The reorganization is complete. The structure is in place, job titles are assigned, and reporting lines are formalized. From the outside, it may look like the change is over.
But this is where the real work begins.
At this stage, teams are no longer navigating ambiguity about where they sit. Now, they are trying to figure out how to operate in a new system. This is the phase where leaders must move from concept to execution, turning design decisions into daily reality.
The Reality: The Structure Is Set, But the Work Is Just Beginning
You now have clarity on roles and reporting, but that does not mean people know how to work together. Expectations are still being defined, cross-functional collaboration is still forming, and pressure to deliver results is growing. Your teams are worried about ensuring their own success as well as that of the organization.
The mistake many leaders make is to assume the structure will carry itself. But an operating model is only as effective as the behaviors it enables and the decisions it guides. This is where leadership matters most.
Four Things Great Leaders Do After the Reorganization
- Commit to Making the Model Real
This means going beyond knowing what the new structure looks like. You must understand why it was designed and how it is meant to function. Your ability to help your teams thrive in the new organization rests on being able to live the new model yourself. Consider these steps:
- Revisit the intent behind the operating model. What problems was it built to solve?
- Use that intent to guide how you set priorities, coordinate with peers, and shape decisions.
- Treat the structure as a framework, not a finished product. It gives shape to the work, but it does not dictate how the work gets done. This is where you and your teams come in, and where you can help them make the leap.
- Adapt the ‘How’ While Staying Anchored to the ‘Why’
Things will not unfold exactly as planned. That does not mean the plan is wrong, it means reality is offering new input. Your adaptability as a leader to keep the focus while incorporating information as you go is key to your success – and your team’s. Now’s the time to:
- Refine how work happens without losing sight of what you are trying to achieve.
- Be disciplined in your purpose, flexible in your methods.
- Keep it balanced. Resist both rigid adherence and constant reinvention.
- Practice Detachment and Purposeful Ownership
You are not here to protect a system. You are here to make it work. It’s easy to get swept up in the emotions of a new environment as you and your team have to navigate day by day. Now is the time to keep those emotions in check and focus on the end game: leading towards the vision for the new organization.
- Stay focused on outcomes. Take ownership for how your team contributes to the bigger picture.
- When something fails, do not personalize it. Use it as input. The best leaders treat operating models as living systems, not fixed mandates.
- Make Inclusion Intentional and Strategic
Including others in shaping the work is not about being agreeable. It is about unlocking the full capability of the organization. People get behind new ways of working when they have helped to shape them. This means tapping the wisdom and insight of the organization. Your role is to make sure this happens effectively and with purpose:
- Be specific about who you bring into decision-making and why. Inclusion must serve the work, not dilute it.
- Avoid informal circles of influence that leave others confused or sidelined. This will quickly erode trust and engagement.
- Inclusion, when done well, increases clarity, alignment, and speed. When ignored, it creates drag and disconnection.
Four Common Post-Change Pitfalls to Avoid
Pitfall #1: Assuming that the operating model will work automatically. It’s never the case that you build it, and people come. Acknowledge up front that making it work is the real work.
Pitfall #2: Abandoning the design too early instead of learning through it. It’s tempting to give up and even revert to the old way of working in the face of the challenge the transformation brings. Shifting your perspective to embrace resistance as information makes it possible to stay the course.
Pitfall #3: Overcorrecting at the first sign of friction. Particularly in organizations where harmony is prized and dissent feared, it can be easy to react too strongly and too quickly to discomfort and challenge. This does not actually solve the problem—it only creates more uncertainty and makes it much harder to move to the new vision successfully.
Pitfall #4: Making inclusion broad and vague rather than targeted and purposeful. While it may seem desirable to make everyone feel like they have a voice in everything, this has the opposite effect. It’s impossible to make that a reality, and ultimately no one feels heard or part of the change. Focus on getting the right voices in on the right decisions, at the right time to move things forward.
Key Takeaways
- The operating model is not the solution. It is the starting point.
- Leadership after the reorganization means interpreting and adapting the model in service of outcomes.
- Inclusion is a strategic behavior that drives performance when applied with intent and discipline.
Call to Action: Post-Reorganization
If you are leading after a transformation, ask yourself:
Am I helping this model function as intended, or am I assuming that structure equals success?
