Some Strategies for Working Inside a Matrix Organization

I often get clients who come to me with the challenges they face working inside a highly matrixed organization. Invariably, they are chartered with leading a major project or a functional area, such as ongoing product releases as a product manager, by working with a variety of other functional and expert groups within their organization, or even sometimes outside their organization, to deliver what is expected of them.

The common refrain is that they do not control the resources that are assigned to them and the same resources are multiplexed to many other projects, so how their work gets done is left somewhat to how the functional manager, who controls the resources that are assigned to the project treats their priorities. It is the assignment of resources and the attention the functional manager can provide to the project team that dictate the outcomes created by the team. Also, in a complex project there are many interdependent tasks that can put any one of the tasks on a critical path when the commitments are not met. With the increasing complexity of delivered projects and the highly specialized expertise needed to contribute to the success of such projects the trend of matrixed structure is going to be even more of a norm as we move forward.

So, what are some of the strategies that the project managers can use to shepherd their projects with priority and to achieve the objectives against which they are measured?

Having worked in a matrix organization when I was shepherding a complex project with nearly 300 professionals (engineers, technicians, drafting staff, manufacturing engineers, just to name a few) working from about a dozen functional areas, I learned much about what works and what does not. Here is what I recommend that you work on, even if your project is much smaller than this:

1. Understand the overall objective and the deliverables on your project. Break it down to its components and organize the overall project into tasks that are assigned to each functional area. Spend enough time on planning the project (this is often a serious drawback on most projects) and carefully identifying key parts that are going to require the most attention.
2. Prepare a project plan showing dependencies and scope the size of each task to enough detail that allows everyone at the task-leader level to understand the scope of their responsibility.
3. Meet with the functional managers, who are going to assign you the resources to complete what is under their responsibility. Try not asking for specific resources (whom they assign is often their prerogative) but tell them what/when is expected of their group. Let them decide the who/how. Ask them how they plan to manage their part of the project: if they want to be actively involved or involved enough just to provide team members functional leadership. Each of these working modes dictates how you want to engage with that manger and their team.
4. Develop work packages for each functional group and get the manager to sign-off on the key deliverables, dates, and resources. Clearly understand the contingencies and dependencies that are driving their tasks. You, as a project manager are responsible for cross-functional tasks and how they are completed.
5. Create clear accountabilities with each manager and their team members. Manage by exception. In other words, only when someone is going to miss on their committed task must you know from the responsible task leader/manager what the situation is and how you must deal with it.
6. Provide a visible dashboard for everyone to see how the overall project and the subtasks are progressing. Often, it is the lack of visibility and the context that frustrates team members and they lose interest in their project.
7. One key tool you have as a project manager is to acknowledge exceptional performers. Merely by sending an email to the entire team and their manger (and even their boss) can do wonders when it comes to how teams and individuals behave. Writing such notes and emails is free, but has great impact on team morale.
8. Conversely, when you see someone missing deadlines and sloughing their work, you must have a discussion with them individually first. The next round is with their manager and then you must ask for their replacement. Such actions (#7 and #8) quickly establish you as a no-nonsense leader and people respond well to such acts of leadership.
9. Mid-way through your project re-assess where things are and make adjustments to your original plan. Re-publish the revised plan for everyone to see and explain why these revisions were made.
10. Celebrate small successes by having pizza or group get-togethers. Celebrations go a long way in keeping the team’s morale.

A matrix organization is a good battleground for learning how to lead through influence. It is much easier when people report directly to you and you are responsible for writing their reviews and for giving their raises and promotions. Successfully navigating through a matrixed organization requires special leadership and these are some of the secrets to getting there.

Good luck!