The TOP Structure Guide
This document describes the mechanical structure of TOP: how goals, power and signals are arranged to direct an organization.
Management Summary
TOP is a minimal operating structure for organizations. It links three elements:
- TOP Goals – a small set of system-level goals that describe how the organization should behave.
- RISE Coalitions – small groups that hold the power required to move each goal.
- The TOP Cycle – a repeated sequence that connects decisions to evidence and adjustment.
The aim is not cultural change or a transformation program. The aim is to make it possible to:
- Choose a few consequential goals instead of many weak ones.
- Bring the relevant power into the same room for each goal.
- Use a simple cycle to connect actions with signals and structural consequences.
When TOP is applied, decision paths shorten, conflicts between goals surface earlier, and structural changes become explicit instead of emerging from ad-hoc negotiation.
Purpose and Scope
This Guide specifies how TOP structures organizational intent, power and feedback. It does not prescribe culture, motivation or detailed delivery methods. It focuses on:
- How system-level goals are defined and limited.
- How power is configured to act on those goals.
- How signals are used to adjust action and structure.
The Guide can be applied to a company, a division or a product line. The same mechanics hold, as long as the unit has control over its own goals and structural decisions.
Intended Readers
TOP is relevant for roles that influence how an organization is directed:
- Company leadership (e.g. CEO, founder, general manager).
- Leaders of technology, product or organizational design.
- Managers responsible for cross-team flow, risk and structural decisions.
- Practitioners who participate in RISE Coalitions or operate TOP events.
The Guide assumes familiarity with the basic structure of the organization and with the consequences of decisions in at least one of the main domains (technology, product or organization).
Apex Domains
TOP views every organization through three Apex Domains. These domains are not roles or departments. They are sources of structural consequence.
- Technology – defines what is technically feasible, how rapidly changes can be applied, the operational risk profile and the cost of running the system.
- Product – defines how value is formed for customers or users, how offerings change, and how demand interacts with internal constraints.
- Organization – defines how work, decisions and information are arranged, and how those arrangements affect speed and stability.
Changes in one domain create consequences in the others. TOP does not attempt to optimize domains independently. It is concerned with how decisions alter the combined behavior of all three.
Core Elements
TOP Goals
A TOP Goal describes a change in system behavior. It is formulated so that it affects multiple Apex Domains and can be observed through a small set of signals.
RISE Coalition
A RISE Coalition is the smallest group that together holds Representation, Influence, Sovereignty and Expertise for a given TOP Goal.
TOP Cycle
The TOP Cycle is a repeated sequence of setting goals, configuring coalitions, acting in the system, observing signals and adjusting decisions and structure.
TOP Goals
A TOP Goal is a system-level goal. It is defined by three properties:
- It describes a change in observable behavior of the organization or its environment.
- It has consequences across at least two Apex Domains.
- It can be tracked through a small number of concrete signals.
Example (simplified):
- Current behavior: Releases are irregular, high-risk and require heavy manual coordination.
- TOP Goal: Releases are routine events with controlled blast radius and time-to-recovery, at a predictable pace.
This goal affects:
- Technology – deployment design, test strategy, observability and automation.
- Product – release planning, slicing of changes and communication to customers.
- Organization – ownership, handoffs and incident decision paths.
An organization maintains only a small number of active TOP Goals at any time. Additional goals are queued or merged, to avoid creating mutually incompatible direction.
RISE Coalitions
For each TOP Goal, a RISE Coalition is formed. The coalition is defined by four power vectors:
- Representation – the ability to speak with mandate for a relevant group affected by the goal.
- Influence – the practical ability to affect adoption and cooperation across boundaries.
- Sovereignty – authority to take binding decisions within the scope of the goal.
- Expertise – the capability to correctly identify constraints, options and risks.
A coalition is considered valid when all four vectors are present in a minimal group, and when those vectors can actually be exercised without permanent deferral to other bodies.
Assembling a Coalition
The basic steps are:
- Clarify which constituencies are materially affected by the TOP Goal.
- Identify where informal influence sits for this topic.
