Organizational
Analysis
How to see the system behind the people
Eric Connelly · April 1, 2026
Who got Mentor?
Who got Analyst?
The Director
You like to decide and act. Fast, clear, efficient. Very useful when there is a crisis or when people are new.
The Mentor
You like to share what you know. You explain, give context, tell stories. Very useful for building knowledge over time.
The Analyst
You look at the bigger picture before acting. You ask questions, understand the situation, then decide. Very useful when things are complex.
Eric Connelly
Organization development consultant. 20+ years working with leaders in the US and Europe. Master's in Organization Development, American University (Washington DC). Engineering background before that.
Based here in Burgundy. American. I help organizations understand what is really happening under the surface.
Structure shapes behavior
Today we practice the structural lens - why problems keep happening.
"Jean doesn't communicate well with the other team."
"There is no meeting, no shared tool, no process for the two teams to talk. The structure makes communication difficult."
"The project is late because people are not motivated."
"People report to department heads, not the project manager. Promotions come from department work, not project work. The reward system does not support the project."
Weisbord's Six-Box Model
Six places to look when something is not working. A diagnostic tool for organizations.
1. Purposes
What is our mission? Does everyone agree?
2. Structure
How do we divide the work? Does it fit what we need?
3. Relationships
How do people work together? How is conflict handled?
4. Leadership
Is someone keeping all the boxes in balance?
5. Rewards
Do incentives match what we need people to do?
6. Coordination Tools
Do we have the right meetings, processes, and tools?
Try to diagnose it using the six boxes.
Pick one
Your school, a part-time job, a sports club, a restaurant you worked at. Any organization.
Diagnose it
Go through the six boxes. Where is the organization strong? Where is it weak? Which box causes the most problems?
Share one finding
Be ready to tell the class: "We looked at [organization]. The biggest problem is in the [box] because..."
Structure
"How do we divide up the work? Does the structure fit what we need to do?"
Three ways to organize
By function: departments of specialists (engineering, production, sales). By project: teams built around one output. Matrix: a mix of both - people have two bosses.
When this box is broken
Work falls between departments. Nobody owns the problem. Decisions go up the hierarchy and come back slowly. The structure was designed for a different challenge.
The trade-off
Functional structure = deep expertise but slow coordination. Project structure = fast coordination but you lose expertise. Every structure solves one problem and creates another.
Why this matters today
The case you are about to read is exactly this problem: a functional company that needs to run a cross-department project. How should they organize it?
Relationships
"How do people and departments work together? How is conflict managed?"
Conflict is normal
Some conflict is healthy - it means people care about different things. The question is not "how do we avoid conflict?" but "how does the organization handle it?"
The authority question
When a project manager needs work from people in another department, who decides? The project manager or the department head? This tension is at the heart of most organizational conflict.
Think about group projects
When two people in your group disagree about the approach, what happens? Does the strongest personality win? Does someone mediate? Does the teacher step in? That is the relationship system.
What to watch for in the case
One character says: "Nobody's going to come into my department and tell my people what to do." How would you manage that relationship if you were the project manager?
Rewards
"Do the incentives match what we actually need people to do?"
Not just money
Rewards include salary, but also promotions, recognition, interesting work, and learning. People do what gets rewarded - not what the company says it values.
The hidden driver
If you want teamwork but promote individuals, people will work alone. If you want innovation but punish failure, people will play safe. The reward system shapes behavior more than any speech.
Think about grades
A teacher says "collaboration is important" but gives individual grades. What do students actually do? They work alone. The reward system wins every time.
What to watch for in the case
Engineers get promotions from their department heads, not the project manager. So when the project needs extra effort, who do they prioritize?
Atlas Electronics
A defense electronics company has won a big government contract. They need to build an advanced spy system called "Spyeye."
The problem: four different departments need to work together. The President must decide how to organize the project.
The stakes are high
If Atlas goes over budget, the extra cost comes from their profit - dollar for dollar.
If they deliver late: $20,000 penalty per day.
If the system does not meet requirements: penalties up to $8 million.
But if they do it well: bonus for beating the budget.
Three ways to organize Spyeye
President Skillton needs your recommendation. Each option solves one problem but creates another.
Give it to one department
The Receiver Department manages the whole project. Other departments provide support. Everything stays in the normal hierarchy.
Led by Datson (55, department head, 25 years)
Create a project office
A cross-department coordination team. Workers stay in their departments. The project office gives guidance but cannot directly control people.
Led by Saunderson (45, delivered a similar project)
Build a dedicated team
Pull people out of their departments. Create a new team just for Spyeye. The manager has full authority. Everyone works together in one place.
Leader: to be decided
Your turn.
Diagnose it.
Your group has one alternative. Focus on 3 boxes that matter most. Prepare a 3-minute pitch to President Skillton.
Present to
President Skillton
3 minutes per group. Convince the President.
3 minutes
What is your recommendation and why?
Use the framework
Which 3 boxes did you focus on?
Name the risks
Every option has problems. Show you see them.
Audience job
While listening: find the one weakness they missed.
The real lessons
This case is from the 1970s. These exact problems exist in every company you will work for.
Structure creates problems
Every way of organizing solves one problem and creates a new one. When you see a recurring problem, look at the structure before blaming people.
The dotted-line reality
In many jobs you will manage people who do not report to you. Or you will report to two bosses. This is normal. It requires influence, not just authority.
Your future workplace
Most companies use some version of the matrix. Understanding this tension gives you a big advantage on day one.
See the system,
not just the problem
Next time something goes wrong at work, before you blame someone, ask: what about the structure made this result likely?
Ask "why" structurally
When there is a problem, check which of the six boxes it lives in.
Draw the real org chart
The official chart shows reporting lines. Draw how work actually flows. Compare.
Use this vocabulary
These frameworks work in any language and any country. You practiced them today in English.