Organization charts are powerful tools that not only communication chain of command, but also demonstrate how easy or difficult it is to work with a company. Check out the before and after charts.

1. Prove You’re Easy to Work With
Project the right image to staff as well as potential clients with this infrastructure tip from
Equilibria.
As entrepreneurs, it is tempting to make our companies “look” bigger than they actually are
through the use of multiple layers of management. But too many management layers means
longer decision making time and can actually cause you to lose business.
The non-verbal cues of your company’s organization chart send the strongest messages.
Having one that projects the wrong message is just as bad as not having one in place at all.
Believe it or not, your company’s organization chart can communicate:
• How long it takes to make a decision,
• Operational scope, maturity and scalability,
• Amount of overhead (which directly affects end cost to your client), and
• Company culture (bureaucracy vs. flat, team approach)
What Does Your Organization Chart Say About the Way You Do Business?
I worked with a client once who had a parent company with five subsidiaries. Although only
two of the five subsidiaries were actually operational, her organization chart did not reflect
that. What it did show was a top heavy company with three layers of management. After
losing multiple sub-contractor bids ($350,000 total), she eventually learned from a prime
contractor that, on paper, her business did not “appear” to be as small as she verbalized. By
flattening her company and showing the proper balance of managers, employees, and
independent contractors she was able to convince prime contractors of her sub-contractor
eligibility.
Remember, customers (whether they are individuals, mom-and-pop, government, or large
corporations) want to know that it is easy to do business with you. I’ve heard so many
government and large, publicly-traded company Buyers indicate that part of what makes
small businesses attractive as vendors is their flexibility and ability to quickly make decisions
and adapt.
Don’t ruin your chances of getting big business by projecting the wrong image.
To Your Success,
Alicia Butler Pierre
Efficiency Engineer
Equilibria, Inc.
© Copyright 2009. Equilibria, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1‐888‐636‐5999. www.eqbsystems.com

2. What Does Your Company’s Organization Chart Say About the Way You Do Business?
CEO CEO
EXECUTIVE
MANAGEMENT
BOARD
CFO/COO
CFO COO CAO CMO
MAIN OFFICE
Account Manager Office Manager
CONSTRUCTION
FINANCE & QUALITY HUMAN MARKETING &
Architectural & PROJECT ADMINISTRATION
Controller Sales Manager ACCOUNTING CONTROL RESOURCES SALES
Supervisor LEGAL MANAGEMENT
ASSURANCE
FINANCE
COMMERCIAL
SALES
Construction TECHNOLOGY
Supervisor RESIDENTIAL
SALES
- Bookkeeper Quality Assurance
Receptionist
Coordinator - Commercial Sales Agents*
CONSTRUCTION - Residential Sales Agents*
1st Line Supervisor
- Project Coordinator - Payroll Clerk*
- Construction Manager - Recruiter*
PROPERTY - Architect* - Benefits Consultant*
MANAGEMENT - Construction Crew*
BEFORE
- too many layers
- scattered departments * = Independent Contractor/Outsourced Consultant
MAINTENANCE
SERVICES - top-heavy structure
- too much overhead AFTER
- more managers than - flat, streamlined layers
PROJECT technicians
MANAGEMENT - cohesive business units
- bottom-heavy structure to
show more technicians
NOTARY - effective use of
SERVICES independent contractors
and employees (reduced © Copyright 2009. Equilibria, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
overhead) www.eqbsystems.com
1-888-636-5999