Stop Reorgs That Lock In Misalignment

Fix the system first, then change the structure.

October 24, 2025

Too many companies try to fix misalignment by changing the org chart. That usually fails. Reorgs made too early hard code the wrong behaviors, cause confusion, create change fatigue, and add new friction.

Structure outpaces behavior

Most reorgs collapse because structure changes faster than behavior. Leaders move boxes on a chart before teams have built the trust, rhythm, and shared context to work as one system.

When collaboration is not real yet, new reporting lines do not accelerate progress. They multiply uncertainty. Execution slows, accountability blurs, and high performers start working around the structure instead of through it.

Cultural damage follows. The best people lose clarity, middle managers spend time translating decisions, and collaboration becomes performative. The new structure ends up institutionalizing old dysfunction.

This is the test. Prove collaboration and alignment are happening first, then let the org structure codify what is already working.

Collaboration only works when people, tools, and culture work together. You need all three. Overinvesting in one while ignoring the others leads to frustration, friction, and failure—even when the stakes are high and the intentions are good.

Deb Mashek, PhD, author of Collabor(h)ate: How to Build Incredible Collaborative Relationships at Work (Even If You’d Rather Work Alone)

Key building blocks of alignment before org redesign

  1. Culture that supports shared outcomes

  • Leaders remove “mine vs yours” dynamics and reward team wins.

  • Sales, Marketing, and Success share ownership of revenue, not parallel targets.

  • The expectation is progress together, not performance in isolation.

  1. A communication rhythm that creates accountability

  • Regular cross functional reviews follow the buyer from first touch to renewal.

  • Teams review one set of metrics and make decisions in the room.

  • Issues are surfaced early and resolved on a clear cadence.

  1. A co-created operating process across the full buyer journey

  • One buyer journey and one set of stage definitions with entry and exit rules.

  • Clear handoffs, no shadow workflows, and no local versions of the truth.

  • Agreements on how field feedback changes messaging, targeting, and plays.

  1. A core revenue stack that aligns data and decisions

  • One source of truth for pipeline, forecast, and revenue.

  • Shared definitions in CRM and marketing automation, not on slides.

  • RevOps owns data hygiene, change control, and integration health.

If these four elements are not established, structure will not save you. It will magnify what is broken. Reorgs work when they codify traction. They fail when they try to manufacture it.

Why structure comes after traction

Org redesign should reinforce proven behaviors, not try to create them. When culture, rhythm, process, and the core stack are working together, the org structure can safely codify how teams already operate. This timing prevents leaders from locking in silos or redesigning around theory.

If this was useful, forward it to a colleague who would benefit from rethinking how sales and marketing can align to drive sustainable growth.

Until next week,
Jeff
RevEngine™ | Built for Revenue Leaders Driving Alignment and Growth—Together