Operating Model Changes We’re Seeing

“Don’t fix what's not broken,” right? We’ve heard that time and time again. If a business or brand is comfortably floating along, there isn’t usually a push to change much. We think of brands needing to revisit their marketing, strategy, or launches when they’re struggling. Well, 2020 challenged that plan for all businesses – thriving or otherwise.   

What we once believed to be the status quo for virtually any industry no longer exists. Businesses are no longer resting on their laurels. What felt like a temporary mini-vacation, turned momentary panic, turned to reinvent the wheel, has resulted in many wake-up calls for business owners and decision-makers. Not only did a global pandemic cause us to shift WHERE we work, but HOW we work. Questions such as: How are teams going to work together, remotely? How are teams going to handle conflicts in a time of turmoil? How would they pivot to reach pre-established goals?   

Those who thrived in the past year, despite this unprecedented time, had to restructure the way they worked in more ways than one. A few of the most common elements for companies and enterprises that thrived in the past year included: removing boundaries and silos, finding alignment, adopting new technologies, and improving cross-functional collaboration.   

So let’s break these down a bit.   

Removing Boundaries and Silos  

First of all – what does it even mean to remove silos? Breaking down silos means a free flow of information. Silos can be harmful because they can hinder a workplace’s dynamic and continuity. They can affect the way employees engage with one another as well. Silos in the workplace can create tension and impede relationships between teams and different departments within the same organization. These workplace silos can also weaken trust in the company’s leadership. Moreover, silos and boundaries can harm the motivation of an organization’s employees.   

So how have some organizations broken down boundaries and silos? It has to start with leadership establishing a common purpose or goal and reiterating them repeatedly to remain focused and top of mind. It should also require leadership to incentivize collaboration. Without collaboration, silos could remain a constant barrier keeping an organization from the end goal and eventual growth.   

Alignment  

When boundaries and silos are gone, it makes it that much easier to discuss and align the organization’s goals as a whole. When IT, Business Strategy, and Marketing are on the same page, have the same goals and same vision, you can establish straightforward strategy methods.   

So what are the benefits of organizational alignment? Increased speed in decision-making. Any decision still requires careful and thoughtful analysis, but moving forward with an agreed-upon decision will help the organization. 2020 and 2021 have become the year of just going for it. Indecision can be crippling and lead to lack of productivity, missed deadlines, and other ripple effects throughout an organization. When an organization is aligned, there’s more clarity and ease with decision-making.   

Moreover, alignment can lead to better employee engagement, fewer wasted resources, improved self-governance, reduced customer confusion, higher leadership credibility, and dynamic culture.   

Adopting New Technology   

Countless businesses had to overhaul the way they operate daily; adopting new technology was inevitable.   

Where weekly conference room meetings were no longer an option, technology upgrades such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or other video conferencing software were necessary. Some businesses also ventured into project management software programs as simple as Trello or more complex ones to fit their industry as required.   

The benefits of revisiting your business’s needs are crucial, especially when considering the type of technology used daily. Upgrades in technology can produce easier, faster ways to communicate, less waste, the ability to develop new and innovative approaches, effective marketing promotions, creating new sales avenues, improving security, and increased productivity.    

Improving Cross-Functional Collaboration  

The organizations that were successful in bringing together various functions and leaders (CXOs) quicker and more organically were able to make well-informed decisions at a much faster rate in response to the pandemic. The most innovative businesses and organizations built out cross-functional collaborative opportunities into their operations.  

There are so many benefits to improving the way different departments come together. The unification of people with diverse skills, opinions, and ideas can truly propel a business or organization and help empower its employees. Think of it as building a home. Sure, you can have an incredibly talented Plummer, electrician, architect, landscape artist, and interior designer. Still, suppose these different trades don’t take the time to communicate with one another. In that case, they may not only make mistakes along the way with design, but they may also altogether miss the mark for what the homeowner is looking for, leaving a very dissatisfied customer who is likely not to recommend any of these trades again.   

So, whatever industry, a business can expect to see the benefits of cross-functional collaboration. A few benefits include creating or building a collaborative culture, educational opportunities to learn from one another, fostering employee engagement, building or improving leadership skills, higher productivity, and a more unified vision. When different departments work to align themselves, you are also less likely to run into things falling between the cracks caused by lack of communication or follow through.   

End Game  

An excellent operating model links strategy and execution. This change could be the single most empowering action any business or enterprise can take and see a significant payoff. It will define how a company organizes and aligns. It will define how a business makes decisions. It will establish how a business evaluates its assets and how operations deliver value to loyal and future customers or clients. The willingness to stay flexible and unafraid to revisit this in the future will set businesses apart from the rest in their respective industries. Remaining content or stagnant is no longer the acceptable status quo, and 2020 was the wake-up call many didn’t realize they needed.