Matrix Organizations: Leading Through Decision Making

Leadership Workshop (5 of 12) – Manage Decisions Well

Leading at Light Speed is a powerful leadership book by Eric Douglas for businesses, public agencies, and nonprofits revealing the 10 Quantum Leaps to build trust, spark innovation, and create a high-performing organization.

Chapter Four is all about how to Manage Decisions Well.

Think of decisions as the quanta of organizational behavior, much as photons are the quanta of light. The combination of multiple small decisions creates a larger process. When it comes to delivering a product or service within a matrix organization, many people are involved. But specific parts of the process, specific decisions, are still the responsibility of one person. A team leader has responsibility for the project budget. A finance manager has responsibility for budget reports. A chief operating officer has responsibility for assuring the right balance of human resources on each team. The responsibility of business development belongs to the CEO of the organization. In order to assure the coordination of decisions, they all must work together and communicate clearly.

Anxiety about functional roles and authority can result in distrust in a matrix organization. Power equals status. Authority is status. A buildup of gossip and distrust runs rampant when people are oriented around functional roles and authority. By clearly defining roles and responsibilities, effective leaders keep the noise in check by holding the focus on making good decisions; this is an excellent trust builder. They focus on communicating which decisions belong to each level. They make it clear that participating in decisions is the source of status. They make sure their employees have effective communication tools which function between the intersecting layers of authority and responsibility – as well as addressing any conflicts when they appear.

Of primary importance is their continuous referral of people back to the strategic focus for guidance in making their decisions. They make sure people ground their decisions in purpose, values and vision. Leaders in matrix organizations facilitate the communication needed so that people can build trusted relationships with other people in different parts of the organization. In-person communication can be expensive and time-consuming – and thus tempting targets to cut. As one who has worked in many matrix organizations, let me assure you that it would be a mistake not to make this investment. This may appear challenging, and rightfully so. However, if you consistently practice it, you’ll find you’re building trust. And as you do, you’ll find your work gets a lot easier. Whether you’re a global behemoth, a small start-up or anything in between, the only sure path to success is to be found by investing in trust-building.

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