b'THE HR HANDBOOKLeadership Behaviors Support Organizational StructureSOLOMON IS EXPERIENCEDenough to under- made closer to where the work is done, with the inten-stand that his companys reorganization is an impor- tion of achieving faster actions. Fewer layers should tant part of its ability to meet the changing marketmean that information flows faster between levels, and demands or pursue new business and product strate- like a matrix, greater span of control can improve com-gies. A reorganization is more than just a change inmunication across departments and functions.department names and job titles. Significant reor- As a middle manager, Solomon quickly felt the ganizations results in a change in structure changesimpact of having more direct reports. Importantly, accountabilities, responsibilities and work processes.Solomons organization recognized that they needed to Organizational structure is how job tasks are for- teach and support the appropriate leadership behaviors mally divided, grouped, coordinated and resourced.required to gain the advantages of the flatter structure. JONATHAN SHAVERIn turn, the structural framework determines who isYou may recognize these kinds of changes toward is the president andaccountable for outcomes, sets the conditions for worka flatter structure in your own organization. With more owner of Envisionprocesses such as information sharing and evaluationreports, a group supervisor must become comfortable Partners LLC.and impacts potential career paths. with giving up controlless managing more leading. Two commonly known structures are hierarchy andWhat is Solomon learning?matrix. These structures are not opposites, and few With less time to give to each employee, new organizations are purely one or the other. A hierarchyforms of guidance are needed. As a leader you will has a continuous line of authority from upper levels toneed to dedicate more time to building personal rela-lowest level and clarifies who reports to whom. Unlike ationships, sharing expectations and guiding behaviors matrix, hierarchy is also known for unity of command infor each of your team members. In this way, both you which each person has only one boss and reports onlyand they become more comfortable working indepen-to that person. In a matrix organization, each employeedently while achieving quality and outcomes.reports to at least two managers. One manager is usu-With less immediate access to their leader, team ally specific to a function; the other manager is specificmembers must be encouraged and be able to reach to a department. The advantages and disadvantagesout and support one another. Fostering teamwork is a of these structures are dependent on the organization. critical role of team leaders. Solomons company evolved from a defined In a flat organization, there are fewer opportunities structure to a more convoluted structure in whichfor vertical promotions. Intentional development chal-some managers had one report and others had manylenges without role change are easier in a flat structure. more. Some temporary cross-functional assignmentsChallenge, empowerment and personal fulfillment are became permanent and dotted-line reporting was asthe motivators of retention and high productivity.common as solid-line reporting. Interactions between A flat organization tends to have more peers at a departments were held together by a few soon-to-begiven level with whom you need to communicate and retiring historic relationships. Senior leadership begancoordinate activities across departments.to recognize that the way work gets done and deci-As a result of fewer levels in a flat organization, sions get made in their organization was very unclearmore of the decisions will take place at your level. and therefore, became a limiting factor in their abilityLeaders at every level must learn to make bigger deci-to respond to needed change. sions and become comfortable with the increase in Solomons organization is promoting their new orgaccountability that comes with such authority.structure as a flat hierarchy. As a comparative term,The choice of organizational structure is a business flat means that each manager has a greater numberdecision that supports the overall business strategy of direct reports. This greater span of control by eachRegardless of the choice made by your organization, to manager leads to fewer levels in the hierarchy. Flatterachieve the advantages of changing the structure, pro-hierarchies are more decentralizeddecisions arecesses and behaviors at all levels need to change. SW10/ SEEDWORLD.COMJANUARY 2022'