Hi Richard, Hopefully, some other members will share their expertise, but in the meantime, I will share the advice we’ve given our SME clients with the same challenge.

I can tell you’re not keen to get into mirroring corporate structures and I agree  – you will begin to lose the start-up vibe!

I would start by trying to find out why the title is so important to them?  Is it because they want to feel valued for their management role and status matters to them? (I’m assuming they are already compensated for it?). For comms reasons so that everyone knows they lead the team? Or is it for enhancing their CV? etc..  In other words there may be other ways to meet their needs.  If you still need to change the title many of our SME’s have adopted “team leader’ roles as that feels more in keeping with a flat, informal structure?

When you know what’s really going on for them you could develop some simple org design principles e.g.

1. Team leaders/Coaches ideally to have no more than 10 direct reports
2. Maximum of 4 layers from top to bottom
3. Generic and simple job titles and job specs unless very specialist role so that we can retain our informal and agile culture and move people around easily (but let our people describe their roles as they wish on their CV/LinkedIn)

I hope that helps!

Karen

• This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by DanCB.

It’s a pleasure Richard!