Getting to the Right Organizational Structure

Follow these five steps to create the right organizational structure for your association.

1. Determine the work or activity to be performed in order to carry out plans. The tasks to be performed become duties.
   

2. Group the activities and tasks into positions so they can be assigned to an individual. Once assigned, they become responsibilities.
   

3. Assign authority to each position, conferring on the person holding the position the right to carry out the responsibilities or to delegate them.  
   

4. Determine the authority relationships among positions - who is going to report to whom, and what authority will they have in those relationships? This will ensure that everyone knows who his or her boss is, who his or her subordinates are, and what type and extent of authority he is subject to and can exercise.
   

5. Decide on the personal qualifications required for superior performance in each position.

Adapted from Organization: Helping People Pull Together, The McKinsey Quarterly, 2003 Number 2.

The practices described in this area are described as Better Practices for a very good reason. We have a great deal of difficulty with the term best practices used in any other context than to refer to the results of benchmarking exercises involving real and relevant organizations with tangible results.  We offer Better Practices related to areas where we feel that change is needed in associations. Better Practices are intended to provoke thought, and to encourage organizations to think about what they are doing and how they are doing it.  

OUR MISSION

To build better
associations and non-profits by 
delivering unique
and unparalleled expertise, programs
and services
to their staff and
volunteers.