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I have a non-standard organizational structure that I'm unsure about who all to have O3s with and who all to have attend my staff meeting.

I'm in charge of a section with a mix of

  • My boss's directs (officially my boss's directs, but in practice they're my directs)
  • My peer's directs (mostly my peer's directs in practice, but I do have some responsibilities for them like they were my directs)
  • My directs
  • Contractors whose site lead is in another section

I have several project managers under me (one is my boss's direct and the rest are my directs) and the rest of the personnel (my boss's directs, my peer's directs, my direct, and contractors) assigned to my projects (I also have a project manager role) and my project managers' projects.

I'm not sure who all to have O3s with.  I should have them with my directs and project manager O3s with the people working on my projects.  Should I also have them with my boss's directs, since they're essentially my directs?  What about my peer's directs?

I currently have everyone attend my staff meetings.  Should I just have my project managers attend?  My project managers and directs?

pucciot's picture
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BLUF : Invite the people who will be there to accomplish your goals for the meeting.

 

What do you wish to accomplish ? 

 

My weekly staff meetings have Part 1 and Part 2

Part 1 - Is to provide general project and job updates and get the staff to be used to knowing and understanding each other's jobs.  And provide a brief forum to maintain team cohesion.
Brief headlines from my Directs and Skips - to the whole team.

Part 2 - Then if we have some other important matters on the agenda, only those people who are affected stick around for Staff Meeting Part 2 - Everyone else is dismissed.

If you don't have that kind of agenda, and you want to focus only on Project progress, matters then only invite the Project managers.

etc..

Decide the purpose and general agenda first - and then decide who needs to be there.

Good Luck

TJPuccio

AbaftInsidious's picture

Thank you, this helps.  I've been running my meetings similar to your Part 1 (announcements from myself followed by projects updates by the project managers), but I think I'll add Part 2 on an as needed basis (probably usually with the project managers).  This will allow me to talk with everyone, make sure everyone knows what's going on with the projects, and allow me to meet with specific groups as needed.

pucciot's picture
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AbaftInsidious's picture

Should I also have O3's with my boss's directs, since they're essentially my directs except on paper (I expect to write/provide inputs to my boss for their annual evaluations)?

pucciot's picture
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For Directs that look like Peers on the Org Chart 

Unless your Boss has clearly told them that you can exert manager Role Power over them,

It is best ot just ask for Weekly catch-up meetings - Peer One on Ones

Peer One on Ones- Part 1

https://www.manager-tools.com/2011/05/peer-one-ones-part-1

 

Good Luck

 

TJPuccio

AbaftInsidious's picture

My one concern with doing a peer O3 with them is that they attend my staff meeting, so the peer O3 or the staff meeting would become somewhat redundant.  That's not necessarily a bad thing, and I can probably "find" other stuff to update them on.

Could I do a project manager O3 with them instead?  I agree, doing "normal" O3s with them would probably be "overstepping", but I think doing project manager O3s would be in line with my boss's expectations.

jrb3's picture
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Staff meetings are *staff* *meet*ings -- it's specifically for handling things not within a single relationship.  Each O3 specifically handles things within that one relationship.

Also, be clear on which meetings are which, and who has what role.  The sense of "staff meeting" I'm used to is a manager with her directs -- no peers, no skips, no unrelated folks.  Is there really another (shorter) meeting here, crying to be split off?  Or a need to drop the peer off the staff-meeting?  (Why not both? ;-)

jrb3's picture
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Each direct reports to one boss, who speaks to them as for the company -- definition of "role power".  You're not giving their annual evaluation, nor taking the hire/fire/salary decision.  The (unqualified) O3 is for the manager with each of her directs.  So, no, no "manager-direct" O3's with your peers (since they're not your directs).

You can have "professional updates" with anyone and everyone. 

AbaftInsidious's picture

I understand why a "traditional" MT O3 (them, me, future) isn't appropriate here.  I'm not understanding why a project manager O3 (them, me) couldn't be appropriate here, since as I understand them, they're essentially for people that are not your direct, but that are assigned to your project.  In this case they're not my direct, but I'm responsible for their project, which I view as being equivalent to being assigned to my project.