Does it make you cringe to think about imposing the formal structure of an Organization Chart on your small shop? Fear not! The Organization Chart can be a wonderful tool. Recalling my many, many jobs, I can count on three fingers the number of times I actually knew for what I was responsible and to whom I was required to report. I would have loved that information on every job. It’s frustrating to not know what your responsibilities are. It’s confusing to have someone tell you what to do just to have another person tell you to do just the opposite.
Your Own Organization Chart – The Bare Bones Basics
You will need…
- A large unadorned wall or dry erase board.
- A stack of Post It notes…the 3×3 inch size is good.
- A sharpie!
Begin with the end in mind. What is your ultimate goal? In home service plumbing, it might be…
To achieve our sales and profitability goals by solving our customers plumbing problems to their delighted satisfaction.
Now…back up and consider all the things that must be done to make that happen. On the Post Its, write down each responsibility…what needs to be done to deliver your products and services and to keep track of money, people and assets.
Organize…into Divisions and positions
Next, group the responsibilities within each division into positions for your company. Move the Post Its around until the positions start to make sense to you. Name the positions, and arrange the positions to show the reporting relationships. Who is dependent on whom? Who reports to whom?
Excel to Excellence!
You can transfer the Org Chart to an Excel file to make it look nice, and easier to share. (I’ve got a few examples I’ll be giving away at the Online Workshop on Creating Your Own Organizational Chart on Tuesday, May 7th at 12 noon central time. Well worth the $19.95 registration. Join us! We’ll be working together in real time to get your Org Chart to DONE!)
Who is left standing?
Gulp. After doing this exercise, you may find that you have someone left over…and all the boxes filled. Creating your Organization Chart forces you to confront this scary fact: It could be a family member. It could be someone who has been with your company for so long that he feels like family.
One person show…or ready to GROW?
Can you realize your business goals all by yourself? Is your dream business a one-person operation? It can be done. You’ll still benefit by creating an Organization Chart. All the areas of your business need to be addressed. You will have to shift from position to position. The Organization Chart can make it easier to do that without getting confused.
If you are a one-person outfit with aspirations of becoming a BIG company, the Organization Chart can help you grow fast. A small company doesn’t need formal systems. By imposing the form of a larger company you actually cause the company to grow. The systems drive growth. It works!
What good can come of it?
Once you have crafted the Organization Chart, make sure everyone on the team knows their assignments…their positions and the position descriptions. Who does what.
When it all comes together…when y’all “gel” and deliver the goods…from the first call for service to high customer scores…that’s magic. That’s team work. And it is beautiful.
