Managing the Matrix (ePub)

A comprehensive guide to excelling in a complex matrix
organization

Debra was not in a good mood as she entered Johann's
office for their third meeting. One of her colleagues had just been
promoted and, although the guy who got it was good, she
didn't think he was any better than her. Well, except at one
thing, he was always playing politics - sucking up to the more
senior guys and volunteering to be on any committee going.

Debra knew the type - went to the same school, belonged to
the same club - she didn't have a hope against the kind of
connections he had so she might as well give up. It seemed doing a
good job just wasn't enough around here.

Debra and Johann work in an environment with multiple and
complex reporting lines - in other words, a matrix.
There's room to "slip between the cracks" -
if a person wants to take advantage of confusion over who is
managing performance; or if they can't make the necessary
transition to self-management. Communication can be difficult even
when there is an apparently shared language.

Read how Johann and Debra work together to identify the skills
needed to succeed in a matrix, and how using Emotional Intelligence
(EI) can develop specific behaviours you can incorporate in your
daily job. The result will help reduce stress and increase
your chances of success.

Dawn Metcalfe, Managing Director of PDS, based in Dubai, uses
her experience as a coach and trainer to give us a behind the
curtain look at how mentoring can help an individual develop the
skills they need to survive and thrive in today's complex
work environments.