Matrix Management

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Matrix Management is a compelling buzzword with a tempting nirvana of shared resources and unlimited access to expertise that lies in other functional areas. But are the resources really ready to be monopolized by multiple managers in a redesign of the organizational structure? Think twice before you plug yourself into the matrix.

What is Matrix Management?

Matrix management is a style of organization in which people are pooled for work assignments or to concentrate on specific tasks. In a standard structured environment, employees in a department report directly to a Functional Manager or supervisor responsible for the performance of a department or business unit. However, in a matrix environment, some of these employees may be assigned with select employees from other departments to simultaneously report to a Project Manager appointed for a specific project. In the matrix organization, employees are treated as shared resources between managers and may have to work under multiple managers simultaneously. Managers may have responsibilities for employees shared on isolated projects as well as sharing manpower for several departmental functions.

There Four Primary Styles of Matrix Management Organization

Balanced Power Matrix

In a Balanced Power Matrix organization the resources are assigned from multiple departments and power is shared equally between the Project Manager and the Functional Managers. Philosophically, this type of equality in authority empowers Project Managers to facilitate rapid results by bestowing equal power for making decisions and dictating schedules. However, more often than not, this perception of balanced authority creates conflict. A servant can not serve two masters. The employees are typically caught in a conflict between the ongoing performance requirements of existing job responsibilities with a Functional Manager and the disparate assignments dictated by a Project Manager. Over extended periods of time either the functional job or the project performance suffer. This is frequently underscored by personality conflicts that arise from inability to monopolize the time of shared resources.

Strong Project Matrix

In a Strong Project Matrix organization the Project Manager is primarily responsible for the project and may recruit resources from multiple business units to achieve a specific task. Functional Managers assign resources as needed to support the project. Frequently the same resources are recruited for multiple projects, creating a strain for the Functional Managers and associated business unit performance. While the Project Manager may have responsibility for the attainment of a defined task, the Functional Manager is ultimately responsible for the performance and assessment of the individual contributor as an employee. In this environment the Project Manager is bestowed with authority, but lacks the balance of accountability and responsibility for the individual contributor. This creates the allure of an “accountability free zone” for Project Managers and recruited resources which eventually degrades into projects with insignificant results, lack of focus and a detriment to functional performance.

Functional Matrix

In a Functional Matrix organization the Project Manager maintains limited authority to oversee the cross-functional aspects of a project. Functional Managers maintain control over the manpower and assign resources according to project requirements. The Project Manager is primarily responsible for documenting the milestones and the progress of the project, communicating regularly with the Functional Managers. In this style of matrix management, the Functional Managers share in the responsibility to achieve project results and the project manager acts as a facilitator, rather than a controlling management capacity.

Soft Boundaries Matrix

In a Soft Boundaries Matrix organization the functional team members provides individual expertise and assign resources on an as needed basis. In this environment it is not necessary for a Project Manager or Functional Manager to oversee the assignment of resources. Individuals may contribute as necessary based on a balance of functional responsibilities and the needs of a particular project, assessing the relative importance and urgency of the day to day job responsibilities and the project tasks. This can be an effective matrix solution in a mature environment that has motivated and capable resources available to contribute as needed for projects.

The Truth Behind the Myth of the Matrix

Proponents of the matrix organization are allured by the concept that highly capable resources can be shared between business units to expedite important strategic projects. Typically the most vocal proponents of adopting matrix management as an organizational structure are those managers that desire to draft the expertise and resources from surrounding functional areas in an effort to compensate for shortcomings in their own functional areas. Such shortcomings are defined as strategic projects and resources are drafted from surrounding functional areas to work under the control of a Project Manager. While this style of organization trumpets the occasional notable project result, it is a mere distraction to the underlying impact of strain and diminished performance of the functional organization.

Conceptually the matrix organization is designed to share expertise, knowledge and talent of each individual as needed in multiple functional areas and multiple projects. If all employees shared the same amount of expertise and responsibility in different contexts, then this would be an effective balance. In reality, turn-over of employees creates an unequal balance of experience. Expertise, intellectual capital and experience are rarely equal, so the demands for project related tasks are rarely equal. This can easily create a strain on the most valuable resources within the organization and the associated functional management structure.

Matrix management organizations are designed to mandate a formal structure in order to compensate for a lack of coordination and cooperation between functional areas. This can be an indication of a lack of vision, unclear or undefined strategy, conflicts or compartmentalized functional business units. If it is necessary to an independent organized management structure that is distinctly separate and equal in authority to the existing management structure, then there is probably something else broken within your business.

