How Does Your Organization Align?

by James Canada

When we look at our business processes and employee empowerment, we need to check our organizational alignment. Now, I am not a proponent of changing the organization chart frequently. Even with the organizations we have today, we can make empowerment happen. Organizational change simply does not change the process results by itself—if we want to change the results, we have to change the process.

However, as we learn to understand our core value delivery processes, we can assign “process owners” who have cross-functional responsibility for customer service delivery. This is an excellent way to ensure that executive-level goals have the customer in mind first, and not the department head. Moreover, it encourages executive teamwork because the leaders have responsibility for delivery even if they have no direct reports involved. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is that all executives are on the hook equally!

This concept can expand beyond the individual company and extend to intercompany learning. The trend of the future is companies linking to provide seamless customer service throughout the process experience. Empowering employees will then mean more than company goals. It will be intercompany understanding and alignment to customer values. Can you be successful with smokestack organizations? This all depends on matching your business process to the organization structure. Those of you who read case studies on business reengineering may have noticed information technology being applied along the core process.

Instead of the core process, departmental levels really empower front line employees—no matter where they are in the process. I contend that with the right amount of departmental integration of strategy, smokestacks can work too. Reviewing your organizational alignment may be the key to your next level of business growth.

James H. Canada is managing partner/CEO for Alliance Technologies LLC, ITEN mentor and author of “Corporate to Entrepreneur: Strategies for Success.” Contact Jim at james.canada@alliancetechnologiesllc.com, 636-734-2337 or www.alliancetechnologiesllc.com.