PERMISSION TO USE MATERIALS
from Engagement Schedule 1, Finerty Consulting Master Service Agreement
Content Timing / Content Notes / Optional Discussions, Activities, Worksheets:10
Slides 1-4 / Session Introduction
- [Introduce self, position workshop in organizational content]
- The content of this workshop is from the book, Master the Matrix: 7 Essentials for Getting Things Done in Complex Organizations. The book is based on surveys and interviews with 150 matrix managers across a variety of industries.
- You will receive a copy of this book at the conclusion of the session.
- Outline objectives and agenda
- Describe resources they will be using (book, worksheets, etc.)
- Outline any ground rules and other logistics
Have participants introduce themselves (name, position, years with company, etc.) with one word that describes the matrix for them. Track on FC and refer back to/add/edit at end of workshop
WELCOME TO THE MATRIX (CONTENT TOTAL :30)
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Slide 5-7 / Welcome to The Matrix: Why a Matrix?
Traditional organizations are set up like lanes on a highway—straight and straightforward, you know your lane and you stay in it. Everything and everyone that is needed to run that part of the business is contained in that lane. As they grow, they add lane (add a product--add a lane; add a geography--add a lane, etc.).
At some point, organization realize two things: (1) adding lanes is a really expensive way to grow; (2) these lanes are making decisions and acting on things that are right for the lane, but not the overall expressway.
To maximize resources and to get people thinking as one, intersections are created—functions that go across business units, regions that go across business units, shared services that stretch across, cross-functional teams that cut across. Matrices are created.
ASK: But what happens in intersections? [Listen for: crashes, collisions, traffic jams.]
What the matrix requires is more of a traffic circle approach.
ASK/FC: How is your approach to a traffic circle different from an intersection? [Listen for: more judgment, yield instead of stop, anticipate, increased level of awareness of what is happening around you,etc. Connect this to what is needed in a matrix role.] What happens when you use the same approach for a traffic circle that you do for an intersection? [Listen for: collisions, frustrations, traffic jams in all directions].
Content Timing / Content Notes / Optional Discussions, Activities, Worksheets
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Slide 8 / Welcome to The Matrix: Matrix Roles
In order to make these traffic circles work, organizations create matrix roles. There are many variations, but they all start with the four on this slide. [Walk through these, using organizational examples.]
Project Team:This is the most “traditional” and established form of matrix.It is defined as having a project management office structure and a functional or business reporting structure.These roles are very common for long-term projects like product development.People are generally 100% allocated to these projects/positions.The idea behind this is to establish dedicated resources that utilize structured project management,but are still held accountable to the function or business that owns the final product.
Dual Reporting Relationship: This is most often seen as an outgrowth of globalization. Often, globalization includes centers of expertise that maximize the knowledge of specialistsand maintain local offices to maximize proximity to customers and markets. So while a person (say HR, marketing, finance) may report to a centralized head of their function or region, he or she may also have a solid or dotted line to a business or geography.This dual-reporting relationship is intended to ensure that the specialist doesn’t operate in a vacuum, removed from those whom he/she supports.
Cross-Functional Team: These have cropped up all over organizations as a way to solve problems and keep the business moving. They are generally for specific (and often short-term) projects/issues. Theidea behind this type of matrix is that more minds = better problem identification and better solutions. / Discussion (:05):
By show of hands, how many of you are in each of the different roles? [Note that the workshop will be applicable to all types of matrix roles and that the summary at the end of each chapter notes the highlights, key concepts and applications for each of the different types of roles.]
Content Timing / Content Notes / Optional Discussions, Activities, Worksheets
Welcome to The Matrix: Matrix Roles, continued
Customer Hub: Companies often have dedicated customer teams whose sole purpose is to work together to meet the needs of specific internal and external customers.More and more, these teams are not fully dedicated to one customer or even customer group. Instead they are a “shared service” that supports a line of products or even an entire business.
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Slide 9 / Welcome to The Matrix: Building Blocks
[The first three building blocks link directly with the words on the flipchart regarding how a traffic circle differs from an intersection. For example, “mindset” is basically realizing you are in a traffic circle not an intersection; “jujitsu” is like the yielding that is required in a traffic circle; “zoom out” is the same as increased awareness required.]
Mindset: How you approach or see things will determine what you do, which in turn leads to your outcomes. If you want different outcomes, you need to start by changing how you view your situation—your mindset. The key mindset shift for matrix roles is that it is different. You can’t operate like you are on an expressway or even an intersection—you are in a traffic circle and different approaches are called for. You also can’t operate in a matrix role the same way you do in a traditional role. You must think differently.
