Adaptive Organizational Design for More Performance
New goals, roles and processes – yet the desired impact often fails to appear. The reason: strategy, structure, leadership and decision paths don't work together. Rigid hierarchies, functional silos and conflicting goals block speed and customer focus. Our adaptive organizational design comes in exactly here: we make your company adaptable, resilient and high-performing.
Our Clients
Our solutions for you
01 Thinking Design – envisioning the organization
Every effective change begins with clarity. Together we clarify the purpose, strategy and direction of your organization. This creates a shared understanding of why change is necessary and where the journey is heading – as the foundation for all further design decisions.
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02 Analyzing Design – analyzing the organization systematically
Based on purpose, strategy and value stream, we analyze your organization holistically. In doing so we make visible where tensions arise and which factors foster change – fact-based and as a clear basis for decisions.
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03 Doing Design – designing the organization purposefully
Together with your leaders and relevant organizational units, we develop the future organizational design. We design structures, roles, value streams and governance so that collaboration works and value is created effectively.
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04 Applying Design – implementing organizational change effectively
Organizational design only has an effect when it is lived in everyday practice. In iterative steps we implement the design, support leadership and teams and anchor it permanently in your organization through consistent Inspect & Adapt.
Read more01 Thinking Design – envisioning the organization
We start with the question of why change is necessary and where your organization should develop. Together we clarify purpose, ambition and strategic direction. Along key guiding questions we create a shared understanding of the field the organization operates in, the value it wants to create and the capabilities and systems it needs to do so. This creates orientation and clarity as the foundation for all further design decisions.
The five strategic decisions
We work with the proven “Playing to Win” framework. It guides you through five decisions that together form a viable strategy.
What our ambition is
We define a motivating target picture. It pulls your organization forward and gives everyone orientation.
Where we play
We clearly define market, segments and customer groups. Because only a sharp playing field makes your strategy actionable.
How we win
We define what sets you apart from the competition – through your offering, products and your way of playing.
Which capabilities we need
We determine the core competencies for winning. Those who want to deliver premium need excellence in quality, innovation and service.
Which systems support us
We name the supporting management systems so your capabilities take full effect: strong partners, processes and steering.
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Design principles as a compass
From the strategic intent we derive your design principles together. Organization and solutions can later be measured against them. That way analysis and design keep the same focus. Examples are scalability or the principle of making decisions where the work happens.
“Together with your leaders we define the purpose and strategic direction for the organizational development and the future design.”
Carina Throne, Senior Manager at CPC
02 Analyzing Design – analyzing the organization systematically
Building on purpose and strategy, we analyze the organization holistically along its value stream. Together with specialists and leaders we make visible how value is actually created, where tensions arise and which patterns shape the collaboration. The analysis creates transparency about causes rather than symptoms and combines different perspectives into a shared picture of the current situation.
Goal
: a fact-based, shared starting point that makes the causes of challenges understandable and delivers clear entry points for the design.
What we measure the organization against
As a framework we use proven models like the Galbraith Star. It makes all levers visible and shows where you should start. We align every finding with your strategy. Where needed, we add tools such as an EFQM assessment or our process mining for process analysis.
1. Work processes
1. Work processes
How does work flow today? The work process is the basis – if it's unclear, everything else becomes difficult.
2. Structures
2. Structures
How is the organization set up? Does the structure foster collaboration or slow it down?
3. Decision paths
3. Decision paths
How and where are decisions made? How many levels are involved and how quickly do you reach results?
4. People & competencies
4. People & competencies
Are the right people with the right skills in the right places – and in the right capacity?
5. Culture
5. Culture
Which lived habits and norms shape the collaboration? Culture has a direct effect on your results.
“We make the flow of value transparent and ensure quality, digitalization and automation along the entire value stream.”
Steffen Schweizer, Senior Manager at CPC
03 Doing Design – designing the organization purposefully
Based on analysis and target picture, we develop the future organizational design together. In doing so we design structures, roles, responsibilities and governance so they effectively support the value stream and enable collaboration. The design emerges iteratively and together with the relevant organizational units – making the target organization viable and supported by everyone.
Goal
: a clearly described organizational design that fits the strategy, supports value creation and is carried by leadership and the organization.
All levers in view
We design along all facets of the Galbraith Star: work processes, information and decision flows, structures, roles, competencies and incentive systems. We also actively adjust the value stream itself, because that's where the value for your customers is created.
Choosing structures deliberately
There is no template that fits everywhere. That's why we make fundamental decisions together with you. For example, we choose between functional structures and continuous end-to-end processes per product line. Which form is right follows from your strategy and the bottlenecks identified.
Strategy instead of imitation
We don't copy what others do. Because those who only follow role models never get past second place. We learn deliberately from individual best practices – for example on a specific quality topic. But we always derive the blueprint of your organization from your own strategy. That way we don't just treat a symptom but create a design for lasting success.
“Organizational design is successful when it works in everyday practice – in decisions, collaboration and behavior.”
Milena Pein, Manager at CPC
04 Applying Design –
implementing organizational change effectively
Organizational design only unfolds its effect in everyday practice. That's why we actively support implementation, make the design transparent and help leaders and teams during rollout. Through exchange, support and enablement formats we ensure orientation, confidence and continuous development. Through consistent Inspect & Adapt we anchor the design sustainably.
