Several times I had been told that the role of the program is to keep the ball rolling on tasks, and this meant little to me.
In a matrix organization, a key role of the functions is functional excellence. Several times, each functional member raises issues on other groups and the response to this issue by another group is usually a solution
Wrong!
The response to the issue by another group is another problem - rarely a solution. Each functional team has what is often labelled as professional ego and it hurts to change their pas
Example, I need to fit this part and need 10 mm clearance. You have only 2 mm. Answer from a mating part group, even if I change you will have 3 mm besides I cant change it as it costs too much.
In most non-program situations, the conversation stalls here and in a muddle of competing tasks, functions move to easier tasks (not necessarily important). Often times, the issue gets resolved after long periods of inaction in a kind-of batch mode resulting in delays.
It requires a program team to get the experts together and strike a bargain with a unifying metric - the customer requirements - to move the program forward.
This is probably the key value add from program teams.
In a matrix organization, a key role of the functions is functional excellence. Several times, each functional member raises issues on other groups and the response to this issue by another group is usually a solution
Wrong!
The response to the issue by another group is another problem - rarely a solution. Each functional team has what is often labelled as professional ego and it hurts to change their pas
Example, I need to fit this part and need 10 mm clearance. You have only 2 mm. Answer from a mating part group, even if I change you will have 3 mm besides I cant change it as it costs too much.
In most non-program situations, the conversation stalls here and in a muddle of competing tasks, functions move to easier tasks (not necessarily important). Often times, the issue gets resolved after long periods of inaction in a kind-of batch mode resulting in delays.
It requires a program team to get the experts together and strike a bargain with a unifying metric - the customer requirements - to move the program forward.
This is probably the key value add from program teams.
Sir, I absolutely Agree with your thought and experience(if any so...), this is quite evident in matrix organisations where we do not know who owns whom??? etc.... and what inherent force for a functional member is getting motivated is not known........... and I have faced these issues not only regional but also in global, I best is to resolve them to tell the each team member not to leave the project conference room until there is a resolution to move forward.............it works for me as on today..........
ReplyDeleteYes Vidyanath. Thats a good solution and works most time. I see also the point that you have raised of motivation - it is important that the entire team feels they work to the same goal and why the sense of urgency is important - this is probably the most sustaining. Reg K
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