We need to restructure our professional services department to separate high-level client strategy from routine project execution, but we cannot afford to lay anyone off or hire new staff. How do we redesign these seats and transition our existing team members smoothly?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Restructuring without layoffs requires you to separate the functions of your business from the personalities currently occupying the seats. Start by looking at your Accountability Chart without any names attached. Design the ideal structure for your professional services department, creating distinct seats for Client Strategy and Project Execution. Once the structure is locked, evaluate your existing team members against these new seats using the GWC™ tool. Do they get, want, and have the capacity for strategy, or are they better suited for execution? You will likely find that some team members are currently split between both functions, which is capping their productivity. To transition them without increasing payroll, you must reallocate their hours based on their strengths. Those who excel at client strategy will move into the strategy seats, while those who are highly organized and systematic will take over the execution seats. Use conative screening, specifically looking for a high Follow Thru score on the Kolbe Index, to identify who should own the systematic execution seats. Communicate these changes clearly to the team. Explain that this structural shift is designed to eliminate drag and allow everyone to operate in their areas of strength. By aligning their natural instincts with the correct seats, you will increase your operational capacity and improve client delivery without the need for expensive new hires or painful layoffs.