Jujitsu: Jujitsu is a 2,500-year-old martial art that relies on redirecting the force of your opponent, thereby using his/her energy, not your own. Jujitsu is pertinent to matrix masters because conflict (though generally not hand-to-hand conflict!) is what matrix roles are set up to bring out. You can view this conflict as a battle and exhaust yourself fighting, or you can choose to not fight fire with fire. If you don’t compete (for resources, decisions, control, etc.), your opponent can’t win. Instead, try stepping away or disarming the conflict by giving concessions. It may seem counter-intuitive and potentially counter to your organization’s culture, but it is a powerful approach that leaves your reputation, values and strength intact. / Discussion Question (:10):
Which one do you find is most challenging in your organization? Why? What have you observed?
Activity: Applying the Building Blocks (:25-:30):
:10 set up
:15 - :20 minutes at the end of each module or session
Objective: To help participants identify the role of building blocks ineach of the essentials and to aid in their application of the blocks.
Set Up: (1) Divide group into four teams (around each of the blocks—if possible, have them self-select into the block that they feel is most applicable/critical for them to raise awareness on); (2) Let the groups know that at the end of each module or session, they will be responsible for recording and sharing with the full group, all the of the applications of their block that they heard; (3) At the end of each module or session, give them :05 - :10 minutes to discuss as a small group and then allow :10 to share their links to the blocks.
Examples of applications they should identify: In partnerships, the mindset of “nothing is purely independent” is key to being effective. In goals, you have to exercise some jujitsu in letting other goals take priority. For role clarity, the mindset you need to adopt is that total clarity is not possible. In influence, you have to triage the issues you take on so that you can get traction.
Content Timing / Content Notes / Optional Discussions, Activities, Worksheets
Welcome to The Matrix: Building Blocks, continued
Zoom Out: To succeed in a matrix, you must broaden your perspective. Maintaining a narrow, siloed focus on only your small segment of a project or organization will lead to failure. Matrix masters must be able to see all the pieces of the puzzle at once to figure out whom to involve, communicate with and influence. The traditional perspective of “I focus on this and this only” will only hurt you in a matrix role. Zooming out can be difficult because when we are overwhelmed or confused, our natural human tendency is to pull back and focus on whatever is right in front of us. These blinders may offer temporary relief, but not a sustainable solution.
Triage: We know this as a medical term that refers tothe process of efficiently prioritizing patients based on the severity of their condition when resources are insufficient to treat them all immediately. Sitting at a traffic circle with a zoom-out mentality, you will see a lot: discussions that need to take place, decisions that need to be made, problems that need to be solved, conflicts that need to be resolved. But seeing them isn’t the same as tackling them. To avoid being completely overwhelmed, you have to triage.
Content Timing / Content Notes / Optional Discussions, Activities, Worksheets
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Slide 10 / Welcome to the Matrix: The 7 Essentials
The building blocks are in the background for all of these essentials—you use them in every context, in applying all different skills and practices.
“Start with Partnerships”is the most important essential, as it facilitates the others—it helps get goals aligned, eliminates the need to have crystal clear roles, can smooth decision-making and enhance influence.
The three in the blue boxes have strong organizational ties and interdependencies. The three in the green are more individual—focused on skills and practices.
[Point out the essentials that will be the focus and framework/structure of the session.] / Discussion Question (:10):
Which one do you find is most challenging in your organization? Why?
ESSENTIAL #1: START WITH PARTNERSHIPS (CONTENT TOTAL :90)
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Slide 11
Slide 12 / Start with Partnerships: Introduction
[Read blurb at bottom left of slide]
Ask: What is incorrect about that statement? [Look for: the word “almost” is incorrect—there are no purely independent tasks in matrix roles]
Ask/FC: What does a good partnership look like? [Listen for: trust, communication, openness, etc.]What do they get you? [Listen for: results, speed, engagement, etc.]
There are two simple words that describe what partnerships can bring: fun and easy. A little fun is what we need to keep us engaged and motivated; and productivity or “easy” is what we are on a constant quest to find. With all these things we try to make the workplace an engaging and productive place—apps to improve your productivity, special days to make everyone feel good—what we really need is pretty basic. It’s relationships.
What’s more is that “fun” and “easy” really have the potential to make us more innovative. It frees up our brains to do the really fun, creativework.
That doesn’t mean that every partnership needs to be operating at the level described on the flipchart. There are different levels of partnership that are utilized in a matrix.
Content Timing / Content Notes / Optional Discussions, Activities, Worksheets
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Slide 13 / Start with Partnerships: Identifying Your Partners
We have to start the conversation about your partnerships by identifying them—which sounds like an easy thing to do, but it actually isn’t all that straightforward.
The most important building block in this is “zoom out.” Matrix roles require you to look outside of your team, your silo and your immediate geographic area to identify whom you need to work with and through. It is usually well outside the traditional “us.”
