Businesses don't stand still.
They grow, acquire, enter new markets, introduce new technology, and respond to changing customer needs.
But the organisation underneath the strategy doesn't always evolve at the same pace.
Over time, that gap starts to show.
Decisions take longer. Accountability becomes less clear. Senior leaders get pulled into operational detail.
Good people spend too much of their time navigating the organisation simply to get things done.
What is smart/TOM?
smart/TOM is smart/tasking's approach to Target Operating Model design, implementation and continuous optimisation.
We help organisations understand how work really happens today, identify where the operating model is getting in the way of performance, and design the changes needed to better deliver the strategy.
That means looking beyond the organisation chart to understand how structure, roles and responsibilities, processes, decision rights, governance, technology, and people work together.
Because a Target Operating Model shouldn't simply describe what an organisation looks like. It should make it easier to get the right work done.
Redesign the work, not just the boxes on the org chart.
Shuffling boxes on an org chart changes reporting lines, not performance.
True alignment requires balancing connected and distinct elements: your functional model, design principles, target structure, and the daily behaviours that make new ways of working stick.
smart/TOM helps you understand what's creating that friction, redesign what needs to change, and keep your operating model aligned as your business evolves.
We start with your strategy. Not a predetermined model.
We look at the core outcomes your strategy demands and how the organisation needs to operate to make them possible.
1.
Simplify
Simplifying governance and decision rights so work moves faster.
2.
Streamline
Streamlining workflows across functional boundaries.
3.
Eliminate
Eliminating low-value activity to give leadership teams more capacity.
4.
Adapt
Adapting roles and processes to get the most out of technology and AI.
What can an aligned target operating model unlock?
A Target Operating Model focuses on removing the drag that impedes strategic execution. Aligning your functional architecture, design principles, and supporting behaviours delivers three board-level outcomes
Accelerated execution velocity
Commercial grip and EBITDA protection
Unlocked leadership and organisational Capacity
Eliminate redundant governance and decision bottlenecks, enabling teams to bring propositions to market faster and turn strategy into measurable performance.
Remove duplicated effort and structural drag at the source, preventing costs from creeping back into the P&L while protecting operating margins
Release senior leaders from daily operational firefighting and stops talented employees from wasting time navigating internal complexity, allowing them to focus on high-value outcomes.
Where is friction holding your organisation back?
If your strategy has changed significantly, it's worth asking whether the operating model expected to deliver it has changed with it.
On 15 October, we're bringing together a small group of CEOs, COOs, CFOs, PE operating partners and transformation leaders for an exclusive smart/tasking Breakfast Briefing to explore that question.
We'll look at where organisational friction comes from, what it really costs, how to diagnose the underlying causes and how organisations can evolve without defaulting to another restructure.
We'll share practical examples from our work with leadership teams and create plenty of space for an open conversation with others around the table.
Start with the Business Health Check
You don't need to begin with a full Target Operating Model redesign.
A useful first step is understanding where friction may already exist and whether the organisation is supporting the strategy you're trying to deliver.
The smart/tasking free self assessment Business Health Check provides an initial view of where there may be opportunities to improve performance and where it may be worth looking more closely.
Get in Touch
Abbey House, 282 Farnborough Rd, Farnborough GU14 7NA
020 3918 5680
