Unpacking organizations: the practitioner's podcast Rupert Morrison, Shradha Prakash
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- Business
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If you work in an organization and wonder why it is so complicated to get any work done, you are not alone. Join organizational design practitioners Rupert Morrison and Shradha Prakash as they unpack the building blocks of organizations and leave you with practical takeaways to experiment at your own workplace to make it more effective, efficient and most importantly - meaningful.
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27. Designing effective Private Equity organizations with Alice Mann
Alice Mann, founder of Mann Partners Inc., joins the hosts to discuss org design in the context of private equity firms. Alice explains the importance of understanding the strategy, value creation plans, stakeholder dynamics and need for systems thinking approach to ensure robust org design whether at a founder led firm or in a large corporation. She emphasizes the tool of considering ‘people plus context equals performance’ and warns against looking at individuals out of context. Tune in to hear from Alice about her background, her enriching experience and her invaluable thoughts on designing organizations.
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26. Importance of understanding the work and business value creation with Shefali Salwan
In this episode, Rupert and Shradha are joined by Shefali Salwan, co-founder of CEO Works, to discuss the concept of talent to value. The conversation delves into aligning talent with value creation as a crucial lever for organizational success. Shefali emphasizes the significance of understanding the work and context of a role, rather than solely focusing on talent. She highlights designing without understanding the work as one of the traps that practitioners should watch out for.
Join us to hear impactful organizational case studies from Shefali’s remarkable journey through HR and entrepreneurship. -
25. Org design trap: no strategy, no org design
Yet another organizational design trap is not identifying the strategy before embarking on the design journey. Many organizations lack a true strategy and instead have a collection of goals and objectives. Without a clear strategy, organizational design becomes fragmented and disconnected. Leaders need to design a strategy that is adaptable to the changing world, and we, as practitioners, should design organizations capable of executing that strategy.
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24. What is organizational capability?
We believe 'organizational capability' is one of the most incorrectly used (and understood) terms in organizational design. In this episode, Rupert and Shradha explore the concepts of organizational capability, competency, and strategy. Organizational capability is a combination of people, processes, technology, and ways of working that helps us translate strategy into organizational design. Join us as we discuss why simplifying complex constructs is essential for successful design implementation.
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23. Org design trap: "Designing around people"
Let’s unpack one of the most common organizational design traps: "Designing Around People." Even seasoned professionals like Rupert and Shradha have fallen into this trap because, in the moment, it may seem easier and less disruptive. However, it inevitably leads to long-term problems. Rupert shares a personal story of falling into this trap and the negative consequences it had on his organization. We emphasize the importance of organizational alignment and design, the need for courage to address conflicts, and the significance of aligning with one's values and principles.
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22. Power dynamics in org design
In this episode, Rupert and Shradha explore the role of power in organization design. A thoughtful organization design recognizes and rewards natural authority. Identifying and considering power in different ways leads to more effective org design. However, not all power dynamics can be addressed through org design alone; leadership behaviours also play a critical role. Join us as we discuss the flow of power in organizations.