Case Study
Organisational Design
A mid-sized organisation had grown quickly — but its structure had not kept pace. Decisions were slowing, duplication was increasing, and nobody could clearly explain who owns what, and where accountability sits.
The organisation had tripled in size over four years. New teams had been created to meet demand, reporting lines had been adjusted on the fly, and several roles had expanded well beyond their original scope.
On paper, the structure looked logical. In practice, it was creating friction. Two divisions in particular had overlapping responsibilities, unclear escalation paths, and a growing pattern of decisions being made twice — or not at all.
The leadership team sensed the problem but struggled to articulate it. The phrase used most often in early conversations was: “Everyone is busy, but things still fall through the cracks.”
The structural issues were systemic, not isolated:
- Two divisions shared overlapping mandates with no clear delineation of ownership
- Reporting lines had evolved organically — several managers reported to two or three leaders depending on the project
- Decision rights were undefined: escalation happened by personality, not process
- Middle management had become a bottleneck — not because of capability, but because of ambiguity in what they were accountable for
- New hires were being onboarded into roles that no longer matched the actual work being done
The cost was not just inefficiency. It was trust. Teams were frustrated, collaboration was declining, and the leadership team was spending an increasing amount of time mediating rather than leading.
We conducted a full structural diagnostic — mapping not just the formal org chart, but how the organisation actually operated day to day.
Phase 1: Operating Reality Mapping
We mapped decision flows, escalation patterns, and accountability across both divisions. This revealed where formal structure and operational reality diverged — and the specific points where friction was concentrated.
Phase 2: Role Clarity and Accountability Design
Every role across both divisions was reviewed. We defined clear ownership boundaries, removed overlapping mandates, and established decision rights at each level. Roles were redesigned around what the organisation needed — not what had evolved by default.
Phase 3: Reporting Line Restructure
Reporting lines were simplified. Dual-reporting was eliminated where it served no clear purpose. Spans of control were adjusted to ensure managers could genuinely lead their teams rather than simply coordinate activity.
Phase 4: Transition and Communication
The restructure was rolled out with clear communication at every level. We worked with the leadership team to manage the transition — ensuring that changes were understood, not just announced.
Within 60 days, the organisation had a restructured operating model that addressed the root causes:
- Clear ownership and accountability across both divisions
- Simplified reporting lines with no unnecessary dual-reporting
- Defined decision rights at every level — reducing escalation and mediation
- Updated role descriptions that reflected the actual work, not inherited assumptions
- A structure designed to support the next phase of growth, not just manage the current one
Six months later, the COO reported a measurable reduction in escalations, faster cross-divisional decision-making, and — perhaps most tellingly — new hires were onboarding into roles that matched reality from day one.
Structure holding your business back?
If your organisation has grown faster than its structure, a focused diagnostic can identify where clarity is needed most — and what to change first.
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