Use Org Chart to Prove You're Easy to Work With

Prove You’re Easy to Work With Project the right image to staff as well as potential clients with this infrastructure tip from Equilibria. As entrepreneurs, it is tempting to make our companies “look” bigger than they actually are through the use of multiple layers of management. But too many management layers means longer decision making time and can actually cause you to lose business. The non-verbal cues of your company’s organization chart send the strongest messages. Having one that projects the wrong message is just as bad as not having one in place at all. Believe it or not, your company’s organization chart can communicate: • How long it takes to make a decision, • Operational scope, maturity and scalability, • Amount of overhead (which directly affects end cost to your client), and • Company culture (bureaucracy vs. flat, team approach) What Does Your Organization Chart Say About the Way You Do Business? I worked with a client once who had a parent company with five subsidiaries. Although only two of the five subsidiaries were actually operational, her organization chart did not reflect that. What it did show was a top heavy company with three layers of management. After losing multiple sub-contractor bids ($350,000 total), she eventually learned from a prime contractor that, on paper, her business did not “appear” to be as small as she verbalized. By flattening her company and showing the proper balance of managers, employees, and independent contractors she was able to convince prime contractors of her sub-contractor eligibility. Remember, customers (whether they are individuals, mom-and-pop, government, or large corporations) want to know that it is easy to do business with you. I’ve heard so many government and large, publicly-traded company Buyers indicate that part of what makes small businesses attractive as vendors is their flexibility and ability to quickly make decisions and adapt. Don’t ruin your chances of getting big business by projecting the wrong image. To Your Success, Alicia Butler Pierre Efficiency Engineer Equilibria, Inc. © Copyright 2009. Equilibria, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1‐888‐636‐5999. www.eqbsystems.com

What Does Your Company’s Organization Chart Say About the Way You Do Business? CEO CEO EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT BOARD CFO/COO CFO COO CAO CMO MAIN OFFICE Account Manager Office Manager CONSTRUCTION FINANCE & QUALITY HUMAN MARKETING & Architectural & PROJECT ADMINISTRATION Controller Sales Manager ACCOUNTING CONTROL RESOURCES SALES Supervisor LEGAL MANAGEMENT ASSURANCE FINANCE COMMERCIAL SALES Construction TECHNOLOGY Supervisor RESIDENTIAL SALES - Bookkeeper Quality Assurance Receptionist Coordinator - Commercial Sales Agents* CONSTRUCTION - Residential Sales Agents* 1st Line Supervisor - Project Coordinator - Payroll Clerk* - Construction Manager - Recruiter* PROPERTY - Architect* - Benefits Consultant* MANAGEMENT - Construction Crew* BEFORE - too many layers - scattered departments * = Independent Contractor/Outsourced Consultant MAINTENANCE SERVICES - top-heavy structure - too much overhead AFTER - more managers than - flat, streamlined layers PROJECT technicians MANAGEMENT - cohesive business units - bottom-heavy structure to show more technicians NOTARY - effective use of SERVICES independent contractors and employees (reduced © Copyright 2009. Equilibria, Inc. All Rights Reserved. overhead) www.eqbsystems.com 1-888-636-5999

Use Org Chart to Prove You're Easy to Work With

by Alicia Butler Pierre on May 09, 2010

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Use Org Chart to Prove You’re Easy to Work With — Document Transcript