9 - Matrix Management - Gunn

7/18/2019 9 - Matrix Management - Gunn

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Unleashing the Power

of Horizontal Teams atNOAA:

Avoiding Pitfalls and Achieving Success

Presented by Ronald Gunn, Managing Director

Strategic Futures® Consulting Group, nc!

"nder Subcontract to Pal#$ech, nc!

Arlington, %A



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Cross-functional teams cobbled togetherinto a network of interfaces where vertical and horizontal chains share

resources and pursue mutuallyreinforcing objectives.

Matrix Organization and Management



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!



"

UNDERSEA

HOMELAND

AIR

QUALITY

ENVIR.

RESPONSE

MT5

L02

NOS

L01

NMFS

L03

OAR

L04

NWS

L05

NMAO

L06

OFCM

L07

OFA

L08

NES

DIS

#$%% &atri' (iagram


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/9-matrix-management-gunn 7/23)

Understanding the Matrix

*ersonnel are drawn from functionalunits to perform a specific project or task.

+he matri' team is built around the

purpose to be accomplished rather thanon the basis of functional similarity, orother traditional bases.



Characteristics of Cross-Functional Teams

ocus on managing results, not on

activities. /ider range of cross-functional skills.

0reater decision-making authority.

ach team member shares responsibilityfor outcomes.



Components of the Matrix

+he +raditional ertical &anagement Chain

#on-+raditional 4orizontal %'is5Cross-unctional +eam

+he &atri' Interface, where vertical andhorizontal authority and responsibility findunified e'pression



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Organizational Relationships

+he management of matri' organizational relationshipsis multidimensional.

The Horizontal Leader relates —

Upward to top management

Horizontally to team members

Diagonally to functional leaders

The ertical Leader relates — Upward to top management

Vertically to team members located in function

Diagonally to horizontal leaders



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!rofile of Ma"or Changes

The ertical Leader —

&ust share decision-making that was once moreautonomous, and may e'perience this as a loss of status,

authority and control. %s time goes by, functional managers adapt, finding role not

only tolerable but more stimulating and challenging,particularly the comple' people planning that must be done.

&ust balance needs of different business units in the

organization and balance workloads to avoid e'cessive peaksand valleys.

7earn to serve as well as to dictate and prove the function isthe best available8 +here is a burden of proof in matri' thatdid not e'ist in the functional organization.



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!rofile of Ma"or Changes 9cont:d;

The Horizontal Leader —

<nowledge about a business line and communicationsand relationship skills become more important than

ever. % mi' of reason and advocacy becomes essential8 =luster

and threats are out.

>tand up for re?uirements without developing a fatalreputation for overstating them.

>earch with peers for imaginative ways to shareresources.

mpathy with people in a number of functional areas isessential.



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Challenges of #ual $roup Mem%ership At the Interface

1. =uild coalitions @ work actively with your matri' leaders to winsupport.

2. Anderstand the alternative viewpoint:s position to determine wheretrade-offs can be negotiated and where objectives overlap.

3. %void absolutes.. #egotiate to win support on key issues and yield on less critical

points.

!. &aintain fre?uent contact with leadership to avoid surprises @communicate, communicate, communicate.

". *repare more thoroughly before entering negotiations than you would in a non-matri' situation.

). >eek bilateral agreements.

. mphasize and play on the supportive role that the vertical andhorizontal players can provide for the other.



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Unit& of Command''' and the (nterface

+he matri' model is an apparent violation of

the principle of Unity of Command, whichstates that one should receive orders fromonly one individual in the chain of command.

+his apparent violation can be avoided by theuse of the Basic atri! "ole Dichotomy .



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To )e in the $ame ''' *uccess Re+uirements

Communications Technolog& @ everyone hasaccess to and uses technology to enhance teamcommunication.

Managing Meetings @ everyone plans and conductseffective meetings as a matter of habit.

Conflict Resolution @ everyone has and uses theability to discuss and resolve differences with straighttalk.

Open Communications and Trust — everyone feelsfree to surface issues and e'press views#



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!itfalls to %e O,ercome

Anclear roles, responsibilities, objectives andaccountable performance metrics.

B(ueling *riorities when vertical and horizontal goals

and objectives are not aligned.

<ey Desult %reas5Critical >uccess actors are unclear oruncommunicated.

7azy communications rather than rapid, Brifleshotcommunications.

Anknown or unclear priorities.

Anknown and5or unmanaged resource constraints.



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!itfalls to %e O,ercome 9cont:d;

+he overarching theme8 Method, Not Magic.

Communication and clarity are the keys @ not just top-down.

/aiting for a from-above formula, rather than thinking andnegotiating from where you are.

ailing to recognize that the &atri' is inherently unstable. &atri' organization is more than matri' structureE it must be

reinforced by8

F Matrix Systems, such as dual sign-offs on objectives and

performance appraisals.F Matrix Leadership, operating comfortably with lateral decision-

making.

F Matrix Culture, fostering open conflict management and anappropriate balance of power.



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The *taff (nterface

+he &ake-or-=reak *layer in the &atri'8+he promise of the matri' resides here.

+he Gnterface >tation re?uires carrying twoportfolios at once8

F Gt:s not about HI time for the ertical =oss and JI

time for the 4orizontal =oss.F Carrying out a functional agenda on a cross-

functional team and bringing the cross-functionalagenda to the function.



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The *taff (nterface 9cont:d;

Gnterface >taff &ember manages significant issues and isresponsible for knowing correct answers to the following ?uestionsand in influencing actionable decisions for the following8

F /ho performs what workK /ho makes what decisionsK /ith whom

must G consultK /hom must G notifyKF /hat is to be doneK

F /hy is certain work to be doneK 4ow does my contribution servecorporate goalsK

F /here is the work to be doneK

F /hen is the work to be doneK 4ow are deadlines to be setK /hat is to

be done when vertical and horizontal timelines are misaligned orconflictingK

F 4ow is work to be performed, meaning using what proceduresK 4ow well must the work be performedK

AnsureK AncomfortableK Call a 1-on-1 or 2-on-1 &eetingL



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The )lend of (ndependence andConnection— At the Interface

1. Anderstand the alternative viewpoint:s position to determine wheretrade-offs can be negotiated and where objectives overlap.

2. %void absolutes.

3. #egotiate to win support on key issues and yield on less criticalpoints.

. &aintain fre?uent contact with leadership to avoid surprises @communicate, communicate, communicate.

!. *repare more thoroughly than you would in a non-matri' situation.

". >trike bilateral agreements.

). mphasize and play on the supportive role that the vertical andhorizontal players can provide for the other.



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*trategic Futures

Matrix *uccess Leadership Model



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ertical and Horizontal Health Criteria

Common goals and objectives

Contributions of all team members

Atilization of resources

%ccountability

+rust and conflict

>hared leadership

$pen communications

ffective control and procedures

ffective problem-solving and decision-making

'perimentation5creativity

Documents

9 - Matrix Management - Gunn