- Identify who holds relevant decision authority (sovereignty) for structural changes implied.
- Select participants that jointly cover the four RISE vectors with minimal headcount.
If a person outside the coalition can block or override critical decisions for the goal on a regular basis, power is misaligned and the coalition must be adjusted.
The TOP Cycle
The TOP Cycle describes how TOP Goals and RISE Coalitions are used over time. The cycle is:
- Set Goals – define or adjust the small set of active TOP Goals.
- Form Coalitions – configure RISE Coalitions for each goal.
- Plan Structural Moves – decide which structural changes or actions will be taken.
- Interact with the System – implement changes and run work.
- Observe Signals – inspect agreed signals and side-effects.
- Adjust – update goals, coalitions, and structural decisions as needed.
Different coalitions may be at different points in the cycle. What matters is that each goal is explicitly connected to a coalition, actions, signals and periodic adjustment.
Coalitions
Coalitions are defined by scope of consequence, not by hierarchy. Common scopes are:
- Startup / Single-Team Scope – one group holds all relevant power.
- Cross-Team Scope – multiple teams or products share constraints.
- Whole-Unit Scope – company or division level.
TOP Coalitions in the Organization
A TOP Coalition is any RISE Coalition that works with clearly defined TOP Goals and runs the TOP Cycle. Coalitions can exist at different levels:
- Product or service level.
- Platform or enabling capability level.
- Organizational capability or system level.
For a given context, a single coalition is needed to create meaningful impact. In practice, multiple coalitions may operate in parallel. It is then essential that:
- Their goals do not structurally contradict each other.
- They are aware of shared constraints and dependencies.
- They escalate cross-coalition conflicts to a level where RISE power is sufficient to resolve them.
Coalitions are not permanent structures. Over time, as goals are achieved and new ones emerge, coalitions form, operate and dissolve. The underlying principle: set intent, bring power together, reduce friction, act, learn and adapt, is what remains.
Startup Coalition
In settings with less than 12 people, most structural decisions, key influence and execution capacity are usually present in the same room. In this case one coalition is sufficient.
The practical questions are:
- What needs to change at the system level? (TOP Goals)
- Which decisions are required to make that change? (RISE)
- How will progress and risk be observed? (Signals)
Not everyone must participate in every discussion. For each decision, the smallest subset that still covers all four RISE vectors is used.
Strategic Coalition
A coalition at company or division scope defines the main TOP Goals for that unit and commits to the structural consequences of those goals. It delegates execution to smaller coalitions but remains responsible for incompatibilities between goals and for conflicts between domains.
Management Coalition
A Management Coalition operates where coordination is the main problem: across teams, products, locations, or domains. It does not exist to do the work itself, but to make it possible for others to deliver without constant escalation.
Operational Coalition
An Operational Coalition operates where work is executed: teams, operations, delivery, customer contact. It owns how work is done within its scope and implements changes that move towards the TOP Goal.
Cross-Team Coalition
When several teams or units depend on shared systems, processes or policies, a coalition with cross-team scope is formed. Its main purpose is to adjust structures and agreements so that work can flow without permanent escalation.
Key Events in the TOP Structure
TOP repurposes existing meetings where possible. Adding meetings without first optimizing the incumbent decision-making structures is an early sign of failure.
TOP does not require a large number of new meetings. It defines a few focused events that support the TOP Cycle and can be integrated into your existing cadence. These events are not workshops for their own sake. Each exists to create a clear structural outcome.
Goal Setting Event
Purpose: establish the few consequential changes the organization must make to move forward. This event identifies both where the system loses momentum and where it must grow, shift, or expand capabilities to achieve future outcomes. TOP Goals are structural commitments that alter behavior, create advantage, and enable the next level of performance—not just optimizations.
Participants are selected based on RISE power relevant to the scope of the goals. The event does not attempt to involve everyone who is "interested". It involves those who deal with the consequences and the authority to act.
Outcomes:
- A small set of consequential TOP Goals that reduce friction, expand capability, and strengthen strategic position.
- Understanding of potential goal conflicts and initial trade-off decisions.
