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Rapidly growing organizations, including those whose growth is a consequence of mergers and acquisitions, tend to find themselves in a continuing state of crisis, uncertainty, and experienced chaos. The same is true of organizations that must undergo downsizing, rapid modernization, or other adjustments to a changing market or environment. Just as it would be difficult to perform cardiac surgery while the patient is actively engaged in his or her daily activities, there is little time in organizational crisis periods to consider and implement thoughtful, durable fixes for underlying problems.
It is also the case that organizations sometimes respond to a variety of internal problems by restructuring, by which they mean moving reporting relationships on the standard organizational chart. Typically, little or no attention is paid to the communication structure or the value and reward structure of the organization. Thus moving reporting relationships is selected as a solution even when the root of the problems may have little to do with reporting relationships. As everyone knows, organizational change is often confusing and difficult for members of the organization.
There are times, however, when re-designing the organization is exactly the right decision. For example, restructuring may be indicated when the organization is preparing itself for a different future, and must adapt creatively to major changes in markets or methods. Instead of adopting one of the few "traditional" organizational structures in the literature, however, we believe that every organization should invent its own way of structuring its work relationships, reporting, and communication paths, and its reward systems. The result should be the creation of a flexible organizational structure that is accepted by members, and can operate with dynamic stability in spite of situational changes. Such agile systems help people feel empowered to make and implement good decisions, and help them sustain personal resilience despite the rapid pace of change.
GLS has helped many organizations create designs that prepare them for the future as well as their present needs.
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