How to consult for improved scalability

Often OD practitioners encounter the need to consult people and teams for improved scalability, i.e., enabling the processing of more issues via a wider bandwidth creation.

Situations like this are encountered in post merger integrations, rapid growth, promotions and unification of teams.

Coaching for scalability has 5 major thrusts:

1) Improved Delegation (in cultures where delegation is not seen as abdication)

2) Wider use of process and predefined  methodology.

3) Prevention of escalation to higher levels via encouraging  issues be solved “at the lowest possible level”.

4) Killing the “hero syndrome” by enabling the creation of repeatable activities.

5) Mitigating bandwidth-constraining politics by role clarity and healthy interfaces, which enables an external (ie, not political) focus, putting people on the “same team”.

I do about 500 hours a year consulting to create scalability.  In my experience, the hardest issue has been 4. Organizational heroes and heroism have deep root causes, which are not easily extricated.

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