How To Design An Organization That Thrives

By Elizabeth Talerman

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2021/04/06/how-to-design-an-organization-that-thrives/?sh=11a9c2a35b55

There is light at the end of this pandemic tunnel, and as organizations contemplate whether or when to bring people back into the office, the questions we hear most from leaders are “How will we maintain our company culture?" and “How do we evolve our culture as the nature of work evolves?”

Adopting new ways of working is deeply rooted in your approach to organizational design. 

Through observational research, in our own organization and in our work with clients ranging from startups to 200-year-old brands, we’ve noticed a trend that’s gathering momentum. Workplaces that flatten hierarchy, distribute accountability and establish greater transparency operate with enhanced efficiency and resilience. 

Reject the status quo of traditional corporate structures.

Rejecting the status quo of traditional corporate structures reveals opportunities to design organizations that withstand unforeseeable disruption and thrive. We’ve seen the remarkably positive impact that intentional organizational design has on a team’s ability to maintain a productive and purposeful workplace, especially over the past year when so many of our traditional gathering spaces sit empty. 

Three new styles of organizational design offer insights for building a company better able to navigate disruption:

• Self-managed organizations emphasize autonomous decision-making and shared responsibility. Jorge Silva of 10Pines refers to this as horizontal management with a participatory culture.

• Employee-driven organizations support participation, the free flow of information and profit-sharing. Richard Semler of Semco Partners defines this as democracy in the workplace.

• Sociocracy is guided by efficacy and efficiency while honoring the voices of all members — an intentionally empowering way of referring to employees. 

The following six principles serve as building blocks for establishing a nonhierarchical organization. We’ve adopted this design in our own organization and call this the Kitchen Table model because it puts people at the center, results in a more rewarding and resilient workplace and enhances internal culture, team accountability and business efficiency.

Emphasize nourishment as a workplace benefit.

Work is a place of personal evolution and growth. To grow healthfully, we need nourishment of all kinds; intellectual, emotional and of course physical, through food and drink. By approaching work as an opportunity to enrich ourselves and each other, the Kitchen Table yields more deeply connected, fulfilled team members. It invites everyone to consider what they bring to the table. Frequent "Lunch and Learns" invite team members to give others a deep-dive into skill-building, trials, failures and successes, or insights into the memes, music and movements that give context to culture.

Maintain a 'home base' around which people gather for stability and connection.

Just like a modern family in which members bounce between activities, our daily work lives are in perpetual motion. Holding constant, at the center, is the table at which people gather to speak and be heard, listen, refuel and collaborate. In the absence of a physical space, a time frame can substitute: Hold a 30-minute pulse session a few times a week. Video cameras are on; just like at a real kitchen table where face-to-face interaction is sacred. With two prompts: "What are you consuming (TV/books/podcasts)?" And "What is energizing you?" this practice meets the need for reliable empathy and relationship-building, providing a secure sense of unity as an antidote to the stress of change and challenges beyond our control.

Establish a nonhierarchical team structure rooted in responsibility and respect.

At the Kitchen Table, team members gather together as equals; everyone’s unique contribution is valued and titles or accolades matter less than genuine dedication to good work. This nonhierarchical system works wonders when leaders trust they don’t have all the answers and honor wisdom through experience, not simply age or title. This supports millennial and Gen Z employees who embrace a "lattice" career approach, believing “ideas, development and recognition flow where they need to, along horizontal, vertical and diagonal paths.” Each team member is a resident expert of a part of the practice that suits their interests and skills, a distributed model where senior management welcomes the opportunity to be challenged and employees welcome the opportunity to lead.

Create terms that break social order to reinforce collaboration.

As a member of a team, consider what might happen if no one had a title. Not bosses, but colleagues, not clients, but partners. Building the capacity of others (including partners), rather than cultivating dependency, creates equity and growth. People and projects thrive when everyone brings something unique to the table, making the sum greater than each of our individual contributions.

Provide flexible work hours to increase efficacy and commitment.

Recognizing that all team members have responsibilities outside of work is important. Consider planned days throughout the week that are more flexible and allow for time to manage personal commitments, doctor appointments and the ability to dive into interests within or outside of the work colleagues are doing. To be clear, these days are not meant as time off, but time to take care of and enrich ourselves so we can bring more perspective and thought matter to the Kitchen Table.

Allow for 'creative collisions' to spark innovation.

Designing for spontaneous moments of co-creation, Socratic debate or unstructured conversation is a key factor in fueling creativity and innovation. Create receptive space by building time for "creative collisions" into the rhythm of each day. Problems are solved and new ideas are honed through critical thinking and spirited debate. Creativity can be catalyzed even when team members are far apart, through Slack channels made specifically for "water cooler" banter, through scheduled "lunch and learns" that democratize the notion of expertise and through flexible time that encourages free forms of exchange. 

As new generations enter, ascend and assume leadership positions within organizations, their expectations of a deeper connection to work and those they work with require a new look at motivation, retention, reward and responsibility. The workforce has evolved, and so too should organizational design, in ways that support individuals and teams to make work, work better.