Managing the Matrix: The Secret to Surviving and Thriving in Your Organization

7

What do the Successes in the Matrix do?

Debra let out a deep breath. It had been a very long week at the office. Or, rather, mostly not at the office as she had been travelling throughout the region and so her normally well-pruned inbox had grown out of control. Despite that, she had promised herself one hour to sit and consider what it took to build good relationships and trust and to succeed in the matrix.

Reflecting on the people she trusted, in and outside of work, and the people she had seen build good relationships she realized that all of them were able to work well with others. She laughed as she thought back to Johann's comment about teenagers and realized that “playing nicely” or, as we call it now “team work,” remained an important skill. She made sure her phone was off and started to write:

They…

• do what they promise
• tell the truth
• try to help
• ask lots of questions
• show vulnerability
• listen and remember what you said
• learn fast
• think about others and what they need – up, down and across the organization and outside
• are open-minded
• can communicate well with different people and groups
• build their profile

Debra paused – wow! Who can do all of that all of the time!?

She reflected that, although this list made them sound like “nice” people (and they often were, although none of them were perfect) they weren't pushovers.

Instead, they had worked out that the only way to get things done if you can't just order people to do it (and that very rarely works and even more ...