Cooperation between members and a clearly defined hierarchy are vital aspects of an organization.
Organizations are like machines: they need all parts functioning properly in order to run smoothly. However, a flawed internal structure allows misunderstandings to arise and even affect an organization's productivity. For this reason, a primary short-term goal for an under-performing organization is to identify its structural and functional shortcomings, as well as develop the mechanisms to deal with future unexpected problems.
Define the Hierarchy
All members of an organization must clearly know their duties, responsibilities and their supervisors, so they can ask for help and guidance. Setbacks in productivity are usually a result of an ill-defined hierarchy, and occur when members have only a vague picture of their -- and their colleagues -- jobs. Give a certain title to each member, such as senior executive, junior supervisor and team leader. Solve the issue of who is responsible for what and let members focus on their duties.
Set the Targets
The specific targets of an organization are usually a concern only of executive members and managers. Members lower in the hierarchy are aware of long-term goals or the organization's vision, but rarely do they learn about the short-term targets. However, informing all members about the big and small goals gives extra motivation and inspires them to focus on their jobs to help reach the goals. This helps you deal with symptoms of complacency, which compromise the smooth operation of the organization.
Think of the Organization as a System
Each member has a specific job to do, but this job is only a cog in the organization's machine. A reporter writes an article, but the sub-editor corrects its errors and the editor-in-chief decides which article goes on the front page. Everyone involved must understand his work's impact on the organizational chain. Only when each member knows the impact of his work, as well as what to expect from other colleagues, can an organization run uninterrupted on a daily basis.
Resolve Conflicts
No matter how smoothly an organization runs, conflicts are bound to arise out of the blue. After all, human beings keep organizations running. Conflicts result from working dysfunctions that lead to frustration, such as a performance report coming late, or even from a personal problem like anxiety caused by a situation at home. You must come up with versatile ways to tackle the problems. Set strict non-aggression rules and hire a consultant to help members with their individual problems both in and out of the organization.
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