I Love Winning

[Superman]

Something happened at work that you guys will not fully understand but I want to crow about it anyway. Twenty-five years ago our director decided to change the organizational structure from a traditional structure to a "Matrix" structure. Despite being told this is unwise to say the least for a large organization, he did it anyway. This organization of about 2,500 people has suffered ever since. It involves Central Office (which sets policy and procedures) having no direct control over their program staff in Field offices (who do the investigation and enforcement work). The theory is that if everyone plays nicely together and the Field folks are dutiful in following the policy and procedure direction set by Central Office, then everything should work out fine. In theory. In practice, humans play power games. Finger-pointing and warring got to the point where something had to be done. After a particularly ugly warring session occurred late last May, I dropped a little bomb in July.

A ferocious management fight ensued and I dropped a couple more bombs over the last couple of months. I just learned that it appears I won the war. Implementation of the new structure for my program is set for July 1, which is ambitious but not too soon for me. Again, you will not understand all the details but I have to say my staff should get the medal, not me. Their hard work over many months and years is fully documented and represents an overwhelming body of evidence that Field created the dysfunction, not Central Office. Failure to achieve quality and consistency in investigations was caused by Field staff dismissing the clear, consistent, energetic and voluminous efforts by Central Office to achieve the needed quality and consistency. And I could prove it. And I did. And I win. Workload for my staff will likely fall while quality and consistency rises. I will retire in about 1.5 years, and this will be one of my greatest accomplishments.

[WPOZZZ]

So you stuck it out for 25 years?

[masraum]

Awesome, and congrats. It'll be nice to leave on a high note. Best time to do it if you can manage.

[Superman]

WP, I have been doing this work for more than 30 years, in both the public and private sector.

Mas, this is a little agonizing. I have the means to retire now, but the paychecks and victories are hard to put down. Folks are already starting to ask me about consulting. I'd bet good money that four months after I retire, I will think I should have done it sooner.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Superman

WP, I have been doing this work for more than 30 years, in both the public and private sector.

Mas, this is a little agonizing. I have the means to retire now, but the paychecks and victories are hard to put down. Folks are already starting to ask me about consulting. I'd bet good money that four months after I retire, I will think I should have done it sooner.

Absolutely. You'll be thinking you should have retired and started consulting earlier. You'll probably make as much money, but only have to work half or less as much.

[WPOZZZ]

Retire from your job, then consult. You know, like when you retire from the military. You do the same job, but at 4x the pay.

[Hard-Deck]

You know, like when you retire from the military. You do the same job, but at 4x the pay.

Wow! I’d love to make 4x what I made in the military! Where do I sign up?

[Evans, Marv]

Very few people get to experience a satisfaction like you have. A big congrats.

[LWJ]

Outstanding!

Got to say I am envious. Nice to have a big win.

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by Snapper33

Wow! I’d love to make 4x what I made in the military! Where do I sign up?

Raytheon.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Superman

traditional structure to a "Matrix" structure

Can you provide the cliff notes version of what the two are?

[Superman]

I work at a state agency. Technically, a "department." The department divides itself into "divisions." In a traditional structure, everyone involved in a "program" would be in one division. For example, my program has both administrative and an enforcement functions. My staff, at headquarters, processes documents, does studies, administers trainings, manages the computer system, sets budgets, etc. Other people, located throughout the state, receive and investigate complaints which are usually resolved informally but sometimes result in litigation. In litigation, the file comes to headquarters and I manage them with legal counsel.

In a traditional structure, all these people would be in the same division. Investigators would report to supervisors who would report to someone on my staff. I would be in control of investigations. In a matrix structure, such as what we have had for 25 years, the investigators and their supervisors are in a different division than my staff and myself. I do not have authority over them and neither does my boss. I can ask them to follow my policy and procedure direction, but it is up to them to follow it. Or not.

And so...traditional structure is a bunch of solid, vertical lines of supervision. With a matrix structure there are also vertical lines, but also horizontal lines which are informal. Dotted lines, so to speak. And the dotted lines are the ones that need to be functional in order to achieve accuracy and quality and consistency. The dotted horizontal lines are the most critical, but they have no actual authority. Pretty frustrating. My entire agency/department would like to get rid of this matrix thing and restructure back to the traditional. My victory will likely reverberate across the entire agency.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Superman

I work at a state agency. Technically, a "department." The department divides itself into "divisions." In a traditional structure, everyone involved in a "program" would be in one division. For example, my program has both administrative and an enforcement functions. My staff, at headquarters, processes documents, does studies, administers trainings, manages the computer system, sets budgets, etc. Other people, located throughout the state, receive and investigate complaints which are usually resolved informally but sometimes result in litigation. In litigation, the file comes to headquarters and I manage them with legal counsel.

In a traditional structure, all these people would be in the same division. Investigators would report to supervisors who would report to someone on my staff. I would be in control of investigations. In a matrix structure, such as what we have had for 25 years, the investigators and their supervisors are in a different division than my staff and myself. I do not have authority over them and neither does my boss. I can ask them to follow my policy and procedure direction, but it is up to them to follow it. Or not.

And so...traditional structure is a bunch of solid, vertical lines of supervision. With a matrix structure there are also vertical lines, but also horizontal lines which are informal. Dotted lines, so to speak. And the dotted lines are the ones that need to be functional in order to achieve accuracy and quality and consistency. The dotted horizontal lines are the most critical, but they have no actual authority. Pretty frustrating. My entire agency/department would like to get rid of this matrix thing and restructure back to the traditional. My victory will likely reverberate across the entire agency.

Got it. Weird, I don't think I'd ever heard of or experienced a matrix org. I'm used to structure looking like a pyramid or maybe family tree which is a traditional structure.

[Tidybuoy]

Sounds very similar to how the Federal Government sometimes tries to run the entire country the same for all the states, counties, and cities - the fails.

[Superman]

Vern, the business of running this country has a matrix structure. My victory is to move from a dysfunctional matrix structure to a traditional one. But for America, the matrix structure probably makes more sense. At least, the Founding Fathers thought so. Just as our field investigators can thumb their nose at me, states can thumb their noses at the feds. This is generally thought to be a good thing for America.

But I think the question of how government in America is structured under the Constitution, and the implications of that, would be best discussed in a separate thread on a nearby forum.

[Tobra]

It has been a good thing for America and Americans, right up until now. It is sort of funny how closely this parallels what happens in DC

[Superman]

It's still the same old story
A fight for love and glory
A case of do or die
The fundamental things apply
As Time Goes By

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Congratulations but 25yrs, that's a lifetime of waiting

[Jims5543]

25 years? I cannot help but think of this.

[stevej37]

^^^ great movie!