COMPANY PROJECTS – ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE

Strategic positioning

Every company should have a written strategic plan that identifies where the company is going and how it needs to position itself to get there. It is not the same as a business plan or a document designed to raise money, but an internal document that gives the CEO a roadmap to run this business.


Organization chart – formal and informal

It is essential to have an organization chart as it forces you to think through the "gray areas" that exist in most growing organizations. Managers sometimes complain that an organization chart cannot encapsulate the informal reporting lines… but bringing them into the open is usually constructive.


Number of long-term employees

It is helpful if the organization chart contains years of service. Employee longevity is praised by many, but it is important to identify the dangers of stagnation and over promotion, and it is important to put in place regular organization reviews to ensure that the company is not outgrowing employees in key positions.


CEO’s use of time

Many CEOs fall into the trap of micromanaging… or, to put it another way, of allowing the organization to manage them rather than the other way round. Simple techniques like identifying the real number of direct reports and keeping high-level activity logs can be very effective in freeing up the CEO to position the company to move forward more effectively.


Inadequate management for size of company

As companies grow, there is a tendency for them to be under-managed. This can exhibit itself in the form of too few supervisors to take the load off managers or managers who have risen through the ranks and never received any training. The problem can be corrected by using the same techniques as for the CEO’s use of time and need not involve hiring.


Employee Issues

Sales and Competition

Operations

Financial