To create an integrated product suite, Cisco dismantled divisional silos and restructured into a platform-based organization. An org chart directly dictates product architecture, so leaders must design their organization to produce the desired integrated outcome, not just individual products.
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To accelerate AI adoption, Block intentionally dismantled its siloed General Manager (GM) structure, which had given autonomy to units like Cash App. They centralized into a functional organization to drive engineering excellence, unify policies, and create a strong foundation for a company-wide AI transformation.
To navigate the unpredictable AI landscape, Snowflake's CEO dismantled its specialized, multi-layered structure that had slowed down iteration. This shift prioritized accountability and shorter engineer-to-customer feedback loops, recognizing that speed and adaptability now trump carefully laid out strategies.
Block's CTO reveals a counterintuitive lesson: reorganizing from a GM-based structure to a functional one (where all engineers report to one org) was the key to their AI transformation. This structural change had a greater productivity impact than any specific AI tool they implemented.
To create a cohesive product across multiple teams, GitHub uses a framework that forces alignment upfront. By ensuring all teams first deeply understand the problem and collectively identify solutions, the final execution is naturally integrated, preventing a disjointed experience that mirrors the org structure.
Cisco rejects a one-size-fits-all integration timeline. It rapidly integrates corporate functions like HR, finance, and legal for control and compliance. However, it takes a more measured, "surgical" approach with core value drivers like engineering and sales to protect the acquired company's unique strengths.
Most startups focus on product or technology innovation, but Gamma's CEO argues that innovating on organizational design is an equally powerful lever. This means rethinking hiring, management, and team composition to create a competitive advantage.
The term "product strategy" can create silos, suggesting it's separate from the business's main goals. Instead, frame it as the "product plan" for executing a unified business strategy. This reinforces a "one team" mentality across all departments.
Cisco's M&A capability is powered by a ~180-person "M&A Community" of dedicated and fractional experts embedded in functions like IT and finance. This distributed team serves as a bridge between central integration and functional execution, meeting regularly and using a shared platform to create a scalable, repeatable M&A machine.
Block restructured from divisional GMs to a functional organization (Engineering, Product, Design) across all brands. This creates a single shared roadmap and forces alignment, enabling cross-unit collaboration that was difficult when incentives were siloed in separate P&Ls.
To move from a project-based model to a scalable product, Irembo created two distinct teams. One team focused on building the core platform and its capabilities, while the other handled client-specific implementations using the platform, effectively managing the transition without disrupting delivery.
