your new org chart has 5 key areas.
by rob nixon
the new growth equation means you need different skill sets. you will need a different structure to create, market, sell and deliver the new services to new and existing services. and you will definitely need different people involved.
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the traditional “partnership” model is one of a silo model. often it has been described as “accountants sharing rent.”
the silo model is in which each partner or division has:
- my marketing style and ability
- my sales style and ability
- my clients and client management
- my team
- my services
see the diagram above for an illustration.
i have a cynical view as to why the silo model exists … so it can be pulled apart very quickly if the partnership doesn’t work out.
the issue is that even if there is one logo and brand on the business card there are separate practices operating behind it. the separation means that unless the partner (or team member in the partners silo) can perform the project themselves, they will not internally refer to others. there are different services being delivered, multiple “bosses,” multiple and erratic marketing methods, different ways of doing the same type of work, different pricing mechanisms and overall inefficiencies everywhere.
enter the new corporate model: one that has one ceo who is given the authority to run the business as he/she sees fit, to oversee the people who are creating products and services, the marketing specialists, the salespeople who sell and manage client relationships, the logistical management people who keep the office environment moving and working and of course the delivery people (fee-delivering professionals) to do the work.
your new organizational chart
each of the five key areas needs differing skill sets and disciplines.
- product development people are typically very creative but with a disciplined and detailed approach to product quality and systemization.
- marketing people are also often creative and the marketing coordination team members are often introverted with a detailed focus. maybe you start with a marketing coordinator and then grow into the other roles.
- salespeople must first have an inclination for sales. the skills can be taught if the inclination is there. the partners and some client-facing team members of firms make excellent salespeople because they have the client experience and natural trust. they may be doing some client work as well; they may be full-time revenue generation.
- fulfillment people are most of the people you currently hire. let’s not confuse what these teams are doing – they are delivering on revenue that has already been sold. they are not creating new revenue. they may be creating new opportunities so someone can speak with the client. the challenge with the traditional model is that you have had the fulfillment people also being product development, marketing and sales people. it just does not work. some people just want to be an accountant – and that’s ok.
- support team members need to be just that – support for the rest of the business. many firms have internal accountants (who are still doing client work) be the practice manager or the financial controller. if you want to grow, you must employ a full-time business manager (not a practice manager) who runs the day-to-day operations of the office – it&t, debtors, accounts payable, human resources, office logistics, etc.
now before you think “we are not big enough to justify hiring all of these people,” you need to realize that all the positions in the organizational chart need to be done by someone. there may be some “multi-hat wearing” going on and that’s ok as you grow into the structure. you may also need to outsource some of the roles until you can justify a full-time (or part-time) person to fulfill the position. your goals, courage and resources will determine how quickly you can grow into the new structure.