Core organization design frameworks.
We know the joke: consultants use way too many frameworks. But these are our favorites. Rooted in Jay Galbraith’s methodology and refined over years of practice, these are the essential models we rely on to guide our clients.
A diagnostic framework.
Strategy & Capabilities
- How will we grow and compete in our markets?
- What do we need to be able to do better than our competitors?
Structure
- How should we configure our organizing logic? Where do we need scale vs. agility?
- Where do we need leadership and management roles?
Process
- What management processes will ensure the right conversations across boundaries?
- How can we set up decision making to be both fast and good?
Metrics / Rewards
- What metrics should go on our business dashboard?
- What incentives will drive the right behavior?
People Practices
- What roles do we need?
- How will we attract, develop, and retain top talent?
The star model shows an integrated system to deliberately shape human behavior. Strategy dictates the distinctive capabilities the business needs to win, anchoring the four design levers leadership can control: Structure, Process, Rewards, and People. You cannot design culture or behavior directly, as they are simply the natural outputs of a well-designed system. The core rule of the model is when the five points reinforce each other, the right behaviors follow, but when they conflict, organizational dysfunction is the inevitable result.
How we use the Star Model with clients
We use the Star Model as a diagnostic tool to help leaders understand that organization design goes well beyond boxes and lines on a chart. It is also how we keep ourselves honest: the model forces a holistic assessment of the organization as a system, so no redesign stops at structure while leaving processes, metrics, and people practices pulling in the old direction.