OD isn’t just about organisation charts and job descriptions

I often get asked what I do for a living and when I say Organisation Design people usually nod and move on. I guess it would be the same if I said I was a dentist?? I draw structure charts for a living right? Well yes I do, but that’s a very small part of the complex discipline that I have become absorbed in over the last few years.

OD is more than a structure chart, it is a necessary and significant part of the Operating Model.

Organisation Design focus’ on aligning the shape and structure of an organisation with its strategy. It starts with the process of reviewing what an organisation wants and needs, analyses the gap between where it is and where it wants to be, then designs organisation practices that bridge that gap.

This often means reviewing the entire organisation and context to decide what does and doesn’t work. This includes:

Structures

People Practices

Systems

Reward

Performance Measures

Culture

Processes & Policies

The modern OD practitioner (yes that’s me) has expertise in all of the above and the ability to understand the relationships of all aspects of the organisation. It’s a strategic role, one that can truly impact on organisation performance and one that requires deep understanding of how organisations work and a broad range of skills.

So yes I can help you clarify accountabilities in your organisation (and that in itself will make a difference) but the real changes and shifts will come when you look at your organisation in it’s wider sense.

Ask me about it, it’s one of my favorite subjects.