You will find yourself interacting and partnering with people at all levels of the organization—up, down, sideways, diagonal. The projects and issues matrix masters find themselves involved in almost always include multiple levels and functions.
But you have to strike the right balance between being too limiting in the parameters of whom you work to partner with (and thereby leaving critical people out) and casting too wide of a net (including, to the extreme, making such partnerships superficial and meaningless).
Start by looking at how your role is structured. Every job is divided up differently—yours may be categorized by project, customer or area of responsibility. Then ask yourself about the different people who are involved in your work [refer to slide].
Take a minute to jot down the names of your partners across the organization. / Worksheet and Discussion (:12):
Set Up: :02
Individual Work: :05
Debrief: :05
Objective: To push participants to “zoom out” in considering who their partners are in the organization.
Set Up: Have participants identify potential partners. Partnership Planner pg.1
Debrief: Were there partners that you didn’t immediately think of? Do you have more partners identified within your team/function or outside of it?
Content Timing / Content Notes / Optional Discussions, Activities, Worksheets
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Slide 14 / Start with Partnerships: Levels of Partnership
Partnerships can take many different forms in a matrix ranging from simple hand-offs of information or work product to close integration of tasks and goals.
On the Partnership Continuum, the vertical axis is the degree to which partners integrate or organize their work around each other.
The Needs-to-Relationship axis is based on the degree to which the partnership is grounded solely in the business need or extended or enhanced based on the relationship. It ranges from “I work with you because I need you” to “I work with you because you make me better at what I do.”
The type of partnership is based on increasing investments (and return on those investments) in trust, communication and constructive conflict. We assume that decreasing conflict is good. As partnerships evolve and integrate, more opportunities for conflict arise. However, if the partnership is strong, the ability to manage and leverage conflict also grows.
Here’s a look at each partnership level:
New/Dysfunctional partnerships occur where there is need but no integration. The matrix has brought people or teams together, but they remain separate in terms of their relationship—either because the partnership is too new or because they have fallen into a pattern of competing, comparing or judging the other.
Transactional Partners are the classic provider/consumer relationship. The focus is on hand-offs and exchanges. The tasks that connect them are likely process-based, routine and perhaps even repetitive. / Application Activity (:15):
:05 Set up
:05 Individual Work
:05 Debrief
Objective: To have participants assess the current state of their partnerships.
Set Up: Have participants map their most critical partners in the Partnerships Planner pg. 2.
Debrief: How did it feel to analyze a partnership like this?
Content Timing / Content Notes / Optional Discussions, Activities, Worksheets
Start with Partnerships: Levels of Partnership, continued
Collaborative Partners.Less discrete tasks and closer coordination are the hallmarks of Collaborative Partners. Hand-offs are supplemented with regular communication to confer and debrief. Not only are there many hand-offs, but some tasks are completed hand-in-hand.
Integrated Partners.At the far end of the continuum are Integrated Partners. Your planning, decisions and problem solving involve them. You share advice and counsel. Goals are integrated/calibrated and communication between partners is integrated into everyday processes. At this level, the partnership may even transcend individuals and be evident at multiple levels in their organizations. You consult and confer on issues that go beyond the obvious connection and business need.
Take a minute to think about the partners you wrote down earlier. What type of partnership do you have with them now?
Content Timing / Content Notes / Optional Discussions, Activities, Worksheets
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Slide 15
Slide 16 / Start with Partnerships: The Right Fit
The three functional partnerships can be a pass-through or a destination. A relationship may start off as Transactional, but move to Collaborative or Integrated based on business need, time invested and personal connection. Transactional and Collaborative Partnerships are also fine terminal points, because not all partnerships need to evolve to the Integrated level.
The three functional partnership types are also cumulative—not distinct from each other. Any Collaborative Partnership has needs to be met and transactions to conduct. An Integrated Partnership does too, and also requires collaboration. The key is to ensure that the nature of the partnership fits the requirements of the business and that both partners agree as to the desired level of partnership.
For most of us, the distribution of partnerships falls on a bell shaped curve [draw on FC]: Most of our partnerships should be collaborative, followed by transactional and then a few on the ends for new/dysfunctional or integrated.
It is all about the business need. Think about the business need with these partners—why has the business brought you together? What do your jobs connect? What business outcome is intended? From there you can determine which type of partnership is needed.
Take a minute to review the partners you have written down. What level of partnership best matches the business need?
So let’s do a little triage to get focused on specific partners. Which two partners will you pick for the next step—which is investing in the partnership to move it along the continuum? Which one is there the biggest gap between current and desired state? Take a moment to write downtheirnames—focus on them through this next section. / Business need exercise (:25):
Set Up: :02
Individual Work: :05
Partner Discussion: :10
Debrief: :08
Objective: To get concrete thinking on the business reason and link that to how they partner with others.