ORGANISATION DESIGN: TOP-DOWN OR INCLUSIVE?

If you’ve explored our website, you probably won’t be surprised to hear that we’re big fans of a more open, inclusive approach to organisation design. From our experience, the best (and most sustainable) outcomes come when people are actively involved in shaping the changes, rather than just having them imposed on them.

That said, we’re also pragmatic. We understand that broad involvement isn’t always feasible, and an inclusive process comes with its own set of challenges and trade-offs. And we have all seen the work done or handled done badly, with frustrating and sometimes damaging consequences. So, it makes sense that organisations often choose to keep this work within a small, tight-knit group of senior leaders—usually the Executive team—to avoid disruption and anxiety.

If you’re about to embark on an organisation design initiative and are unsure which path to take, here we break down some of the benefits of each approach to help you decide. And if you’d like to chat further, we’d love to hear from you.

Why a closed process involving only senior leaders might be best

1. Speed

Organisation design involves tough choices, and having too many voices in the room can slow things down. Keeping the process within a small leadership team allows for quicker decision-making, enabling faster progress to change announcements and implementation. Where short-term cost reduction is the main objective, this approach makes sense.

2. Less Disruption & Drain on Resources

Involving a wider group takes time and energy. Multiple workshops, complicated coordination - the process can grow arms and legs, and become very resource hungry if you’re not careful. A smaller, focused team can avoid these headaches and allows the wider organisation to stay focused on business as usual. And if you’re working with consultants, moving faster with a smaller group tends to keep costs down.

3. Leadership Alignment & Commitment

Pressure has a way of bonding teams, and there’s nothing like an organisation design project to create some pressure! The difficult, often unpalatable decisions involved can rub up against people’s value systems and their sense of ethics. Even the most seasoned of leaders is not immune to the anxiety that this work can stimulate. By working through this as a team, having the tough conversations and reaching decisions together enabled by strong facilitation, the design work also serves as a process of team development. The result? A stronger, more aligned and committed leadership team ready to lead the change with confidence and cohesion.

The benefits of a transparent, inclusive design process

1. Speed…. of impact

While a closed process can get you to the announcement stage faster, it doesn’t necessarily accelerate results. If people haven’t been involved, it takes time to explain, convince, and often rework aspects of the design where important details have been overlooked. As one leader put it: “It’s either pay now (with a more involving process) or pay more later.” Real change doesn’t happen just because it’s announced—it happens when people understand, feel ownership and commit.

2. Harnessing Organisational Wisdom

Leaders don’t have all the answers—nor should they. But their people often do. Frontline employees have crucial insights into what’s working, what’s not, and what customers actually need. A closed, top-down approach risks overlooking these important perspectives.

Organisation design challenges are typically complex and system-wide, with often competing yet valid perspectives and agendas. Even when the main goal is cost-reduction, there are no easy answers (see our post on benchmarking for more on this).

Breakthrough thinking happens when diverse perspectives come together to solve problems collaboratively.

3. Organisational Alignment & Commitment

An aligned and committed leadership team is essential—but it’s not enough. When people are part of the design process, they don’t need to be ‘sold’ on the changes because they’ve been part of shaping them. Even tough decisions are easier to accept when employees have had a say. This means less resistance, quicker adoption, and a smoother transition.

4. Strengthening Culture & Collaboration

Organisation design isn’t just about structure—it’s also about people and relationships. The design that’s on paper is never enough to ensure success.  An inclusive process creates an opportunity to strengthen shared understanding, relationships and collaboration, in service of organisational outcomes. It also signals to employees’ that their voices matter, boosting trust, morale, and engagement. A fast, closed process can miss these relational aspects, which are key to sustainable success.

Our Perspective

Where possible, we recommend an inclusive approach that draws on expertise and experience from across the organisation. But we’re not rigid about it. And it’s not a binary choice – there are options in the space between. Even when working primarily with an Executive team, there are ways to gather and integrate valuable input from the wider system.

Ultimately, the right approach depends on your organisation’s needs, constraints, and goals. If you’d like to explore what makes sense for your situation, let’s talk.