From the course: Managing in a Matrixed Organization

Effectively navigating the matrix

From the course: Managing in a Matrixed Organization

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Effectively navigating the matrix

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- Matrix organizations are challenging to run but have benefits in the form of efficiency, innovation, and leadership development. Whether you're leading a matrix organization or you're a team member operating in one, you need to understand how matrix organizations work, what the common pitfalls are when running and working in them, and how you can get the greatest benefit from their design. I've dealt with plenty of matrix organizations over the years. I worked in one highly matrix organization. We had separate business units oriented around product. We had functions that cut across every single one of those business units. And we had strategy and operations improvement teams that looked at the whole thing. We had multiple bosses, multiple metrics that we had to hit, and multiple budgets that we had to deliver. There were many initiatives that were in conflict with one another. We were trying to cut costs and improve customer service at the same time. The challenge was balancing all those needs, making trade-offs, and managing relationships between all the groups involved. If you navigate a matrix organization poorly, nothing gets done because everything is in conflict and people never make trade-offs. If you navigate the matrix well, you can drive performance in multiple areas because your goals are aligned.

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