It has been 20 years since Brazil has won the World Cup - that statement is startling to most fans of football/soccer given that they are seen as the godfathers of the sport who introduced the flair of the Samba into it. Pele and his compatriots created art on the pitch with their one-touch passes, flicks and tricks which was contrasted to a workman-like approach of other national teams. However the heyday of Pele in the 70’s and the phenomenon of the original Ronaldo of the 90’s and 2000’s has given way to a lack of success today. Where did it all go wrong and what’s their plan to fix it for this winter World Cup? The answers to those questions fall onto the shoulders of Tite, the Brazil manager and his approach to solve this puzzle falls squarely in the realm of org design strategy.
The role of a national team manager is anchored in two sets of decisions that are dependent on each other: 1) the selection of players who fit under a nation’s banner; and 2) the strategy of formation with which to set them out to play. In taking on this monumental task Tite did something different than a lot of his predecessors from Brazil and even South America - he went on a European tour. He made it a point to meet with club officials, coaches and management of a number of European teams in Spain, Italy, England and France. He understood that many of his players who were up for contention to join the national team actually ply their trade in Europe’s top clubs. He wanted to understand other approaches to strategy and football tactics, ones that would be familiar to his players. This is not to say he has adopted a new set of ideals and threw away what made Brazil tick but he showed that he was not afraid to integrate new ideas and innovate in his playing philosophies.
Just like with a merger or acquisition scenario, Tite understood the crucial nature of org design. Thankfully, just like for Tite’s team many of the companies we have worked with their org design strategy is broken down into three categories: 1) the defense - your company’s centralised functional teams (Finance, HR, Legal, etc.); 2) the midfield - your company’s client service or product team; 3) the forward line - your company’s sales team.
For him it starts with the foundation of where the ball starts, the base of the defense. Here Tite wants to create a sense of stability and a unified approach and he has done that by keeping on mainstays who have served him and the country well in the past - by selecting people like Allisson, Ederson and Thiago Silva. Similarly, integrating your functional departments is a quick win, enabling you to create united processes and ways of working under centralised leadership. Given that these functional teams serve to support the revenue-driving company functions, it is imperative that they are operating with a streamlined, united approach to minimize inefficiency, so this is a key area to tackle during the 100-day integration period. Just like it was the first order of business for Tite, we would agree the same for integrating the functional departments to ensure the rest of the team is humming in the right way.
Next is arguably the most important part of the team: the midfield, or in our analogy the client service or product teams. These guys represent the engine room of the operation - nothing would move without their input and effort. Here the approach has to be more nuanced and it can have different personalities make its composite parts - Tite needs the “watercarriers” who will put in the hard yards of defensive work as well as the midfield maestros who can usher the ball forward and skillfully execute defense-splitting passes to their forwards. Integrating these client service or product teams is also very nuanced because it is hugely dependent on your company strategy and business models (e.g. product vs service-based businesses). Start by scoping and identifying opportunities for integration — as well as where it may make most sense not to integrate these teams — always keeping in mind how best to serve your ultimate client. You may opt for a hive structure (with the Target sitting as a subsidiary under a parent company), which will have the benefit of maintaining existing momentum and focussing on a particular segment of your market. You might also consider merging your teams on a more granular level and shifting reporting lines, with the function at large reporting into a COO or another senior operational head. If you do opt to change individuals’ reporting lines, it is important to consider the human impact and build out a strong communication plan, otherwise you may end up with disengaged staff and a loss of institutional knowledge across the business.
The last group to get right is where all the magic happens: the forward line or in our case, the sales team. Their job is the hardest and so it needs the most creativity. They have the skills to ensure the win and without their flair and ability there is no way to close the deal. With Tite, you can see that he has designated a leader to dictate the attacking approach and that is Neymar in this current incarnation of the Brazil team. Of course there are other creative forces in the team who have their own attacking prowess like Richarlison and Vinicius Jr. but these all must be harnessed for the end goal of scoring goals, not just to look flashy with elasticos and sombreros. Integrating your sales teams as soon as possible is also advisable, so that you can begin cross-selling and up-selling your products/services to new customers. This means establishing one united go-to-market strategy, a harmonized pricing strategy and designated hunters/gatherers within the newly merged team. Of course, in some instances it may be logical to keep your sales teams differentiated if your products/services are separate, but we recommend keeping the wider sales function under one leader so that there is an overarching structure with strong communication lines. Some form of sales integration soon after Day 1 will allow you to seamlessly track all opportunities from the beginning of the sales funnel all the way through to the point of purchase and client-team handover.
Finally, just like with Tite you cannot be afraid to integrate new ideas and adapt to a changing landscape. In his case, he has pulled from ideas taking shape in a different continent to ensure that he will not be surprised by new trends or conditions. Correspondingly, off the back of the global Covid-19 pandemic, it’s important to recognize how this has impacted ways of working. There are new challenges and opportunities following the rise in remote and hybrid working, as well as dependence on technology. Many organisations also have a greater commitment to ESG, DEI and recognize the importance of building a strong culture (read our blog post about addressing company culture for more information). Ensure your org design roadmap includes a clear timeline of changes, to focus on a high-quality employee experience and encourage talent retention. Investing in clear communication always pays off in the long-run, and will allow your newly merged organisation and its individuals to thrive (hopefully just like the Brazil team).
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