Goal
: an effectively implemented organizational design that is lived in everyday practice and enables lasting change – instead of a one-off reorganization.Our principles for implementation
Beforehand we test much on a small scale – for example through simulations and prototyping – before we scale it to the whole organization. For the sequence we follow four principles:
Step by step instead of big bang
We don't implement everything at once. That keeps the change manageable and combinable with day-to-day business.
Starting at the biggest lever
We start with the topic that slows you down the most. If decisions take too long, that's exactly what we tackle first.
Working with prototypes and pilots
We test solutions first on a small scale or in a pilot market. If the approach proves itself, we roll it out more broadly.
Securing impact through Inspect & Adapt
We continuously check what the change achieves and adjust it. This anchors the new design permanently in everyday work.
The step-by-step implementation – the biggest lever first, then the next – has a natural limit. Because the building blocks cannot be tackled in any order, since some build on one another. An example: new decision paths often only take effect once the matching structure is in place. That's why we plan the right sequence together with you. That way the steps build cleanly on one another and make your organization sustainably successful for the future.
Roles we additionally bring into the project
Coach
Focus
- Leads individuals, teams and organizations in adopting agile practices through analysis, enablement and support.
- Fosters the self-discovery of solutions rather than prescribing answers.
Relevance
- Fosters a culture of continuous improvement and agility.
- Helps teams master challenges, introduce new ways of working and achieve better workflows and results.
Coach
Guides teams and leaders in establishing new structures, decision paths and forms of collaboration – hands-on and fit for everyday use.
Consultant
Focus
- Diagnoses organizational challenges and delivers specific strategies or solutions.
Relevance
- Provides an external perspective to identify blind spots and opportunities.
- Drives the agile transformation forward by overcoming obstacles and ensuring process alignment.
Consultant
Brings expertise in organizational design and operating models – from diagnosis to implementation.
Trainer
Focus
- Designs and runs agile workshops and structured learning sessions.
- Develops learning materials such as presentations, guides and exercises.
- Trains participants in agile principles, values and practices.
Relevance
- Fosters a culture of continuous improvement and agility.
- Supports the successful implementation and sustainability of agile methods through targeted training.
Trainer
Qualifies employees and leaders for organizational design and effective collaboration.
What working with us looks like
For many years we have been devoted to organizational design and culture development. Three guiding principles shape our identity: Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose. We act self-determined, keep developing continuously and strive to create something meaningful. These principles describe how we work with clients and what we achieve together.
1. We develop solutions together with your teams
1. We develop solutions together with your teams
The solutions are practical, transparent and hands-on. That's how we create results that work in everyday practice and gain acceptance.
2. We generate tailwind
2. We generate tailwind
Through short cycles, clear priorities and tangible prototypes, progress quickly becomes visible for your employees and clients.
3. We connect mindset, practices and structure
3. We connect mindset, practices and structure
We combine mindset, practices and structures into a coherent operating model. That strengthens resilience, learning ability and lasting performance in your organization.
4. We make teams effective
4. We make teams effective
Transparency, a focus on strengths and clear responsibility create focused collaboration. This generates intrinsic motivation and real team impact.
5. We learn through experiments
5. We learn through experiments
In short cycles we test hypotheses, make progress visible and keep developing the design iteratively together with you.
Voices of our clients
“CPC quickly understood our challenges, brought many new impulses and rapidly turned them into experiments. Over 90% of respondents now understand our new vision and strategy.”
We're grateful for these awards
- CPC is a five-time No. 1 Hidden Champion for change management
- Year after year, brandeins/thema names us Germany's best management consultancy for change management
- We have been a Focus Top Consultant for many years
- Winner of the HR Excellence Award and the European Training Prize together with Deutsche Telekom and Lufthansa Technik
- We are No. 1 Great Place to Work in the 51–100 employees category and a Kununu Top Company.
Let's discuss
your project with us!
The first step is easy — and don't worry: we won't send you dull newsletters or annoying promotional emails. Instead, we focus on what matters: your change goals and how we can move your business forward.
Step 1
Call back or email.
Within 24 hours we get in touch with you, capture your requirements and arrange an appointment with one of our experts.
Step 2
Free initial consultation.
In a video call you explain your project and discuss possible solution scenarios together with our expert.
Step 3
You decide how to proceed.
Proposal, pitch or project kickoff? You set the next steps.
Questions and answers
We are the leading consultancy for change management and adaptive organizational design in Germany. We have guided international corporations and large mid-sized companies through a wide range of transformation projects for more than 30 years.
We have relevant experience in agile coaching as well as in designing and running reorganization programs of various sizes. We're glad to give you insight into references and example solutions to convince you. Just get in touch with us.
Yes, it takes time, money and commitment from you. But our experience shows that investments in organizational structures and processes that strengthen your company's adaptability, resilience and performance pay off very quickly.
In Analyzing Design we jointly define metrics by which you determine when you are successful and how great the added value for your business is.
From phase 01 “Thinking Design” to phase 04 “Applying Design” it's exclusively about your company, your goals and ideas, value streams, customers and employees. Together with you we develop the adaptive organizational design that fits you. Every organizational project is unique. At the same time, we have now guided so many transformations that our standardized approach gives us a proven, practical framework. That saves time and money.