Because we can’t get rid of them; because they have a North-located protector; because they serve that person’s purpose; and my personal, #1 favorite: because we are afraid of conflict.

How much does that fear of conflict eat in annual productivity?

The problem is that over the past 10 to 15 years, we have found that more and more strategies require managers to manage “east and west” versus north and south. So, in many organizations, the execution of a strategy requires “dotted-line” relationships and degrees of ambiguity that oblige managers to work from a shared focus, seeking shared results, and holding a shared accountability. This can become very tricky at times.

We recently worked with a healthcare company that was launching a matrixed-based strategy. As it developed, the leaders found that people didn’t actually have others to “report to,” but they all needed to work east and west. This resulted in about 50 activities that they were all, in some way, responsible for. We realized that the key to working in this kind of framework is to focus on answering three questions:
o What is the shared outcome that we are co-responsible for – what goals are we all working toward?
o What are the behaviors that represent the way we want to work together, and how will we hold ourselves accountable to those behaviors?
o What are our roles for each activity: are we a driver-owner, a proactive supporter, or someone who needs to be informed of progress?

When these questions are addressed, managing in an east-west management matrix makes a lot more sense.

Waht about bonding with outside vendors as well? Granted that may not be a part of your team, or rather on your Org chart, but they can have a profound impact on your deliverables!

This is important not just for learning about other successful tactics from others, but also as providing excellent networking opportunities to help others.