Organizational Charts Online

Fast Company magazine tipped me off to a neat little free tool that you can use to prepare an online organizational chart.  CogMap is an organization chart wiki that allows you to create and edit organizational charts and then publish them for people to view online.  Companies such as Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo have their charts posted online but not many churches are featured…yet!

A few weeks back, Ben Arment blogged about the idea of organizational charts and had some good ideas.  I’ve always liked the idea of preparing ahead of growth and one of the key concepts shared in Michael Gerber’s excellent book “The E-Myth” was the idea of preparing an organizational chart with the future of your company (or church) in mind.  Put together positions that you want to have and place your name in each space if need be.  Then, begin to add new people to your chart as you train and work out specific job duties for them.  This is what I do and it allows me the flexibility to change the chart and move things around as I go.  I’ve always been one to see the church grow in “fractals” similar to Wayne Cordeiro’s church in Hawaii.  You can read about that system in this fine book. 

Check this tool out, sign up, and put your chart together.  I’m looking forward to seeing some new churches on the site soon!