Usually, in our personal lives, things tend to sort themselves out. 

Before we get too far into this discussion, I think setting the background and context for this series is essential.  Throughout my career, one of my hobbies was studying organizational design.  What makes good organizations run smoothly and accomplish their tasks and missions effectively and efficiently?  I have had several opportunities to assess and create organizations from scratch.  I thought exploring the tools and processes I used to create or assess organizations might be fun.  This series focuses on organizational design and function and may interest two groups of readers.  First is the young professional interested in growing as a leader and manager.  Second, the executive who might be looking for a quick mental refresh on a subject.  Reflecting on my career, I tried to think of things I wish I had known and appreciated more deeply as a young leader and manager.  I think it would have benefited me to understand better the interconnected nature and impact of essential foundational organizational elements.  In a manner of speaking, this series could be thought of as a letter to my younger self.  I would also like to acknowledge a couple of key points.  First, although there are commonalities across all industries, there are also differences.  Second, in my opinion, the size, e.g., the number of people in the organization, and working conditions, e.g., in-person, remote, etc., make some of the points raised in this series more or less applicable, e.g., an organization with 20 employees may not find a vision statement as impactful as a 2000-employee organization.  All of that is to say that some topics discussed in this series may not be as relevant in some industries or organizations.  Although the points discussed in this series have helped me throughout my career, they may not be as relevant in all situations.  Hopefully, some of the points raised will help you too.

It’s good practice to routinely assess “assigned” vs. “actual” roles and responsibilities.  Therefore, whether building a new position from scratch or assessing an existing role, in either case, keep the vision and mission statements and the strategy in mind as roles are designated and responsibilities are assigned.  We’ve all heard the expression, “What came first, the chicken or the egg?” In this case, “What comes first, the structure, roles and responsibilities, or systems and processes?” Regardless, each of these elements is inexplicitly linked, and although we discuss them independently, none can be changed without directly impacting the other.   

It’s been my experience that, similar to our personal lives, people within an organization tend to take on additional roles and responsibilities for no reason other than because they have a natural talent or interest in a subject.  For example, how many of us have been in an office where it’s easier to ask your colleague for IT help than call the tech support line?  This is an example of a natural drift in organizational roles and responsibilities.  Sometimes, the natural drift of individual roles and responsibilities can benefit an organization greatly and may even shed light on areas where processes can and should be adjusted.  However, the natural drift of roles and responsibilities can also leave an area under-resourced, creating organizational risk. 

“Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty… I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life.  I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well.” – Theodore Roosevelt