In Daniel James Brown’s Boys in the Boat, he describes the experience of rowing in an eight-person racing shell when a cohesive team is working together seamlessly as: “All were merged into one smoothly working machine; they were in fact, a poem of motion, a symphony of swinging blades.” The same harmony and momentum can occur in an organization that has found its rhythm and is unified in purpose.
Mergers and acquisitions require integrating different teams into a cohesive unit. An operating model that clarifies roles and responsibilities is key to synchronization. Here's how to get your crew rowing in the same direction.
What Is an Operating Model and Why Does It Matter?
An operating model describes how an organization works together across functions and divisions to execute its strategy. It outlines the roles and responsibilities of each part of the business and how they interrelate.
In rowing, the coxswain steers and motivates the team, selecting the optimal stroke rate for the conditions. The stern pair sets the pace. The middle four generate power. And the bow pair provides balance.
Similarly, an effective operating model helps teams understand their specific contribution and how it fits into the broader mission. Whether in sales, finance, or operations, they see how their role drives revenue, delights customers, or enables growth. A clear operating model gets everyone rowing in the same direction.
Designing Your Operating Model
Your strategy, supported by data, shows where growth is expected and how to achieve your vision. This informs how your operating model needs to be oriented. For example, growth may be product-focused, customer-centric, based on geographic expansion, or driven by acquisitions.
First assess your current state through methods like stakeholder interviews, data analysis, focus groups, and research. Identify strengths to leverage as well as gaps or obstacles.
Next, define the design principles that will guide your operating model, providing alignment on priorities and boundaries.
With principles set, build and refine the model — establishing clarity on functional purpose, responsibilities, partnerships, decision rights, and hand-offs.
Course Correct Along the Way
Good rowing teams continually watch for synchronization issues. If momentum drags, they check their alignment and make adjustments.
Businesses also need to monitor their operating model and watch for red flags like missed targets, leadership turnover, or low engagement. Assessing interactions between leaders, functions, and divisions can reveal integration issues to address.
Bring in Outside Perspective
Recently, Pioneer assisted a client in evolving from a holding company to an operating company by creating an integrated operating model aimed at accelerating growth.
After gathering data through stakeholder interviews and documentation review, we designed a customized leadership work session. This session aligned leaders on guidelines, clarified responsibilities across functions, and defined critical hand-offs.
Leaders left with unity, clear next steps, and success factors to finalize the operating model design. Just as a synchronized rowing crew assesses timing and makes adjustments, our client gained what was needed to get their organization working in close coordination.
Let’s Row Together Toward Your Strategic Vision
An effective operating model is the rudder that steers your strategy, getting your entire crew rowing in sync. Don’t leave organizational alignment to chance.
Leverage Pioneer's expertise in assessing your current state, facilitating collaboration, and designing an operating model tailored to your strategic goals. We will help you build the framework to have your team performing like a championship crew.
