The situation is typical, and you're probably familiar with it: When the person handling customer calls seems overwhelmed, rather than consider various options, most companies opt for the obvious: they promote her to managing a new “customer service” department, print some business cards, assign a budget that includes an assistant, and give the new department a “voice” at all company meetings. And so it is with human resources, planning, finance, purchasing, marketing, strategy, sales, communication, systems, etc.
The productivity landscape is clouding as department managers gauge the importance and value of their work based on the size of their departments and their budgets, and scramble to get the most personal time with the big boss. to be able to defend the importance of the crucial work of their departments. Maintaining and increasing bureaucracy becomes the company's new focus.
The illusion is growth; the reality is the problems that are around the corner.
Eight Steps to Drive a Stake into the Heart of Bureaucracy:
- First Step: Change everything as quickly as possible (which can be done faster than you think).
- Second Step: Get the support of the right people.
- Third Step: Destroy functional silos and build cross-functional teams.
- Fourth Step: Decentralize to create an entrepreneurial spirit.
- Fifth Step: Flatten the organization to respond faster to customers and company members.
- Sixth Step: Create fervor among the ranks: be a visible example and show the troops that there is an interest and a great one.
- Seventh Step: Create and reinforce a culture of high performance.
- Eighth Step: View all decisions from the point of view of whether they help the customer and leave money. If not, it is bureaucracy and must be annihilated.