Matrix Management
Working Cross-Functionally
Martin Training Associates (MTA) is the global leader in helping organizations learn how to manage in a matrix environment. MTA partners have authored a series of articles on matrix management and have recently released a new book entitled: Quick Guide Management Series: The New Matrix Management which explores the elements every leader needs to understand to make his organization more successful.
The new matrix management is not the same old technology that existed in the 70’s and 80’s for managing matrix organizations. The new matrix technology helps you to:
- Align your business with your customers
- Optimize (streamline) business processes & projects
- Increase cross-functional cooperation
- Allocate resources for the good of the enterprise instead of the good of the function
Many managers think of a matrix in the formal sense: where there is a separate group that manages cross functional projects or products, for example. But MTA believes that every organization is a matrix, because every organization must manage in two dimensions: vertically to allocate resources and horizontally to align with the customer. The key to making a matrix work is aligning everything in the matrix with serving the customer – that means that the horizontal dimension must take precedence and that’s a big change for most organizations that still function primarily in vertical silos.
To see how well your organization is utilizing matrix management to create organizational optimization, take our matrix management assessment and we’ll provide you with a set of recommendations on how to improve your performance.
Some of the challenges that managers face when trying to manage in today’s organizations, which are in fact, two dimensional include:
- Confusion over accountability - who is accountable for what?
- Lack of authority to get things done cross-functionally. *
- Existing organizational systems that do not support the horizontal dimension.
- Conflicting goals between the vertical and horizontal
- Insufficient resources to get the job done
4 Areas of Focus in Shifting to a Matrix
At Martin Training, we focus on four distinct shifts that need to occur for organizations to work more effectively in a matrix:
- Structure The first area that must be addressed to work cross-functionally is structure. Structure is not just about rearranging the boxes on an organizational chart and in fact, may not involve rearranging any boxes at all. It is about setting up a horizontal structure in addition to a vertical one.
- Alignment A matrix organization depends heavily on alignment. The performance management system must be redesign to support a horizontal orientation. A new system of accountability is needed that fosters collaboration and learning, instead of competition and blame. Steering councils for business processes and the portfolio of projects must be established at senior leader levels. Standardized collaborative methods are needed to support team operations.
- Optimization Optimization in a matrix must shift from optimizing functions to optimizing business processes. Optimization in a matrix is about creating business processes that are as effective (aligned with customer needs) and efficient (as little waste of time, material and effort) as possible.
- Leadership The shift from a vertically aligned organization to one aligned in two dimensions requires a redefinition of roles for everyone from the bottom to the top of the organization. Leaders have to learn to manage without authority and control.
We at Martin Training Associates have been specializing in matrix solutions for close to twenty years. We provide a variety of services from workshops to create awareness to consulting to books and articles to workshops that actually help you create the shifts mentioned above. Give us a call and we will help you diagnose where the best place to begin will be. Trust the development of your organization to the leaders in the field. Trust Martin Training Associates.