Highly desirable
- Have good visibility
- Allow them to work with people they know
- Span many time zones and geographies
- More challenging and/or interesting.
Although all of the folks involved are manipulating their bosses, I’ll take the folks with the reasons listed above vs. the ones simply avoiding all work!
A key variable that came to light in our conversation is that 90% of the people in the majority group are from the same club – it’s called, Generation Y! And the reasons behind their ploy fit within the general characteristics of this group. To mention just a few here that we discussed:
Tech-Savvy: They grew up with technology and they like it. Manipulating their bosses so they can work with the latest and greatest technology fits this profile.
Achievement-Oriented: Nurtured and pampered by parents who did not want to make the mistakes of previous generations, Gen Y-ers are confident, ambitious and achievement-oriented. They like new challenges and are not afraid to question (manipulate?) authority. They want to work on the most challenging projects and are surprised when they are required to “pay their dues” to get ahead.
Team-Oriented: They grew up playing team sports and other group activities. They value teamwork and want to be included and involved. Working with teams, especially ones composed of people they know, is important to them.
Attention-Craving: Gen Y-ers craves attention in the form of feedback and guidance, and they need frequent praise and reassurance. Some of the people you discussed may be positioning themselves to work with senior folks who provide more feedback and/or more of a mentoring relationship.
We agreed that you need to think more about the generational issues at play here, and regardless of what you discover, be sure to not let anyone “off the hook!” That is:
Managers
Your company has been heavily focused on acquiring and expanding the business and should be applauded for doing so well in this economy. With the emphasis on expansion, little has been done in the way of training, so the system is achieving what it was designed to achieve: expansion, technological accomplishments, good market positioning and very technical managers poorly trained in handling people – especially the younger generations. They need some help in handling performance conversations with people behaving poorly, which actually includes all of the manipulators!
Performance Conversations
We had a long discussion about this area. In summary:
- Ask your managers to think through what they want to see happen. Ask them to get clear on desired outcomes because just telling people to “stop manipulating” is not going to work (ask any parent!).
- The outcome or behaviour a manager wants to see from an individual is what is most important. The conversations should be about the desired outcome (the future) rather than listing and describing the behaviour(s) the manager wants to end (the past).
- Some good ideas can be found in the article on our website (www.wsa-intl.com) “3 Keys to Making Tough Performance Conversations Easy.”
Expectations Conversations
Our 25 years of management consulting experience has taught us that no organizational design or method of management is without flaws.
As an enterprise grows and becomes more complex, dual or multiple reporting relationships across geographies, products or services and functional groups occur. This matrix of management relationships is a necessary evil for any highly complex, global operation. And in the best of times, it requires more care and feeding than many managers have the time or the patience for. After all, they do have a business to run!
(I suggest a white paper on our site, “Organizational Change: Moving to a Matrix Organization” for more info on the good, the bad and the ugly about matrix structures.)
A sure-fire method we discussed for short-circuiting the manipulation game is for the managers and employee to have an “expectations conversation.”
This is a structured conversation that is true to its name – the managers and employee discuss, agree to and record what expectations each has of the other in this arrangement. A conflict resolution process should also be outlined.
These conversations when handled correctly (lather, rinse repeat ) should improve performance to some degree for all but the most intractable cases. Getting your managers comfortable in having those conversations is your key to success.
Contact Beth Chartier for information about our flexible, customizable Performance Feedback workshop at (781) 343-4008 or BChartier@wsa-intl.com.