- Clarity about which coalitions are needed to work towards which goals.
Coalition Formation Event
Organize the Coalition Formation
Purpose: form or adjust a RISE Coalition for a specific TOP Goal, and clarify how it will operate.
Activities:
- Confirm the goal and its consequences across Technology, Product and Organization.
- Identify and confirm Representation, Influence, Sovereignty and Expertise.
- Agree on collaboration principles, decision rules and working cadence.
- Identify immediate friction to be reduced in the Optimize Energy step.
Outcome: a coalition that has the necessary power, a shared understanding of the goal and a clear initial plan for how to proceed through the TOP Cycle.
Mission Launch Event
Purpose: translate the TOP Goal into concrete focus, signals and first actions. This is not a detailed planning workshop. It is a structural alignment session.
Activities:
- Clarify what "meaningful progress" looks like in the next period.
- Define key signals the coalition will use to track progress and risk.
- Decide which structural obstacles will be addressed first.
- Agree on communication expectations between coalition and affected teams.
Outcome: a shared understanding of direction, early signs of success or concern, and a clear set of initial actions that can be started without further approval.
Signals & Adjustment Meeting (SAM)
Organize the Signals & Alignment Meeting
Purpose: regularly review signals for a TOP Goal, assess alignment between expectation and reality, and decide whether to continue, adjust or stop current actions.
SAMs are short, focused sessions. They are not status meetings in disguise. They concentrate on deviations, risks, and learning.
Typical agenda:
- Review key signals and notable developments since the last SAM.
- Discuss visible consequences across the Apex Domains.
- Decide which changes in action or structure are required.
- Update the TOP Goal or coalition composition if necessary.
Coalition Synchronization
Organize the Coalition Synchronization
When multiple TOP Coalitions operate in parallel, periodic synchronization is required to prevent them from working at cross-purposes.
Synchronization events:
- Ensure that goals and actions from different coalitions are structurally compatible.
- Surface shared constraints and dependencies early.
- Allow higher-level RISE Coalitions (for example, executive level) to resolve conflicts.
Scale Across Event
Organize the Scale Across Event
Purpose: multiply ROI by sharing proven approaches across the organization. This event disseminates what works and what doesn't, enabling other teams to adopt successful patterns and avoid costly mistakes. It's a pull-based invitation to share learnings, not an imposition of standards.
The Scale Across Event is trigger-based, not calendar-driven. It should be run whenever a coalition has achieved outcomes or discovered patterns that are clearly useful beyond its own scope.
Outcomes:
- Knowledge dissemination: others learn about the coalition's successes and failures.
- Opportunity identification: others discover how they can benefit from the coalition's achievements.
- Support agreements: clear agreements on who will adopt which patterns and what support is available.
- Organizational capability: proven approaches become available across the organization.
Introducing TOP
Practical guide for getting started with TOP
TOP can be introduced incrementally. A minimal introduction has four steps:
- For a given unit, write down 1–3 candidate TOP Goals.
- Form one coalition that clearly holds RISE power for at least one goal.
- Run one Mission Launch and SAM cycle on that goal for a limited period.
- Observe whether decision paths, structural clarity and result quality change.
If the effect is useful, the pattern is extended to additional goals or units. If the effect is weak, the goal or coalition configuration is adjusted.
Glossary
TOP Goal
A system-level goal that changes observable behavior, affects multiple Apex Domains and is tracked through specific signals. See TOP Goal pattern.
Apex Domains
Technology, Product and Organization – three sources of structural consequence in any organization. See Apex Domains pattern.
RISE Coalition
The smallest group of people that together hold Representation, Influence, Sovereignty and Expertise for a TOP Goal. It is defined by power, not by function or hierarchy. See RISE Coalition pattern.
TOP Cycle
The repeated sequence of setting goals, configuring coalitions, deciding structural moves, interacting with the system, observing signals and adjusting decisions. See TOP Cycle pattern.
TOP describes structure and motion. It does not supply motivation. It assumes that where goals, power and signals are mechanically aligned, the organization can act without additional frameworks.