EP143: Strategic Alignment and the Architecture of Modern Management

Sanjiv Anand, Chairman, Cedar Management Consulting InternationalIn this episode, I speak about how organisational structure can quietly become an obstacle to performance. I often describe it as “structure and musical chairs” — where roles are designed around personalities and egos rather than business strategy. Structure must always reflect strategy, never accommodate individuals.I also discuss span of control. In my experience, a CEO should ideally have 8 to 10 direct reports. Beyond that, decision-making slows and the CEO becomes a bottleneck.I emphasise giving strategic business units real authority and caution against overly complex matrix reporting structures that create confusion. Stability in structure builds clarity and accountability. If an organisation is constantly restructuring, it is often a symptom of deeper strategic uncertainty — not a solution in itself.