Coordinate through systems rather than people
This article on “How ABB has used shared systems to integrate it’s various business units” illustrates a simple point about coordination within complex businesses.
In a matrix organization structure a lot of the complexity is caused by multiple reporting lines and the fact that people can be caught between multiple bosses and competing priorities – it is often the relationships and people dynamics that magnify the complexity.
In many areas we can get the benefits of coordination through sharing information, work-flows and common systems – supply chain would be a good example, without necessarily having a formal matrix structure.
We can help you choose the simplest structure that meets your objectives and develop the skills to make that structure work. Find out more here
Source: “ABB’s Relays Business: Building and Managing a Global Matrix” by Christopher A. Bartlett, Harvard Business School. Publication Date: July 12, 1993.

Explore our training programs to see how we can help.
Agile & Digital Training Matrix Management Training People and purpose Training Virtual Teams TrainingEducate yourself further with a few more or our online insights:
25 years of experience learning with a range of world class clients
We work with a wide range of clients from global multinationals to recent start-ups. Our audiences span all levels, from CEOs to operational teams around the world. Our tools and programs have been developed for diverse and demanding audiences.

Tailored training or off the shelf modules for your people development needs
We are deep content experts in remote, virtual and hybrid working, matrix management and agile & digital leadership. We are highly flexible in how we deliver our content and ideas. We can tailor content closely to your specific needs or deliver off the shelf bite sized modules based on our existing IP and 25 years of training experience.
For more about how we deliver our keynotes, workshops, live web seminars and online learning.