Restructuring? Here are some tips

Here is a summary of a helpful ChurchLeaders.com article by Ron Edmondson on the topic of restructuring organizations (churches included).

When an organization’s strategy changes, restructuring is often necessary. Doing so, however, can be painful and disruptive if not handled carefully. How do avoid problems? Here are five suggestions:

1. The change should make sense with the organizational DNA.

Be careful altering something in a way that could disrupt the fiber, core or root foundation of the organization. DNA is formed fast, but changed slowly—and sometimes never. It’s who an organization is and who people have come to expect it to be. It’s hard to disrupt this without disrupting future potential for growth.

2. The structure added should not impede progress.

Structure should further enable the completion of the vision, not detract from it. Structure should consider the future potential for long-term sustainability of the organization.

3. It should accommodate or encourage continued future growth.

Structure’s purpose should be to help the organization continue to grow over time. Structure should make things more efficient—not less. Enable not control.

4. It should hit the center of acceptance.

Leadership is never about making people happy. But, at the same time, if you want the structure to be sustainable and helpful it must meet general acceptance—which leads to the last suggestion.

5. People should understand the why.

People are more likely to accept structure when they can identify its value and their area of responsibility (or at least the value to the overall organization). As Zig Ziglar often said, “If people understand the why, they will be less opposed to the what.”