How to implement a successful restructure

The most important element of restructuring

The most important element in a restructure is not the expensive consultants or sophisticated models, but rather how you sell the change to the people it will impact. The key to a successful restructure really amounts to one thing – communication. Not communicating effectively can undo all your hard work in terms of organisational design and cost you time and trust dollars trying to regain control of the situation.

If the message is going to get out (and let’s face it – there aren’t many organisations that don’t leak like a sieve), then consider consulting transparently and early on.

  • Why is it necessary to restructure (link to this to an actual strategic and organizational objective rather than corporate waffle).
  • What is the timeframe around the restructure?
  • What will the process be?
Who do people want to hear the message from?

Remember, people want to hear long-term strategy and organisational purpose from their senior leaders, and how it affects them personally from their line manager, so you may need a double pronged communication strategy.

Even no news is news, so if there’s a delay in the planned process, let people know.

Once you’ve embarked on the process and have an organisational redesign, the key here, once again, is communication.

  • What is the new design and why (link to organisational purpose)?
  • What is the impact on every person within the team ?
  • What’s changing?
  • What’s staying the same?
  • What’s the timeframe?
  • What are the nuts and bolts mechanics of the change?

Remember, in the absence of factual communication, rumours start and spread like wildfire.

Maybe, most of all put yourself in your employees’ shoes. What would you want to know? When would you want to know it? Who would you want to know it from?

Change Management

Like most things in life, people can cope with change when they know about it, how it is going to impact on them and what’s in it for them. It’s the absence of knowledge that causes the dissent, the anxiety, the noise.

A useful change management strategy is that advocated by Heath Brothers in Switch:

  •   Have you appealed to the intellectual / rational arguments?
  •   Have you appealed to the emotional?
  •   Have you cleared all the roadblocks and is the path “free” to make the change?

What do you think? Have you seen an organisational structure that has gone really well? What made it so good? And equally, if you’ve seen one go badly, what went wrong?

Have you got questions, or would like to take the next step? Simply get in touch for a friendly, obligation-free chat, and/or :

Book an introductory pre coaching information session by clicking here.

Sign up to my free mini course :
– Be A Better Boss In 7 Days

Check out my year-long accountability program:
– Permission To Achieve Your Dreams

Read my books:
– Enterprise Agreements – Made Easy
– Do What You Say You’ll Do

Want more?

If you’d like to receive my musings on all things leadership and culture related and beyond, pop your email address in below. To say thank you for sharing, you’ll immediately receive a free chapter from my book, and a free infographic on the ten tools of leadership.

1 Step 1
keyboard_arrow_leftPrevious
Nextkeyboard_arrow_right
FormCraft – WordPress form builder

TTC acknowledges the traditional custodians throughout Western Australia and their continuing connection to the beautiful land, waters and community on which we work and live. We pay our respects to all members of Aboriginal communities and their cultures, and acknowledge the wisdom of Elders both past, present and emerging.