Real Importance of Project Management

Project Management is a very important and valued aspect of many organizations. Effective Project Management is typically characterized by the definitions associated with the Soft Boundary Matrix or the Functional Matrix. When associated with well defined projects that have clearly defined objectives and timelines, the role of Project Manager can be an essential element to the success of an organization. Frequently these projects are associated with implementation projects, integration or installation projects that have easily defined purpose and ends. This is distinctly different from a matrix management organization in which Project Managers exist with a goal to justify their existence by creating new projects. On the contrary, an effective Project Manager should be indistinguishable from a functional team member, sharing the responsibilities, documenting and coordinating progress toward finite goals with well defined purpose.

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Words of Wisdom

“So much of what we call management consists in making it difficult for people to work.”

- Peter Drucker

“Management is too often dictated by the migration toward a good idea, rather than the practice of one.”

- John Mehrmann, Executive Blueprints

“You can’t really know how something works until you know why it doesn’t work.”

- Art Sakaguchi

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John Mehrmann is a freelance writer and President of Executive Blueprints Inc., an organization devoted to improving business practices and developing human capital

By: John Mehrmann

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Management by Drive-By-Shooting

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Remember “Management by Objectives”? Those of you born after 1970 might not be familiar with it. Here is the Wikipedia definition: Management by Objectives (MBO) is a process of agreeing upon objectives within an organization so that management and employees buy in to the objectives and understand what they are.”

Peter Drucker first introduced it in 1954. It was very popular in the 1980’s, and then it seemed to step aside in the 1990’s to allow other new management techniques-of-the-month to take their place in the management de regueur.

MBO made way for clear communication between managers and their employees regarding goals and, more importantly, allowed and expected discussions, agreements, and disagreements to take place between the an employee and his or her manager in order to arrive at clearly defined goals and objectives each year. The emphasis, of course, was on the discussions, agreements, and disagreements, since anyone can list a set of goals and give them to an employee, hoping to be done with it right then & there.

I was recently introduced to a new form of leadership, Management by Drive-By-Shooting. Someone told me stories of working alongside (but not for) a manager who makes decisions and manages her work in “drive by shooting” fashion. Funny, eh?

We can call it MBDBS (or just “Drive By”). This leadership style gives assignments to people without enough background information and with little lead time. Decisions are made without verifying all of the facts, without consulting with all of the required parties, and/or by sending people on wild goose chases.

Managers who lead with MBDBS can be very nice people. They can be fun to talk to. They usually have a lot of energy (sometimes nervous energy, but energy nonetheless).

By now, many of you are thinking of people you know or have worked with in the past who manage by Drive-Bys. You might have a memory of this manager stopping by your office or cubicle, asking you to work on something in particular, and leaving before you had the chance to ask the most pertinent questions. (This could have also come in the form of a voicemail or e-mail.)

So how do you manage a manager who manages by Drive Bys?

First, say that 5 times fast.

Second, develop a way to slow that manager down.

Third, take advantage of that “slow down” time to figure out the right questions to ask him or her regarding the areas that they usually skip:

Ask about more of the facts Ask about who has already been consulted on the issue Ask about what other groups or individuals might be interested in the process or the outcome Ask about the real timeline.

Fourth, request another meeting time with him or her (at least 30 minutes) and get it on their calendar. Schedule this for no sooner than two business days out. Take those two days to make some calls to other folks to gather more facts.

Will this manager’s plan tick someone off? Does anyone else have some facts that change the entire scope? Will this plan really increase net profit, or will it actually cost more money in the long run? Are there any legal hurdles that need to be cleared in order to proceed?

Having a plan in place to manage this type of manager is always better than being a victim of a Drive-By!

By: Glory Borgeson

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Effective Management Through Leadership

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Leadership and Management

Leadership and management skills are essential throughout our working life with leaders found in industry, commerce, sport, and even social settings. The aim is the same wherever they are found, leading a group towards a common goal or set of stated objectives. The essential leadership and management skills can be learned through training courses or from studying textbooks, though the very best learning comes through on their job experience.

Effective leadership: Everyone Working Together

It is only possible to truly appreciate the complexity and skills involved in effective leadership in guiding a group, through practising leadership and management in the field. Those following the leader will be disparate in many ways having different skill sets, motivations, personalities and tastes. Everyone is different, but it is essential that they work together. An effective leader is able to bind the group together in whatever setting, sports, school, the workplace, or even socially.

Companies need effective leaders to ensure their success. This is why we find many companies sending their management staff on leadership and management courses. Even those with substantial experience are likely to benefit from refresher courses. This helps keep managers motivated and channel their experience and knowledge in a positive way in encouraging those around them.

