Announcing the Publication of Structure That Works: The CEO’s Practical Guide to Organization Design
CMCs are routinely called upon to diagnose complex organizational challenges and recommend solutions that improve performance, strengthen leadership effectiveness, and enhance value creation. Yet when a business is underperforming, the underlying structural issues are not always immediately visible. What is visible are the symptoms: strategic initiatives that stall, slow or inconsistent execution, operational inefficiencies, elevated costs, missed opportunities, stagnant growth, weak innovation, high turnover, low engagement, and decision making bottlenecks at senior levels.
These indicators point to a common root cause: the organization is not designed to deliver what the strategy requires. When structure, roles, and accountabilities are misaligned, even highly capable leaders and teams struggle to perform. Competitors gain ground, and the organization’s financial and strategic outcomes fall short of expectations.
Many leaders have attempted restructuring in the past and understand the risks. Research consistently shows that fewer than one quarter of organizational redesigns succeed; nearly half are never fully implemented; and one third fail to deliver the performance improvements leaders anticipated. Poor organization design remains one of the most significant—and most underestimated—barriers to value creation.
A Resource for Consultants and Senior Leaders
Structure That Works was written for CEOs, senior executives, board members, and organization design practitioners, including CMCs who support leaders in medium to large sized, complex organizations. The book aims to strengthen the connection between those accountable for organizational performance and those guiding the design process, enabling more effective collaboration and better outcomes.
Grounded in practical experience, the book focuses on the realities of reorganizing while simultaneously leading a large enterprise and delivering results. It provides a comprehensive framework for aligning structure, people, processes, and practices to ensure that:
- Work is performed at the appropriate level
- Strategic and operational outcomes are achieved or exceeded
- The organization maintains the right balance between managing today and shaping tomorrow
The tools and principles outlined in the book also support the development of leadership capability within modern employment systems, enabling leaders to create value while fostering environments that support both personal and organizational growth.
Content Overview
The book begins by examining the costs of poor organization design and the benefits of a disciplined, strategic approach. It includes numerous real world case studies and success stories that illustrate why organizations underperform and how effective design can resolve longstanding issues.
Readers will find practical tools, templates, and processes for conducting organizational assessments, designing new structures, implementing changes, and sustaining improvements over time. The book addresses the most frequently asked questions in organization design and applies proven principles to eliminate guesswork.
Key Contributions for CMCs
Structure That Works will help consultants:
- Identify structural issues and apply tools to correct them
- Determine when a reorganization is warranted
- Guide leaders through a reorganization that engages employees and strengthens commitment
- Design and implement structures that support strategy execution and value creation
- Maintain and evolve organizational structures to ensure ongoing performance
Purchase book here.
Conclusion
For Certified Management Consultants, organization design remains one of the most powerful levers for improving client performance—yet also one of the most complex. Structure That Works provides a rigorous, practical, and experience tested guide to help consultants and leaders navigate this complexity with confidence. It is intended to enhance your practice, deepen your impact, and support the creation of organizations that consistently deliver results.
“The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and are provided for discussion and informational purposes only. They do not represent the official views or positions of CMC-Canada.”
