Making the Matrix Work: How Matrix Managers Engage People and Cut Through Complexity
- 3h 26m
- Kevan Hall
- Nicholas Brealey Publishing
- 2013
Global customers, supply chains and more integrated business functions mean that work now cuts across the traditional vertical silos of country and function. But the 'solution' of the matrix structure also brings multiple bosses, competing goals and higher levels of complexity.
Traditional management training prioritizes clarity, predictability and control. In a matrix we need to be able to balance this with the ability to tolerate ambiguity, manage uncertainty and decentralize control. Managers need an expanded toolkit to help them move from the hard to the soft, from the concrete to the ambiguous and back again depending on the situation. Making the Matrix Work introduces some new ideas and practical tools in 3 key areas.
- Leading people beyond clarity to flexibility: A matrix trades clarity for flexibility. We need to create enough clarity on goals and roles and to align with others; but we also need to cope with ambiguity, manage complex trade-offs and dilemmas and deal with higher levels of conflict.
- Being connected and effective: We set up a matrix to improve cooperation and communication across the silos but be careful what you wish for! It is easy to become over-connected to poor quality meetings, teams and communication. More teamwork, meetings and emails are not the answer.
- Creating control by giving it away: The complexity and diversity of the matrix can undermine trust and lead to an increase in central control and bureaucracy. We need to prevent this by building trust, empowering and creating commitment. Accountability without control and influence without authority are the norm.
Kevan Hall's new book will help you develop your matrix mindset and will show you how to establish and engage networks that do not depend on role, control or authority to get things done.
This book gives individuals working in the matrix the tools to take control of their own goals, role and success and shows matrix managers how to lead others to make their matrix really work.
About the Author
Kevan Hall is the author of Speed Lead and founder of Global Integration accompany delivering consultancy and training to over 200 companies in 40 countries.
In this Book
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Introduction
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Trading Clarity for Flexibility: The View from the Middle
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Islands of Clarity: Dealing With Competing Goals
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Owning Your Role: Clarifying Roles and Decision Rights
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Getting Aligned with Others: Aligning on a Moving Target
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Difficult Decisions: Negotiations, Choices, and Tradeoffs
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Dealing with Daily Dilemmas: Dilemmas, Polarities, and Learning Journeys
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Creating and Coping with Conflict: What to Do When Nothing Else Works
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More Cooperation and Communication: Be Careful What You Wish for
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The Four Ways of Working: Spaghetti Teams, Star Groups, Cloud Communities, and Purposeful Networks
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Cooperating Through Technology and Social Media: Connecting with Colleagues, Followers, and Friends
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Accountability Without Control: A Recipe for Matrix Success
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Power and Influence Without Authority: We are All Big Dogs Now
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From Empowerment to Freedom: Continuous Improvement for People
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Building, Maintaining, and Repairing Trust: A Precondition for Decentralized Control
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The Matrix Mindset and Skillset: Be a Matrix Manager, Not a Matrix Victim
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