Effective leadership is important in schools too, with teachers needing leadership and management skills in order to go about their work to best effect. It is vital that they can motivate the pupils, encouraging them to learn and recognise learning opportunities from problems and challenges. The pupils will need to be excited by the various topics presented to them in order that they retain that knowledge and learning. If not, the teacher will have failed them – a burdensome responsibility.

Effective team leaders are needed for sports teams too, without them then morale may be depressed and the team then working as a bunch of individuals. This may make itself known in terms of poor results against possibly a less skilful set of individuals but organised as a successful team working together.

Leadership and Preparedness

All of the above examples show us where leadership and management courses may help us. They assist in preparing us to make on the fly decisions, responsive and appropriate to the circumstances. They show us how our collective power is only unleashed through co-ordinated team action, focusing our energy positively towards shared goals. We can train ourselves to be good leaders, prepared for any eventuality. By preparing for the worst that may happen, we are also preparing for success.

By: Mark J Emslie

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Effective Management Tips

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“The art of getting things done through people” is how we define management. In a constantly changing global world, strategies and policies also keep changing. The dynamics of business need to be in sync with outer world. The strategies which acted as panacea few years back need not to be equally effective in today’s scenario. Previous theories held as revolutionary turn out to be obsolete after some years.

So, smart management always tries to be ahead of its time. The ability to anticipate the upcoming changes in the outer world go a long way in sustaining an organization. Many organizations who fail to adopt with changing times find themselves vanished.

Similarly, anticipating changing customer preferences help businesses to diversify themselves and thus retain and even expand their consumer base. It also gives them a first-mover advantage. The classical examples are Microsoft in software industry and Coke in Beverage segment. They accurately gaged what is going to be required next and no wonder they are still numero uno in their respective segments. Good management never sits idle on its past laurels. It continuously strives towards bettering its previous performance and stay ahead of emerging competition.

Similarly, fine-tuning itself within the organization is also very crucial. Recognizing the needs and requirements of the employees and rewarding them for their efforts is the mantra behind organization’s success. It has been observed that employee friendly companies tend to perform better than its peers. Delegation of authority and bottom-down management approach is very important in increasing employee’s self-esteem and productivity.

Good managements also empower its workers with decision making authority at appropriate levels. Focusing on organizing frequent interactive workshop between senior and junior level staffs helps in reducing communication gap which finally leads to improved effectiveness and efficiency. Knowing that human resources are considered as most important aspects of an organization, effective management also conducts regular communication skills workshop and personality development programs for its workers. Successful management also aim to develop leaders out of managers.

By: Jennie Gandhi

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Risk Management For Hospitals

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A lot of hospitals are now engaging their employees into getting risk management certifications that they can then use to better manage risks in their hospitals. In order to understand the need for and the importance of such a certification in the healthcare industry you need to first understand what does risk management signify.

Risk management means firstly the understanding of risk. Next comes the prioritization of risk which is in turn followed by the efforts to reduce and control the probability of risk by applying all the possible resources at one’s disposal. This technique helps mitigate risks and hence safeguards a business.

In most healthcare organizations, the major area exposed to risk is the financial liability that arises from misconduct of its employees. A study conducted in 1993 says that health care providers paid nearly over one hundred million dollars in damages that resulted from employee and staff negligence. Sometimes it might be a matter as small as hiring an employee with a criminal record.

For any hospital it is considered imperative that the hospital exercises due diligence before hiring personnel. This means that the hospital must run adequate background checks on any person before hiring him or her to the hospital. Knowing this, understanding this and implementing strategies that don’t let such employees get hired is what staff with proper risk avoidance training can help do.

A comprehensive program for avoidance of risk must be run in the hospital to avoid risk. An employee who has a risk management certification should be hired and should be allowed to create the program. There are many ways to assess risks using such programs.

A risk management certification teaches many different methods to assess and identify risks that a healthcare organization might face. Employees are trained to log in incidents that they believe may lead to greater risk. Next, these risks are analyzed at a higher level and worked against.

Because of such constant methods for mitigation of risk being employed, a lot of risks to the institution are identified quite early. Once identified, these risks are prioritized and addressed accordingly.

You can learn all these techniques and some more be getting a risk management certification from a proper university. That will set you and your organization on a safer and risk mitigated path to progress.

By: Roberta Broyles

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Conflict Management In The Office

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Most managers know that people interacting in the workplace can often lead to conflict. This common office event will always arise, and managers must know how to identify and deal with conflict. Most people automatically associate conflict with a negative outcome and the avoid it. Conflict comes from different perspectives among different individuals. Clashing of ideas and perceptions form many different confrontations. These ideas stem from society norms, individual values or religious morals.

