Explain how your organizational design and culture could be implemented at your workplace or organization.
Explain how your design will improve the culture for women in leadership, break down barriers, and address challenges.
Identify potential benefits to the company, staff, and leadership.
How the Design Breaks Down Barriers for Women in Leadership
This combined design and culture model directly addresses several systemic barriers often faced by women:
Breaking the "Old Boys' Club" Barrier:
Matrix Design: The Tour of Duty rotations and cross-functional project teams force networking and collaboration across silos. This breaks up traditional, informal power structures and exposes women to senior leaders who might not have worked with them otherwise, creating sponsorship opportunities.
Addressing the Likability/Competence Trade-off:
Decentralized Authority: Granting women in Project Leader roles clear, formal decision rights (power over project resources) counteracts the pressure they often feel to rely solely on relational power (influence). When the structure confirms their authority, the fear of social backlash for being assertive is reduced.
Sample Answer
Implementing a Decentralized, Matrix Design and Culture
1. Organizational Design: Decentralized Matrix
The proposed design shifts from a tall, hierarchical structure to a flatter, fluid matrix where people report to both a functional manager (for development and competency) and a project manager (for specific work).