Martin Training Associates

Matrix Management Reinvented

by Paula K. Martin, Executive Consultant,
Martin Training Associates

Want to learn to manage cross-functionally? Want to learn how to align your organization with the customer? Want to optimize business processes and projects? Read this white paper to find out how.

[download the white paper]


EXCERPT

In most organizations, functions are king and getting work done cross-functionally is difficult at best. For years companies have tried to solve this problem by changing the culture or restructuring, but very little progress has been made. Functional silos still don’t cooperate with one another. Business processes are riddled with rework and long cycle times. Projects are late and don’t satisfy their customers. What’s wrong? Is there a solution?

There are two basic reasons that cross-functional operations such as business processes (BP) and projects aren’t working well:

  1. Organizations are aligned vertically instead of horizontally.
  2. The required management systems and processes are not in place to support horizontal alignment.

Cross-functional management, also known as matrix management, requires alignment in the horizontal dimension, around customers and suppliers. That is why you can’t reorganize your way out of your cross-functional problems. When you restructure all you really do is rearrange reporting relationships. You redesign the vertical dimension - the dimension of who reports to whom. Restructuring does not affect alignment in the horizontal dimension – the dimension of customers and suppliers – because structure and alignment are two different things. Structure is about reporting relationships and alignment is about pointing everyone in the same direction to meet your strategic objectives and satisfy your customers. In order to get alignment with your customers, you have to tackle the horizontal dimension, because that is the dimension in which work gets done.