Issue Deconstructing functions risks losing stewardship and dissent

Summary

Deloitte cautions that dismantling traditional functions carries the risk of losing valuable expertise and independent judgment. Leaders such as CFOs, chief HR officers and chief legal officers often need to voice unwelcome views to the leadership team in order to protect the enterprise and its stakeholders. Any redesign of functions should therefore preserve the professional expertise and stewardship at the core of these roles and leave space for constructive disagreement among leaders. The report also warns that people tend to defend turf and political power, whatever structure might be most agile or cost-effective. It recommends that leaders create a safe space to work through these tensions and show how people aligned with the organization's direction can succeed individually.