The Importance of Role Clarity in a Matrix Organization

The importance of role clarity cannot be overstated. Conceptualizing the matrix organization is easier than implementing it. Too many executives assume that managers and staff will magically know what to do as the matrix management approach is adopted. Too many executives use a “drive-by reorganization”™ approach to lay out a diagram, a few concepts, and answer a few employee questions. You can’t “will” the matrix into place. It takes new understandings and deliberate efforts.

What am I supposed to do differently? That’s the question that the employees want answered whenever there is an organizational change. You can safely predict that most employees will find matrix management a bit bewildering at first. They need help understanding what it is, how it works, and what’s in it for them.