Conflict is part of life and is not such a bad thing. Conflict helps identify problems or potential problems that must be corrected before mistakes happen. It’s fair to say that conflict is necessary for the evolvement of organizational goals and needs. This benefits the workplace for the long run. Conflict, specifically competition is a great motivator for employees to participate in the decision making cycle. Debating over issues can bring forth new and improved processes and ideas. This evidence may have been passed bye if employees weren’t challenged to change or other office conflict. Conflict can really help personnel and management learns to recognize and benefit from differences. It can be daunting to get through conflict because it’s hard to put personal feelings aside and see things from a different perspective. If conflict doesn’t materialize and management leads by example conflict can rapidly escalate to violence. Everyone will lose and conflict will continue.

Common conflict in the workplace can come from many different ways. Poor communication, change between managers and employees, or broken boundaries of social norms or groups. Poor communication happens when a worker or subordinate is unable to receive the message from supervisors and management. Confusion is a common factor with conflict. With employees unable to understand the requirements from management sparks confusion. When management can clearly describe in a polite professional way, the requirements at hand, then the results will have a lower possibility of ending in some type of conflict. Employees seek for leadership traits in management. If these traits: integrity, charisma, credibility are lost then management has lost the pedestal to workers. Credibility and leadership are key roles in managing people.

People manage conflict in many different ways, such as through humor, avoiding colleagues or using one’s position or authority to resolve the situation. When it comes to relationship conflicts, the people at my company tend to use avoidance. For instance, there were three employees including myself in our sub-department. Two of them don’t like each other; they often get into arguments regarding how to get the work done. There is no communication between the two, they totally avoid each other and when disagreement happens, they tend to withdraw themselves and pretend that conflict did not really happen. This is a lose-lose conflict situation because no body really gets what they wanted, the underlying reason and cause for the conflict still remains and similar conflicts occurs over and over. They are competitive of each other; they only have concerns for the outcome and low concern for the relationship. When major disagreement occurs where they need to divide up the work, be!

ing the lead of the department she would use her authority and assign the other employee to a less favorable task. Moreover, the situation worsen when information are not shared and they rely on themselves to get the work done, which ended up downgrading their work performances and received warning for poor productivity. This is like a mirror for me, telling me that sometimes using avoidance to resolve a conflict is not the best approach.

Management is able to reduce conflict at work by reiteration of position requirements, task descriptions, and also by being receptive to gripes or statements from subordinates. Listening from the top will make or break productivity from the bottom. Supervisors are the first line of defense to intentionally upgrade communication with all subordinates that they lead. This can be done with positive results by meeting with employees on a one on one basis, with timely and professional ways. Evaluations usually seem to be that time, however it is okay to provide personal feedback anytime management or employees see fit. Open forum is another communication process for managers to minimize conflict. Open forums provides a neutral, safe atmosphere where workers are able to speak freely. Open forums also develop new ideas and procedures for routines and tasks at hand.

Depending on certain management styles and leadership qualities, conflict can be minimized. It’s up to managements experience with handling these conflicting situations. Smaller organizations can have lower conflicting incidences. This is because most workers handle their fair share and mind there manners. Smaller organizations seem to be a tighter knit workplace, where large corporations aren’t able to bond. Most conflicts are escalated up the chain and end up as a memo. Smaller companies with less people resolve most conflict on the spot, only because managing less people can be easier to communicate with.

With regular positive feedback, management can cut down on any misunderstandings in house. Managers are great business oriented members of any organization. It takes a leader to be able to handle conflict in a professional manner that ends in a positive, productive fashion. A leader is someone who people naturally follow through their own choice, whereas a manager must be obeyed. A manager may only have obtained his position of authority through time and loyalty given to the company, not as a result of his leadership qualities. Some managers may not have very good leadership skills whatsoever but a good leader will make a good manager. If conflict can’t be reduced by management then social norms kick in, and natural leaders are born. Natural leaders are the unofficial spokesperson within the group. After management passes bad information, the natural leader tends to keep members focused in an unofficial way.

Management usually consists of people who are experienced in their field. A manager knows how each layer of the system works and may also possess a good technical knowledge. A leader may not be experienced in their field and could be a new arrival to a company who has bold, fresh, and new ideas.

Conflict simply comes from differing viewpoints. Dealing with conflict as a manager takes special elements to mange “not” to or, conquer the situations that may arise between you, other people, or the organization. Conflict management is a learned behavior and turns into an art form.

By: Nathan E Peterson

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