Matrix Management & Successful Projects
This article argues that an organisation’s inability to
successfully dovetail matrix management alongside its vertical reporting
structure is a major threats to project success…
In an increasingly complex world business change programmes
and projects are also increasingly complex. More often than not, the work of a
project crosses functional boundaries within an organisation.
This often leads to confusion within organisations and
project teams – or, more accurately, line-managers and their direct reports.
This contributes significantly to poor collaboration within projects and the
added likelihood of project failure.
Traditionally, organisations are arranged vertically within
functions, where line-managers have direct reports to whom they allocate
targets and tasks and then manage their people accordingly.
If done well, the targets set will be derivatives of the line-manager‘s targets, which in turn are
derived from the organisation’s strategic goals. The problem with this model,
though, is that the accountability to which line-managers are held can quickly
turn to blame if their functions fail to perform well, especially during tough
economic times.
There are two important behavioural consequences arising
from this, both of which decrease the likelihood of success in cross-functional
projects.
The first is that line-managers take a stronger directive
stance with their direct reports who, in a prevailing blame culture, will do
exactly what is asked of them by their line-managers. This at best stifles
initiative and flair and at worst makes the workplace a thoroughly miserable
place to be.
The second threat to successful project delivery is caused
because line-managers and direct reports place the non-failure of their
function above the success of the cross-functional project. Whenever there is a
conflict of interest between the function and the project people will rally
behind the permanent structure – the function – and subjugate the temporary
structure – the project.
People might argue that they do not behave in this way;
line-managers in particular are wont to claim they behave corporately, but the
weight of project-failure statistics is a compelling counter-argument.
Organisations implicitly accept that it is far more
acceptable for a project to fail than it is for a function to fail, and in any
case, managers can always dilute the success criteria for a project to lessen
the apparent failure. However, it need not be this way.
If an organisation wants to undertake successful
cross-functional projects the solution is to implement effective matrix
management. Put simply, matrix management means emphasising the
cross-functional structure over the vertical structure. The functions, in
addition to their business as usual work, become enablers for business change
programmes and projects.
In this model, the team is formed by drawing from all the
functions with a contribution to make to the project. The project manager
becomes accountable for the success of the project, but because he[1]
does not have line-management responsibility for the team members his
leadership is derived from the team’s consent, not from his authority over team
members.
This alters team behaviour. Team members jointly “own” the
project and have a vested interest in its success. They instinctively
understand that success will come from collaboration, and so they work in an
adult way, seeking agreement and consensus within the team.
In turn, this fosters commitment, enthusiasm and creativity,
as each team member feels part of a team, not merely a puppet of the function.
For the duration of the project the focus for team members is the project. The
success of the project becomes the team members’ success. Work becomes more
rewarding and project success becomes more likely.
So where do line-managers fit into this horizontal model? They
continue to play a key part in business as usual, and will more than likely be
part of the project’s stakeholder liaison plan, to be kept informed and
consulted, but in terms of the delivery of business change work they are one
step removed. Their role in relation to
the project team members from
their function is limited to what could loosely be labelled “Pastoral care”:
·
Ensure that their direct reports are adequately
trained and equipped to do the work expected of them
·
Be an escalation point for non-technical
problems encountered on the project by the direct report(s)
·
Be an escalation point for the project manager
if there are issues with the direct report
·
Support the direct-report’s development, and
career-aspirations
·
Oversee staff appraisals, holidays, disciplinary
matters etc.
Additionally, in respect of projects, line-managers should
represent their function at the project Steering Group.[2]
This empowers them to resolve issues the project manager is experiencing when
they cannot be resolved at project level, and gives them an insight into how
the project fits into the overall company strategy.
Attendance at Steering Group also increases co-operation
between line-managers across the functions for the good of the project.
Cross-functional tensions don’t arise when a Steering Group is committed to a
project because undertaking the project has been a corporate decision. Tensions
arise when there is resource contention across projects competing for priority,
and this is a matter for a Portfolio Executive or similar forum, it should not
be the signal for a bun-fight between function heads.
If matrix management is working properly, this benefits all
concerned; the project team is left to concentrate entirely on successful
delivery, free from the day-to-day concerns, or interference, of the function
from which they have been seconded. Line-managers, then, can concentrate on
what should be their core work – ensuring that the function has the right level
of staffing, with the relevant competencies to support the organisation’s
strategic aims, undertake business as usual within the function and be seconded
to the right projects as necessary according to the organisation’s priorities.
Steve Syder is a programme Manager specialising in eCommerce and programme recovery. He is in his 21st year as an interim. To contact him visit www.stevesyder.com
[1] Project managers can be male or
female. I use the male pronoun because I am male.
[2] In a large and complex project it is
likely that the line-managers’ managers will be the ones attending Steering
Group. In any event, Steering Group should include senior managers with a full
understanding of how the project satisfies corporate strategy.
