Org Design Fundamentals

Design principles are the quiet discipline behind great organisation design. They are the rules of the game — simple, directional statements that guide trade-offs, align leaders, and ensure decisions reflect strategy rather than politics.

xIt is easy to dismiss job titles as superficial, but they carry weight. They signal seniority, expertise, and authority both inside and outside the organisation. A poorly chosen title can create mismatched expectations, weaken external credibility, or frustrate employees who feel undervalued.

The right balance of spans and layers will not solve every organisational challenge, but it is a foundation for clarity, speed, and agility. Leaders who ignore it will continue to battle slow decisions, hidden costs, and frustrated employees. Leaders who use it intentionally will build organisations that are leaner, faster, and fit for the future.

Effective organisation design follows a disciplined process. There are six phases, and most leaders routinely skip at least two of them.