So what is an endoskeleton? In nature, an endoskeleton is a structure of bones and cartilage that protects internal organs, supports the body, stores vital fluids, and allows limb movement.
The human skeleton is an endoskeleton that has five main functions;
1. Supports the body.
2. Stores minerals and fats in the bloodstream.
3. Produce globules.
4. Protection of internal organs.
5. Allows movement through the extremities.
The endoskeleton also makes the body very difficult to damage due to its strength and flexibility. Through the bone structure, it also makes it difficult for external threats to cause serious damage to it. The really wonderful thing about the human endoskeleton is that it has a very low restriction on muscle development, so the more work the human does, the bigger the muscles get, the faster and stronger the person becomes. But what is also more wonderful is that it allows human beings the freedom to choose which muscles they want to develop the most, which gives each body its own uniqueness. Along with all this strength and flexibility comes added protection against threats and less chance of being paralyzed.
But even with the best design skills and knowledge, the human endoskeleton has some downsides.
Another limb cannot grow if one limb is lost. You also can’t shed all of your skin to cool off or perhaps look different, and lastly, you can’t reduce water loss.
So what does all this have to do with a company’s endoskeleton?
Well, the endoskeleton of any company is the internal organization structure, sometimes called an organization chart. This is what gives each business its strength, protection, flexibility and, above all, allows a business to create and reinforce its uniqueness. It allows the business to be structured in a way that best suits the market in which you plan to build your strength. It also allows people in the business to grow and move as much as they want so that they can continually add value to the business. It can be specifically designed to meet the vision, culture and objectives of the business and also deliver the results and outcomes desired by the business creators.
Unfortunately, in all my years of working with all types of companies, in multiple markets and from a few people to hundreds, even thousands of people, very few of them had a well-designed, proactive structure to meet all the needs of the business.
In almost every business I have been involved in, the structure or organizational chart had become so flexible and weak that it was regularly modified or adjusted to solve a problem and was always fully reactive. This factor, along with the people employed, caused most of the challenges for the business and its success.
The design of the structure of a company must start from the Vision, Mission and Culture or Values of the company from the beginning. It must be designed to deliver the Vision and business objectives and the team must be recruited and managed in line with these and not allow weak management to allow weak areas to develop and grow. The structure or skeleton of a company must perform the same functions as that of the human body, it must;
1. Provide a solid and flexible support structure for the company.
In the human skeleton, all bones are joined with cartilage or muscle, which gives the different areas more or less protection and flexibility depending on the role that the area plays. The same should be for a company. The company needs a solid organization in which each department has clear goals and functions to perform. All departments should have clear goals and boundaries so that the team of people clearly knows what each department does. This action must be proactively designed so that all parties work together to achieve the business vision.
Both the department and each team member must have clear goals and measures that are aligned with business goals to meet regularly.
Each team member should also have a well-designed job role so that everyone knows what they are responsible for.
Unfortunately, my experience has shown that most business structures are not designed, but evolve as the role of the department changes and regardless of how it fits in with the rest of the business.
Imagine what would happen to the human body if a leg bone suddenly decided to become a spinal bone.
2. You need to store and have easy access to information, materials, and strategies to keep your business growing.
This area of the organization has to do with the creation, control and distribution of information, products, services and business assets. It’s about making sure that the value that the company has created is well cared for, but is also freely available to other departments with the agreed level of security required.
Strong and secure systems and processes need to be built so that business runs smoothly and the right information is always available to those who need it.
3. You must provide excellent interdepartmental communications and support so that you can operate as a true team.
This is when the parts of the human skeleton begin to work together to achieve a specific goal, such as walking, jumping, or performing some other specific action. What if the left leg wanted to turn to the right, but the rest of the body wanted to go straight?
How often have you seen that happen in a business, but more importantly, how often have you seen that happen in your business?
Often times, we make changes to the structure or modify job roles because the person who performs that role is not good enough or does not show the appropriate level of commitment to the role or the company as a whole. What is the main reason things like this happen?
This is often caused by fear or anxiety of meeting the challenge by organizing training or, very often, taking disciplinary action against a staff member. Leaders in a company must realize that if they can see that a staff member needs to be disciplined, most companies see it too, and instead of potentially losing a team member, they lose many, many more members of the staff. team as they lose respect. that leader.
In the human skeleton, if something like this happens, the corrective action must come from outside the skeleton, otherwise it will stop working properly.
When an injury occurs to the skeleton, the body applies healing powers to that area immediately; however, in a business, how often minor injuries are ignored over and over again. These injuries then grow larger and cause challenges to systems and team members in the business that often result in a reduction in performance.
Four. You must protect vital assets and team members.
The people of a company can be a great asset or a great liability, depending on how well the company is running, how well it adheres to its rules, and most importantly, how well the members have been recruited. of the team. The team is protected by the structure when the values or the culture of the business are applied in a balanced and consistent way. Compliment should be given when the compliment is due, but likewise, corrective action should be taken at the correct level when necessary.
Hiring ideal people for the business is a lot like the quality of the diet you follow as a person. When a poor diet is followed, the body reacts with diseases and pains that cause restriction and poor performance. In the same way, a company needs to learn the correct procedure to hire the right people to add value and performance to the company.
People should be recruited first as people whose values and commitment will fit with the company’s values and goals and only then should their depth of skills be tested. It is vital that they fit into the team first and then show their skills.
When the business has a clearly documented vision and culture followed by all, it will offer strong protection to team members, suppliers and customers.
5. It must be flexible and mobile, while maintaining strength and support to cope with market conditions.
For a company to live and grow in today’s market requires a solid and robust structure that also has the ability to move and be flexible to take advantage of opportunities or avoid potential threats.
Arms, legs, and torso mobility give the human body the ability to do this and it is vital that all divisions of a business structure do so for a business.
If the market offers a great opportunity, the company must be able to take advantage of this opportunity in the shortest time available and at the same time be alert to see and avoid any threats that may appear.
The sales and marketing departments of the company bring rhythm and flexibility to a company. They must read the market well so that accurate information is fed back to the rest of the company so that they can receive immediate support if they take advantage of the opportunities. In the same way, they may also need to use this information to avoid threats.
The most important factor in the human skeleton is that it has no restrictions on how big, strong and flexible the muscles can get, so how much development time do you invest in your business?
How strong is the endoskeleton of your business today?
How much creative time did you spend designing the structure of your business?
How well does your structure add value to your business and give you the strength, protection, communication, and flexibility you need to prosper, grow, and stay healthy in today’s tough market?
If any of the points mentioned in this article affect you, how long will you wait for help to begin the healing process?