Our Approach: The Star Model

To understand the power of the Star Model, first consider a common organizational development framework called the “golden triangle.”

This model was developed in the early 1960s, and the idea was that operational effectiveness can be achieved through a focus on people, process, and tools (or technology).

At the Persimmon Group, we believe that the triangle model is missing vital components, which, when overlooked, can lead to expensive mistakes and disappointing results. 

That’s Where the Star Comes In…

Our model adds two additional points, which transform the triangle into a star.

We believe that it’s crucially important to look at the guiding principles and values of your organization (which we call culture) and how people are organized to complete work (which we call structure.)

When change initiatives fail to take these critical factors into account, it can result in the wrong change happening at the wrong time, for the wrong reasons.

If you don’t pay attention to your culture…

You can cause your organization irreparable harm when you implement processes, policies, or tools that run counter to the kind of culture you want to build and reflect in your organization.

Want a culture of agility and innovation? Too much bureaucracy could kill it. Want to develop a culture of diversity and inclusivity? Business-as-usual practices will get you more of what you’ve always had, and leave valuable voices unheard and unrecognized.

The right solution for your organization will give careful consideration to how people are supported (and held accountable by) your organization, so that the culture you want is amplified rather than undermined.

If you don’t pay attention to structure…

You can invest lots of time and resources working to implement a “best practice” that has proven itself many times for other companies, but which falls flat because the structure of your organization won’t support it.

What works really well for a large company with an intricate reporting structure may not work well in a flatter, more resource constrained environment. As you consider how your organization needs to evolve, any change on the table needs to be aligned with your business structure to have the highest potential for success.

Even still, it’s possible for a company’s change initiative to fail if one last major area is not considered…

STRATEGY is right at the center of the star.

Just like the sun is the center of the solar system; your strategy is what your whole “solar system” (the 5 points) is ordered around. It represents where your organization wants to go next in its evolution.

The best strategies are:

• Proactive and forward-thinking, not outdated or reactive
• Understood by your entire organization, so that all levels are working together rather than against each other

The five points of your star–people, processes, tools, culture, and structure–should support your strategy.

When this happens, you can achieve the results you want, while eliminating hard work that gets you nowhere.