Bill Walsh, during his championship run with the 49ers developed two keys for “Identifying the parameters of an effective organizational structure.”1. A well-defined organizational structure with a distinct delineation of responsibility must be established.
2. The purpose of that structure must be equally well-defined and documented.
In other words, we need to know — and put it in writing —what each person is doing and who and when it is to be done.
More maxims on organization from Walsh and they can help us.
An organizational structure should be designed in such a way that the strengths of the organization’s employees are maximized and their weaknesses made irrelevant.
The structure of an organization must have the flexibility and adaptability to meet unexpected obstacles, crises or developments.
Crisis management requires anticipation, preparation, and practice as well as a cool-headed troubleshooting team.
A plan for structuring an organization should be put in writing to provide a documented source of reference and guidance for everyone involved.
In the face of massive (and often conflicting) pressure, an organization has to be resolute in its vision of the future and how it plans to get where it wants to go.
“To a major degree, an organization is defined by how different work is done.”
-Bill Walsh-
