A Carol Kallendorf, Ph.D./Jack Speer Publication

An Organization Is Like a Symphony . . .

A Few  Sour Notes . . . Heavy  on the Tuba . . . and the Piccolo Player Believes
He's the Center of the Action

. . . and You Can Ruin a Really Great Concert

Carol
Kallendorf,
Ph.D.

Henry Ford,
pictured here beside his 1921 Model T Ford Sedan,  would have understood perfectly what we mean by organizational design. 

Today through teams and technology we have achieved a level of productivity that could only been dreamed of in the days of Henry Ford.

The Delta Associates works with organizations to build structures that integrate people, technology, innovation and effectiveness into a successful enterprise.

In some cases, that requires simplifying the organization. 

In other cases, it means creating more clarity in functional roles and in performance management.  In other words, it requires clarifying who does what and how the "what" and the "who" are evaluated.

In still other cases, it requires creating just enough--and not too much--structure so the organization can turn on a dime and know that everyone is turning the same direction at the same time. 

Each organization is--and should be--unique.  Our approach to organization development and design takes that uniqueness into account.

Are you sometimes perplexed when your star performers deliver a lackluster performance?

The world of the symphony can tell us a lot about the design of organizations.  The conductor takes his or her place at the podium and everything depends on each member of the orchestra playing in concert with everyone else.   The performance is an exercise in precision.

In designing an organization, the "music"--the task at hand--changes moment by moment.  That's why we often think more of individual performers--and even teams--and neglect the composition of the organization as a whole and how it all works together.

Organizations and orchestras have this commonalty:  No matter how strong the individual players, if you don't have the right people in the right place and on the "same page,"  your best efforts will disintegrate and the performance will be mediocre at best.  

If you have talented people and strong teams whose results are not as brilliant as they have to be . . .

. . . you probably don't have the right design for your organization.  

If your greatest violinist is in the tuba section where he or she is a second-rate performer, the results will not be optimal.  The Delta Associates works with organizations to create world class performance.

Here is a five point strategy that The Delta Associates has used to achieve turn-around results for hundreds of organizations.

• Create a profile of the organization--what works and what doesn't, its culture and history

• Create a profile of existing teams--their objectives, communication channels,  and blockages that can cause failure

• Create a profile of key team members--their strengths, developmental areas, contributions and aspirations

• Create a profile of what the organization and its teams need to look like to accomplish its objectives within the timeframe and resources available

• Create the strategy that will get you there.
  
  If you'd like to discuss what our five-point strategy can do for your organization, please call us at 512-498-9780 or email us at ckallendorf@delta-associates.com.

  If you have teams that aren't meeting their objectives, sales forces that don't make their numbers, managers that don't communicate with one another, we'd like to talk to you about what we do.

The Delta Associates
1704 Briar Street
Austin, Texas 78704

Voice, 512-498-9780
Email, jspeer@delta-associates.com
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